FACEBOOK, BANNED IN AND BY ISLAMIC SHARIA NORTHERN NIGERIA?

When the world thought they have heard the last of Islamic Sharia Northern Nigeria, out of their Islamic hat, they have pulled the mother of all surprises - they have banned Facebook?

Recall that it is the same place that gave the world the unwanted gift of the last Christmas day would be diaper-bomber, Farouk Abdulmutallab? The same people also were the merchants of death in the recent slaughter in Jos-Nigeria of more than 500 innocent women and children in their sleep? It is the same people that produced the renegade Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua who have remained incommunicado for over 130 days, absconding from his duty post at Aso Rock? It is the same people that prevented the hosting of Miss World beauty pageant in Nigeria both in Abuja and Lagos Nigeria? It is the same Islamic Sharia Northern Nigerian people that protested a cartoon in far away Danish newspaper in Nigeria, destroying so much in their mad zealotry fury? It is then needless to add that it is the same people that have held Nigeria hostage since its independence in 1960 and the cause majore` of a Nigeria in comatose?

Now in order not to be outdone by China with its face-off with Google, the Islamic Sharia Northern Nigeria have imposed an outright ban on the online powerhouse, Facebook? Icheoku asks, would this affront on 21st century global connectivity be allowed to stand in a Nigeria that is looking forward to realizing its 7-point agenda and launch itself into a global power player? Simply propositioned, if these human specimens are bent on taking Nigeria back to the stone-age, why don't they just go alone and unaccompanied; or must they drag everyone before will make that move? They should just secede, move away to make way, and take a hike to the mountains of Tora-Borah to rendezvous with their Taliban brotherhood or better still just pull out of Nigeria and form their own separate Wahhabi Islamic territory as Libyan Moummar Gaddafi has propositioned? Gideon Orkar, it will recalled once nearly granted them this 'everybody's wish,' that they just leave the others alone and in peace?

According to the gist coming out of the reclusive Islamic Sharia Northern Nigeria, Facebook was banned because they allowed their portal to be used by some human rights activists who were sharing their disgust and disbelief that in 21st century Nigeria, a section of its polity could indulge in the act of human mutilation under any guise, be it Islamic law enforcement or any other? These mullahs would have the world know of their human-mutilation business and instead prefers to be hitting somebody while preventing that person from also crying? In other words, they prefer that the story of their inhumanity to a fellow man remain shrouded in secrecy and that no outsider gets a pip into the goings on in their enclave? Icheoku says, what a shame that these kind of ruthless people are still sharing the same geographical entity with the rest of other more civilized and more humane Nigerians?

The story continues that one Mallam Buba Bello Jangebe in March 22, 2000 had his right wrist hacked-off, for petty theft, by the Islamic Sharia Zamfara State government in adherence to their Islamic Sharia prescription for such offence? A group of human rights activists/civil society organisation, Civil Rights Congress (CRC), in commemoration of the 10 year anniversary of the first government-sanctioned human mutilation ever recorded in Nigeria, picked up the story and were analyzing it online via Facebook. But the Sharia court ordered the group to cease and desist from further discussing of the matter and issued an injunction restraining what he termed 'their Facebook activism?' It is also worthy of note that it is the same al-Queida's second in command, Egyptian Ahman al-Zawahiri's group, the Muslim Brotherhood Association, that its Nigerian branch petitioned in this case to stop and/or ban the 'Face-booking' of this human cruelty to another man! They had brought a suit asking for injunction against further online discussion on Facebook of this human mutilation; claiming in their argument that to allow the online activism to continue will amount to "inciting the people against Sharia law and its amputation doctrine?" Explaining why the brotherhood sought the injunction, its Nigeria chapter leader, Mallam Abu Sufyan, said it was in order to protect the sanctity of Islamic Sharia law decisions and to protect the image of Islam which is being threatened by such a debate on Facebook?

Icheoku cries bloody murder; and says, imagine this people speaking of 'image' when their daily actions is their worst nightmare and continually soil their so called image? What a logic on its head this Mallam Sufyan just canvassed? But what do you expect from a group which expects to be rewarded with 70 virgins in a delusional Eldorado after suicide-bombing and killing hundreds of innocent people; but will not flinch at the slaughtering hundreds of innocent women and children in their sleep? Icheoku hopes it will not be out of place to remind us all that it is the same religion that its adherents, flew two planes into the World trade Centers and just last 48 hours blew people up in a Moscow's underground; yet this mullah is talking about image? An image which befits a whore or an armed robber? Anyway the good news however is that no matter the outcome of a planned appeal of the case, luckily enough, the res is beyond the the reach of Islamic Sharia-Northern Nigeria. Also enforcing this retrogressive judgment will be impossible since Facebook is beyond the jurisdictional forum of the Northern Nigeria Islamic Sharia court, also their host-server is not located in Nigeria? However aware of the shortcomings, limitations and possibilities in Nigeria, the court might try and hold personally responsible, anyone that participates in such online discussion who is locally based within the Islamic Northern territory! Nigeria, when will this eye-sore that is Islamic Sharia Northern Nigeria be permanently taken care of?

ENUGU AIRPORT, THE TALE OF A YEAR-LONG TARMAC OVERLAY PROJECT?

Please say it is not true that the resurfacing of a glorified highway for planes to land and take off, aka tarmac, that is less than 8000 feet long will take one full calendar year to complete? According to authorities, the airport which they closed to air-traffic on February 10, 2010 will remain closed for one year? And you ask yourself, if the contractor cannot timely execute the project or lacks the expertise to handle the project and complete same within a more reasonable time, why was the contract awarded to it? And in the interim what are patrons of the airport excepted to do to get around, except to expose themselves further to the hazards of road-travel in Nigeria; including armed robberies, more fatal head-on collisions on accident-prone, narrow and pot-holes filled roads; which are prevalent in Nigeria, especially the south eastern region?

Similar-sized projects the world over sometimes take only 12 hours - from sun-set to sun-rise, to complete; but not in Nigeria? A Lufthansa tarmac in Frankfurt Hahn International Airport Germany was just recently resurfaced overnight, from airport shutdown at midnight to the first flight-in by 5.00am? Manila airport Philippines had one of its runways similarly resurfaced overnight and this is the Philippines? From United States of America to Britain to Mexico to Brazil to even South Africa airport runways have regularly been resurfaced and never took such a length of time, not even when a new airport is being built? Tarmacs have been resurfaced within few hours and in so many cases with a 24 hours turn around; yet Nigeria is taking one full year to do a similar work in a local airport? It is needless to say that the said airport will remain closed, completely shutdown, during this one year asphalt replacement project? It is also instructive to note that this Nigerian airport lands less than ten small bodied air-planes every 24 hours while the Frankfurt Hahn airport mentioned earlier lands more than ten wide bodied and jumbo air-planes every 60 seconds? SO what is so special about the work involved in re-paving an airport runway that will take one year to complete, except corruption and a calculated delay tactic to possibly abandon the project midway, after collecting 90% of the cost of the total work as mobilisation fees, upfront, the Nigerian way?

The airport under advisement is located in the Biafra section of Nigeria, in a place called Enugu, the capital of then Biafra and now the unofficial capital of Igboland? It is Akanu Ibiam Local Airport Enugu (ENU)! Still contending with an unfinished war with the Nigeria state, still pending since 1970, the Igbos have been at the receiving end of what the Hausa-Fulani power-hijackers of Nigeria PLC have been dishing out their way since 1970? They are hellbent on starving the Igbo land of any federal presence/infrastructure including a functioning airport, as they have now closed the only viable airport in Igboland which caters to about 90 percent of the regional air-travelers and users alike?

