The first time President Barack Obama visited Kenya was in 1987 and he wrote about it in his book Dreams From My Father.
Mr Obama said that he felt he belonged in the country as soon as he landed in Nairobi.
His luggage was missing and the cabin crew who assisted him recognised the name and asked if he was related to Dr Barack Obama.
He proudly said he was his son.
“For the first time in my life, I felt the comfort, the firmness of identity that a name might provide, how it could carry an entire history in other people’s memories, so that they might nod and say knowingly, ‘Oh, you are so and so’s son.’
“No one here in Kenya would ask how to spell my name, or mangle it with an unfamiliar tongue. My name belonged and so I belonged.”
Mr Obama said that he felt he belonged in the country as soon as he landed in Nairobi.
His luggage was missing and the cabin crew who assisted him recognised the name and asked if he was related to Dr Barack Obama.
He proudly said he was his son.
“For the first time in my life, I felt the comfort, the firmness of identity that a name might provide, how it could carry an entire history in other people’s memories, so that they might nod and say knowingly, ‘Oh, you are so and so’s son.’
“No one here in Kenya would ask how to spell my name, or mangle it with an unfamiliar tongue. My name belonged and so I belonged.”
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