President Obama comes to Ghana

(This was put together by the physician who is serving here as medical advisor for the area. We happened to be out of the country when Obama was here so we don't have a first hand account, but we thought you might be interested in Dr.Stubb's observations.)


Obama came to Ghana yesterday!

Now we are quite accustomed to Big Men coming to Ghana with their fancy black limousines, but no one can do it up quite like the President of the United States.

His own personal jumbo jet. They fly in all his cars, helicopters and hundreds of security staff.

Every street that he would see was festooned with bright flags and a fresh coat of white sidewalk paint. Which by the way, after last night's rain is already gone.

The American flag company must make a bundle everywhere a president goes because Ghana must have bought up all the left overs.

The people were excited to see him. You see, this is the first visit to Africa by a black American president and he chose only Ghana to come to.


His father is from Kenya and his wife's ancestors were brought over during the slave trading days. More on that later.


Immediately of course, other African countries were jealous and hurt.


He didn't go to Kenya the home of his father.


He didn't go to Nigeria where the US buys megabarrels of oil every day.


He didn't go to South Africa or Angola or Zimbabwe either.


It is said he came to Ghana because it is the one country in Africa where there are peaceful democratic elections. Are we ever glad for that.


This was the message he was supposedly sending to the rest of Africa. "Be peaceful, lawful, and we will come let you buy our flags and t-shirts."

The President of the United States has about the most bucks on the planet to spend on putting on quite a show.
His own jets, limousine fleets, security, helicopters, and several boat loads of flags. I bet they even brought over their own McDonalds.


When he flies into your neighborhood, he really makes quite a show. And everyone knows he is here. You can't do anything that will interfere with the BBM (Big, Big Man).


This must mean that he holds a lot of power and influence, at least for the next 3 1/2 years.


I wonder about the visit of a previous Big Man many years ago and how his entrance differed some from this one.

When he made his formal entrance to Jerusalem, he had a little more humble transportation.

The roadways were not blocked and there was no security, at least not for Him.