Kenyan mothers name babies after Barack Obama visit
Portrait of USA president Barrack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama on Oginga Odinga Street in Kisumu in this picture taken on July 25, 2015. PHOTO | TOM OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Three mothers also named their girls after US First Lady Michelle Obama.
- One mother, Faizah Awadhi named hers after Mama Sarah Obama.
A batch of Kenyan newborn babies have been named in honour of US President Barack Obama's visit to the country — with some mothers evidently hoping their offspring will be future high-flyers.
Two mothers in Kisumu City took the unusual decision to name their sons after the president's jet, Air Force One.
"I have decided to call my baby AirForceOne Barack Obama so that we can all remember Obama's visit to Kenya because it is a huge blessing," said Lucy Akinyi Okoth, one of the mothers.
Another, Lucy Atieno, decided to simply call her boy AirForce One.
"I have been told that it is the best aeroplane because it carries a very powerful leader of America who is also a Kenyan," she said.
The two Air Force Ones were among eight children born on Friday night at Kisumu's Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital
Six other babies were named after Mr Obama.
Three mothers also named their girls after US First Lady Michelle Obama, while another was called Sarah, the US President’s grandmother, Mama Sarah Obama.
Ms Lucy Akinyi, who named her child Barack Obama Gift, gave birth hours after President Obama landed on Friday night.
HISTORIC
“I was in mild labour at the time he arrived at 8.00 pm, and then I gave birth at 2.a.m. I had already planned to name my baby after him,” Ms Akinyi said excitedly.
Ms Silver Auma has already registered her baby under the name Junior Barack Obama while Ms Annette Cheptot, an Eldoret resident working in Kisumu, called her two-day old baby Junior Barack Kiprop.
“Each time I will be celebrating my baby’s birthday, I will remember that it is the day the first sitting President of US came to Kenya. It’s quite historic,” she said.
Ms Lilian Aoko, a Kisumu resident named her baby Barack Obama Ochieng' with Ms Beline Awuor also adding the name Nigel to Barack Obama.
Ms Lilian Achieng', who delivered four days earlier than her due date, named her baby Michelle Maura Achieng.
“I expected to give birth on July 28 but I am glad it coincided with the arrival of President Obama. Since it was a baby girl, I decided to name her after Mr Obama’s wife Michelle,” she said.
Ms Ressy Josphine Anyango also called her daughter Michelle Akinyi as Ms Iren Awuor called hers Zura Ali Michelle.
One mother, Faizah Awadhi named hers after Mama Sarah Obama.
“I like the name, it suits my Muslim religion,” she told the Nation.
