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Obama Receives Hero's Welcome In Ghana

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Jul 10, 2009 10:50 pm US/Eastern

Obama Receives Hero's Welcome In Ghana

Despite Ties To Kenya, President Obama Chooses Ghana

 CBS News Interactive: About Southern Africa
ACCRA, Ghana (CBS) ― President Barack Obama landed in Ghana Friday on his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa. Obama chose to visit Ghana -- rather than Kenya where his father was born -- because of that nation's functioning democracy and move to stamp out corruption, he said.

Obama's Africa roots are Kenyan, and he has said that his decision to make Ghana the first country on the African continent to visit is related to that nation's economic growth, democracy and efforts to reduce corruption.

Obama's African roots and his status as the first African-American president of the United States assured him a hero's welcome. He landed shortly after 9 p.m. local time and met a group of dignitaries, led by President John Atta Mills. An ethnic African group danced and banged drums for Obama's arrival. Thousands of Ghanans packed the streets hoping for a glimpse of him.

Security was tight, however, and Ghanaians will be forced to watch Obama from on television from their homes.

Obama and his wife Michelle will spend less than 24 hours in Ghana before returning to the United States. Obama is expected due to address parliament on Saturday before visiting Cape Coast Castle, a fort used in the transatlantic slave trade.

After traveling to Russia and then Italy for a meeting of major industrial powers, Obama is making the last stop of his overseas trip in Ghana, on Africa's west coast.

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