President Obama:Thank you for an amazing 10 seconds

By now, the President and Mrs. Obama and children are nestled, all snug in their beds, with visions of dancing Ghanaians in their heads. What a whirlwind! Twenty-four hours in Ghana and I’m amazed at the Obama family’s energy. I’m exhausted just watching them.

And watch them we did. Yesterday morning, we left Tema for Osu at 6:30 a.m. to get the bird’s eye view of the presidential motorcade. Even at that early hour, the police presence along the route that the president was expected to take was serious. It seemed every few feet you’d see another stern-faced cop. It was rumored that more than 10,000 police would be available for this event. I think they were all in Accra. This picture with 5 Ghanaian police officers was taken before 9:00 a.m. but the number of police grew as it got later.

I had expected that we would have a front row seat and I was wrong. The U-turn that takes the president to La General Hospital (formerly La Polyclinic, but upgraded to hospital status over the past few years) is not beyond our Osu family house. There’s another U-turn first! I forgot completely (since we always take the second U-turn to get to the family house). Oh well, it’s only a 100 feet or so.

But that’s a problem for the old lady, aka Zerb, aka Sly’s 89-year old mother. Sly did his best convincing that she should come and watch history in the making. She hasn’t been out of her house in decades I think (only kidding, she comes out every few months or so for church and every few weeks ago for doctors appointments) so she took a lot of convincing. But finally, with the decision made for Sly to drive the first 50 feet, and Sly's sister Paulina to help her along the other 50 feet, here came Zerb.

Zerb, Paulina and Alex

We had already talked to the police officers (that's Officer Oppong above) along the route where we intended to stay and told them we’d be bringing grandma to watch, and they were very sweet to suggest a place to park her, and shooing others out of her way when they blocked her view.

But we weren’t privy to exactly when the president would be coming, so we moved into position at 9:15 and waited. The crowd was non-existent when we first walked over, but grew in dribs and drabs. Perfect chance for a family photo.

Me, Paulina, Alex, Sly, Mike and Sean with Zerb seated

People were wearing Obama tee shirts (some of which were really stretched to the limit), or wearing special Obama cloth made into kaba and slit or simply carrying American and Ghanaian flags.

Ghanaian with an Obama shirt (stretched to the max)

Finally, the hawkers were around selling their Obama-wear souvenirs; I convinced Sly (not too hard, the wallet was freely opening) to buy handkerchiefs with both presidents printed on it. The ladies (except for me), all used it as do-rags, and the boys all used it bandito-style.

Do-ragged Alex, Zerb, Paulina and Comfort

Banditos Sly, Mike and Sean

At around 10:00 a.m. the activity picked up, we heard cannon fire in the distance – it was a salute for President Obama at the Osu Castle, about a mile away. Then Black Hawk helicopters began circling the area, with a strategically placed watchers (dare I say it, gulp, snipers?) in the open door. Then secret service-driven vehicles with sniffer dogs arrived and the agents let the dog out for a quick sniff (pee?) and they were back on their way. We were situated right at the point where the Beast would be U-turning, so it would have to slow down a lot. Maybe that’s why the dog came out. No problem, it was only seconds before the dog was back in the end, and my dim-witted fingers weren’t quick enough to take a shot of the German Shepherd before he was back in the van; all I got was the tail end (literally and figuratively).

Black hawk helicopter (with sniper?)

Tail end of Secret Service dog

The crowds continued to thicken, and more and more hawkers came by with their wares, generally food or Obama-related. We bought American flags for the kids to wave (made in China, by the way) at 1 GHC each, as well as a bunch of bananas and some ice cream.

Obama shirts for sale, coming and going

Banana picking

One Cedi each!

Alex made up a sign on the back of a piece of paper that said BARACK OBAMA, WELCOME TO GHANA in washable marker. And grandma got into the flag waving act.

Welcoming sign

Patriotic Grandma

Finally, a Ghanaian police officer in a Jeep drove by and signaled that the motorcade would be coming momentarily. Then another came by and yelled at our police officers to push us out of the way that we were too close to the U-turn. Hell, we’d been here for 2 hours and I was not giving up this space easily. I saw the owner of the property behind us (certainly a Bangladeshi if I ever saw one), and asked him if we could stand in his easement to avoid eviction. No problem. He was as excited as us. But not necessary, because the motorcade was coming and there was no time for movement of any kind. My fingers were ready to shoot. Sean had the other camera set in video mode and we were both anxious to go.

First the Ghanaian motorcycle escorts with their sirens blaring, then a Ghanaian police patrol, then a limo with Secret Service, and then, at long last, the Beast!! It was slowing down right in front of us. And there he was! President Obama was waving at us and smiling through the tinted windows (which, alas, you can’t see from the pictures – but believe me, he was there. He was there!). People were shouting and screaming and waving their flags.

Ghanaian motorcycle escorts

Ghana police patrol followed by Secret Service car

The Beast (get out of the way, lady!)

It was the most awesome 10 seconds I’ve spent in a long time. It was sooooo cool.

And then he was gone.

But man, while he was here, was it ever neat?