Admitted the shooting aspect of the war has since been over but the psychological war against the Igbo still goes on and continues till date in all manners and forms of discrimination, which led to the closing of this airport under the subterfuge that an asphalt layering takes one year to finish? Icheoku disagrees that it takes that long to resurface a tarmac and queries why this particular tarmac would take one year just to resurface, when so many tarmacs world-wide have been completed within few night hours? Icheoku says that the powers that be in Nigeria are once again waging their atrocious war on the psyche of the Igbo people of Nigeria by depriving them the use of their only functional airport, which principally serves their entire region? It is also instructive to note that the South East Igbo region of Nigeria is the only pre-independence region in Nigeria without any International Airport, whereas the north has over federal built six international airports? Now the only local airport servicing the South East region, built in the 60's, is now put out of commission and for one full long year? How these mallams, desert dwellers of the northern Nigeria expect the Igbos to move about, during this airport closure, is beyond any one's imagination; and this is happening in a country that has a national planning department?

Icheoku asks, how much is simply just too much for the people of Igboland to continue to take or accept as given from their "lords and masters," the Hausa-Fulani Oligarchs of Islamic Northern Nigeria? When will enough of these intimidation and oppressions become really enough for the Igbos to just say, no more shall we continue to take this? Further why are the Igbo elites, including men and women who find themselves in the corridors of power so complacent that they choose to do nothing about the fate which the Igbos found themselves in Nigeria? The current deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu is of the Igbo extraction and except for some feeble speeches on the subject seems to be less passionate with pursuing and realising the cause? And there are so many other Igbo federal legislators and senators who could ordinarily support such a cause but wouldn't? And before this present bunch, were about four Igbo senate presidents and so many other legislators including ministers; yet none of them have spoken out or done something to arrest this Igbo continued marginalization in Nigeria, why must it continue?

Icheoku says such a sell-out by these representatives is abominable, inexplicable and absolutely shameful; yet they pretend to represent the people? How do these guys have the face to parade themselves in Igboland as 'somebody' when they could not attract any meaningful federal presence in their region or make sure that the available ones remain open? How can any of these representatives say that he/she is representing a region without a functioning airport, talk-less of an international airport, making travel to the South East a nightmarish chaotic experience? How do such legislators get back home to their constituencies or do they also travel through those Nigerian notorious death-traps of roads? A person travelling to South East from overseas for example, is compelled to fly into Lagos, Abuja, Kano or Port Harcourt; and then is left at the mercy of armed robbers infested, pot-hole filled Nigerian roads enroute Enugu and the entire South East? Please tell Icheoku who wants such an awful experience of being a seating duck on such horrible roads, waiting for the ever-present armed robbers to cart away what you toiled several years to procure, and we are talking of when these marauding beasts are merciful enough to spare your life?

It is our position therefore that these marginalization and deprivations must stop forthwith, a siege-situation on the entire south east hatched through a well-planned out, deftly orchestrated, deliberative attempt to totally and completely subjugate a people, the remnants of those killed in a genocidal Yakubu Gowon led war against Igbo people, during the Biafran-Nigeria war of attrition? The Igbos are traders and businessmen who are highly mobile travelling from places to places and they need at least a viable functional airport to aid their trips. Unfortunately, just like the Hausa-Fulani and their Yoruba collaborators figured out that 'starvation is the best instrument of warfare;" this time the latest arsenal in their armoury is their discovery that depriving Ndigbo their only functional airport will suffocate their derive or at least slow it down?

One does not need to be an airport expert or air-transportation consultant to understand that what is involved here is a high-stakes games being played by the powers that be in Nigeria against the Igbo nation; having to completely shuttered their one functional airport for one full calendar month? All those concessionaires, taxi-operators as well as other workers and contractors servicing the airport were equally put out of commission for the duration of this one year of asphalt lacing on the tarmac? So economically, socially and politically speaking, the one-year closure of the Akanu Ibiam 'Local' Airport (ENU), in Enugu South East Nigeria is a catastrophic mistake which should not have been allowed by the Igbos or at least loudly protested until something changed? But no, as those Igbo people whose protest should have counted chose to keep quiet, having mortgaged their selfish souls to the devil of petty contracts, crumbs from the masters table with northerners like Theophilus Danjuma making $500 million dollars profit from just one oil-well, which he obtained for free as a gift, from the late midget of Kano, Sani Abacha; and turned around and sold it for $1 billion dollars in one of the quickest deals of all times? Easy and quick money, the bureau du change style of all northern mallams? So like GW hard work is not for them, the messed-up northerners?

Regrettably, the authorities in Nigeria are impervious, dumb, deaf and daft to ameliorating suggestions; so much so that no reasoning makes any sense before them? To them what is right is and should be wrong and what is wrong is right; to them what is logical is illogical and vice versa and so being mindful of this, Icheoku is but trying to have it on record that it was said but not heeded, and not necessarily with the expectation that they will have a change of heart to do good? From the politics of not making the Enugu airport an international airport to now closing it completely for one full year under the guise of resurfacing its tarmac, Icheoku says, the Hausa-Fulani have finally come a full circle in their 'kill them off' approach to anything and everything Igboman. If they get away with this, they will try yet another thing; after-all they said there was no money for a second bridge over the River Niger but have money to drench the same River Niger up to their region, to ensure a water access and solve their problem of being a land-locked territory.

If it were the Yorubas or any other activist group in Nigeria that were affected by this year-long closure of their only airport, they will scream full-lungs until there is a reversal; but not the unorganised Igbos? The Igbos are ready to even trek from Enugu to Abuja and up to Sokoto if that is all that it will take to permit them to continue buying and selling their wares; so provided there is a way to drive from Enugu to Abuja, they do not care if their only airport is closed for however long, hence no one cares to tackle the politics of a one year tarmac resurfacing induced closure of the only airport in South East? The implication is that within this one year period, if any Igboman falls sick for example and requires an urgent overseas medical treatment, such a person will probably die before making it through the pot-holes filled, armed robbers infested roads to catch a flight from Lagos or Abuja? If for instance the Ikemba Nnewi and Biafran warlord Chukwuemeka Ojukwu were to have an emergency need to travel to somewhere in Nigeria or overseas immediately, he must then have to drive by road to the nearest airport in another region before catching his out-bound flight? It is not fair, it is penal and does not in anyway support or encourage commerce or economy of the Igbo nation. What a vindictiveness!

Icheoku's position is that closing an entire airport just for a a layer of asphalt on its 7879 x 148 feet runway (tarmac) does not make any sense whatsoever? Politically, socially and economically it is not profitable; and should not have been permitted or so tailored by the planners of Nigeria that it hurts everything? Also the Igbo governors and leaders of thought in Igboland should have foreseen its ramifications and so vehemently protested the decision until someone in Abuja changes his heart; but no, they lack convictions of a true Igbo patriot and provided they are accommodated within the corridors of power, that is enough for them? Unlike Oliver Twist, they do not want some more as would positively impact the Igbo nation in general? To them being Igbo means "I Go Before Others", so once their stomach is fed, other Igbo interest can suffer for all that they care? A situation symptomatic of the Igbo people and which is the root-cause of the disorganized society that is the Igbo nation, which is militating against their political re-awakening in Nigeria? Icheoku deplores this lackadaisical attitude as stupidity, cowardice and servitude; and urges that it be discontinued in order to enable the Igbos reclaim their rightful place in Nigeria. An airport tarmac does not take one full year to have its asphalt replaced, as such could be done within a much shorter period and without completely shutting down the airport, especially when there is no immediate functional similar-capacity alternative to assume the air-traffic; therefore the Akanu Ibiam 'Local' Airport in Enugu (ENU) should not have been an exception!

SENATE ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY, CONFIRM DORA AKUNYILI !

The Nigerian Senate must not thwart Professor Dora Akunyili's cabinet nomination, just because some of its membership, affiliated with the cabal want to punish her for speaking out? Her confirmation should be based on her qualification, competence and performance-ability; but surely not on the petty and mundane that she should not have spoken out to end the President Umaru Yar'Adua imbroglio and hostage-taking of the Nigeria?

