Text of Obama's Speech to the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, Ghana.

As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable and more successful than governments that do not.

Good afternoon, everybody. It is a great honor for me to be in Accra and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I've received, as are Michelle and Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana's history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as president of the United States of America.

I want to thank Madam Speaker and all the members of the House of Representatives for hosting us today. I want to thank President Mills for his outstanding leadership. To the former presidents — Jerry Rawlings, former President Kufuor — vice president, chief justice — thanks to all of you for your extraordinary hospitality and the wonderful institutions that you've built here in Ghana.

I'm speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia for a summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy for a meeting of the world's leading economies. And I've come here to Ghana for a simple reason: The 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra, as well.

This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America's prosperity. Your health and security can contribute to the world's health and security. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.

So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world ... as partners with America on behalf of the future we want for all of our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility and mutual respect. And that is what I want to speak with you about today.

We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans.

I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. After all, I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's ... my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story.

Some you know my grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him "boy" for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya's liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn't simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade — it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year.

My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at a moment of extraordinary promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father's generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways, and history was on the move.

But despite the progress that has been made — and there has been considerable progress in many parts of Africa — we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya had a per capita economy larger than South Korea's when I was born. They have badly been outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent.

In many places, the hope of my father's generation gave way to cynicism, even despair. Now, it's easy to point fingers and to pin the blame of these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense helped to breed conflict. The West has often approached Africa as a patron or a source of resources rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father's life, it was partly tribalism and patronage and nepotism in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is still a daily fact of life for far too many.

Now, we know that's also not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or a need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with repeated peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. And by the way, can I say that for that the minority deserves as much credit as the majority. And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana's economy has shown impressive rates of growth.

This progress may lack the drama of 20th century liberation struggles, but make no mistake: It will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of other nations, it is even more important to build one's own nation.

So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana and for Africa as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of great promise. Only this time, we've learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa's future. Instead, it will be you — the men and women in Ghana's parliament — the people you represent. It will be the young people brimming with talent and energy and hope who can claim the future that so many in previous generations never realized.

Now, to realize that promise, we must first recognize the fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: Development depends on good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That's the change that can unlock Africa's potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.

As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I've pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa's interests and America's interests. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of perpetual aid that helps people scrape by — it's whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change.

This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I'll focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments.

As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable and more successful than governments that do not.

This is about more than just holding elections. It's also about what happens between elections. Repression can take many forms, and too many nations, even those that have elections, are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves ... or if police — if police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top ... or the head of the port authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. And now is the time for that style of governance to end.

In the 21st century, capable, reliable and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges ... an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people's everyday lives.

Now, time and again, Ghanaians have chosen constitutional rule over autocracy and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously — the fact that President Mills' opponents were standing beside him last night to greet me when I came off the plane spoke volumes about Ghana; victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition in unfair ways. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage and participating in the political process.

Across Africa, we've seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop postelection violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three-quarters of the country voted in the recent election — the fourth since the end of apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person's vote is their sacred right.

Now, make no mistake: History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.

Now, America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation. The essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. But what America will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and responsible institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance — on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard ... on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting and automating services ... strengthening hot lines, protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability.

And we provide this support. I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights reports. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don't, and that is exactly what America will do.

Now, this leads directly to our second area of partnership: supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.

With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base of prosperity. Witness the extraordinary success of Africans in my country, America. They're doing very well. So they've got the talent, they've got the entrepreneurial spirit. The question is, how do we make sure that they're succeeding here in their home countries? The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities — or a single export — has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.

So in Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been very responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure ... when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled work force and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs.

As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we want to put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. That's why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers — not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it's no longer needed. I want to see Ghanaians not only self-sufficient in food, I want to see you exporting food to other countries and earning money. You can do that.

Now, America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. That will be a commitment of my administration. And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; financial services that reach not just the cities but also the poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interests — for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, guess what? New markets will open up for our own goods. So it's good for both.

One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and more conflict. All of us — particularly the developed world — have a responsibility to slow these trends — through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.

Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity and help countries increase access to power while skipping — leapfrogging the dirtier phase of development. Think about it: Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and biofuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coasts to South Africa's crops — Africa's boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad.

These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They're about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to market; an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It's about the dignity of work; it's about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.

Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it's also critical to the third area I want to talk about: strengthening public health.

In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. I just saw a wonderful clinic and hospital that is focused particularly on maternal health. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn't kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made.

Yet because of incentives — often provided by donor nations — many African doctors and nurses go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. And this creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries.

So across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care — for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns.

America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy, because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience but also by our common interest, because when a child dies of a preventable disease in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents.

