Obama Arrives In Ghana (VIDEO, SLIDESHOW)

UPDATE: The Obamas arrived in Ghana on Friday evening, AP reports.

President Barack Obama has landed in Ghana on his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa.

He landed soon after 9 p.m. local time and met a group of dignitaries, led by President John Atta Mills. An ethnic African group danced and banged drums for Obama's arrival.

After traveling to Russia and then Italy for a meeting of major industrial powers, Obama is making the last stop of his overseas trip in Ghana, on Africa's west coast.

Obama will make a speech to lawmakers there and tour an oceanfront fort once used to ship slaves to the Americas.

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Obama speaks to the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, Ghana, Saturday, July 11, 2009.

EARLIER:

Ghanaians are planning to welcome President Obama and his family who arrive in the West African country this evening. The Obamas will be coming from Italy, where the president attended the G-8 Summit and met with the Pope.

Obama will meet with the president and address parliament. He and Michelle will visit a former slavery outpost, Cape Coast Castle, on Saturday, according to GroundReport. "The Cape Coast Castle was the main point of departure for many slaves captured from the hinterlands and sold to slave merchants who transported them to America," it states.

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Read the full GroundReport story here.

Obama will be the third sitting American president to visit Ghana, CNN reports.

Bill Clinton was the first U.S. president to visit Ghana, in 1998, as part of a six-nation Africa tour. Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, stopped there during a four-nation Africa tour during his last year of office that largely focused on U.S. aid programs.

...
As the United States' first African-American president, Obama's trip has broader significance as well. Obama's father is from Kenya and he expressed concern about the political situation in that East African nation.

The visit of the first black American president to a mostly black African nation has caused great excitement in Ghana, AP reports.

In Ghana, officials expect a tumultuous reception for Obama, whose father was from Kenya. Because the first family arrives rather late Friday night, the main ceremony in Accra will occur Saturday, before he departs for Washington after a weeklong trip that started in Russia.

It will involve drumming groups and Ghanians "putting their best foot forward in terms of the cultural richness of an incredibly diverse country," White House adviser Michelle Gavin told reporters Thursday. To help accommodate the many who cannot attend, U.S. and Ghanian officials have scheduled "watch parties," radio broadcasts and video coverage in theaters, parks and other places.

"I do not believe that there is a way in which we could ever fulfill or assuage the desires of those in Ghana or on the continent on one stop," said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.

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Comments

[ArcEnCiel]

Obama's Ghana speech was flawed, after bowing to the saudis who behead people every Friday, and praising Mubarak in Cairo who is anything but a democrat, it was painful to watch him lecture africans. After all, all the "strong men" in power in Africa have western backing aside Mugabe who has recently fallen out of grace and Al Bashir of Sudan and just maybe,the Eritrean president. It is also untrue that most african countries have been indepent for more than half a century. Who toppled Lumumba? Who ever did it is responsible for the boodshed in the African great lake region. Obama apologise every where but in Africa and to Africans; makes one wonder...

Why do we have to send aid to africans? Why can't we just trade with them if we really care about them?

[theiccemann]

Big to do about nothing. I tell ya. No wonder the rest of the world thinks the United States is backwards. Obama has direct lineage connected to Africa. Accept it. Embrace it. It's something to be proud of, and not ridicule. You ought to be proud that this country has chosen a leader other than the typical older white male, that has been all that we have had since we began.

Every time Africa shows up in an article, or a black person is discussed, this race stuff comes up. Why? Insecurities? Ignorance? When Bush was discussed, or he visited other countries, did we talk about his heritage or why he visited particular countries? No. One of the reasons was because he seldom left the United States. He was terrible when it came to foreign diplomacy. Not many other foreign leaders respected the man.

Maybe through discussion, we can clear out all of this ignorance and mess, and then concentrate on moving forward and actually progressing as a people of advanced curiosities.

[barack is prez]

Well said!

[PurplePeon]

Plus, we all need to come to terms that he was born in Kenya to begin with.

[buddhistMonkey]

I think you're confusing Kenya with Krypton.

[mamacat]

Where are the tin-foil hats?

[denny8844]

Glad that he is finally working and not on the golf course again Does he ever get back to work and stop playing golf golf golf golf

[indabush]

It's amazing the ease in which you people brush over the fact that GWB spent most of the year clearing brush in Crawford instead of doing the people's work...the rest of the time he spent asking Cheney what to do - you people are demented!

