In the days leading to Barack Obama’s historic visit, Obama-mania has officially hit Ghana. The excitement is reflected in the Ghanaian media, where newspapers and radio stations can’t stop talking about the U.S President’s first visit to Africa. But in America, it is an entirely different story.
The headlines in the major American media sources such as CNN and the New York Times do not mention Obama’s visit at all. They are preoccupied reporting on the death of Michael Jackson. This shows that the average American is completely unaware of Obama’s visit on Friday. The sad truth is that many Americans cannot even find Ghana on a map. When the average American thinks of Africa, they think of AIDS, famine and wild animals.
Although this reality is disheartening, Obama’s visit has the potential to break these negative stereotypes held by American’s and highlight Ghana as a stable country with a healthy democracy. Obama’s visit to Ghana is a chance to show Americans that Ghana is a country worth visiting and investing in. The only problem will be if the American media fails to let the American people know about it.
By: Brian McAndrew, peacefmoline.com (intern)
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