Her action was very courageous and patriotic which in a more civilized functional society would have earned her some commendation for bravely taking a stand on a lingering political bad situation. If however she is denied or stopped from this opportunity to serve, such repugnant reprisal will have a permanent catastrophic chilling effect on future public servants and would-be whistle-blowers, which will only damage Nigeria further.Professor Dora Akunyili should be praised, encouraged and rewarded with any choice ministry as she may desire; but not in anyway chastised or punished by not confirming her, for saying what she said; and she said nothing wrong.

As always, the Nigerian senate should know that the world is aware of the intrigues currently taking place and are curiously watching developments therein in Nigeria; including of course whether this one-of-a-kind lady will be unnecessarily punished by not confirming her because she took such a courageous stand to end the hold-out Yar'Adua's direct government. Professor Dora Akunyili as a catalyst which helped force the Jonathan Goodluck's pseudo-presidency into the fore, deserves and should be recognized with her confirmation as a minister designate. To do otherwise therefore shall raise questions of the fairness and dispassionate of the senate, and strongly suggests that Nigerian Senators lacked the backbone to stand up to the Yar'Adua cabal?Therefore, the Nigerian Senate must be above board, rise up to the occasion and re-confirm Dora Akunyili as a minister; and allow her to serve Nigeria - a job which she passionately have discharged for some years now and creditably well, too. So NIGERIAN SENATORS DO NOT BE A CLOG IN THE WHEEL OF TRANSPARENCY, CONFIRM DORA AKUNYILI!

PROFESSOR DORA AKUNYILI, DESERVES A PLACE IN THE UPCOMING CABINET!

She is well qualified, eminently so; very capable and competent; erudite and have a track record of proven abilities aiding her can-do spirit. She is also very brave, patriotic, passionate and so much enthusiastic about Nigeria and her job. She is also conscionable. She has a PhD in Pharmacology. She is the catalyst that quickened Jonathan Goodluck's acting presidency, as she stood up when others were cowering and ganging up, and questioned the conspirators' silence of the Federal Executive Council on President Yar'Adua's continued where-about, his sickness and extended absence?

What other manner of a person would one in office need, if not that person who can deliver on any given assignment and one who is not too timid to let the person in charge know when things go wrong. If Icheoku were Acting President Jonathan Goodluck, Profssor Dora Akunyili would be our first ministerial choice, the first nominee/designate with a right of first refusal to any ministry of her choice. It is the right thing to do, the correct thing to do, and in order to encourage future taking of responsibility by those who serve and to say thank you for all that she has done to jump-start a comatose Nigeria that was cliff-bound? Her intended motion spun the national assembly decision to empower Jonathan as Nigeria's acting president!

So, any reconstituted cabinet without Dora Akunyili will lack necessary credibility as it will be seen and interpreted that Jonathan lacked the back-bone to firm up against all those cabals who called for her head; and that she was finally let go under pressure but not for her lack of competence? But in Nigeria, how many competent people are ever allowed to run affairs anyway; so Dora's brewing predicament for speaking up is atypical of a country where decency has since taken flight of no return? Here is a lady who have proved herself as above board, competent and highly qualified; so why not let her serve and not suffer her for being brave enough to challenge the status-quo! Icheoku says to Acting President Goodluck, LET DORA AKUNYILI SERVE!

INEC'S MAURICE IWU IS NOT THE PROBLEM, A SCREWED UP POLITY IS?

Icheoku wish to align itself with the position of the Alliance for Defence of Democracy that the chairman of Nigeria's Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu, should not be sacked, but should be given a second term! The INEC chairman is not the problem to past Nigerian elections malfeasance; glorified elections which appropriately should be referred as selections and impositions; elections which were messed-up and marred by gross irregularities; elections which were hijacked by Olusegun Obasanjo who literally and single handily, cherry-picked only his chosen ones for various offices in the land?

From the presidency, through the National Assembly to governors as well as local government chairman and membership, Obasanjo made sure that only his approved and certified candidate got in? But regrettably, the widely known very short-memory of Nigerians, have made them to transfer their anger at the chairman of INEC instead of the real culprit, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo who should be held responsible and harpooned for the tragedy that he caused within the Nigerian polity? A chairman who smartly played possum, tagged along with a scripted instruction of a mad Otta farmer called Obasanjo, who did not want to leave the comfort of Aso Rock any more and was looking for any reason or excuse to scuttle the transition to another president? Now these professional protesters and hired guns/underlings seem to have forgotten too soon, hence their misplaced agitation on the chairman? First, Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to elongate his term of office to a third term; when he was stopped, he prevented any real elections from taking place and single-handily selected and imposed his 'people' on every office in the land, leading to a detestable party like the PDP winning a re-election with over 67% of the total votes cast? And you ask yourself who cast these ballots and where were they cast?

The purport of this comment is not to strong-arm the Acting President on giving Maurice Iwu a second term in office; no, rather it is to re-echo what many unbiased minds have broached over the period that he, Maurice Iwu is not the problem nor did he cause the political anomie in the country? In 2007, he had only one objective, - lay prostrate if need be in order to wrestle power out of Olusegun Obasanjo's death-grip; and he succeeded. It was one of the rare occasion where the end justified the means; as Obasanjo became a once was president of Nigeria while the duo of Yar'Adua-Goodluck were sworn in; the rest is now history. Experience is the key and is valued highly in other well-behaved societies and Iwu's experience of the last ten years at INEC should not just be thrown away or sacrificed on the alter of a 'plebianistic' agitation to sack Iwu. Nigeria should take a time out and do some introspection on their priorities and the means of getting there. It is equally important to point out that this agitation to remove Iwu is loudest and coming from just one particular section of the country, a section which went into a sleep-mode while their kinsman Olusegun Obasanjo ravaged and pillaged Nigeria? Suddenly now they have awoken to pretend being the soul and conscience as well as the vanguard of the nation, protesting all manners of things from the mundane to the absurd? According to their oath of kindred, whoever and whatever is occupying any office in Nigeria who does not have their like-sounding last name must be brought down; hence their people can do no wrong, the reason they have not protested a former governor in their region who is so envious of the achievement/performance of his successor that he is now trying to effect his impeachment?

Our position is that Nigerians would be better off, if they can exploit Professor Iwu's garnered experiences of the past ten years; and task him with redeeming himself during the next 2011 elections. And if the outcome of the last elections in Ekiti, Edo and Anambra States is anything to go by, then Icheoku welcomes an extension of the term of office of the INEC chairman Maurice Iwu, as he has tasted the water and knows what to do with those desperate thuggish politicians in Nigeria - the Anambra State experiment being very instructive here? From the message sent by these three mentioned elections, that money or notoriety is no longer enough to steal elections; Icheoku agrees that it is possible that these 'Iwu must go' agitators are merely doing so, based on ulterior motive and not love of country in order to get out of the way, a man who has made up his mind to redeem his image by standing firmly in the way of election terrorist-hijackers? Who would it be told that a Tony Anenih backed Chukwuma Soludo with all his billions could lose an election in Anambra State; or that a Tony Anenih's own candidate in one of the local governments elections in Edo State could lose an election? It all shows that Iwu has found his backbone, have firmed up and possibly made some resolution to do better for and by Nigerians; and should be allowed to proved that. Moreover there is practically too little a time now left for a fresh captain to mount the ship of INEC with all the curve-balls, logistics involved with an election in less than 10 months?

