Obama’s bid to become the nation’s first black president and one of its youngest ought to inspire African youth

“Yes, We Can,” reverberates across Africa, thanks to Barrack Obama, the U.S. Presidential candidate. By clinching the Democratic party's 2008 nomination for president, Barack Obama has shown the world that with a fair playing ground, proper strategy, fair and functional electoral systems, party organs with clear policies, African people can excel.

Obama’s bid to become the nation’s first black president and one of its youngest ought to inspire African youth stuck in the ‘leaders of tomorrow’ mantra   that they can assume positions of leadership today. Leadership here is not restricted to political offices alone, but in various disciplines areas where solutions are required. For Obama, it is in politics. For Muhammad Ali, it was in boxing. For Michael Jordan it is in basketball; for Serena Williams: lawn tennis; for Oprah Winfrey: business and Inspiration for TD Jakes.

Barack Obama embodies the best of Africa and the possibilities. To many African peoples in the United States, in the Diaspora, and on the African continent, Obama is not only an affirmation of  the latent positive attributes that African people harbor but also a repudiation of  the negative attributes that have been Africa’s lot.