TO OUR FALLEN HEROES ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY, WE SAY THANK YOU!

To all those men and women of great valor, whose selflessly sacrifice paid for the freedom and liberty which we enjoy today, Icheoku salutes you!

On the occasion of your remembrance, Memorial Day 2010, we express our profound gratitude for your love of country and for our freedom which was ransomed with your blood.

Thank you for your awesome gift, for which we are eternally indebted; your courageous sacrifice was the prize with which it was bought! We shall never forget. Rest in peace, patriots!

PRESIDENT JONATHAN GOODLUCK TELLS IT AS IT IS, TO BABANGIDA?

"We salute the illustrious memories of the M. K. O. Abiolas, the Shehu Musa Yar’Aduas, the Alfred Rewanes and the Gani Fawehinmis. The sacrifices that our compatriots living and dead have made to enthrone democracy should compel us to take our democratic enterprise more seriously and with greater vigilance. "We must work to ensure that by the supreme sacrifices of these great heroes, it should no longer be necessary for the tree of freedom to be watered by the blood of yet more martyrs." - President Jonathan Goodluck. Icheoku says, it is about time someone reminded Babangida of the numerous atrocities he committed, aided and abetted in Nigeria; and that there is no way in hell he would ever be allowed to rule Nigeria again! The 'labor of Nigeria's heroes past' would be in vain if their traducer in chief, Babangida, is allowed to get away with his heinous crimes. Nigeria would have also failed in taking their hard-won democratic enterprise seriously and with greater vigilance, were they ever to allow Babangida to come back to power. Recall that anti-democracy Babangida sabotaged Nigeria's democracy twice - in December 1983 when he overthrew President Shehu Shagari and again in 1993 when he annulled MKO Abiola's freest and fairest election! However, why did President Jonathan miss out Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the 'ebam eda' of democracy struggle in his recognitions? Away with Babangida, say no to IBB 2011.

NUHU RIBADU'S VOLTE-FACE, ANOTHER BLACK-EYE FOR PRESIDENT JONATHAN?

It is with utmost regret and sadness that Icheoku received the news that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has successfully twisted the arms of the Police Service Commission (PSC) into swallowing back its vomit by reversing itself on the matter of previously sacked former anti corruption czar, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu? According to sourced information, the PSC was forced into this about-turn by the government of President Jonathan which has been bending over backwards at every turn to accommodate a retinue of unending United States of America requests, wishes and interests; including the rehabilitation of a man they felt helped give Nigeria's war on corruption some teeth? However it is on record that the same United States has never condemned Olusegun Obasanjo for all the atrocities he committed in Nigeria while in office including using Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to hound his opponents in a failed attempt to force his third term agenda on Nigerians? So why, Jonathan?

Icheoku is not necessarily against Nuhu Ribadu or his soon to be, newly found re-emergence into reckoning in Nigeria, no, we even stood up for him when he was dismissed; admitted we had then questioned his selective war on corruption? But what we have beef with is the apparent interference of the Jonathan's presidency into a purely judicial, albeit a police administrative matter; against an action taken by a duly empowered police service commission thereby greatly weakening the morals of the men and women who are expected to be motivated enough into putting their lives on the line to secure lives and properties of Nigerians? This sudden about-face is capable of drastically impacting everything uniting and coalescing the police force and tempting the remaining rank and file into become very political, knowing that someday, they will probably find themselves in similar situation as the policeman turned politician Nuhu Ribadu?

The action of President Jonathan has the propensity to yield some undesired results, some of which ramifications cannot now be fathomed; including adversely affecting the body-fiber of the structure of the police force disciplinary cohesiveness? If Icheoku recalls correctly, the July 2008 decision which reverted unjustly promoted officers, including Nuhu Ribadu, to their previous meritorious ranks, affected 139 other officers; - men and women who were speed-promoted by the infra-dignitious Obasanjo against every police code regarding promotion? Now, Icheoku wants to know what behoves of these other officers who saluted and bowed out to their order of reversal in accordance with existing police rules of service? Did President Jonathan, by his action ordering the reinstatement of radical Nuhu Ribadu, open the flood-gates of recalcitrance and insubordination within the police rank and file of the police? What type of precedent is being set by this particular order that a duly dismissed police officer, whose penchant for hounding down only known Obasanjo critics, should be reinstated and allowed his unmerited rank? If this is not the end of police law and order in Nigeria, and an un-contradicted evidence of undue interference by the presidency in a purely administrative concern of the PSC, then Icheoku sees nothing else good beyond the horizon.

