Opinions of Saturday, 27 June 2009

Columnist: Boateng, Kwame Appiah

Letter: Emergency request to join Obama's team to Ghana

Dear President Barack Obama :

As the Founder of Council on Africans and Americans Relations, (a registered Non-Profit Organization committed to strengthening ties between Africans and Americans and promoting Trade and Investments between United States of America and African Countries) and moreover, as a Volunteer and Precinct Captain for your 2008 Presidential Campaign in Los Angeles and Long Beach respectively and furthermore, as the first Ghanaian-American to (symbolically) run for Mayor of Los Angeles in 1993; former Candidate for Member of Parliament at Nhyiaeso Constituency in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana in 2004 and 2008 and currently, a declared 2010 Candidate for Governor of California hoping to succeed Austrian born Governor of California, the "Terminator", Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - for the sake of contributing to the enrichment and more advancement of America's noble ideals and ideas of Democracy, Freedom and Liberty, I should be grateful if you could personally invite me to join your impending historical trip to my Native Country of Ghana scheduled on Friday, 10th to Saturday, 11th July, 2009, to contribute my quota to strengthening U.S. and Ghana relations and also, to participate with the help of my registered Non-Profit organizations such as Operation Democracy Endure and African Villages with Initiatives and Empowerment (AVIE) in fighting poverty in Africa; combating AIDS, Malaria, Polio, River Blindness and Tuberculosis, etc.

It is the intention of the Council on Africans and Americans Relations I head to invite the President of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills and a delegation of Government Officials as well as Investors / Business Groups to visit United States of America in September of this year to meet American Business Groups and Investors.

It should be noted that I have utilized the American style of Democracy, Freedom and Liberty for the benefit of my Native Country of Ghana in terms of several powerful ideas of mine nurtured in an environment of Freedom-Loving America which were implemented by the government of the former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor although, for political reasons, I was never given any credit.

I am the architect of several published ideas - (long before such ideas were implemented by the government of former Ghana's President, John Agyekum - Powerful ideas which have tremendously benefited the Nation of Ghana. (For Example : My Platform that called for the "importation of South Africa's Model of "Truth and Reconciliation Commission to Ghana", which I personally gave to former President John Agyekum Kufuor - before he (Mr. Kufuor) became President of Ghana; my published news in Ghanaian Newspapers that called for erection of Statutes for the Martyred Judges in Ghana, my public call; registered mail to the office of former President John Agyekum Kufuor and also published news that called for Voting Rights for Ghanaians living abroad; my public call and published news in for example, Ghana's Daily Graphic that called for Cash Transfer to the Poor to ensure equity, my public call and registered letter to the office of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, and my published news to revive Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's original idea of a Continental African Union Government and to establish a United African States (UAS), to be modelled after the United States of America (USA); my public call and published news in Ghanaian News Media and News Websites such as Ghanaweb.Com that appealed to Ghana to build "State of the Art Presidential Palace in Ghana" to attract Tourism like the White House", my public call and published news for Ghana to enter into the age of (Civilian) Nuclear Power - long before United States' government under former President George Bush signed a deal with Ghana and other African Countries to assist in (Civilian) Nuclear program, my public call and published news that called for the celebration of "Annual Yaa Asantewaa Festival", my public call and published news that appealed to Ghana to recognise her Heroes and Heroines - (which logically prompted Ghana's former President John Kufuor's administration to institute awards for the "Nation's Heroes and Heroines”.

(Ironically and sadly, I was not recognized for my ideas by the same government of former President John Agyekum Kufuor which systematically implemented my ideas for the benefit of Ghana). It should also be noted that in 2003, one of my Non-Profit Organizations, "Sister Schools Projects" linked my High School in Ghana, Konongo-Odumasi Secondary School with Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles - prompting American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC News, Channel 7 in Southern California) to travel all the way to the High School to shoot a documentary entitled "Inspirational Kids : Crenshaw High School and a High School in Ghana" and also, another documentary entitled : " The Journey to Africa with Mark Brown".

I would like to give copies of the Videos : "Inspirational Kids" and the "Journey to Africa" to your two Children.

In my effort to inspire the people in my Native Country of Ghana to give "American Style of Democracy" a chance and also, to appreciate the fact that United States of America, the proverbial "Land of the Free and Home for the Brave" gave me opportunities to celebrate Democracy and Freedom, I wrote to the White House during the term of former President George Bush to allow me to join the President's trip to my Native Country of Ghana that took place during former President George Bush's second term.

Earlier, during President George Bush's first term, I wrote letters pleading with the White House to include Ghana on President Bush's historic trip to Africa and although President Bush finally travelled to Ghana during his second term, regrettably, I was not included on the historic trip to my Native Country of Ghana despite sending registered letters, regular letters and electronic mails, etc, to the White House.

I sent my resume to the White House during President George Bush's administration to serve the Country that gave me true Freedom and Liberty.

My dream of serving the United States of America, the proverbial Land of the Free and Home of the Brave did not materialize.

I did not receive any response, either official or un-official from the Republican administration regarding my quest to travel with President George Bush's entourage to my Native Country of Ghana.

Prior to that, it was also my lofty dream to have been invited to join the historical trip of former President Bill Clinton and to serve President Clinton's administration as documented by the resumes I sent to the White House Personnel, but that dream did not materialize either.

It is the turn of your administration to give me a chance to dream the real American Dream.

One would have expected that since I have not received any response from the White House under your administration regarding the numerous resumes and cover letters I have sent via registered mails, regular mails and electronic mails to the White House and to your Presidential Campaign Headquarters in Chicago, coupled with the fact that my past resumes to serve the White House (as a Ghanaian-American always championing the ideals of Democracy, Freedom, Liberty as well as Equality) during the terms of former President Bill Clinton and former President George Bush did not materialize, the average person would have given up.

Fortunately, I have (never) quit in my life as exemplified by my Hardwork, Dedication to Good Causes and Perseverance.

The young African-American student you invited during your "State of Union" Speech told this Great Nation that she and her fellow Students "won't quit!!!”

I plan to continue living the American Dream and the Great American Spirit of Hope and Courage.

Hoping to hear soon and favourably from you.

Yours Sincerely,

Signed

Kwame A. Boateng

kwamemayor@yahoo.com