[theiccemann]

In other world news: Doesn't Sarkosy (french president) remind you of Pepe' Le Pew? It's like he jumped out of a cartoon. The man doesn't care what cameras are on him, he is going to check out the females.

[ArcEnCiel]

Nice speech by Obama though I disagree on Zimbabwe; the British obsession with Mugabe is the one which destroyed that country. No country can progress under sanctions: The unjust sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe are British-led (UK,US,Australia etc). Zimbabwean black farmers no longer export their produces...

[Kanuk1]

is that because the farms they seized are run by people who don't know how to farm?

[vishnucoming]

Careful you are stating facts ... they will accuse you of ra cism!

[ArcEnCiel]

I find it stu_pid to think people in one of the less industrialised corner of the planet wouldn't know how to farm while they were working on farms all along...

[Klimb]

Zimbabweans farmed before the colonialist occupied ther their land. Maybe they never exported their products to Europe before colonialism (Rhodes, Ian Smith, etc) but they practiced "batter" trade with various communities. Additionally, prior to Europeans, Africa was involved in trade with Arabs and Indians through transahara and indian ocean routes, respectively.

Farming is natural to Africa b/c many people are agriculturalists (crops and livestock) and the continent is not quite industrialized. However, today due to the dispensing of too much aid interms "packaged foods" and civil wars, many Africans are losing touch with proper farming.

[goddessNdiva]

Well said ArcEnCiel.

[Michigan-Woman]

The headline has some relevance.
If you look at the 5th photo in the slideshow, you will see that the Ghanans printed "Welcome Home" on their banner.

[tomasedison]

sooooooooo ? so what do you make of that ?

[sheikwil4]

one thing it means you ignoramus is that his father was african, therefore, he is a decendent of an African man, and the human race started in Africa and that's for all of us, it's already a proven face. Get over it.

[AmericanWarrior]

It could read "Welcome Home" to any of us. You do realize that all humans came originated from the continent of Africa.

[RachelMc]

yep, according to the bible.

[theiccemann]

The other question is, who are the people who are making a big deal of it, and why?

[LWilkinson315]

Ask ANY African American who has visited Africa what did it feel like and they will tell you it felt like going HOME- thats why its called 'The Motherland"! Many high profile African Americans who visited Africa have gotten a "Welcome Home" type of greetings

[vishnucoming]

Well the standard of living for Africans is sooooo much better than what African Americans have here in the US, right?

[alby91]

Welcome to my homeland Ghana..although I don't live there, I was born and bred there and it is such a wonderful place to live. I'm excited he chose there. I remember when clinton went there, i was in year 1 and it was the best experience I had ever experienced in my life. The excitement was soo overwhelming

[Kanuk1]

what about when Bush went there?

[AlligatorShuz]

It don't mean any thing because he was just another white man going to Ghana...

[poco767c]

"welcome home' is just a banner at the airport, put up by some excited Ghanaians.
It is not a ridiculous HP headline, (for once)

Let it go.

[Michele Himmel]

Oh c`mon about the headline. Remember the Obama`s were members of an "Africa First" ( as in loyalties ) Church for 20 years and only quit because of political pressure. Michelle Obama`s non traditional Inaugural fashion colors were telling. Her and Jill in black/red/­yellow/gre­en-Pan African colors and now Sasha and her outfit colors coming off the plane..........Duh. They`ve never really left Wright`s warped influence behind.

[Michele Himmel]

Colors can also be black/red/green without the yellow.

[SMolloy]

If Obama wears a red tie does that make him a commie?

[exhale09]

OOPS. Our Flag has RED in it!

OH MY GAWD! What does that mean?!!!!

[cheforacle]

Where does it say or whoever said their church was "Africa First"? Only bigots.

Now for you to suggest that Michelle's "nontraditional colors" have some political significance indicates a disturbed and paranoid mind. Yesterday she wore black to see the Pope. What was her message there, Is it possible that she just wanted to convey respect to the pontiff by complying with the usual attire women where when they meet him. You Obama haters are really going off the deep end - or always were on the deep end. No surprise your user name so closely resembles the former head of the Gestapo.

[noudidnt]

I suppose you dabble in numerology too.


L00n

[EagleFliesInSky]

"Welcome Home" to Ghana???

Obama's HOME is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

What is wrong with your headline writers?