Icheoku in the strongest term, condemns the order to reinstate Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to the police, following his lawful procedural administrative dismissal; and as an added insult, sustaining his unearned AIG rank which is above and beyond his pay-grade? What about his colleagues who had played by the books without playing to the gallery of partisan politics or unscrupulously allowed themselves to be used by a vicious President Olusegun Obasanjo in prosecuting his failed third term agenda? Icheoku declares that this action is capable of becoming a death-nail on the coffin of a disciplined Nigeria police force; and may be the beginning of the end of a cohesive and disciplined police that would not ordinarily have allowed itself to be used in the manner Obasanjo used and applied Nuhu Ribadu in hunting down his enemies both real and imagined? Mallam Ribadu did what is expected of any aggrieved person by heading to court to challenge his rank-reversal and subsequent dismissal; but the matter should have been allowed to resolve itself within the court system and not by this flagrant executive interference.

It is equally important to recall that Nuhu Ribadu was dismissed for ignoring a lawful order to appear before a police panel of investigation, just in a similar manner as Ibrahim Babangida snubbed Justice Oputa panel; and now President Jonathan is impliedly saying by his action, that insubordination is an ok thing in the police rank and file? It also does not matter to President Jonathan that Nuhu Ribadu was a wanted man in Nigeria or that he is on the lam for evading justice on a corruption allegation which is being pursued by the EFCC or that he was lopsided while then prosecuting alleged corrupt public officials who were anti-Obasanjo's third term? It also does not matter to President Jonathan that those people who sat over Ribadu in judgment, acted on the prompting of some authorities which included then vice president Jonathan Goodluck based on a collective responsibility of that government, which he now heads? So Icheoku is at sea on this sudden populist policies and pursuits as well as the 'holier-than-Yar'Adua' actions being taken by President Jonathan, who was complicit in the Yar'Adua government as its vice president and acting president? This sudden volte-face is rather ridiculous and has seriously reduced Jonathan's credibility before the eyes of many unbiased fair-minded Nigerians, as he can no longer claim to be an impartial good-intentioned completion of term president. Simply stated, President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck has lost all justification as an impartial, goal-directed and focused president; and Nigerians better watch out for more surprises?

According to available information, as part of Ribadu's remission of sins agreement, "he will become President Jonathan's adviser on anti-corruption, with supervisory role over anti-corruption agencies in the country including his former agency, the EFCC; the ICPC; the Code of Conduct Bureau as well as other related agencies. Icheoku asks, how can Ribadu now be made to supervise the EFCC which has been itching to prosecute him all these months of his forced exile to answer for his alleged misdeeds; just like all those cases Ribadu was prosecuting and for which he became popular, are also based on "alleged misdeeds," yet to be proven? Icheoku really does not get the rationale behind this sudden "Saint Ribadu" attitude of the government of President Jonathan after what Olusegun Obasanjo used him to do, hounding all and any and every person who ever criticized Obasanjos' heinous policies while his regime lasted.

A smart presidency would have persuaded the judiciary to order Nuhu Ribadu's reinstatement but not to so brazenly ridicule the PSC by forcing their hands into shamefully reversing course and thereby weakening their moral authority and making them loose face in the process? Imagine a now newly empowered and haughty Nuhu Ribadu, breathing down on his newly created subordinates including those who sat in judgment over him and those EFCC operatives who were merely doing their job, trying to investigate an accused Ribadu? This is the reason why Nigeria is not moving forward and can never move forward until succeeding governments start seeing themselves as a continuum and/or off-shoot of the preceding government; and not necessarily in competition or rabid rivalry with them, trying to outdo them and over-rule every previous preceding policies and actions? If only Nigeria have men and women with some resolve and convictions, there would have been series of resignations among the high-ups in the PSC as well as the police itself, in protestation of this wanton interference of the Jonathan's presidency?

Icheoku does not begrudge the presidency and the executive arm of the government of its power of 'nolle prosequi'; but we strongly reject the idea of diluting and undermining the powers of the police service commission by selectively forgiving Nuhu Ribadu's of all his alleged intransigence, just because they can and now beatifying him a "Saint Ribadu?" The merit of his case is not Icheoku's concern but suffice it to say, we would rather it was judiciously and judiciary concluded at the courts and what is done ought to have remained done; and the matter should have been left alone in the tier of government charged with redressing wrongs? The good news however is that the presidency of Jonathan Goodluck will not last forever and will surely someday come to an end; - gone the way of all past leaderships of Nigeria, including the notorious Babangida regime, Obasanjo's nefarious autocracy, Abacha's murderous vice-hold of Nigeria etc. One day a king who does not know Joseph will ascend the throne and call for rendering of accounts, including a 're-sacking of Nuhu Ribadu' if he so chooses?

What a travesty of justice and overbearing presidential arm-twisting of an organ of the government charged with police discipline and day to day administrative over-sight? A government that preaches the rule of law should not have pulled the rug from under the law in this fashion, and should have allowed whatever wrong and grievances Nuhu Ribadu had with the police authorities to be settled by the established arbiter - the judiciary! Once again, President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck has shown that he is not any different from the rest of the pack and sooner than later, Nigerians will come to realize the dud check that was written to them in the taciturn zoology PhD, whose type William Shakespeare by extension, had warned the world against when he penned 'He thinks too much: such men are dangerous!" The good news however is that unbeknownst to this gullible Jonathan, by his action, he is ringing himself with Obasanjo's hatchet-men; and the deity of Otta, Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo would have succeeded in weaving a black-widow spider's web around him and his government; and soon and very soon, the choke-hold will become a complete death-choke of a government that has been fledgling since its inception. As a good policy, Nuhu Ribadu should not have been forced back on the police service commission since such humiliating action is capable of undermining their authority, and not by the presidency; his retirement notwithstanding!

