Did Obama say anything we did not already know?

I thought I had heard all about the Obama speech (I have said on several occasions that he did not say anything I did not know) until recently when I heard two well educated and learned professionals discussing some of the ills in our society. They spoke specifically about:

• Corruption in the public sector
• The slow economy since the change of government in Ghana ( which took place in January)
• The sudden fall of the cedi against the dollar and
• President Obama’s recent statement calling on Africans to take responsibility for themselves – which in turn will garner further support from America.

This statement by President Obama was hailed as the solution to the numerous issues confronting us as a nation.

I have heard several people allude to Obama’s speech, making reference to this one statement and made it seem as if “Prophet Obama” has spoken and this is it. I was most impressed with the choice of Ghana for the visit and happy that President Obama came to Ghana but the truth is he did not say anything I did not know and I did not expect him to. Did Africans not know they have to take responsibility for themselves? In each and every ethnic African tribe there is a saying or proverb that alludes to this. So why are we applauding Obama for repeating what we know? Or for some it is the wisest saying in their time? I find so many people including my two learned friends hail this as “the speech” of our time. I have also seen so many think we were insulted on our own land and yet applauded the insults.

For most of us President Obama did not say anything we did not know. He only echoed and emphasized what we know, what we have said amongst ourselves and in our own small ways are implementing in a bid to enable us achieve greater heights. Several individuals and tons of Ghanaians are daily engaged in taking responsibility for themselves in a bid to create a better place and an enabling environment for themselves and for others to thrive. These are genuine hard working people with no political leverage. However as a nation the state and government hardly offers an enabling environment to buffer the efforts of individuals. We are daily confronted with painful bureaucratic and slow institutions which includes negative attitudes and poor ethics displayed in the workplace – this we encounter both at the public and private levels.

Perhaps one major statement which I think Obama should have demanded as a condition for USA support is the statement that “Africa does not need strong men but strong institutions”. Yes we need strong institutions to enforce law and order. We need strong institutions to implement policies, to check corruption and to enforce good practices in order to move our country forward. As for the issue of strong men we are all witnesses of how they have failed us and have led us to our present predicament as a nation. Maybe having strong women would make a difference. Let us consider this and work towards bringing on board strong women as we build strong institutions. I am certain we will see a difference.