Yes change is inevitable but Africa presents Barrack Obama with a different type of challenge.

Born to a Kenyan father, Obama will take an oath of office today, making him the first Afro-American President to occupy the White House.

We know for a fact that his African heritage puts him in a far better position to appraise Africa’s problems.

However we as Africans need to remind ourselves that we still have to come up with our own homegrown solutions to tackle the myriad of problems afflicting us. Africa is still suffering from a leadership crisis judging by the flashpoints we have.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, Darfur, Somalia and Zimbabwe are all vivid cases and sore reminders that we have to carry out our problem solving approaches in a more pragmatic fashion rather than waiting for help from other sources.

The USA and the international community can only assist to a certain measure.

The actual spadework lies squarely on all of us. Perhaps what Africa should emulate from Obamania is that if Barack dismantled all the barriers he encountered on his winding road to the White House, how can we surmount all the problems that afflict us as Africans to deliver tangibles to our people?

The Mo Ibrahim Index is a reminder that previously ‘little known’ States like Rwanda can be looked at to provide leadership lessons and styles that can provide practical solutions to governance issues afflicting Africa.

With this kind of reflection we need to be cautious. Yes Barack is in the White House but our problems are not just about to disappear overnight.

The man is first and foremost an American. Before we thus look up to the USA for addressing our ills, how far can we go in terms of crafting homegrown solutions?

What leadership solutions do we have to develop so that we can converge with Obamania from a more realistic and sober angle rather than a euphoric viewpoint?

Obamania should be looked at with caution. 

Ends