But at last, no one is indispensable; but the authorities in Nigeria should seriously consider the quick turnovers of such offices in a bid to allow experienced personnel who have learned on the job to be allowed to draw from such experiences in their future assignments. Therefore, Icheoku reiterates that INEC's chairman Professor Maurice Iwu should be given a second term when his current term expires in June 2010; with a mandate to give Nigerians an election to be proud of in 2011 elections; and hopefully redeem his image in the process. The time is rather too short now for a change of guards; while Nigeria should also consider the issue of decentralisation of the election body so that States bodies can conduct elections instead! But Acting President Jonathan Goodluck knows best what he wants to have happen with the leadership of the INEC; but Icheoku asks that he factors in these issues raised here, when weighing his final options and making up his mind on whether or not Professor Maurice Iwu should be replaced; the short time interval to the next 2011 elections given adequate consideration.

IGP ONOVO, JONATHAN MUST NOT STRENGTHEN THE OPPOSITION!

Icheoku is keenly following the political shenanigans in Nigeria with respect to the effort to shove the Inspector General of Police Ogbonna Onovo out of office? This satanic move is unacceptable to the Igbos, every decent people of Nigeria and the country Nigeria itself; which has been yearning for a 'king who does not know Joseph to ascend the throne and call for the rendering of account! Icheoku states that IGP Onovo is that king and the election riggers of Anambra State attested that much when they were stopped cold by the IGP's men from rigging the last governorship election.

IGP Ogbonna Onovo has only been in office for about eight months now; and since then crimes of armed robbery and kidnapping have somewhat abated due to his effort at a more effective policing, using an entirely new approach of deploying much needed but hitherto lacking intelligence gathering for a real time use? He will need additional time to complete needed reforms to better position the police to do their job. It took a very long time to decimate the Nigerian police and its crime fighting capabilities, a situation made worse by incessant military interventionists who see the police as their arch-rival that must be contained through deprivation of much needed equipment, manpower and training; so it will require some time of concerted effort to fix that which was broken. The fix-it effort is a continuum and much effort will be needed to cut crimes in Nigeria down to a manageable size, which the society can live with. It is a generally acknowledged position that no society is infallible or free of crime; all that the law enforcement tries to do is to contain and curtail it.

Barely two weeks into IGP Onovo's administration, the Boko Harem Islamic madmen struck and unleashed their mayhem in Maiduguri and its surroundings; and as a testament to the present IGP's no nonsense policing, the cult was dealt a mortal blow; - completely wiped out or decimated before they could spread like the Swine Flu virus? Their leader's lifeless body was strategically displayed for all his surviving followers to see what fate awaits every criminal master-mind in Nigeria under the present IGP Onovo? That kidnapping and armed robbery have also reduced, under the present IGP, particularly in the South East Nigeria of Enugu, Aba, Anambra, Rivers, Imo and Ebonyi also proves the IGP is focused on bringing the crime rate in Nigeria down to an acceptable minimal. There was also the first Jos riots of January 2010, which the IGP's forces in conjunction with the army completely quelled? The last elections in Ekiti, Edo and Anambra States also proved that this IGP is different; not only did he turn down so many offers of inducements but he saturated the three states with policemen and women from different formations who were not known to the local political operatives and hence could not be compromised with bribery. The results of the elections showed that if INEC is allowed a free-hand, that there is truly hope for Nigeria in despair; and that elections can be free and fair if the politicians will only say 'Yes!'

Regrettably, it is the same band of thieves (politicians) who are now crying wolf with the IGP's continued stay in office that tried and will always try to prevent the police from doing their job? They unduly influence the police by bribery, threats and intimidation; and when the police bites their bait and looks the other way, crime festers and then the same 'politicians' will turn around to blame the police for non performance. By the same token, when a resolute police refuses to kow-tow their dictates, or yield to their nefarious intentions, they then set out to do the hatchet-job against such defiant officer or in this case the IGP himself? The same principle of hamstringing the police used by politicians was also applied to the INEC chairman, Maurice Iwu, whom Obasanjo put in a straight-jacket and tele-guided his conduct of the last election? Now some section of the polity are also calling for INEC's chairman Maurice Iwu's removal but failed or refused to protest their kinsman, Olusegun Obasanjo, when he marred the last 2007 elections? He not only truncated democracy but imposed all his (s)elected officials including President Yar'Adua-Jonathan on the people of Nigeria with reckless abandon. The same cross-section of the populace did not protest their kinsman's murderous eight years in office but are now more sanctimonious with incessant ritualistic protest-marches to Aso Rock?

The evil forces of Nigeria and some vociferous anti-Igbo elements amongst them, a people who have held Nigeria hostage for too long, have refused to acknowledge that this IGP is different from the pack Nigerians have ever seen since the days of Obasanjo in Aso Rock. They seem to be on the move again to have 'the man on a mission IGP' fired; and not allow him a breathing space to complete the ardous reform currently going on in the police force under his instigation an dsupervision?

Former Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Yakubu Lame, (what a name?) penultimate his sack just discovered or suddenly woke up to the facts on the ground regarding insecurity in Nigeria? May be this lame man was on vacation to planet Mars all these past years, especially the last ten, when security situation in Nigeria plummeted to a near total anarchy with police officers including DPOs being mowed down by armed robbers in broad daylights in Edo/Delta States; and convoys of governors being waylaid on their way to a sports event in Warri? With his lame mouth, Mr. Lame made lame statements concerning and about the person of IGP Onovo and his police force; wherein he said, "the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) under IGP Ogbonna Onovo's leadership had failed Nigeria and that the Federal Government was disappointed with them for failing to reciprocate the kind gestures of the government aimed at making the police more efficient"? The lame man also lamented "the poor performance of the police in the fight against crime and extra-judicial killings;" and gave Onovo and his men two weeks ultimatum to effect the required reform in the force or be ready for the big stick? The lame minister, also beat his chest that the $200 per month salary now being paid to police constables is more than enough for them to lay down their lives while confronting well armed robbers with their bare-hands? Mr. Lame accusatorily blamed the police for all manner of crimes in Nigeria and in his own very words, heaped responsibility on the police for the "increase in current rate of crime across the nation, extra-judicial killing, human rights violations, robberies, high profile assassinations and deliberate failure to comply with government directives."

Icheoku says, from the two weeks ultimatum Mr. Lame gave the police to turn around an endemically screwed-up system, shows the kind of empty-head quota-characterized piece of humanity who hitherto oversaw the police ministry? You ask yourself, what reforms or implementation thereof could productively be effected within just two weeks, in a centralised Nigerian police force with over 600,000 men and women? What discipline of study this Mr.Lame obtained his PhD or the institution that awarded him that comes under heavy scrutiny, since he cannot easily appreciate the magnitude of the work required to turn an ocean-liner around; before issuing his ultimatum. This Lame man does not deserve and never merited his erstwhile position, otherwise he would have known that the police force failed Nigerians so many long years ago and ever before the current IGP Onovo got to that office? Dele Giwa was murdered with a parcel bomb and there was a sitting IGP then whose last name was not Onovo; yet no conclusive investigation? Kudirat Abiola and Pa Rewane were murdered, yet the IGP in office then was 'not questioned or threatened' for the police not doing their job, and our investigations reveals that his last name was not Onovo? MKO Abiola died in a mysterious "poisoned-tea" circumstances and there was a sitting IGP then whose name was not also Onovo? Chief Bola Ige, the Cicero of Oke-Onaa and an Uncle to many was also brutally murdered, hacked to death, yet an IGP was in office and his name was not Onovo? Dikkibo and Harry Marshall met the same fate under a different IGP, yet no one observed that the Nigerian police has failed Nigeria or that too many killings or that of prominent men is taking place? We are talking of high profile crimes and extra-judicial murders here, for crying out loud, Dr. Lame man? Please Lame-man would you be decent enough to tell Nigerians if it is this IGP that was in charge when Odi Bayelsa State and Zaki Ibiam Benue State were 'extra-judiciary' completely decimated? Was it an IGP named Onovo? And the list goes on ad infinitum.