And that's why my administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges — $63 billion. Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and we will work to eradicate polio. We will fight — we will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won't confront illnesses in isolation — we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children.

Now, as we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings — and so the final area that I will address is conflict.

Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.

These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck. Now, we all have many identities — of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe or who worships a different prophet has no place in the 21st century. Africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God's children. We all share common aspirations — to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity.

That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justified, never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. And all of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.

Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, in Ghana we are seeing you help point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon ... and your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational forces to bear when needed.

America has a responsibility to work with you as a partner to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there's a genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems — they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response.

And that's why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy and technical assistance and logistical support, and we will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.

In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. And that must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.

As I said earlier, Africa's future is up to Africans.

The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. And in my country, African Americans — including so many recent immigrants — have thrived in every sector of society. We've done so despite a difficult past, and we've drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali, Kinshasa, Harare, and right here in Accra.

You know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice."

Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population.

And here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease and end conflicts and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can ... because in this moment, history is on the move.

But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won't be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way — as a partner, as a friend. Opportunity won't come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart.

Ghana, freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; this was the moment when prosperity was forged, when pain was overcome, and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Yes we can. Thank you very much. God bless you. Thank you.

Comments

[Augustine S, Canada]

Speech well delivered. It was above expectations. He struck on corruption and good governance, what i wanted to hear. African leaders are stifling the progress of their own nations. I wish his administration goes a long way to exposing corrupt African leaders, punish them by freezing their assets and issuing traveling bans on them and their families. Obama is the kind of leader we need in this world. If only African leaders were to have just an iota of his intelligence, courage, honesty and love for humanity, I bet you poverty, disease and conflicts would be a thing of the past.
May God bless our dear continent.

[UnitedstatesofAfrica]

"We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans."

CO-SIGN

[Ras Tuge]

Well, the spotlight has finally turned towards the Promise Land! There's a good reason why African children in the West Indies, and the US feel strongly that repatriation time as preached by Marcus Garvey, has finally come.

Hordes of African Americans are heavily engaged in the business of tracing their African roots, and many actually visit the various countries that they are linked with by the DNA analysis. Renowned American stand-up comedian Chris Rock, found out that his roots are Cameroonian and hopes to visit Cameroon soon.

All these occurs at a time when lugubrious and peevish doubting Thomases from Cameroon donot even regard the country as their beloved home any more. And they expect others to sweat and fix the place for them as they shamelessly watch from afar!

Well, thanks Barack for reminding Africans of the need to depend on themselves in order to be able to create the viable institutions that will hold egocentric African leaders accountable.

All in all, a process has developed which promises within this our knowledgeable generation to make Africa a much better place than we have witnessed this far. The dark continent shall never be the same again.

Like i've said many times before, as African children we must engage ourselves and sacrifice our different skills at various levels to create sustainable governance that will ensure a thriving future for the continent. Remember your roots, remember your history. We've been beggars for long!

I wish Ghana's fledgling democracy all the best of luck. I hope it will be equitable in the long term. In this our time, Africa must undergo an utter transformation, and ubiquitous justice must prevail. We're going to rise! Jah bless the humble African mother, father and child!

[Emmanuel]

Home run. Talk, talk, talk, all of it old crap, and ghoulish, to boot.

It does take two to tango. And, Africans are silly to listen to lectures on corruption from the leader of the hegemon of financial, moral and political corruption; it took two to tango with the slave trade, colonialism, and now the era of "partnership."

Look, this talk of "partnership" is a lie. Only subststantive, not notional equals, can enter into partnerships.

Most African countries are in no position to partner with the financial elephants of the hegemon, which are supported by the wall street leaning, elite educated Obama. He has no choice, even if he were a hundred percent African. The system demands that financial capital run the show. And, financial capital can be vicious in defense of the buck.

Again, it is time that African youth 'kill' their fathers, these good for nothing bootlickers of the West.

[Totalsuccess]

The triumph

The tide has turned.
Now you see not but
soon shall see.

There is a wind for every season;
this wind has come
just in time for the harvest;
be brave and purposed.

Justice's scale cannot be compromised;
not by man or his trickery

The tide has turned.
Now you see not
but soon shall see.

Renew your conviction.
Renew, yes renew your conviction
in justices ultimate triumph

Here and beyond.
In your personal affairs
and all life.

Yes, renew.
Renew your conviction in
life's ultimate victory.

[Blaise Courage]

It was a great speech and it comes to remind us of our responsibilities as Africans, that we can effectively build our continent to become a beacon of hope in a dark world. Let us rise up, together with other patriots who are already doing great things in little ways back home, to build the kind of society we will have loved to see by now. Let's give the next generation the opportunities we never had. I must however state that comments and ideologies from people like Emmanuel are the kind of things that still keep most people in stagnation.

