GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Monday, January 26, 2009

SOUTH AFRICA, UNRAVELLING?

South African former freedom fighter, political prisoner of conscience turned president Dr. Nelson Mandela owes the people of South Africa and that sub region one more lasting service; - to harmonize the warring factions of his African National Congress (ANC) before it is too late! If the simmering bickering is not urgently addressed and the revered statesman makes his exit, the unfolding whirlwind in South Africa's political landscape might blow away what he spent 27 years of his youth, in Robin Island prison, to achieve.

Regrettably, ego, greed and selfishness has pitched two former comrades, former president Thabo Mbeki and president in the waiting Jacob Zuma against each other and so have their flocks. This is a bunch who hitherto were brothers in arms fighting against the former repressive apartheid racist government of Botha's South Africa. Icheoku says no matter what it takes, the current rift between Mbeki and Zuma needs to be resolved urgently to starve off what might be the catalyst to permanently unravel black South African leadership!

Today there is a faction within the ANC and who knows what tomorrow might beget of these factions - may be a shooting war amongst brothers for no reason whatsoever other than the selfishness of their leadership? This is where Nelson Mandela must come in as a respectable African world leader to mediate a truce or final resolution of this emerging conflict. As a regional power-house, Africa cannot afford to have a South Africa that is disintegrated or not fully galvanised to continue to provide the leadership in that region. The white minority may be amused at what is unfolding between this former comrades and will cease on any given opportunity to reassert themselves. Icheoku says, this is the gleam future that awaits South Africa should the current imbroglio between Mbeki and Zuma be allowed to fester on and metastasize.
The other day a prominent member of South Africa's governing ANC Mbongeleni Zondi, 39, a staunch supporter of Jacob Zuma was gunned down in Umlazi, Durban. Mr. Zondi was great-grandson of Zulu chief Bambatha, known for leading a guerrilla campaign against British colonialists in 1906. According to ANC, Mr. Zondi was "brutally assassinated"! Icheoku says, what if the ANC decides to avenge the death or retaliate for the murder of their Zondi Mbongeleni? What if ANC's reprisal attack/s leads to an all out warfare between the ANC factions like obtains in today's Iraq, Afghanistan or in a turf-war like manner of the Mafia? When added to the already high crimes encumbering South Africa, such a street warfare between former ANC members will spell doom for South Africa. This is one reason why the living father of South Africa must intervene now as a matter of utmost state urgency. Comrades killing each other is a tragedy of the unfolding political madness in South Africa which might conflagrate the entire country barring a sudden decisive intervention by a commanding figure like Nelson Mandela.

Admitted that in a democracy, people of like minds are allowed to unite around a common cause in the form of a political party of their choice to push their agenda but the Mosioua Lekota's Congress of the People (Cope), formed after the ousting of former president Thabo Mbeki, will only succeed in splitting the ANC amongst old friendship lines. Icheoku says this is not good for South Africa's future and demands an immediate intervention to stop these former friends and comrades at arms from soon becoming foes at each others throats, fighting for power. South Africa must not be allowed to go the way of other African countries; what is at stake is too much and all hands must be on deck to forestall such implosion.

1 comment:

  1. ANC members shot after SA rally

    Three members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including a member of the Zulu royal family, have been shot in South Africa.

    Violence erupted between supporters of the ANC and the opposition Inkatha Freedom Party in KwaZulu-Natal after both parties held rallies on Sunday.

    The IFP has denied responsibility for the shootings, which it has condemned.

    The violence comes months ahead of general elections, seen as the least predictable since the end of apartheid.

    ANC leader Jacob Zuma is facing corruption charges and ANC officials opposed to his leadership have formed a breakaway party.

    Thousands of people were killed in the early 1990s, in clashes between the ANC and the IFP for control of KwaZulu-Natal.

    'Tolerance'

    Both parties held rallies in the town of Nongoma on Sunday and busses carrying ANC members were pelted with stones, local media reported.

    One woman was critically wounded in the shooting and had to be flown to hospital in Durban.

    Another victim of the shooting was named by police as a member of the Zulu royal family, Prince Zeblon Zulu.

    His car was shot at as he left the rally, wounding him in the hand, the South African Press Association reported.

    The other people injured were women driving in a car behind his.

    The ANC has condemned the violence.

    Hours before the rally Mr Zuma called for "political tolerance" between the parties.

    IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said he was opposed to the violence.

    "I believe the people of this country will resolve their problems through negotiations," he said at a rally on Sunday.

    Mr Zuma is a Zulu and he is hoping to gain ground in the Zulu heartland in the elections due in March or April.

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