Barack Obama Sr. (born Baraka Hussein Obama on June 18, 1934 – November 24, 1982) was a Kenyan economist and the father of Barack Hussein Obama II, the 44th President of the United States. His life and career have had a profound impact on Kenya’s economic development, and he remains a central figure in the memoir of his son, Dreams from My Father.
Early Life and Family Background
Born in Nyang’oma Kogelo, Rachuonyo District, Kenya, Obama Sr. was raised by his father Onyango Obama and his mother Habiba Akumu. The Obama family belonged to the Luo ethnic group. As a young man, Obama Sr. served in the British Colonial Auxiliary Forces during the colonial period and later converted to Islam, changing his name to Hussein. However, he eventually abandoned religion, becoming an atheist in his later years.
Education and Academic Journey
Obama Sr. received a scholarship from the Tom Mboya Airlift Program, which enabled him to study in the United States. In 1959, he enrolled at the University of Hawaii, becoming the first African foreign student at the institution. He later met and married Stanley Ann Dunham, an American anthropologist. Their son, Barack Obama, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961.
Obama Sr. completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Hawaii, and then pursued graduate studies in economics at Harvard University, where he earned a Master’s degree in 1965. His time at Harvard marked a significant period in his academic career, though he struggled with personal issues, including his relationships and finances.
Career and Return to Kenya
In 1964, Obama Sr. returned to Kenya, where he initially worked as an economist in the Kenyan Ministry of Transport and later became a senior economist at the Ministry of Finance. His political career, however, faced obstacles due to conflicts with Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta. Obama Sr. criticized the government’s economic policies, especially Kenya’s reliance on foreign aid and capitalism. This led to his dismissal and eventual blacklisting, which made it difficult for him to secure further employment in Kenya.
Despite his career setbacks, Obama Sr. played an important role in Kenya’s development, particularly in shaping the country’s economic policies in its early years of independence.
Personal Life and Marriages
Obama Sr. married Kezia Aoko in 1954, and they had two children: Malik and Auma. However, he later divorced her and married Stanley Ann Dunham in 1961. Their marriage was short-lived, ending in 1964. In 1964, he married Ruth Beatrice Baker, with whom he had two sons. They later divorced in 1973.
In his later years, Obama Sr. married Jael Otieno in 1981, and they had one child, George Obama.
Challenges and Final Years
Obama Sr.’s later years were marked by personal struggles. He was involved in several serious car accidents and faced financial hardships. His alcoholism and deteriorating health affected his relationships and career. He passed away in 1982 at the age of 48 after a fatal car crash in Nairobi.
His son, Barack Obama, reflected on his father’s absence in his memoir, noting that it deeply affected his own life and contributed to his desire to become a good father to his children.
Legacy
Obama Sr.’s legacy remains intertwined with his son’s political career. Barack Obama often spoke of his father’s influence in shaping his worldview, despite the strained relationship and physical distance. Obama Sr. remains a prominent figure in Kenyan history, known for his role in the early development of the country’s economy, his academic achievements, and his complex personal life.
Publications by Barack Obama Sr.
- Otieno jarieko (1959) – A monograph published by the Kenyan Department of Education, detailing farming techniques.
- “Problems Facing Our Socialism” (1965) – A critique of Kenya’s national planning and economic model, published in the East Africa Journal.
Conclusion
Barack Obama Sr.’s life was marked by significant achievements and personal struggles. His academic and professional contributions to Kenya’s economic landscape continue to be remembered, and his influence on his son, Barack Obama, remains an integral part of the former U.S. president’s memoir and legacy.
