My prayers for President Obama were answered, says Barrack Ofori
By Abdul Salam Sule, Ghanadot

Accra, May 25, Ghanadot - Before Americans went to the polls on November 4, 2008 to elect the successor to the then President Bush, many Ghanaians hoped and wished Mr. Barrack Obama, the Illinois Senator and Presidential candidate of the Democratic party, would win the election. However, many political analysts in Ghana thought his chances were slim.

But there was Mr. Barrack Ofori, a private businessman in Ghana, who thought Obama had a chance and should be elected.  He became an ardent supporter and sponsored a series of quarter page adverts in the nations most read newspaper,  The Daily Graphic, prior to the elections, calling on Ghanaians and all religious bodies to pray for the victory of Barrack Obama.

 

Mr. Barrack Ofori

"And I think my prayers did the trick for the landslide victory of Barrack Obama," Mr. Barrack Ofori told Ghanadot in an interview.

With the name Barrack, many thought Mr Barrack Ofori had some hidden interest which had motivated him to pay huge sums of money for the adverts. But he said the support was mostly because he was and still is an ardent admirer of Mr. Obama. He said so in  an exclusive interview with Ghanadot at his Dzorwulo residence in Accra.

Mr Barrack Ofori revealed to Ghanadot that three things convinced him to  support  the US President.

The first he said was the inspirational speeches of hope that Obama was delivering during the campaign period.

After listening to many of his speeches on the campaign trail, he formed the opinion then that,  he (Obama) had come to serve humanity.

There was also the personal touch which he confessed to:

"I also supported him because he is my namesake and since the name Barrack means blessing I knew he is a blessing to the world and therefore needs my support", Mr. Barrack Ofori revealed.

Thirdly, he said, in the history of the world, no black man had assumed the seat of the president of the United States of America which, arguably, is the highest office in the world and with Obama on his way to make history, he wanted to be part of that history.

"History was coming to full circle I had to help make it complete", he said.

Mr. Barrack Ofori hinted that, when the campaign was at its peak in the United States of America, he had planned to donate some money towards it but he was not an American,  nor a resident in America, so the law did not permit him.

Mr. Barrack Ofori  expressed his happiness over President Obama's pending visit to Ghana and noted that maybe the same prayers that won him the election had touched his heart and now was on his way to visit this country.

He said, the first visit by the US President would enable him know some of the problems that has bedeviled the African continent and hoped he would find lasting solutions to them.

According to Mr Barrack Ofori, the 100 days achievements of Barrack Obama should be a clear indication that he is an achiever and would continue to chalk tremendous success to the admiration of all and sundry.

Some of the achievements that would eventually accrue to President Barrack Obama would be the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison and his bid to fight global warming.

"It is no wonder the BBC reported that after 100 days of Obama's presidency in America, majority of the people in America and all over the world still love him and are happy with his administration", Barrack Ofori revealed.

Mr Barrack Ofori said, the only thing that the US President would need now was prayers from all religious leaders across the globe and he would deliver the rest.

Ghanadot

Note : For the sake of our readers, we reproduce the content of the advert by Mr. Barrack Ofori, placed in The Graphic; the first of a series starting October 28, 2008.

 

"VICTORY PRAYER FOR BARAK OBAMA. As the US elections draw near, I wish to entreat all religious bodies, prayer groups and all the good people of Ghana to join me pray for victory for Barrack Obama. May we pray that the Good Lord protect him from harm, direct and guide him to victory for America in particular and mankind in general. Let us pray incessantly for Barrack Obama. Impossibilities are possible by prayer. Let us make our voices build up like a mountain everyday from now till the elections are over. Stay tuned. RSVP Barrack Ofori".