Why do Africans care that Obama was elected?

Last night at the bar all the Africans were wearing Obama shirts and buying me shots to celebrate his innaguration. I like free shots so I just shut up and took them, but I really wanted to say "What the hell do you care if he was elected?". So why is it? Do Africans think he'll give Africa more money or some misguided sense of accomplishment because he's black and most Africans are black or what?