Icheoku says to Dr. Lame, if you must be disappointed on anything, it must be for your sorry self, since you cannot get over the fact that an Igbo man has finally struggled through the ranks to head a Nigerian police force after 96 years of amalgamated Nigeria? Things change and things have changed; this is a fact all these mallams desert-dwellers of Islamic Northern Nigeria must realise, including this Doctor Lame-man! A police force suffering the general decay that the rest of Nigeria society is burdened with, ill-motivated by thieving politicians and retired army generals oil bunkerers, and who are still doing their best under the circumstances should not be scape-goated by anyone including this mallam Lame-man? In more civilized and decent societies, policemen and women are better equipped, better remunerated and given the reason to die for their country and/or constituencies; but not in Nigeria where the former Police Equipment (procurement) Foundation chairman, Kenny Martins is still facing prosecution for embezzling funds meant for equipment procurement for the police? Where are their guns and ammunition, helicopters, boats, cameras, life-insurances, communications gadgetry, forensic laboratories, logistics, vehicles and fast cars, computers and information technologies for modern day crime fighting and policing? Politicians will always be politicians - sleazy! Icheoku remembers that when this IGP assumed office the first thing he did was to inform Nigerians that about 300, 000 of the police force are deployed in the services of Nigerian ruling elites, with some of them converted to mere houseboys, gardeners, domestic servants and all sorts of sundry servitude. He wanted to end this practice but the powers that be stopped him and look who is now calling the police out, alleging disappointment?

Quoting one commentator, "the national disgrace that is the Nigeria police and its ugly degeneration did not start with Onovo, so we feel it would have been fair to accept the IGP's plea for time, taking cognizance of the fact that his administration is only seven months old!" Icheoku says, what a salute to courage that some people in Nigeria still speak the truth and let the truth be told to this Dr Lame that he should be ashamed of his turning the facts upside down on its head? Guessing from his name, this Dr. Lame is probably from that section of the Middle Belt, the fake northerners, that also produced the genocidal Yakubu Gowon who nearly cleansed Nigeria of the Igbo man? The same geography produced Theophilus Danjuma who killed Igbo's Aguiyi Ironsi and he is the current chairman of the presidential advisory committee? The same region produced the dismissed former attorney general Mike Aondonkaa who questioned Professor Dora Akunyili's audacity to call for President Yar'Adua to yield his office on ground of indisposition? So will the real Igbo haters in Nigeria please stand up?

But the same forces that be, will not do anything tangible to effectively fix the ills militating against effective policing/crime fighting in Nigeria as pointed out by the IGP including addressing the issues of "economic, social, religious factors, increased youth unemployment, corruption, unguarded display of wealth, etc; some of the issues that promote crimes. As well as poor funding, outdated equipment, and low motivation of the force which is deterrents to its effectiveness? In the IGP's words, "There is no country that is crime free in the world but we are operating under unbearable conditions. We saw the kinds of arms and ammunition that came out of the Niger Delta. We want to be properly armed and kitted but the equipment is not there. The Nigeria Police is trying its best given the limited resources at our disposal!" Icheoku agrees and attests to that fact that Nigerian police still still uses antiquated, museum-quality Mark IV rifles, that fires one cartridge one at a time; and which requires manual re-loading; and that Niger Delta militants have some big guns that shoots about 1000 rounds per minute?

The solution is otherwise simple, just give the IGP time and work with the IGP to solve the problem of insecurity in Nigeria; also a select-team should visit some functioning countries of the world to see how well the police are run? But in Nigeria since the top-shots can buy their own security, they could care less whether or not the police of the common man are best equipped and suited to do their job. The Acting President Jonathan Goodluck must therefore understand that like President Barack Obama of the United States is doing after GW wrecked everything, that IGP Ogbonna Onovo just arrived to the scene of a Nigerian police in comatose; with a bludgeoned crime-rate to contend with and under the inclement conditions wherein they operate, both in equipment level, training and remuneration and will require time to do the job? Acting President Jonathan must not heed the myopic and baseless advise to fire IGP Onovo since that will only shrink the base of his support further; such irrational firing shall be interpreted by the Igbo solely as the taking away of what the Hausa-Fulani Yar'Adua otherwise gave to the Igbos? Acting President Jonathan Goodluck must not scuttle this baby's first step of the Igbos to fully come back to the Nigeria fold, by sacking their only tribesman in Nigeria's security formation?

Under no circumstances or subterfuge whatsoever would the Igbos of Nigeria accept the sacking of Inspector General Ogbonna Onovo, barely seven months into his appointment for matters which he did not bring about or put in place and which have persisted in Nigeria long before the Hausa-Fulani cabals of Nigeria relented on his long overdue appointment as the IGP. Any such move will backfire and will only affirm to the Igbo that they have better friend in the Hausa-Fulani north than the Niger Delta South-south; and that what Ken Saro-Wiwa did with the issue of abandoned property is a widely shared idea and approvingly sanctioned by the people of the South-South, including now Jonathan? This will also continue to fester the age-long outcry of the Igbo that Igbo people are not accepted in Nigeria and deserve not to be part thereof; otherwise how can a people be deemed to have abandoned their property in their own country. Which antagonism continues till today with the lack of any meaningful development, appointments and other federal presence within the South East of Nigeria? Hopefully, Acting President Jonathan Goodluck holds a Ph.D and therefore presumed wise; and as a good commander-in-chief will not unwisely strengthen the hand of his opposition by augmenting their numbers multi-fold? Icheoku strongly believes that the northern Hausa-Fulani, whose President Yar'Adua he supplanted, is already a plateful and adding another group of Nigerians to those looking at him with disdain, will be a costly political mistake which he must therefore avoid like a plague. Please Jonathan, whatever you do, please do not alienate the Igbos by sacking their first shot at the highest echelon of the police force, Inspector General of Police Ogbonna Onovo. Therefore, Jonathan be wise, let IGP Ogbonna Onovo do his time, complete same, albeit on the IGP's chair!

REBUBLICANS, DID NOT CARE ENOUGH ABOUT PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR REFORM?

The health-care system of United States of America which has, for over a century now, defiled every attempt at its reformation, was at last, finally reformed. With a 219 - 212 majority votes, the Speaker Nancy Pelosi led House of Representatives passed the Senate version of the bill; which now awaits the presidential signature for it to become the law of the land.

Regrettably however, no one single Republican voted for this bill - to give access to the previously denied, which is the principal innovation in this bill. Icheoku says, this makes the Republican Party, an already "Party of NO" now also an anti-peoples organisation which wants people to die who do not have insurance coverage, a lack caused not by choice but because they cannot afford it?

The Republicans by this their stubborn "obstructive resistance till death" to this bill, have shown that they would rather people continue to die in tens of thousands of treatable common diseases, which their lack of insurance, make it impossible for them to see a doctor and receive treatment. Icheoku says is it possible that the Republicans' wilful attempt to deny millions of American people access to health-care by obstinate 'just say 'No', based on a sinister ploy to tacitly get rid of all the poor minorities of America who disproportionately do not have insurance, so that they can live here by themselves alone? Do the Republicans want to continue enjoying all the bounties of life alone, including the gift of advanced medical science; with many of their 'good ole white 85 year boys, whose lives are certainly almost over, having elective hip-replacements surgeries; and their similarly aged bimbos on Botox treatments overdrive, when 16 year old poor minority kid from the Hood, cannot see a doctor when he needs one because his parents are too poor to afford insurance coverage?

Anyway the Republicans unyielding siege mentality over this bill and whatever may be other underlying and suffocating factor/s that drove their fanatical lunacy that tried but woefully failed to abort this health-care reform, is now a mere heap of history. Like all other historical issues, this will be left for posterity to someday look back to the day in America when health care was provided for all Americans without even a single Republican Party house member voting 'YEAH' to so co-authorise. Icheoku hopes that they and their relatives will never find the need or the face to enjoy the monumental benefits that will necessary follow the passed health reform bill. The Republicans kept true to their identity as a herded membership "Party of NO!" Once again, congratulations Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi for mid-wiving this legislative giant through; and to President Barack Obama, you are one heck of a genius for seeing this initiative through despite the Senate Scott Brown setback election in Massachusetts. Mr. President and Madam Speaker, Icheoku says, well-done for a job well-done!

