Oh yes, it happened. That was the front page headline of Addis Neger, one of Ethiopia’s biggest newspapers. And yes, it is about the story of Barack Obama’s historic nomination. The article delves into details about Obama’s life and how this American is inspiring millions across the world. "America is back," the article boldly claims.
In Nigeria, Obama has acquired a status no Nigerian politician could even imagine in his/her wildest dream. In the first week of May, a group of rebels called MEND( Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) which were attacking foreign oil companies in Nigeria started thinking seriously about stopping their attacks because it was rumored that Obama wanted them to "desist from violence". No one knew how and when Obama made this plea (and many suspected-and it was proved later to be true- that the rumor was spilled by the Nigerian government to deceive the rebels). Well, even a false rumor about Obama’s plea had a power to make a violent group which had never heard anybody to "think about ceasefire." One of the country’s well known news outlets Mynaijanews came up with a headline today fitting to express this Nigerian astonishing enthusiasm for Obama -. Celebrating Obama's Triumph. Its writer Pat Utomi writes this:
It is with great sense elation at the American Democratic Spirit and the lessons for our own efforts at trying to fashion a democracy in Nigeria that I pay tribute to the American people and the Democratic Party on the emergence of Barrack Obama as the Party's flag bearer for the 2008 Presidential elections. The putative Democratic nominee deserves the commendation of democratic people everywhere for his gift to democracy.
All over Africa, today’s papers have gleefully celebrated Obama’s win. The AP has the reactions from other parts of the world which was no less celebratory.