Obama has shunned mediocrity

We enter the week with the very high possibility of history being made. Americans, will go out to vote tomorrow in what has been described as the most high stakes Presidential election. Son of the soil Democratic candidate Senator Barak Obama, will fight it out against the Republican candidate Senator John MacCain. For Africans, whether Senator Obama wins or not, he has elevated the standing of the black man in particular to heights that are irreversible. Challenging old and tired stereotypes. Movies, the music industry in particular stand guilty in the negative portrayal of the black man, a thug, drug addict and if successful, he must have married a white woman. Our sons have been the unwitting consumers of this culture, especially associated with hip-hop, of the guy, who just has to serve a term in prison, and have a black mans story of struggle to tell. The struggles of the black people in the third world can never be under estimated. Obama has simply heightened stakes for all, in redefining the role models we are, for our daughters, our sons. And so we watch this election with expectancy in our hearts, that a son of the soil, who has stood on our behalfs in a tightly fought Presidential race, literary fighting from within belly of the beast, will do us proud. He is son born of woman who struggled not just to educate him, but groom him into what we are awestruck with today. He has beaten the double odds - - being black and having separated parents. Obama, has refused the mediocrity, or afflictions we Africans are so often associated with, war, disease, poor leadership. He has made a statement that with determination and discipline all odds can be overcome. The time to strive for excellence is now, it does not matter whether one is a woman, man, white or black. Much of our global challenges are crying out aloud for that one trail blaizer in leadership to make a difference. Ends

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Obama has shunned mediocrity