Obama to speak on Mandela’s vision
FORMER US president Barack Obama visited his father’s ancestral village in Kenya’s south-western Siaya county yesterday and danced to some traditional music with his step-grandmother, in his first trip to the country since leaving office.
Obama’s visit to Kenya came before he delivers the 16th Nelson Mandela annual lecture today, at The Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, to mark the 100th anniversary of Mandela’s birth.
Kenyan television yesterday showed the former US leader pulling the elderly Sarah Obama, clad in traditional garb, on to the dance floor and getting down to some music.
Obama then launched a new youth centre, set up by his half-sister Auma Obama, who studied in Germany.
“It’s good to be back with so many people who are family to me – and so many people who claim to be family to me, everybody’s a cousin,” Obama joked while inaugurating the centre. He reminisced about meeting his half-sister on his first visit to Kenya when he was 27.
“I could not be prouder of what my sister’s accomplished,” he said.
“Today I’m really coming as a brother… as someone with a connection to Africa, to talk about the importance of what she’s doing.”
During his Mandela lecture Obama is not expected to make any mention of his successor, President Donald Trump, said Ben Rhodes, Obama’s long-time aide and adviser.
Respect
“At the current moment we’re in, values that we thought were well-established – the importance of human rights, respect for diversity – in many parts of the world those values are under threat,” Rhodes said. “Mandela’s life is an inspiring example of how we can overcome obstacles to promote inclusive democracy and an equitable society with tolerance of others.”
In delivering the annual Nelson Mandela Lecture before thousands of South Africans, Obama is expected to highlight how Mandela kept up his campaign against what appeared to be insurmountable odds to end apartheid.
“In the US and around the world, many see recent developments that run counter to Mandela’s legacy,” Rhodes said. “This will be a globally-minded speech, highlighting global trends and focusing on how, in his life, Mandela embodied perseverance. It will be aimed at young people in Africa and also around the world, to show that we have been through darker times before and we can overcome these challenges to keep Mandela’s vision alive.”
Instead of commenting on politics, Obama’s speech will draw on broader themes and his admiration for Mandela, who America’s first black president saw as a mentor.
When Obama was a US senator, he had his picture taken with the newly-freed Mandela. After Obama became president, he sent a copy of the photo to Mandela, who kept it in his office. Obama also made a point of visiting Mandela’s prison cell and gave a moving eulogy at Mandela’s memorial service in 2013, saying the South African leader’s life had inspired him.
“Mandela was a hero, an example of someone who overcame adversity to achieve significant change,” Rhodes said.
“The opportunity to speak at the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Mandela’s birth is very meaningful.”
Obama will also highlight one goal of his post-presidency, the promotion of young people as future leaders, Rhodes said.
His visit to South Africa will launch his foundation’s leadership program in Africa. – dpa and AP/ African News Agency (ANA)