2011 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THE DILEMMA OF A JONATHAN'S RUN'?

Run Jonathan run? Don't run Jonathan don't run? And the cacophony of apologists and haters babbling noise, deafening as it may be, continue to rent the air, sometimes assuming a frenzied crescendo in a build-up to Nigeria's 2011 presidential election? Icheoku says William Shakespeare probably had Nigeria in mind as he penned Julius Caesar, judging from the trove of political treachery and comical characters which abound therein.

Now it is President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck's praise-song that saturates the air in Nigeria, with some town-criers asking that he stays on beyond an earlier agreed mission-term, while some other real people are trying to hold his feet to the fire regarding the existing gentleman's agreement, hitherto reached by his party, the PDP, with regard to rotational presidency? Icheoku says, when all is said and done, it is only President Jonathan and President Jonathan alone who must tell himself the naked truth and act upon his conviction, with the interest of Nigeria as his guiding light.

All these emergent cheer-leaders are akin to funeral under-takers who take delight in people dying and providing unending job opportunity and income for them? Their love and empathy is pretended as inside their heart of hearts, they are salivating at the latest business opportunity to make some quick bucks. So President Jonathan must be watchful and prayerful to avoid the curve-balls now being thrown his way by people who mostly see him as a tool, a means to an end and the goose that lays the golden eggs? Few months ago, it was President Umaru Yar'Adua who was these town-criers favorite past-time hero; then entered Hadjiya Turai Yar'Adua and before the duo was Olusegun Obasanjo and the count goes back to the beginning of times? Like the proverbial three stooges who learnt the phrase, "we three, we three," and recited it each time and every time there is something in the offing eliciting their opinion or answer; and who subsequently said to the police in answer to their question, who killed Rogers, "WE THREE, WE THREE"; Nigerians have learnt how to give the same answer of 'God-sent" to every person that happens on the national stage as president. it does not matter the means of such arrival whether by crook as in a military coup de`tat or by appointment as in interim government or by providence as in death of a former president or by electoral brigandage of rigging? It does not also matter whether such first citizen is a calamitous Obasanjo, Baba go-slow Yar'Adua, evil genius Babangida or now president by providence, President Jonathan? It is always God sent, God sent; and President/Head of state for life!

Nigerians are reputedly capable of being so many different things to so many different people at the same time, depending on who is occupying the center stage and facilitating access to them? In short, Nigeria is a country populated by so many hydra-headed human-specimens, whose stand on every issue is as mercurial as the quick silver depending on what is at stake. To many Nigerians, a time can be both day and night at the same time, depending on what yield their answer will generate? Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) and Arthur Nzeribe typically represents many Nigerians, admitted Nzeribe is being verified for bravely vocalizing his thoughts, unlike so many others who would rather whisper such desires and wish that other person bells the cat on their behalf? There is no real core or consistency within Nigerians and/or their action; and they easily sway like pendulum with tide of times and readily turn against you the moment your sun sets. The plebeians in Julius Caesar who were swayed by the oratory skills of Mark Anthony and mistook Cisero the poet for Cisero the conspirator aptly captures the make-up of every average-Joe Nigerian.

In the macabre dance of death that is politics, whose drummers are as legion and invisible as they are slimy, the country Nigeria does not lack of its fair share of competent drummers and players; whose political treachery is a quick sand that swallows as many of its victims as are not endowed with discerning clear thoughts? Icheoku says President Jonathan should run in 2011 at the peril of his credibility to respect a gentleman's' agreement hitherto reached by his party, the PDP; or Nigerians should unanimously agree to let him shower the country with his legendary goodluck which he carries abundantly with him as his name and antecedents have shown.

At extreme oddity and conflict is what becomes of President Jonathan's fate in 2011, judging the two insincere schools of thought, each proffering parallel advise on the president's probable line of action - to run and not to run for president in 2011? Icheoku says both of these schools are wrong, preposterous and agenda-driven, since Jonathan has not disclosed his intention to dabble into the 2011 presidential race or achieved or accomplished anything spectacular to merit and warrant all these presidential pontifications and endorsements for a 2011 run? Nigeria should not forget so soon that the now President Jonathan was a member of the lack-lustre President Umaru Yar'Adua administration, being a vice president, acting president and now a substantive off-shoot president therein; and that the duo performed so abysmally poor and were so slow that his late boss President Umaru Yar'Adua earned the nick-name, "Mr Slowman?" In a civilized functional society where government officials are held accountable by the people for their misdeeds and/or incompetence, Icheoku says, both Yar'Adua and Jonathan would have been voted out of office in 2011 for lack of performance and non-delivery of democracy dividends? But with the preemptive death of Yar'Adua, the question of Jonathan's running with Yar'Adua for a second term as vice president is now moot; and Nigerians can only grapple with a 2011 presidential election without a Yar'Adua/Jonathan ticket to ordinarily vote out from office? The only question that now remains is, can and would Jonathan run for president in 2011; and if yes, does he have any record/s to run on; assuming the PDP's internal arrangement on which a certain section of the country ought to still produce the party's 2011 president still holds sway?

