Barack Obama is a history maker. Obama overcame all odds to become the first black president of the United States of America.

It was even more historic when he served two full terms as president. For a person of colour to occupy the Oval office for two straight terms is no mean achievement. We must celebrate him in a special way.

Kenyans are lucky to be associated with a world leader who traces his ancestry to the country. His late father hailed from Kogelo in Siaya.

It is sad that during his tenure in office, we did not capitalise on the Obama magic to market destination Kenya.

Unlike South Africa, which exploited Mandela mania to position the country on the global market, our country squandered this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to raise its profile.

Nevertheless, we can still make something out of Obama in his retirement. His wealth of experience is what the country requires at this hour of need.

He always advocated for good governance and youth empowerment. I hope our leaders will use the Obama template to fix our problems.