Barack Obama has tapped into a strong desire for self-determination among Africans in his maiden speech on the continent, evoking the inspiration that Martin Luther King Jr drew from Ghana’s struggle for independence and stressing that history was on the side of Africa’s reformers.

Focus of attention: Barack Obama meets supporters during a departure ceremony at Accra airport

But public opinion on the continent is divided over whether the first African American US president can bring something new to the table beyond his inspirational personal history, and whether the strong emphasis he has placed on democratic and accountable ­government will be matched by effective ­support.