But in a plebeianistic society as Nigeria, with all manners of political-vultures parading themselves as human-beings, anything is possible; and serious arm twisting can still cancel whatever prior existing agreements that were previously reached? Afterall Vincent Ogbulafor found out in a bitter way that a previously dust-collecting alleged financial misappropriation could be brought up anytime to cage a loquacious former party chairman for speaking before thinking about a supposed north's vested presidential interest in 2011. So for a willing and daring political player incumbent, continuity is possible in 2011. Nigeria is such a politically complex society in which it is possible to still find some weird people who could not give a damn even if Satan himself becomes their president and who finds attractive, the idea of a Babangida's presidency in 2011? Icheoku says, rather than have Babangida as president in 2011, Nigerians might as well settle for anyone else including a continuation of President Jonathan's presidency.

The only good guys in this debate of "run Jonathan run" and "don't run Jonathan don't run" are those Nigerians who have kept a wise mum on the matter, preferring instead to let the womb of time, political expediency and job performance to inform the decision on who actually runs or does not run in 2011. Icheoku therefore re-states that it is for President Jonathan to earn his feathers by proving between now and 2011, that he had no hand in the snail-speed government of late President Yar'Adua by delivering some measurable and quantifiable concrete accomplishment - top among which include security, power and good roads. Otherwise all the rhetoric of this world, including Mark Anthony or Cisero's will not suffice to bestow on him the honor of a dignified claim to the 2011 presidential run.

Regrettably, in today's Nigeria of 21st century people are still worrying themselves sick as to which geographical location and zone produced the president? Icheoku says, were Nigeria truly a nation-state or a fully functioning country, such mundane and parochial considerations should not be the thing preoccupying the political class, which continuously fester the morbid sectionalism in which the country still waddles in since independence four decades ago? In a more goal-directed country, viability, qualification and a strong resume are the sole primary considerations for any leadership position, including the presidency; but not the candidate's state of origin or the geographical belt where the candidate comes from, which guarantees that nationalists run for offices and not sectional tribalists. So why does it matter which zone produced the president in 2011, provided the candidate is a Nigerian, well qualified and able to deliver the goods; and also such a candidate is not Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. But those northern political elites, who parasite on governments, cannot imagine a life outside the corridors of power, hence the fever-pitch clamour that it is the turn of their zone to produce president in 2011? Icheoku asks, when the north were taking turn after turn in the presidency with Tafawa Balewa, Gowon, Muritala, Buhari, Babangida, Abacha, Abdusalam, did anyone raise issue with a rotational brouhaha formula?

The United States of America which Nigeria allegedly copies its system of government, has had two father and son presidency with Quincy Adams and the Bush family which topped it by also producing a governor of Florida at the same time? So if Nigeria is really a country and not a loose coalition of unwilling republics forcibly cobbled together by an exploitative colonial master in 1914, why does it matter if the president in 2011 is from Arewa Republic, Oduduwa Republic, Biafra Republic or Niger Delta Republic? But a warped primitive tribal loyalties are driving a debate on where a president must and should come from in 2011 - whether or not Nigeria will be forced to trade a PhD president for an almajiri retired army man. A country that is one indivisible entity and really a country/nation-state, would look for their best and brightest to lead them into the future; and not a demented maniacal and near senile killer, just because he is from a certain part of the country.

In conclusion, Icheoku says, the only parties that will be adversely affected by the ongoing tug of war of who produces the 2011 president are the Nigerian people who will be denied the chance of partaking and benefiting in the Mr. Goodluck's goodluck; and a President Jonathan who will be denied his anticipated four more years in Aso Rock; since as a vice president he would have served another term of four years in a consecutive two term presidency of President Yar'Adua? But peradventure, President Yar'Adua is now dead and Jonathan is the new president; but should he now be forced out of Aso Rock, sacrificed on account of an illegal intra-party agreement? Icheoku says, we do not think so because if Jonathan can as a vice president, act for an unavailable preisdent Yar'Adua and graduated to an acting president when the president became indisposed; natural law of fairness will not frown at the possibility of a President Jonathan also serving out the next four years of a would have-been President YarAdua's second term?