HEALTHCARE REFORM BILL, A BIG FUCKING DEAL !

"This is a big fucking deal" - Vice President Joe Biden! Icheoku agrees with the able vice president that what defiled 100 years of trying is one heck of a frigging fucking deal! A century long, overdue health-care reform in America, now brought to fruition by President Barack Obama's government is really what change looks like. 'Yes we agree!' Congratulations to President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid for a job well done!

JONATHAN GIVE NIGERIA LIGHT, SEND DORA TO POWER MINISTRY!

The Acting President has every right as a president would, including discharging the office of Commander in Chief of the armed forces which he has twice carried out when he sent the army on a mission to Jos; sack or re-deploy his ministers which he previously did when he re-deployed four ministers including the former Attorney General Mike Aondonkaa. He can and have also signed various executive orders, releasing federation funds to the states and local governments. He can and have also played host, in his capacity as the chief executive of Nigeria, to visiting foreign dignitaries. The Acting President being so empowered to discharge the office and duties of a president, duly exercised his right to sack the ministers. Therefore, all those sacked ministers contemplating court action over their sack should sheath their sword as they have no right which was taken away for the courts to restore!

Being appointed a minister is but a mere privilege which the appointing authority could rescind at anytime; and now the 'appointor' (which in this case Jonathan have assumed the personality) has decided to 'un-appoint' these ministers. In a biblical term, 'he who giveth, taketh' and so Jonathan have taken back the hitherto given portfolios, case closed! Now on the question of reappointing some of the dismissed ministers, Icheoku is in support especially for continuity? Moreso, since the administration's term is almost over, it will be too late now to start on the job training of new ministers with their retinue of assistants. Professor Dora Akunyili should be reappointed but deployed to a ministry where her abilities could be better harnessed for the benefit of Nigeria. Icheoku recommends the Power Ministry, with a special mandate to solve Nigeria's intractable power problem. If anyone can do it, Dora is that person; she comes with a proven track-record, coupled with her 'can-do' attitude, passion, patriotism and enthusiasm both for her job and country. So Acting President Jonathan Goodluck, challenge Professor Dora Akunyili with the task of giving Nigerians uninterrupted power supply and consider it done! What a burnish of resume` this will be for your very short tenure that you were still able to give Nigeria the 'light' which have eluded them and many previous administrations for too long. Just do it, Jonathan!

Please also consider retaining INEC's Maurice Iwu and give him the free hand to redeem himself in 2011. Bringing on board a freshman INEC chairman at this stage with 2011 looming ahead is not a good plan; considering those marauding beasts parading themselves as politicians in Nigeria who he will be starring down on the face. EFCC's Madam Farida Waziri was equally hamstrung by the cabal and so, she should be unchained and allowed to do her job! Otherwise, Icheoku has no dog in the fight; and you might as well, for all that we care, assume the sole administrator-ship of Nigeria, without any ministers, for the remainder of your co-term presidency with President Umaru Yar'Adua! Goodluck to you, Mr Goodluck

THE 'GADDAFFI SOLUTION', NOT GOOD OR PRACTICABLE FOR NIGERIA?

There is the 'Rawlings Solution' which instilled discipline in Ghana polity! Nigeria nearly had the 'Orkar-Solution' which attempted to re-delineate Nigeria by chasing away some Islamic Sharia States therefrom; admitted the move was aborted when the Benue-State born Colonel got too drunk, lost his faculties and made a pre-mature announcement thereof while his coup was yet to consolidate? Nigerians of Anambra State last year toyed with the idea of a 'Soludo-Solution' for their Anambra State, but the idea died prematurely when the champion-candidate lost the election, aborting the solution before its efficacy was ever tested? Now the mother of all solutions, the 'Gaddafi-Solution', has been thrown into the mix; with the latest call by Libyan maximum/absolute Leader, Muammar Gaddafi, to divide Nigeria into two countries, along religious lines of Islamic North and Christian South, in order to permanently and forever solve the recurring religious crisis therein?

If any other African Leader had broached this idea, Icheoku would not bother or take notice; but not the Islamic religious fanatical zealot and 'King of Africa', Muammar Gaddafi? A man who has forcibly occupied the government seat in Tripoli since 1969 and have had his finger-prints all over every military coups and unconstitutional change of governments in Africa, especially the West Africa region? He also enthroned and financed Liberia's Charles Taylor's years of madness for as long as it lasted. Icheoku says, instead of the Nigeria authorities being dismissive of Gaddafi's call as evidenced by the allusion to 'Gaddafi's mental insanity' by the Nigeria's Senate President, David Mark, Nigeria should listen and be very alert as Gaddafi may be sampling the water with his bombshell? Such a puerile comment by Nigeria's David Mark belittles the seriousness that ought to follow this possible 'slip of the tongue' revealing what the Islamic zealot in Tripoli and his compatriots in pursuit of an Islamic world are up to as it appertains to Nigeria? Saudi Arabia are in-cohoot and is the reason Nigeria is where it is today; they have been championing the issue of an Islamic Republic of Nigeria for so long and this is the reason Nigeria was smuggled into the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) without any referendum or approval of the citizens of the country? They also took Yar'Adua hostage for over 90 days, where they brain-washed him into refusal to surrender his mandate to a christian Jonathan? The Islamic world led by Saudi Arabia and Libya have been trying to Islamize Nigeria since 1960; and with this objective now slipping away from their hands ever since Christians learnt to fight back, they are now considering their second best alternative of too many very bad options; including balknizing Nigeria into two and secure their Islamic Sharia North and thereafter, launch the mother of all jihads to secure the rest of the south, at a later future date?

According to Gaddafi's analytical reasoning on its head, “The only thing that could put an end to the bloodshed in Nigeria is the appearance of another Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who established a state for the Muslims and another for the Christians in 1947 India partition which yielded Pakistan?” Icheoku says, but unlike the then Pakistan region that had close to 99.9% Muslim population, none of the two regions in Nigeria has close to that population of any one religion? The north has only ten firmly committed Sharia states and about six other non-sharia states, with close to a majority practising Christians and animists? So if Nigeria is to be divided along religious north and south lines, what will happen to those non-sharia states in the north? Will for example, Yakubu Gowon, and Solomon Lar of Plateau accept to remain in Northern Islamic Sharia country despite being Christians? Will a Christian Theophilus Danjuma's Taraba State agree to remain in such an Islamized north? What about Joseph Tarka's Benue State which produced the Nigerian Senate President David Mark? Kwara State, Kogi State, Nassarawa State, Gongola State and Niger State including parts of Kaduna State (Kataf) might be very unwilling and impossible candidates for inclusion in the Gaddafi's contemplated Northern Nigeria Islamic Republic?

Now in the South, the southwest have a strong Muslim presence starting with the former governor of Lagos State Bolaji Tinubu, to reasonable number in Oyo and Ogbomosho States? Will Gaddafi-Solution force these states' re-location to the North? Except for the area known as former Biafra which astride the present day South-South and South-East which is near 99.9 percent non-Muslims, no such other region in Nigeria can claim this near-monotony of religion? So religiously speaking, Northern and Southern Republics of Nigeria is an impossibility as Nigeria have no clearly delineated lines on which to divide the country along religious lines. Moreover, Jos the poster-boy for intolerance is sandwiched amongst Muslims - located in the center of Muslim north and it will be impossible to extricate them in any arrangement with the southern Christians, except they will become another Vatican within the Islamic Republic of Northern Nigeria?

