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.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

WHO KILLED THIS MAN?


His name was Bolaji Ige. He was a lawyer who attained the preeminent legal pinnacle of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) which is equivalent to the Queens Counsel (QC) in Britain. He was also also a politician and was a governor of a state in Nigeria called Oyo State. The disgraced former despotic ruler by fiat of Nigeria, Babalawo Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo, invited him to serve in his "regime" as Energy Minister and later Justice Minister of Nigeria. It was while he was serving his fatherland in this later capacity that he was killed by invading "marauders" and in his country home while eating dinner with his wife and children.
It has been several years now since the sad incident but no one has been arrested, indicted and/or convicted for the gruesome homicide. This lackadaisical, wilful indifference and/or foot-dragging with which the investigation into his death is going by the government, feeds the school of thought theorists which posits that his death was sanctioned by the highest authority in the land. Thus our quest, as we pontificate "who killed this man"? As a serving Minister of Justice of Nigeria, he was the head of all the law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and by his accomplishments both in the legal field and politics, he was not a plebeian but a man of paramount stature whose murder could not be possible except it was sanctioned or otherwise approved at the highest authority then in Nigeria. The one and only then subsisting authority superior to this murdered man and who peradventure is the only person upon whose command and authorisation the murder of Bola Ige could have only been possible is no other person but the ex-president of Nigeria, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo. This man and and only him could have "authorised" or tacitly approved through wilful indifference the killing of his Justice Minister, Chief Bolaji Ige, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. If Aremu Obasanjo did not sign off on this cold murder, this blogger strongly believes that it would not have been possible or practicable considering the very high position, which the late Bola Ige occupied in the government. Also worrisome was the manner and circumstance of the killing which was so heinous and calculated for it to be just another accidental or chance killing in a crime prone country, Nigeria. This blogger takes this strong position because as a serving Justice Minister with his towering stature in the Nigerian society, and as a politician being a former governor of a state coupled with his accomplishments in law as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he had a security detail comparable to that of the President. It therefore does not make sense that the "beasts" that took Bola Ige's life could have easily penetrated his security condone and killed a sitting Justice Minister and to date no serious investigation has been carried out or anyone with probable cause to kill him yet arrested or charged or convicted. Only in Nigeria could this horrendous extermination of a sitting Justice Minister be possible.
For the reader of this blog to be able to make up his or her mind on the possible complicity or otherwise of the devil may care, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo in the killing of Bola Ige; he or she need to understand the circumstances surrounding this killing. Bola Ige as a serving Justice Minister was assigned about fourteen security details by the President himself in whom the prerogative lies to withdraw or pull them out as he may please. In other words the security details were answerable to the President and to him they owe utmost allegiance to. To date none of them has been arrested or charged concerning this death and no plausible explanation has been put forward to try to explain away their involvement or lack thereof. According to the narrative, Bola Ige was en route Abuja capital city, after an official engagement in Lagos, when he was persuaded to make a detour to his Ibadan country home that evening to call it a day. At his house, he was having dinner with his wife and children when some "hoodlums" came in through the door and pumped several bullets into his body with his wife and children watching their father and husband brutally murdered and before their own very eyes. As if this is not enough horror already, the "bandits" emptied several magazines inside his body and with the help of a stethoscope made sure he no longer breathed. Then here is the stunner, Bolaji Ige as a Justice Minister of no mean stature was assigned a fourteen man round the clock security detail - called MOPOL in Nigeria which to certain extent is comparable to America's SWAT team that sometimes doubles as a protection force for dignitaries. The government buffoonery of an explanation was that all these security men went out for their own dinner-break when these killers breached the compound perimeters and killed Bola Ige. But such story can only be told to the marines, period! It is no brainier. It does not make sense. It is so lame that you have to suspend disbelieve to believe it. It flies in the face of whatever is plausible and reasonably obtainable; that one is wont to ask, what was the use for a fourteen man security detail if not to provide a round the clock security condone around the subject to be protected? Why would all of the security detail then go to their dinner-break at the same time and the same very window the supposed "marauders" stormed into the residence and took his life. How did the "marauders" know the security details' minute operational details so much as to strike at the very time and window of opportunity in which they struck - when they all went to a "dinner break"? How far were their removal from the premises not to hear any altercation, the sound of the first gunfire, followed then by several other bullets being fired thereafter and then the final "Houdini escape" from the compound of the "bandits"; with none of them having been caught ever since. Did they disappear from the face of the earth since none was caught on the premises of Bola Ige's compound or in his city of Ibadan or his State of Oyo or his country of Nigeria or from any other place on planet earth, ever since.