If Jonathan can deputize and act for a northern president; then there is nothing fatally wrong with him serving out their joint second term? At worst, let the north count it as the south-south's partial turn; and they can always come back after 2015 or 2030 or whenever to serve out their second term; afterall they have been in power practically since independence and their fortune have not really changed for the better; so why the clamour for a northern president one may ask? Nigeria needs a leader with a vision, mission, clear thought, a sense of purpose and one who can act professionally under the given stressful environment that running a complex society as Nigeria is. President Jonathan has displayed these uncanny leadership qualities and Nigerians may have to swallow whatever tribal/sectional arrangements and sentiments that may be existing, and allow God to do for Nigeria what he willed, when he made Jonathan president by default of the death of President Yar'Adua. For all believers, there is a purpose for everything and God or Allah cannot be mocked; for before we were born He already knows who and what we shall all become; and power comes exclusively from only the On High. If God truly wants President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck to run, win and preside over Nigeria in 2011, nobody and nothing can stop him; and as a sign, God can cause Babangida to expire from a massive cardiac arrest or better still make him turn tails, as he did on two previous occasions when he was forced to step aside in 1993 and in 2007 when he was intimidated out of running? Anyway, we await the delivery of the heavily pregnant Nigeria, come 2011. Goodluck and goodnight, to you Nigerians political gladiators!

MARK SOUDER, ANOTHER REPUBLICAN SHAMELESS HYPOCRITE

Like the biblical pharisees who preached, 'do what I say but not what I do;' eight term Republican Representative from northeast Indiana, Mark Souder, has been caught with his pants down, an unfaithful husband, lying father, cheating grandfather and an phony evangelical christian?

He preached his Mark Souder's styled gospel of abstinence type of family planning while zealously propagating traditional marriage values, including anti-gay sentiments? He has also been parading himself as a holier than thou, family value man evangelical Christian? Now he wants to blame it on the devil, whose temptation he could not stand, as he fell face-down in sin, indulging in extra-marital affairs with one of his married staffers? Icheoku says, Jesus Christ was afterall right when he admonished, 'he who is without sin should throw the first stone; and William Shakespeare was equally right on the money when he wrote that 'there is no way of understanding the mind's construction by merely looking at the face?' So who on earth expected a supposed 'man of God' to be found wanting and in such compromising position of a fall from grace? But give it up for the republicans for who anything and everything scandalous is possible - who find bimbo temptress and young teenage boys always irresistible, leading to a cascading avalanche of victims? But fairness to goodness, catholic priests and their bishops as well as some democrats equally share in this hall of shame.

Republicans make Icheoku particularly mad because they are against everything modern and if left for some of their vociferous opinion leaders, majority of Americans and the world will still be leading a "conservative life" of the wagon days? They are great pretenders, whose middle-name should pass for equivocation and conflicted; and are the worst confusionists-culprits walking the face of America! Now enter their Mark Souder, to the hall of infamy of lecherous and philandering married 'ole boys' of the Republican party, who was just forced by the developing scandal to resign his membership of the House of Representatives due to a revealed ongoing affair with a married woman staffer and member of his communication team. In his pre-resignation "sorry I get caught" words of contrition, Representative Mark Souder in his own words said, "I am so ashamed to have hurt the ones I love. I am sorry to have let so many friends down, people who have worked so hard for me. I sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff." To mark Souder, Icheoku says, you should in addition be sorry for all those people you crucified because of their own human foibles, since you have now admitted and owned up to the double-life you led all these years, condemning people who have sinned while living in a mortal sin yourself? Mark Souder equally sinned against gays, lesbians, trans-genders, as well as his fellow adulterers and all such other human beings that periodically fall from grace?

But now that Mark Souder has joined the real humanity, wherein everyone sins, Icheoku asks, will his position remain resolute or have he learnt some real lessons of life? If only he read and understood the lessons of the bible well enough to know that the Lord Master, Jesus Christ, preempted all these judgmental opinionated teachings about human short-comings when he gave teachings on "Thous shall not judge," "Do not cast the first stone,".and "Remove the log in your own eyes first?" As an instructive lesson, Mark's fall from grace could be summed up, as great! It will be noted that Mark Souder hinged his public persona on evangelical Christianity and fiercely pushed his religious views as well as his uncompromising utra-conservative, puritan positions on virtually all social issues such as gays and abortion? He once used the parameter of "committed and faithful relationship" as a prerequisite benchmark for anyone to have before engaging in sex of any kind?Icheoku asks "Mr. committed and faithful," whether he was committed and faithful to his wife of Christian marriage and if so, what happen or did he just fall to the seductive power of an irresistible tempting temptress?