Now on Gaddafi's call to make Abuja the capital of Islamic Republic of Northern Nigeria, Icheoku states that Abuja is not in Sharia-Islamic North and hence cannot become the capital of a ceding North? Therefore if the north must secede, they must do so without the capital city Abuja, to avoid another Jerusalem-like imbroglio rising up in Africa? Abuja was also developed with oil-resources money from the Southern Niger Delta, so wherein lies the moral authority of ownership claim or interest to forcibly conscript Abuja, city of? Gaddafi, bereft of the true geography of Nigeria, was therefore wrong in calling for Abuja to become capital of a seceding Islamic Muslim Northern Nigeria. Abuja is not in the Muslim Sharia North but in the Middle Belt mixed-religion region of Nigeria as is presently constituted. A true Muslim capital would be one situated in the heart of the Islamic Sharia Muslim north of Zamafara or Sokoto or Kebbi States, but certainly not Abuja. The closest thing that could qualify as a capital city for a seceding Islamic North would be Birnin Kebbi, Talatamafara or Sokoto and even Kano? These are cities of Islamic Sharia north and their rightful place to establish their capital in event of their pulling out of the 1914 experiment which is not really working, in a reverse 'Orkar Solution'; but the rest of saner and more tolerant Nigerians will not allow these mallams to appropriate their Abuja under no circumstance? Moreso geographically speaking, Abuja is closer to Port Harcourt than it is to Kebbi, Zamfara or even Katsina State?

Icheoku says that instead of Gaddafi telling Nigeria how to proceed henceforth, the Orkar-Solution could mutually be agreed and applied to just excise these people out of Nigeria and possibly fly them out to Libya, Egypt or even Saudi Arabia on a one-way ticket of no return and thus, permanently solve the problem of raving Islamic lunatics. Icheoku however condemns the approval given to Gaddafi's call by the Yoruba social political group, Egbe Irapada Oodua; since such an option will not only be difficult to implement, but will be resisted by majority of Nigerians who have for a long time been asking for only fairness and equity in their country? This writer back in the day, lived in Birnin Kebbi while it was still in Sokoto State and happened upon an Igbo-man who have lived there prior to the Biafran civil war and ever before Nigeria's Independence in 1957. He had inter-married and fully assimilated that his grand-kids have Hausa-Fulani grandparents too? So now, tell Icheoku how to uproot such entrenched family ties without causing a tsunami of woes; and the story is prevalent throughout Nigeria?

The most resounding of all solutions is the one we affectionately refer to as the 'Icheoku-Solution!' It calls for the convening of a sovereign national conference where Nigerians' supposed federated co-existence could be re-affirmed, re-armed with every region and group putting their one-cent thoughts on what Nigeria, going forward, should look like? Each region shall be required to yield some powers to a central authority to run fiscal, armed forces and foreign affairs; while they are left to pursue their respective destinies including local security and power generation and distribution? There is nothing excellent about an idea to cut Nigeria into pieces since there is strength in numbers and Nigeria should instead try to harness this national asset of 150 million people to her advantage. All that Nigeria needs is for people in authority to stop using the masses and using issues of religion and tribe to sensitize the masses, drive a wedge and cause civil disturbances. Icheoku refutes and denies the assertion of the Yoruba group claiming that “the statement credited to the Libyan leader is the absolute truth about Nigeria, a country created by the wishful thinking of imperial powers, without the prior, free, informed consent of the people that live in it.”

There is no need to divide Nigeria along any lines be it religion or tribe or geography; the country could be better with a reformed constitution, improved civility, an election where votes count and with an army that is permanently banished from interfering in the political scene? Nigerians have since moved on from the idea of separation after Biafra was botched; with so many inter-tribal and sometimes religious marriages; as well as other forms of integrations that such idea as the partition of Nigeria is now too yesterday, stale! Also adherents of both religions are found in both regions, so simply stated, Nigeria have since become transformed into a mix-match of interwoven people and religiosity without any visible line for demarcation. Otherwise, majority of Nigerians would have wished to divide the country into three republics, along natural boundaries of rivers Niger and Benue as it confluences into the delta! But that too is now simply impracticable as some smaller minorities within the three 'federating' regions might not accept playing second fiddle to the dominating majority tribe within the enclave? The preferred solution would be for the system to be allowed to work itself out, starting with credible elections where natural leaders could eventually emerge from, to start forging the statehood of Nigeria. A type of Nigeria where people will be treated fairly and as one; where the divisive hot-button issue of settlers and indigenes will forever vanish; where jobs will become more of a right not a privilege of the children of the powerful and connected; and where the people of Nigeria cannot and should not be forced to abandon their own properties inside their own country. These are some other less drastic possible solutions to tackle the problem of a Nigeria in despair, intermittently fighting frustration-induced internal conflicts; and not the Islamic kite of a Pakistani Solution being flown by the Bedouin, Gaddafi!

PRECIOUS, A HUMAN HIPPOPOTAMUS IS NOT SO COOL?

Now that the circus surrounding the lead-character in the movie 'Precious' is over with the Oscar award lost and won, it is time for a reality check for this human-hippopotamus. Except there is something medically wrong with her which caused the over-weight, in which case this story is without prejudice; a character who literally lived herself (weight-wise) instead of acting, in a role that was wrongly pushed for an award during the last Oscars, then Icheoku frowns at the 'sight-disturbia' female version of the Michellin-tire Man for thinking and pretending that it is cool to be excessively over-weight.

How can any human being love food so much as to balloon into such a human boar-conscriptor or wild boar at just 26 years of age and still have the temerity to punish our psyche parading herself on the red carpet pretending that she is the it? By so doing, she tried albeit strangely though, to rubbish medical studies of so many years which finds that being over-weight is not healthy. Why does Precious want to negate the health hazards of such an over inflated body and consequently sabotage First Lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign in American children? Icheoku makes no apology to state categorically that Gabourey 'Precious' Sidibe is zoo-heavy and needs to immediately check herself into a health farm or better still, apply for a slot in the 'Biggest Loser' television show, the only true reality show with actual real time result. Another way out of her situation might be a gastronomical by-pass surgery to doctor her great obsession with food to protect her from eating herself to a sudden death by organ failure, heart attack, diabetes-related, or such other obese related death that may be concomitant to such an overweight body?

She and her managers must end the circus and realise that she is just being used for her human caricature of a morbidly obese person who provide gawkers with plenty of flesh to satiate their curiosity. Queen Latifah, Mo'Nique and even Oprah were once that bloated but have since wised up and gotten a handle on their previously super-sized anatomies. Gabourey must wake up and smell the coffee that she is just a mere 'beast' in a circus used solely for entertainment, and urgently end her exploitation as a side-show which provides some human-beings some laughter and not admiration.

Ordinarily, people gain weight to play roles in movies, the reason it is called acting; but when someone like Precious is engaged in a somewhat natural thing as exhibiting her overweight body, then it is no longer acting but becomes a reality television show? Will Smith once gained weight while portraying Mohammed Ali in 'Ali'; and body-suits are sometimes worn to depict obesity like Martin Lawrence did in Big Momma's House'. But to see Gabourey act her weight out sends a wrong message to American kids and children as well as adults world-wide that it is ok to be very obese. The message is not what doctor-health ordered and therefore is unacceptable; being a mere laughter at the obese humanity. Actresses and actors influence public opinion and Precious should not be an exception; she must realise that her weight is troubling and that it has the propensity to send a wrong message that it is ok to be death-heavy? Acting is different from reality television since it is all a make-believe, scripted story-telling; while the later is living-out the life; simply put it, acting is art imitating life and not the other way round. A movie is rated most times for its close depiction of a real life situation which is being brought to screen; but Icheoku wonders how in the world anyone in Hollywood would have glamorised the anomaly of an over-weight glutton, who loved food so much that she ate herself into an '800lbs gorilla'.