[dwright]

trying to stir up trouble as usual

[beaupritchard]

It is a little odd ...

[poco767c]

It is a sign at the Ghanaian airport.

[simplify]

Whats with the welcome home headline?.­....Presid­ent Obama's home is the United States!!!

[Agabelle la belle]

"Welcome Home" is a quote from the signs displayed by the people of Ghana, not Huffington's.

[poco767c]

Yes but it is a sign at the Ghanaian Airport.

[majordomo2]

While President Obama spends the week making a positive and historic impact on world leaders and on world opinion on this trip, back in the US there are these yapping pitchfork wavers sitting at their computers hunting-and-pecking adolescent insults about race, appearance, etc. Pathetic.

[Kanuk1]

I see fawning CNN is doing a tingly-leg piece on the slave trade there - a good 'victim' piece for MB, whose ancestors CNN hopes were routed through there. MB must be happy they were, as otherwise she would still be living there instead of the "mean" country, USA. Pretty good spin from CNN on the victim thing.

[ammonman]

Michelle Obama's not a victim. Her ancestors, the actual slaves, were victims. And to the slaves chained naked in that fort, yes, the USA was a "mean" country.

[Dupree]

To: ammonman:

Let me take the time out of my life to educate YOU. We are an accumulation of our life experiences and that include the history that imparted circumstances as well. Michelle Obama as a middle age woman did in fact experience racism and that is the result of slavery. WE are were and still is impacted by racism that was not born in a vacuum. She was not oblivious to the KKK or the impact that was shared with her through the stories of her parents who definitely knew first hand the "privilege" of being considered less than human...which is why they had to go through the back door of a diner or were exposed to designated areas like "for colored only" etc. The dehumanization of a people does not die out within one or two generations. It is a legacy that is continually dealt with in the future...ask anyone of Jewish heritage and they will tell you that the holocaust effects them to this day. As it should and they would also say a resounding NEVER AGAIN>>>.the same identical echos that decries the sins of the past and vows that as long as breath is within my lungs....NEVER AGAIN

[Kanuk1]

I'm merely using MB's recent words

[Reader451]

A story about slavery is spin. Talking about centuries of slavery is victim hood. Talking about how brilliant a democracy is because it can overcome its prejudices (hint hint) and end slavery, and end racialism and elect an African American. This is History writ large, seen by a heart quite small.

I

[noudidnt]

This nonsense about a post-racial society is spin, promoted by defensi ve and overly sensi tive wh yt es.

[GinaFace]

methinks the lady doth protest too much!! what exactly are you defending here? acknowledging the Real events of history, even some of our less grand moments, is not a symptom of weakness. in fact, it symbolizes humility, strength, and maturity to accept one's country for what it is AND STILL LOVE IT. from your post, I interpret that you expect us to never talk about slavery, and in fact, expect some sort of medal for living in a country where some people enslaved others for CENTURIES before even different people chose to discontinue the practice. I fail to see what you have done to contribute to either way. not even sure what you feel you are losing, either! speaking your mind freely on the HuffPo sounds pretty awesome; I am sure everyone else (including the president) is thankful for the same right: to discuss slavery or not.

[cheforacle]

Could you be anymore pathetic? Michelle doesn't complain about her treatment in this country like some soon-to-be ex-governors and she never acts like a victim. She exudes grace and dignity and to understand the history of Ghana one must know about the slave trade.

[Kanuk1]

I guess you don't know much about the content of her speeches then do you - just another pontificating ignoran us

[noudidnt]

I suppose we should be pol itically correct and not talk about sl avery, seg reg ation, in stitu tional ray ci sm, and domestic terr_or..ism b y whyt es. A lot of sensit ive and defen sive why tes ar ound.

[havemysay]

Dear Empty Vessel
I am going to give YOU the benefit of the doubt and say it was early in the morning when these ideas came into your cavernous head and you felt the need to write down. It is obvious that YOUR COMMON SENSE and DIGNITY filter had not yet kick it.

[Wakemewhenitsallover]

This visit of an African American US president to an African country is a milestone and a heartening sign that the world is not driven in a relentlessly negative direction. It is a scenario that could never have been imagined even a few years ago, and encourages me to believe that we should continue to imagine and strive for goals that as yet seem unachievable.

[linton]

Interesting, obama look alike. http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/utenriks/1.6690763