[Reex, Flames]

The same rhetoric... I wonder when people stop believing and start acting... We don't need speeches on hope and pledges -they serve to anesthetize the population, that their problems shall be solved -they should hope for the solutions. When the financial crisis hit the US, the President said something similar about the responsibility of Americans to take the charge...Well contri pipo, most Americans are not even in control of their financial lives, lest responsible for the financial collapse, which were created by a greedy clique of bankers.

Then he repeated the same speech in Cairo about responsibility of the Arabs to find everlasting peace in the Middle East - No comment on this

Now, he is paraphrasing the same to us, as if the ills and exploits of slave trade and colonialism was of our own doing. If he is to give a good lecture, maybe he should start telling his European partners to tow away from Africa and then he follows suit in the Middle East and Latin America.

Well, Obama's speeches are well-written by an impressive staff to do a formidable job. What else do we expect from him? Speeches from his heart about the realities of our current world?

Massa, let us Africans work out our solutions. We may afterward invite Obama to share roasted corn and groundnuts at the fire side and discuss the politics on the ground - neither Ivy League stuff nor the usual double-talk demonstrated by the Western World, those speeches could be reserved to later occasions, when every hungry stomach in Africa has been filled!

[Oyez]

Just two more things are required, and it will go a long way:

1) Deny African rulers, their families and their lieutenants the right to foreign bank accounts and foreign property of any kind.
2) Deny African rulers any kind of medical care outside of Africa.

Those are the only two things we ask the West to do, and we will take care of the rest.

[Isat]

I can't quite remember, but I wonder why Obama for all his oratory and "big talk" did not offer a sermon on democracy, etc when he gave his speech in Cairo-Egypt.

Let me guess: It wasn't a matter of concern... Or is it simply harder to tell middle-eastern nations what they should practice than to "preach" to "despotic" sub-Saharan Africans.

I've heard from many corners that Obama chose Ghana because of its democracy - and what of Egypt then? A country with a leader who has been in power since 1981!

Oops... I'm sorry... It's surely the case of "each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions."

U.S. interests dictate decisions taken by U.S. politicians. Glossing over their talk - however fresh - is at our own risk and peril.

Yet,it was another sweet speech from Barack Obama. Give a man his due praise: he can hold a crowd with his talking!

What we should really keep as a reminder are these words:"Africa's future is up to Africans."

And take note: Obama is not African. His grand-father who cooked for the Brits and his father were Africans. He is American and his country's interests rule supreme - no matter how many songs we sing in his praise.

Man wey yi get ear make yi hear.

[NNOKO JOHNSON]

Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.
MR Biya please take note of this phrase and learn,we dont want u out,but we need strong institutions,please please...

[PROUDPAYISAN]

OBAMA IS A NICE TALKER. HE IS ONE OF MY IDOLS. BUT I'VE GROWN TOO SUSPICIOUS OF THE US FOREIGN POLICY AND ALL I SEE IS THE QUEST FOR THE BLACK GOLD RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN GHANA... THAT NOT WITHSTANDING, I STILL THINK HE WAS RIGHT IN COMING TO GHANA FIRST AS GHANA IS THE ONLY BEACON AND FLAG BEARER OF DEMOCRACY AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA.
CAPE COAST CASTLE IS A NICE PLACE FOR ANY PERSON WISHING TO HAVE FIRSTHAND INSIGHT INTO THE PERILOUS JOURNEY OUR FOREFATHERS WERE FORCED TO UNDERTAKE TO THE AMERICAS BUT AS IT IS, THATS WHERE THE OIL HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN GHANA...
I HOPE OTHERS LEARN FROM GHANA... GOD BLESS AMAERICA...

[Danny Boy]

I remember reading somewhere that Nkrumah, Ziks and co held Truman to account on the small matter of "self-determination" as enshrined in the UN Charter. When Churchill, and the British Government, signed the San Francisco charter, he thought, the principle of self determination applied only to Whites!!!! When Truman summoned him to the White House and told him otherwise, after listening to Nkrumah et al, Churchill stated that the US were simply jealous of the British Empire. It is for this simple reason that Churchill is viewed by many today as a racist. This is a true story and I would be grateful to any historian out there who can fill the gaps. This was a defining momment in the history of decolonization.
The reason I am mentioning this is for the simple reason that ideas have consequences. Mr. President has spoken and he is quite clear about what needs to be done to our failing institutions. I am sure if we the people can challenge him on his promises of assistance in partnership, he will deliver.
Therefore, with regards to Cameroon, I would suggest as a starter, that our Brothers and Sisters in the US form a group, that is non-partisan, to lobby his Government for this assistance as declared. Let us hold him to his word, like Nkrumah and co did to Truman.

