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Kenyan Babies Named ‘Air Force One’ After Obama’s Jet

Alexis Gulino Contributor
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In the wake of President Barack Obama’s two-day landmark visit to Kenya, two new mothers have opted to idolize the President of the United States in a different way: by naming their children after the presidential jet, Air Force One, the Straits Times reports.

“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 mother, Lucy Atieno simply named her son AirForce One.

Of her decision she said, “I have been told that it is the best aeroplane because it carries a very powerful leader of America who is also a Kenyan.”

According to nurse Dolphin Akinyi, the two Air Force One’s were among eight healthy babies born on Friday night after 8:30 pm at the Kisumu Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital.

In addition, three of the baby girls born on the day that President Obama arrived in Kenya were given Obama-related names.

The girls were named Michelle after the first lady, Malia after the president’s oldest daughter, and Malia Sasha after both daughters.

Already, a plethora of young children from the president’s ancestral village of Kolego are named Barack Obama.

Millicent Akinyo holds her new born baby girl, named 'Michelle' in honour of US First Lady Michelle Obama, at the Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi on July 26, 2015. US President Barack Obama wraps up a two-day landmark visit to Kenya on July 26, boosting business and security ties but with firm messages on gay rights and corruption. On July 26, Obama urged Kenya to renounce corruption and tribalism, delivering a speech at the end of a visit to the East African nation and birthplace of his father. AFP PHOTO / IVAN LIEMAN (Photo credit should read Ivan Lieman/AFP/Getty Images)

Millicent Akinyo holds her new born baby girl, named ‘Michelle’ in honour of US First Lady Michelle Obama, at the Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi on July 26, 2015. US President Barack Obama wraps up a two-day landmark visit to Kenya on July 26, boosting business and security ties but with firm messages on gay rights and corruption. On July 26, Obama urged Kenya to renounce corruption and tribalism, delivering a rousing speech at the end of a landmark visit to the East African nation and birthplace of his father. AFP PHOTO / IVAN LIEMAN (Photo credit should read Ivan Lieman/AFP/Getty Images)

Now, in other hospitals across the East African country, mothers prompted by the visit continue to celebrate and prolong Obama’s legacy.

“Mothers are interested and inspired to name their babies after the U.S. president, hoping for blessing and success,” Eunice Omolo, the maternity ward director at Avenue Group hospital in Nairobi.

Omolo said she had discovered at least ten babies named after the US president, reports USA Today.

One mother, Faith Nyambura named her newborn son Blessed Obama.

“I named my boy after President Obama because I’m always inspired by his stories,” she said. “My boy will automatically become a leader of this country someday because he has Obama’s blessing.”