If only the Mark Souders of the republican party could cut other people some slack and understand that humanity is not God but are fallible; and stop all these their 'holier than thou' pontifications of God said this, God did not say that' preachings; may be most people will understand that his infra-dig 'to air is human?' But no, they will not yield any ground and would rather children become destitute than be adopted by loving gay-parents, since according to them God did not sanction such parenthood; and you wonder if God speaks to only these republican whack-jobs? They also would not stay alive and watch same sex loving couple tie the nuptial while some of their "Christian married couples have divorced so many times that they have lost counts? Now and suddenly, disgraced Mark Souder has just realized that Washington, his abode for the over 16 years he was in Congress, is a poisonous environment? Icheoku says, instead of Mark Souder now resigning because "he did not want to drag his family into a painful, drawn out process;" may be he should have thought about that their pain before he unzipped his amorous pants and let out his mojo? It is also worth mention that Mark Souder has been married to his wife, Diane, for 36 long years with three grown adult children and two grandchildren. What a wonderful role-model, this congressman is, especially to his grand-children who will now possibly be taunted by their fellow students, as having an amorous grand-dad? Also his district is Fort-Wayne in northeast Indiana which was once represented by the vice presidential candidate who could not spell 'POTATO,' Dan Quayle! So much for a party known more for their equivocation and deceitful showmanship than a productive stand on any issue - the party of NO.

BABANGIDA 2011, SOME FACTUAL TIT-BITS AGAINST HIS CANDIDACY!

The evil one Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida said he left some functionality in government and wants to go get it back? Icheoku admonishes, what IBB could not achieve with absolute maximum power over who lives or dies as a military dictator, he cannot accomplish in a democracy with a national assembly with freedom of expression and without fear of becoming Dele Giwa-ed?

Also in Britain are two newly empowered youths, Cameron and Clegg, whose combined age is almost Babangida's; and President Obama, another youth, is presiding over the most powerful country in the world. So Babangida, Icheoku wants to know, how do you plan to answer and relate to these powerful youthful world leaders - maybe as their grand-daddy? Babangida disparaged Nigerian youths as incompetent and incapable of joining hands in power, from Aso Rock, with their American and British counterparts in the White House and 10 Downing Street respectively! Reject Babangida, say no to IBB 2011

"BABANGIDA IS A DEMOCRATIC GENERAL" - SAYS KAZEEM AFEGBUA?

www.icheoku.com says whoever this Kazeem Afegbua is, he needs to first seek immediate help of a shrink to examine his head for some manifested symptoms of psychosis of the grey matter. How can any Nigerian who was privy to Babangida's atrocious regime open his mouth so shamelessly and in a bid to sell such a toxic product as Babangida; and proclaim that a wicked army man as Babangida was democratic?

Icheoku asks, if Babangida was a democratic general, why did he annul a democratic election that produced MKO Abiola as president? If Babangida was a democratic general why did kill Dele Giwa with parcel bomb for exercising his democratic right of freedom of expression while in pursuit of his journalism profession? If Babangida was a democratic general why did he overthrow a democratic elected government of President Shehu Shagari in December 1983; and also Buhari's junta regime in 1985?

Afegbua please tell Nigerians whether a democratic general would encourage Sani Abacha to take over government by refusing to retire him when he stepped aside? Does a democratic general frame a friend Mammam Vasta and killed him based on a phantom coup? Does a democratic general ignore a duly constituted Justice Chukwudiufu Oputa's panel of inquiry? Does a democratic general embark on an unending transition of power which culminated in the stalemate that was June 12th? www.icheoku.com says to this clown and town-crier Kazeem Afegbua, we know a democratic general but IBB certainly is not one! He is deceitful, he is ruthless, he is callous, he is bloody and he is not a democrat!

'Stop IBB 2011' is our mission-goal and we believe that every sane and conscientious Nigerian shall be on board with this resolution and register our general bitterness with Babangida's annulment of June 12th among his other numerous sins. Duty calls and IBB must be stopped. Babangida is evil and evil thrives when decent men and women chose to do nothing. To Icheoku the Babangida question is near personal and we have chosen to do something to stop him, hopefully, we must. Nigerians please join the fight to stop Babangida and certainly the toothy fairy of Minna will be forced to get the message.

BABANGIDA 2011, OJUKWU'S ALLEGED ENDORSEMENT IS IMPRUDENT?

The Ikemba Nnewi and Dikedioranma of Igboland, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, recently played host to some Babangida's errand boys aka town-criers, who had paid him a visit under the aegis of a comatose New Nigeria Peoples Party led by one Major Agbo? According to the story, they came on behalf of Babangida to solicit Ojukwu's, and by extension, Igbos' support for Babangida's nefarious plan to foist himself again back on the Nigerian people as president in 2011? Sourced information claimed that Ojukwu bought into the poisoned candidacy of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and endorsed him for president?

Icheoku screams holy macro, unbelievable and surprise, surprise; and hereby denounces the alleged act of approval as a betrayal to everything Igbo, their fabled resilience and standing up for justice for all Nigerians! Such nod of approval to Babangida's candidacy by Ojukwu himself, sends a wrong message that what Babangida did was of no interest, concern or consequence for the Igbo people of Nigeria? Icheoku says not in our name! Such an endorsement is an affront to the general psyche of Nigerians who are yet to fully recover from the trauma that was June 12th 1993; as well as other concomitant atrocities of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida's regime; including the thousands of innocent Nigerian lives that were lost under his brigandage and direct supervision/approval.