Tell this blogger the government does not have any plausible explanation because they are looking at themselves while searching for the culprits. They are also looking in the mirror of their investigation and only seeing themselves because under the circumstances as narrated, there could not have possibly been any external intruder that night. It is is not right! It stinks! It cries to the high heavens! The most annoying aspect of the incident is that the always vociferous Yorubas whose son Bola Ige was, have been uncannily very taciturn regarding the pursuit of his killers or in demanding a thorough investigation thereto. This lack of desire to unmask the real killers of Bola Ige by the Yorubas is fuelling the school of thought theorists which posit that the then government headed by another of their kinsman, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo knew more than they are willing to admit of what happened to Bola Ige. The death of the Cisero of Oke-Ona, as he was fondly referred to, must be avenged. All those people or person who in anyway was an accomplice to his murder shall not know peace until they complete the process of absolution - they must confess, they must repent and they must face their penance if ever they want to find true peace in forgiveness. What was Bola Ige's offense that he must be killed and killed in front of his wife and children? What did Bola Ige do that he must be eliminated by fellow mortals? It is not like the approving authority for his killing will live forever and not someday die headed to the hottest place in Hades. A popular aphorism says that there are two types of evil people - those who do evil and those who condone evil. The Yorubas, for not forcefully agitating for the investigation and prosecution and possible conviction of the killers of Bola Ige are as such qualified. Something has to be done otherwise Bola Ige's death will go into the cold doldrums wherein Dele Giwa's death by parcel bomb has been since the eighties.
A president or head of state whose primary duty is to protect the citizens of the country, have turned into a blood-sucking vampire feeding on the crimson of her people and of their brightest minds. Dele Giwa was a seasoned investigative journalist and publisher; and Bola Ige was a well learned lawyer Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a successful politician. How could this happen and the silent majority are cowering in a fear-induced stupor simply because they do not want to also end up in the belly of the beast; but who lives forever, anyway? It is not right! Do not let the man in you die because of your silence! If everyone has been standing up to speak up against all the maladies prevalent in the Nigerian society, maybe some common sense would have been put into the heads of the so-called leaders and peradventure they would have stopped their evil deeds or at least try, in order for Nigeria to really move forward. It is a supreme duty call on all to speak up to empower the people to start looking for a way out of the woods wherein several years of maladministration has driven Nigeria into. My heart bleeds for Nigeria and the cowardly indifference of her populace leaves much to be desired; and this is the single most reason why their rulers ride them like donkeys or beast of burden who must perpetually obey without any complain. It is because of this disposition that an inept Babalawo Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo could rule Nigeria twice and on both occasions failed Nigerians but has not been prosecuted for his atrocious misdeeds. It is about time, Nigerians take a stand against injustice, corruption, maladministration, state sanctioned murders and all the ills of society affecting her development and well being.
Whose turn next is it anyways? Nobody knows. If the sitting President, Police Chief and the Justice Minister cannot investigate what happened to Bola Ige, who is sure that the same cannibals will not strike again next time; which reminds me of the poem 'for whom the bell tolls'. The death of Bola Ige SHOULD be investigated and the culprit brought to justice and this position should be the chorus of every Nigeria particularly the Yorubas of Nigeria. Their continued silence regarding this does not portray Nigerians well especially the Yorubas who by their tacit silence are being perceived now as a people that eats one of their own. Can you imagine the hullabaloo and brouhaha they would have raised were Bola Ige to be serving under a Hausa or Igbo president when he was killed? Bola Ige was one of your own and belong to the Awoist school of politics and hence must not die unsung like a destitute. He deserves better than that. At least he earned the right for his death to be investigated and conclusively too. Bola Ige served Oyo State well as their governor in the second republic and he was also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Icheoku hereby states and for the records, that it is the right thing to do - to officially and formally invite Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo as well as then Inspector General of Police, Ehindero to tell Nigerians and the world all that they knew about the authorisation, plot and eventual murder of the former Justice Minister of Nigeria, Chief Bola Ige, SAN and the time is NOW!



