Malik Abongo Obama

Malik Obama (also known as Abongo (Roy) Obama, born c. 1959) is the half-brother of presumptive Democratic party U.S. presidential nominee Barack Obama. He is one of four children of Obama's father, Barack Obama, Sr. with his first wife, Kezia.

Childhood and education

Malik Obama was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. During his childhood he and his sister Auma were passed around between relatives. He earned a degree in accounting from the University of Nairobi.

Interaction with Barack Obama

Malik Obama met his half-brother for the first time in 1985 when he flew from Chicago to Washington, D.C. to visit him. Abongo was known as Roy Obama at that time. Roy was married to an American and according to Barack was having troubles with his marriage. When they first met Roy (Malik) would tell his half-brother Barack "The truth is, I don't think I really like myself. And I blame the Old Man for this." Auma, Roy (Abongo), and at times Barack, refer to their father as the Old Man.

Malik and his brother Barak were best men at each other's weddings. Barack Obama spoke fondly of Malik in his book Dreams from my Father. In the context of recalling his 1992 wedding day to Michelle Robinson, Barack wrote: "The person who made me proudest of all, though, was Roy. Actually, now we call him Abongo, his Luo name, for two years ago he decided to reassert his African heritage. He converted to Islam, and has sworn off pork and tobacco and alchohol. He still works at his accounting firm, but talks about moving back to Kenya . . . . Abongo's new lifestyle has left him lean and clear-eyed, and at the wedding he looked so dignified in his black African gown . . ." According to the Daily Nation, three years later, Barack Obama brought Michelle to Kenya where they met again with Malik while Barack was introduced Michelle to many others of her new kin. The Nation further reported that Malik's current wife Fauziah Anyango had yet to meet her brother-in-law Barack Obama as of 2004.

Later life

As of 2004 Malik Obama, who says he is an occasional visitor to Washington, D.C., had settled in the Obamas' ancestral home, Nyangoma-Kogelo, a village of several hundred people he preferred to the city for its slow pace. At the time he ran a small electronics shop a half hour drive outside of town, and was also working as a consultant in Washington, D.C. for several months per year. All of his father's other surviving children were living in the United States or England.

References

• Obama, Barack (2004). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 1-4000-8277-3.
• John Oywa (2004-08-15). "Sleepy Little Village Where Obama Traces His Own Roots". The Daily Nation.
• Tom Maliti (2004-10-26). "Obama's Brother Chooses Life in Slow Lane". The Associated Press.
• K.H. (2008-06-18). "Hume falsely claimed Obama's half brother told The Jerusalem Post that Obama had a "Muslim background"". Media Matters for America.
• jpt (2008-06-18). "From the Fact Check Desk:What Did Obama's Half-Brother Say About Obama's Background". ABC News.
• Scott Fornek (2007-09-09). "Abongo (Roy) Obama:Certainly the older brother". Chicago Sun-Times.
• "Malik Obama: As president, my brother would be good for Jews". Haaretz. 2008-06-12.
• "Malik Obama says Israel shouldn't worry about Barack's Muslim "connection"". Israel Insider. 2008-06-20.