This writer must confess that he refused to see 'Precious the movie' to protest Gabourey's outrageous size; but is conversant with the story. The 'Push' by Sapphire inspired story of the triumph or effort thereof of the obese, illiterate, African American 16-year-old Claireece Precious Jones, an abused and used teenage mother of two by her incestuous father in their Harlem run-down Section 8 apartment, and how she escaped from their home, determined to turn things around assisted by her teacher/counselor? And the rest of the story goes on........! It is a good story but our objection is in giving that role to a natural since it removed the acting that is the hallmark of movies. Any other person would have been brought in to portray the obsessed victimised girl or are the Oprahs and her cliques of Hollywood telling us that it is ok to bring prostitutes, armed robbers, drug runners or even real soldiers and astronauts to actually live their lives out on our large screens? Or better still may be Lady Hurt Locker would have instead of going to Jordan to bring to our screens the lives of our brave men facing EIDS in Iraq, would have gone to the streets of Baghdad and with her cameramen, shoot real soldiers doing their thing? But how can anyone then judge such documentary or mistake it for a movie?

Icheoku says the worst thing that can happen to Gabourey Sidibe is to go on pretending that it is ok to be a human-walrus or default into a denial mode or just give in to what is. There is nothing really fine with the body of any morbidly obsessed person as it is not only a sore-sight for the eyes; but its associated health risks? Gabourey needs to dial the hot-line for the 'Biggest Loser' reality television show immediately; that will make a great television show with millions more people tuned in to see how their 'Precious' transformed into the biggest loser! It is a 911 time for GS. Icheoku calls on Gabourey to as a matter of utmost immediacy get hold of her weight, take control and do something to knock off some pounds. That way she will be cooler, sexier and healthier but not to remain as she presently is. It is the best thing to do and she should do it for herself as well as her fans all over the world; and as a testimony that reasonable body-weight is it!

ACTING PRESIDENT JONATHAN GOODLUCK, A DRUNKEN SAILOR?

Barely 30 days since the National Assembly formally empowered him as Nigeria's acting president, Jonathan Goodluck has disbursed a total sum of $3 billion dollars of the nation's money! Icheoku asks Acting President Jonathan Ebelechuku Goodluck to please show or tell Nigerians those projects for which this humongous amount of money was disbursed and expended? What 'returns on investments' did Nigerians get for this money handed out to their selected or 'elected' officials, the custodians? At least the late Tunde Idiagbon used to give the nation a quarterly account of the incomes and disbursements as well as undertakings and/or on-going projects where their money is being spent. So Jonathan, is anything going to change and give way or is the present death-course ordained?

Just two days into his new office as acting president, Jonathan Goodluck opened the valve of the nation's treasury and out flowed $2 billion dollars; yet there is no electricity, the roads are still very bad, the police is still underfunded and ill-equipped to fight the scourge of bandits terrorising the country, millions of youths are still unemployed and without jobs ten years and in some cases more after graduation, the health-care sector is still reeling in a state of anorexia and problems of Nigerians go on ad infinitum. So to what use was this money applied, and how does Jonathan justify these expenditures without any visible or viable appreciable returns therefrom? Where is his management style, frugality or can't Nigeria save for their rainy day, which unfortunately now seems to be every day, if you get my drift? It does not make for good stewardship or a prudent management of the nation's resources to be doling money out to these thieving-governors, without asking them to "show me the projects." He must therefore as a matter of utmost immediacy, fine-tune his approach in order to enthrone efficiency and be a better manager.

Without questioning how the first tranche of disbursed money were spent, 'The Luckiest Nigerian Politician Alive' have again released another sum of $1 billion to the same group of people who did not account for their first allocations. Icheoku is afraid that Jonathan has not learnt anything from the experiences of the past and have not or failed to hold people to account for the public money entrusted to them; and yet goes ahead to give them more? Profligacy of some sort, may be? There is nothing primarily wrong in disbursing money to governors and local government chairmen for the peoples' business, fixing and investing in their respective geographical areas; but not when these recipients have converted states and local government purses into their personal piggy-banks; and could are less if workers are paid, schools remain functionally open and whether the little guy on the street eats? $3 billion can go a long way for a leadership/s that is focused, people-oriented and who have the interest of the general well-being of the majority of the states residents at heart. But no, not this crop of leadership presently bestriding Nigeria, some of who had a chequered history with rabid corruption and whose itching fingers always end up pilfering or rather looting public funds for their selfish beneficial use.

To make matters worse, authoritative sources from finance ministry confirmed that former Olusegun Obasanjo's government left a total of $20 billion dollars for the Yar'Adua-Goodluck administration; which large sum of money has since been fretted away, with just a misery sum of $4 billion now left in the coffers? The question now is, if the Yar'Adua-Jonathan administration spent such a whopping sum of Nigeria's money within just two years in office, on what projects did they spend it or is $16 billion not enough to provide Nigeria with uninterrupted power supply; good roads, freeways and bridges; functioning health-care system; equip and supply the Nigeria police for Nigerians' security; as well as provide some employment for the teeming unemployed youths of Nigeria which continuously balloons out of hand everyday?

Now Jonathan's $3 billion freebie within less than thirty days in office is really crazy; especially since nothing on the ground in the form of democracy dividends justifies such a colossal wastage of the nation's wealth. It is Icheoku's position that instead of the money being used by the recipient governors and chairmen to pad their extravagance life-styles, amidst the seething hunger, hopelessness and despondency in the land, may be a better policy would have been to just leave the money alone in the funds where it is, or better still invest it in a somewhat sovereign fund for the future. It is just too painful that despite all these wealth Nigeria has amassed over the years, that such basic 'primordial' infrastructures, a given in many other reasonable societies with patriotic leaderships, and which help make modern societies livable, is still lacking in Nigeria; and where they exist, in a very abject state of disrepair. So where was the money spent and what justification is there for continuously maintaining the same course to nowhere and embarking on the same failed practices of just handing out money to robbers in government houses without returns on such investments? Icheoku therefore call on Acting President Jonathan Goodluck to watch how he spends the nation's money as if it is going out of fashion; and to require the recipients of such money to properly account for the money already given and received. Provided of course, as a company man, Jonathan is not intentionally feathering the nests of these politicians in office, to financially equip them for future electioneering campaigns or as a necessary trade-off for them to give him the much needed support to transmute into a full presidency?

This is not an attempt to tele-guide Jonathan's psuedo-presidency, no; but we make bold to say that there is an urgent need to check the current profligacy and let Jonathan exercise more caution and become more prudent in managing the nation's resources. There is really no need to continue on this trajectory when it does not produce the desired result of bringing about democracy-dividend for the citizenry. And the last time we checked, Acting President Jonathan Goodluck is not a father-Christmas and never attended a naval academy, talk-less of ever setting sail anywhere including to Barbary Coast; so the question of him being a drunken sailor throwing money in the air should and does not arise. Acting President Jonathan Goodluck should therefore ensure that State governors reciprocate and justify the huge sums of money being handed out to them on behalf of their people. He should require them to turn in cost and budgetary analysis to him periodically, in order to make sure that money being released for the peoples' projects are being used for the purpose and getting to intended targets. Admitted that there is a separation and that the federal government may not dictate to the states on how to apply their states' resources; but at least such governors as did not properly account for their allocations or stewardship should not be allowed to return to their various government houses for second term. And you ask yourself, but what is wrong in a governor giving the people of the state an account of all receipts and expenses which accrued to him while in office; given every year or periodically or as may otherwise be prescribed? Thereafter, any governor beating his chest about what he accomplished or the many roads he put tar on, will be judged juxtaposed the receipts the state took in during the same period of time. This will easily determine whether what was allegedly accomplished is commensurate with or compensatory to the revenue and allocations which the state took in. So Jonathan, get off this spending bonanza!