[Oyez]

Truman was an admirable and straight forward person. What he lacked in charisma, he more than made up for with honesty and commonsense. I remember this story as well. He is the one who had the sign on his desk that said, "The Buck Stops Here" which indicates ultimate responsibility and lack of fear. He also desegregated the US military, which had been previously segregated by race. He did it without fanfare and with a straightforward order, and was ready for any backlash. Nothing happened. The army did as ordered and life went on.

African countries which want to clean up need Trumans, not flashy but practical with no tolerance for bullshit and sycophants. Yang in his recent rejection of overtures from North west fons showed a Trumanesque quality. Unfortunately, he really has no power.

[Che Sunday]

A copy of this speech need to sent to the Champs Elysee so that the tenants in that God forsaken cage can start telling their stewards, the likes of Biya that they can only govern with the approval of those they govern. Countries that have so much to offer like Cameroon, Congo, Gabon and DRC are either best by inept leadership or meaningless wars. Francs not only encourages corruption, it sets up the machinery through which it is perfected in Africa. The heads of states are hand picked, Elf then then starts the bribery rounds. The nations savings are seated in the French treasury, and these goons use it as they see fit. Francs uses the rest for private investments anywhere in the world, except Africa.
Then when the citizens are fed up and want to follow the money trail to France, they are called illegal aliens and deported. Just the interest on their respective countries money is good enough to keep them going for the rest of their lives. What exactly does France produce to keep it competitive with the rest of industrialized world? How many French cars do you see on the streets of any industrialized nation? I have a bone to pick with France and does challenge any Frenchman out there to a debate on France's contribution to African underdevelopment. Any Frenchie willing to take the challenge?

[Bob Bristol]

After reading such a well scripted piece, two things are evident. On the one hand, there is his goodwill and solidarity towards Africans and all the suppressed people of the world and on the other, he has an obligation to advance the progress of the US. The latter cannot be achieved to a certain extend without the exploitation of the suppressed people that he seems to have at heart. I'm afraid Obama can't even freeze the accounts of rulers like Biya because America badly needs the money.

However, optimism still finds its way because the old power-obsessed and mentally deficient African tyrants are preparing to be Bongolised.

[Reex, Flames]

Hmmm...I beg to disagree with Oyez on views about Truman. Truman was a politician influenced by self-interest. I don't find him admirable, with his decisions of dropping the A-bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, despite evidence that the war was already at its end-point. The bomb did a deadly toll on the civilian population than on the military - excesses of war you may say.

Secondly desegregation benefited the white soldiers more than the blacks. It paved the way for more black soldiers to be sent to the war front while whites were retained as their commanding officers. This explains why the death toll of African-American soldiers were almost twice those of the whites at the Vietnam war.

Let us just acknowledge, Africa's role is just a pawn in global politics, as the powerful countries race to gain her resources. Any form of speeches or 'goodwill' gestures are forms of gentle persuasive brainwashing of Africans and competition among these powers to outsmart each other.

If we want to taste freedom, then we have to sacrifice our differences, greed, tribalism, short-sightedness, reliance on foreign aid. We must also increase our bargaining power. We have the resources they need and should be in the position to control prices - not they!

[Oyez]

It is not desegregation that caused disproportionately more black soldiers to be killed in Vietnam. It was conscription. More white kids such as Bill Clinton and Dick Cheney were able to take deferments from joining up because they were in College. The military became the first desegregated institution and remains the most desegregated institution.

I knew someone would bring up the atomic bomb. WW2 was generally very brutal on civilian populations. Numerous examples can be cited such as the Japanese massacres of various cities in China and the firebombing of Dresden and the siege of Stalingrad. The danger of owning nuclear weapons is that if countries are highly stressed, they could be used. India and Pakistan have gone dangerously close a number of times. In the case of World War II, taking on Japan on Japanese soil in a land campaign would have proved incredibly costly for America, because the Japanese would not have surrendered. It would have been Iwo Jima on a massive scale drawn over at least 2 more years. It was an unfortunate decision but perhaps in Truman's shoes, I would have taken it.

Moreover, since we are both Monday quarter backing, if you ask they Japanese if they would have preferred being conquered by the Soviets rather than the Americans, they would say America. Atomic bombs notwithstanding. The Soviets at the time had already occupied some Northern Islands of Japan, and had their own plans for the total control of the territory.

[johny boy]

wow good to know,we got good historians in pays,na waooh.pls lets use this knowledge to built our pays,....oyez what a good brain u got there...