Barack Obama is heading to Republic of Kenya – the birthplace of his father – on, his 1st visit to his ancestral home throughout his presidency. however returning at the tail finish of his second term, the trip is that the final show of the symbolic, instead of substantive, approach that has characterized Obama’s engagement with Africa.
Barack Obama goes back to Kenya: 'It's like Jack Kennedy going back to Ireland'
The president clearly identifies with the continent, as is clear from his journey of find to African country as a 26-year-old. As he explained in his elegant memoir written as he launched his political career in 1995: “The pain I felt was my father’s pain. My queries were my brothers’ queries. Their struggle, my birthright.”
But like several African Americans, Obama had a somewhat romanticised read of Africa, noting that the continent “had become a thought quite associate degree actual place, a brand new secure land, filled with ancient traditions and sweeping vistas, noble struggles and talking drums”.
During that 1st trip to African country in 1988, Obama looked as if it would wish to don the robes of associate degree African identity. In his book he recounts however he enjoyed the extravagant cordial reception and heat of his giant extended family; picked up phrases within the Kenyan language Luo; rode in matatus (taxis); Ate goat curry and ugali (corn meal); and went on campaign. He additionally explains however he was exposed to the corruption and ethnic tensions of the country’s politics, and was dismayed by the pernicious socio-economic impact of British exploitation on African country.
When he visited once more in 2006, this point as a U.S. legislator, he was received sort of a rock 'n' roll musician. His condemnation of human rights abuses and corruption in Africa was wide applauded.
When he was elective because the 1st black U.S. president in 2008, a wave of “Obamamania” once more swept the continent. He visited Egypt and Gold Coast in 2009 to entail group action in Africa and also the geographical region, noting that Washington would support “strong establishments and not strongmen”. however by the time Obama visited African country, Republic of Senegal and African nation in 2013, the dream had worn off, and also the chimerical expectation that the yankee country|North American nation} president would rework American policy towards Africa had not even identical to being consummated.