Talk about opportunity.

Ha ha ha, sorry, that was a very unprofessional burst from me. But I can't help it when I saw this from Cool Hunter and I thought it was brilliant of Veet!

The Kenyan son, Obama.

As a follow-up to my previous post; coincidentally during the last bout of my journey in Kenya, I managed to sit down with a couple of life veterans in a hole-in-a-wall pub in some faraway suburbs of Nairobi debating on the Obama issue. Them over their Tuskers and me over my cola. Listening to them, they were extremely proud of Obama. To the extent that one of them may even fly back to the States to witness Bamie's inauguration and this was what another one of them exclaimed.

"We're proud of Obama. It's not that we want money or help or anything. We're proud of him because we see him like our son. And our son has made it. In the annals of American history, no black has ever stepped foot in the White House. Even if he made it, the bullet will stop him. But not our Obama, He made it."

Wow. Those are some powerful words if you ask me. Please pardon my one way street perspective before then. I hope that provides a fresh perspective to the Obama debate.

The messianic Barack Obama.

I was kinda surprised to see Obama almost on worshipped status in Kenya. In bookstores, you can even find books about his childhood (did Obama grow up here? His dad surely did but his childhood?). At the road junctions, sellers tried to shove Obama souvenirs (what the!? in Kenya!?). So you have Obama t-shirts, hankies, you have Kenyan flags, American flags (WHAT!?). Then I read a very interesting post by someone called R. Corey Richardson and his take on this whole Obama she-bang. I can understand why Obama being the first of non-white to hold presidency presents so much hope to non-white people, to non-Americans. To the extent it overshadows their own country's leader. As for me, somehow, I thought it's a good sign for great change. To show the world that things can happen. But we ought to also remember that Obama is a man and he will fail. He cannot live up to everyone's expectations. As a leader he needs to prioritize and that means some will fall out of his plans. I think as much 'hope' as he embodies, we need to understand that he's nothing more that a representative fact that this world is changing and it's coloured. People are moving out of their borders and settling in other nations. People are marrying each other out of love not coloured skins nor status. People are getting international and travelling to find themselves amongst others. And Obama represents all that. And only all that. He's an American President. He's NOT God.