1 comment:

  1. Obasanjo hates Ige, even in death –Adeyeye
    By Akin Oyedele
    Published: Sunday, 14 Sep 2008
    The 78th commemorative birthday lecture of the slain former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, again provided another platform for the denunciation of the eight-year rule of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

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    Photo file
    Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige

    The gathering of eminent personalities from the academics, different political divide, as well as associates, followers, friends and family of the late Ige, would attest to his greatness, even in death.

    Setting the tone for the invectives poured on the Obasanjo‘s administration by speakers at the forum, the guest lecturer, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, said that Obasanjo was one of the detractors of Ige.

    The President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), who also came hard on Obasanjo, described the ex-President as a self-centred leader that could not be dealt with.

    Blaming the brutal murder of Ige for the present predicament of the Yoruba nation, he said that the late AGF made a mistake by accepting to serve under Obasanjo.

    He, however, vowed that the NBA would ensure that the murder of Ige, as well as other politically-motivated killings, was not swept under the carpet.

    Akeredolu said, ”The Bar has a role to play. Ige‘s death should not be consigned to the dustbin of history. We must pursue those that killed him until they are caught.

    ”The Bar must force the present administration to set up a judicial commission of inquiry into Ige‘s murder as well as other unresolved murders. This country is gradually slipping into a failed state.

    ”We must come together to rescue this country. The problem we have is that the progressives are not consistent and united.

    ”Why for instance should the progressives in Oyo State not come together during the governorship election? Why did we have so many candidates among them? That was responsible for what we have on hand.”

    Even in death, Adeyeye said that Obasanjo never hid his alleged hatred for the former AGF by blaming Ige for the failure of the energy programme of his administration.

    Out of the four ministers that held sway at the Ministry of Power and Steel during the Presidency of Obasanjo, he said that it was only Ige who served for11 months that was singled out for vilification.

    In death, he said that Obasanjo knew that Ige could not rise to defend himself; hence he decided to denounce him as a minister who did not know his right hand from his left.

    In his lecture titled, ”If Bola Ige were alive,” Adeyeye said that Bola Ige could have maintained a studied silence to the tantrums of the former President if alive.

    Rising in defence of the late Ige, the lecturer maintained that the former President should have corrected within 85 months the lapses that occurred during the 11-month tenure of Ige.

    Describing Obasanjo‘s presidency as inept and corrupt, Adeyeye asked rhetorically whether it was the late AGF that committed hundreds of billions of naira on road projects without results.

    In a sarcastic tone, he said that Obasanjo could as well blame the late Ige for his botched and ill-conceived third term agenda on which huge resources, energy, time and emotions were wasted.

    In a departure from popular belief, he said that the Peoples Democratic Party could still have manipulated the 2003 election in the Yoruba nation if Ige were alive.

    He stressed that those who allegedly deployed repressive apparatus of the Federal Government to subvert the wishes of the electorate in 2007 were those that lost in previous relatively free and fair elections.

    But for his death, he said Ige would have been bemused at the cadre of self-styled Awoists who allegedly rigged themselves into power in 2007.

    Adeyeye said Ige would have been dismayed by the action of the fake Awoists whose party members made the destruction of the statue of Awolowo a priority on assumption of office.

    He said, ”By now he would have expressed his sympathy for President Umaru Yar‘Adua as another good man who appears destined to fail as President of Nigeria.

    ”Ige would have been reminding Nigerians that being a good man is not sufficient qualification for leadership of a country.

    ”He would have cited Alhaji Shehu Shagari as a good man who was a miserable failure as President.

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