"Obama-mania" sweeps Africa, but could he deliver?

Few realistically expect Africa to compete successfully with issues like Iraq, China and the Middle East be it Obama, or Republican candidate John McCain, who takes the White House.

Richard Dowden, director of the London-based Royal African Society, predicted "business as usual" from Washington towards Africa even if Obama wins. Recent policy on Africa has been dominated by counter-terrorism, oil supply and humanitarian aid.

"Obama's rise has obviously given Africa more self-confidence, which is great," Dowden said. "But it is not as if he has any particular knowledge of Africa or great contacts.

"Remember too that he backed the Farm Bill which was very damaging to African trade interests, whereas McCain did not."

And while Africans are used to leaders who wield huge individual clout in their nations, a U.S. president has plenty of checks and balances despite leading the global superpower.

"Because of the history of Big-Manism in Africa, Africans think of presidents as omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent ... In contrast, the American presidency is a highly circumscribed office," Kenyan columnist Makau Mutua said.

"Obama may change the pigmentation and racial identity of the person of the president. But does that mean anything? ... Africans and black people the world over must curb their enthusiasm about what an Obama presidency can do for them."

CLINTON VS BUSH

Obama's fellow Democrat Bill Clinton was massively backed by black voters and even dubbed by some an honorary "African-American", but his legacy to Africa is ambiguous.

Some might say it is most remembered for the failure to stop Rwanda's genocide, and an ignominious military exit from Somalia.

Despite being less popular globally, President George W. Bush received some acclaim on his recent trip to Africa, particularly for U.S. funding to fight AIDS.

"Let it not be forgotten that it is he (Bush) who appointed the first black secretary of state. It is also he who has been putting pressure on dictators in the world, especially in Africa and Asia," Kenyan resident Harrison Ikunda wrote in one of a stream of letters to newspapers debating the Obama phenomenon.

"A warning shot to Africa: Obama may be good for Africa, but first and foremost he is an American. He is unlikely to jeopardize American interests to pursue others."

While the debate is almost always cast in terms of what Obama might do for Africa, a major investment push by China and others on the continent has Washington worried.

And there, resource-rich Africa has influence.

"Africa is receiving concerted interest from other powers, including China, India, and Japan," said Mark Schroeder, of U.S. think-tank Stratfor. "Africa will not give a free pass to Obama, despite the heritage and symbolism, and risk losing out on billions of dollars worth of competing investments."