By Isaac Miriri
Published October 29, 2008

Obama be thy Name, a music video urging Americans to vote for US Democratic Party Presidential candidate, Barack Obama, has been launched in Nairobi, Kenya.

The 5:32 minute music video produced, directed and edited by German Katrin Ender, features Ohanglaman ‘Makadem’ as he introduces his reggae-styled musical contribution to the on-going US presidential campaign.

Obama be thy Name, a song with religious overtones and that begins with the famous ‘I have a dream’ speech by the assassinated civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr, is an appeal and a prayer to Americans of all shades of colour, creed, gender and nationality to vote for the Illinois senator Obama in the presidential election on November 4, 2008. The Obama presidency, Makadem sings, will change the world for the better.

All the voters in America
Barack Obama be thy name
The change shall come
The will be done as it is in American dream
It is obama for the white House.
For Change in America
Is change in Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, South America
If you are voting for real change
Barack Obama be thy name
To bring change in Washington, DC
Vote for obama.

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If you are voting for the real change
Barack Obama be the right man
Whether you are black or white
Old or young
Barack Obama be  thy name.
All brothers in America…
All sisters in America…
All blacks in America…
All whites in America…
All Jews in America…
All Christians in America…
All Japanese in America…
All Indians in America…
All Hispanics in America…
All Arabs in America…
Barack Obama be they name

Why launch the album just a few days to the voting day?

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“I met Katrin Ender on the German Day at the German ambassador’s residence in Nairobi only a couple of weeks back. I told her I had a song I wanted to produce, but had no funds; she agreed to listen to it,” Makadem says during a press conference at Goethe-Institut, Nairobi, on October 27, 2008.

After listening to the song and consulting with Makadem, Ender agreed to produce the music video.

“There was little time and the music video was shot in one day.  It took two weeks to put it together and launch it”, says Ender.

Makadem believes that Obama’s presidency would change the world. “Real change is in Obama, I urge Americans to vote for him,” Makadem adds, almost passionately.

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The music video was posted online after the launch and is reportedly being viewed by people from all over the world. The video is YouTube and Face Book as the team works on more ways of putting it out there due to the limited time.

Obama be thy Name is a unique artistic Kenyan contribution regarding the US presidential elections for its universal appeal. The audio track of the song was released earlier on and has received good airplay on many  reggae radio programmes in Kenya.

“It is great to see the juices and energy brought out by the musician asking people to vote,” commented an American on a business trip here in Kenya.

Makadem’s is not a lonely voice, as many Kenyans and Africans in general are voicing their support for Obama daily. For some it is the silent prayer, and for others it is the usual, as this is the talk, wherever you go. In all this, only time will tell as the day draws near.