Icheoku asks, what was Ojukwu thinking or smoking when he poured this heinous libation for Babangida; or has he not "strayed" enough from the course since his return from exile in 1982, when he pitched his tent with NPN instead of the NPP? Admitted he had then promised to take the Igbos back to the mainstream of Nigeria with his joining NPN; but his recent political antecedents, carrying the banner of APGA, suggests he is no longer mindful of the quest for a full integration? When the Igbos and other peoples of the defunct Biafra thought that Ojukwu's going to Abuja, cap in hand, to genuflect before his juniors, for his pension as a retired Nigerian army colonel was already enough insult on what they fought and died for; now comes the mother of all disappointments, the Ikemba's endorsement of the Nigerian worst reject, the most hated man alive in Nigeria, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida? Does Ojukwu, a once darling hero of the Igbos and the entire former Eastern region, still have any moral scruples left in him; or does he think that simply because Ojukwu says so, that makes it alright; and every Igbo man and woman should salute and bow out?

But to Babangida and all those unconscionable chorus-singers who throng around him, and who are goading him into a mistake of an unimaginable self-destructive gambit in 2011, Icheoku says, you are long lost at sea. If Babangida and his minders think that Ojukwu still speaks for the entire Igbo nation, then they have another thing coming. Ojukwu's credibility have since so watered down and eroded in Igbo-land, that of all five full Igbo States and their brother quasi-Igbo states of Delta and Rivers, Ojukwu could only manage to turn enough sympathizers as to win in only his native Anambra State out of thirty-five states in Nigeria? A formerly highly respected regional champion and hero of the people, have now so imploded as to become pigeon-holed into a mere one state's demi-god and henchman? Peradventure, Babangida gambled that because the former INEC's chairman and election manipulator, Maurice Iwu choose not to disgrace Ojukwu completely by awarding him Anambra State, that alone makes Ojukwu the man to go to with respect to Igbo support and votes? And because Babangida is too old, he still sees Ojukwu in the old-school eyes of the Biafran warlord but forgot that the area formerly known as Biafra have split into eleven states, many of which does not hear Ojukwu when he calls? Hopefully for his job, Ojukwu collected a sack-full of IBB's illicit stash; and since 2011 is just around the corner, we shall see how much Ojukwu's endorsement is really worth?

Babangida committed series of mortal sins which cannot be easily wished away, forgiven or forgotten; and not by any true and decent Nigerian alive or dead. How can any sane Nigerian hold a brief of forgiveness for this killer-monster and ask for 'Nigerians to lay to rest all their bitterness and hatred of former President Ibrahim Babangida, over his botched June 12 presidential elections'.

Unfortunately, these Babangida's apologists forgot to add to his June 12th atrocity, his terrorist bombing of Dele Giwa to smithereens; his vicious murder and acid-pouring on the body of Poet Mamman Vasta following a fathom coup; the disappearance of Gloria Okon; the death in a military coup of Thomas Sankara of Upper Volta; the 132 military officers that perished in a staged Ejigbo plane crash; the pains of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP); the refusal to retire late midget of Kano Sani Abacha when he forcibly stepped aside; the destruction of the society known as Nigeria through wanton corruption and the institutionalization of 419 criminality; the first devaluation of the Naira to accommodate his bureau-d-change currency changers, who helped launder his millions of dollars of illegal drug proceeds; his Zango Kataf massacre; the unceremonious retirement of Domkat Bali from the army; the murder of Gideon Orkar and group of other patriotic Nigerian military officers who wanted to remove the cancer that was then killing Nigeria as personified in Babangida; the criminal overthrow of second republic democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari in December 1983; the stab at the back-like overthrow of the government of Muhammadu Buhari in which he was the gates keeper, being the Minister of defence; - a case of a guardian robbing the fort? So for which of these crimes are Nigerians being asked to forgive Babangida of, or is Ojukwu now so forgetful not to understand that Nigerians still hurt from Babangida's hostage-taking of Nigeria and its associated brigandage and that also thousands of Igbo people lost their lives during the Abiola upheaval?

Just thinking about IBB makes Icheoku want to throw up; and we wonder what type of toxicity is whirling in the brains of all these Nigerians clamouring for his presidency in 2011? Call it personal if you want, but Icheoku refuses to accept that there is any sane Nigerian alive today who witnessed what transpired between 1983 to 1993 under Babangida's infamous military regime, who could sincerely fathom or entertain the idea of the absurdity of an IBB presidency in Nigeria again? To this shadowy Major Agbo who led his NNPP delegation to Ojukwu to solicit his/Igbo support on behalf of Babangida, Icheoku emphasises that there is a chasm between "taking responsibility" and "apologising" for a crime especially the crime of June 12th? And assuming for the sake of conversational deduction that both words have now become interchangeable in their meaning and purport, Icheoku asks, what about the other crimes of Babangida's regime or are they not egregious enough for him to also "take responsibility" for?

This selective "taking of responsibility" by Babangida for June 12th is primarily goal-driven and targeted; and we make bold to add, were it not for his ill-advised move to vie for the presidency in 2011, Babangida would not have ever cared to volunteer that he is taking responsibility for that criminality. Icheoku have never heard about this Major Agbo prior, but says it is good that no one knows him; otherwise what a nightmare it would have been thinking that a person you thought you know is nothing but a shriveling cockroach? Maybe he only rose to the rank of a "Major" in the army through the help of Babangida and now wants to show his appreciation; but sure this man or woman that is preached and sold the gospel of Babangida to Ojukwu, and who forced Icheoku's hands against a revered man, has no shame at all; his/her conscience is as dark as Hades. What a case of Judas IsCariot and the miserable 12 shekels of silver, that forced this human specimen to take upon himself such an inglorious and dishonorable errand trying to hawk a Babangida's candidacy that is dead on arrival?

Further Icheoku disagrees with Major Agbo that June 12th was a 'mistake'; and asserts that it was a deliberate and calculated callous act of wickedness, perpetrated by Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida to deny MKO Abiola his fairly won mandate; which forced Abiola to declare, "with a friend like IBB no one needs an enemy!" The same remorseless Babangida, few years ago, went to the Kano's graveside of Sani Abacha and paid him tribute as the best "head of State" Nigeria ever had? Icheoku says, may be for helping Babangida finish off Abiola and ensuring that Abiola's mandate never resurrected? The definition of "mistake" is some unintended or undesired result of an act, which June 12th definitely was not since it was fully calculated and deliberated upon. Major Agbo's sanctimonious preaching of forgiveness for Babangida is also fraught with deceit since Babangida never adverted his mind to forgiveness nor asked for one by saying he is truly sorry for his sin of June 12th annulment as well as the many other infra-digs of his regime? Talk about asking for forgiveness in HELL, long after a person had assumed room temperature; possibly this Major Agbo is not a christain otherwise he would have been acquainted with the teachings regarding when and how to ask for forgiveness? In answer to Major Agbo's posed question on what Babangida could do to assuage Nigerians ill-feelings towards him, Icheoku says, let Babangida jump off a cliff or bridge; or at least, withdraw himself from the 2011 presidential race. Babangida should help Nigerians to heal by getting out of the Nigerian political scene forever and for good; he is an eyesore and a constant reminder of the evil that he represents.

The Igbos of South East Nigeria, the new minority of Nigeria politics, cannot and have refused to get their acts together politically, because of some people who supposedly are in their leadership positions? Imagine a whole Ojukwu endorsing Babangida for president despite the facts on the ground that makes such an endorsement an untouchable and avoidable poison pill? The other time, it was the South East governors who were caught on the wrong side of the divide following the power tussle that ensued between former vice/acting president Jonathan and the Yar'Adua cabal? Prior to that, PDP's chairman Vincent Ogbulafor guffawed that the presidency remains in the north in 2011 without first checking with or consulting the then acting president to feel him out on his plans or any possible game-changer? That Igbos went through five senate presidents within four years until Ken Nnamani stopped the banana-peel syndrome bears no better testament either as to their political astuteness? For the first time in the history of a representative government in Nigeria, a major tribe like the Igbo, occupies neither the presidency, vice presidency, senate presidency nor the speaker of the house? Inexplicable! In the political gamesmanship of Nigeria, Igbos have been found grossly wanted and deficient; and unless they do something serious to tidy up their losse ends and really fast, every other zone in Nigeria might possibly taste the presidency before them; assuming they are ever considered for such opportunity? But who in his widest imagination in Igboland could ever imagine, a few short years ago, that the south-south minority will first preside over Nigeria before the South East?

Icheoku reiterates that June 12th and all atrocities committed by Babangida is not just the exclusive concern or injury to one certain section or zone in Nigeria, but that of every freedom and democracy loving Nigerian. Whatever war that will be waged or is now being waged or prosecuted to honor that sacred mandate by stopping Babangida in 2011, should also include and find the Igbos within the fore-front of the battle. June 12th is not a wrong against only Abiola or the Yoruba South-west nor is Dele Giwa's murder only an Iru-Ekpen's mortal violation, but these as well as other crimes of Babangida were wrought on the collective psyche of all Nigerians and so must retribution be championed by all Nigerians. Also Babangida's disrespect for a duly constituted Justice Oputa panel of inquiry is not just an affront on the erudite justice but on every Nigerian; and so also was the missing $12billion dollars a general commonwealth fund of Nigerians including the Igbo South East.

Concluding, Icheoku tasks the Igbos to politically wise up before it is too late and end its perpetual genuflecting tendencies to anything out of northern Nigeria, including Babangida. The civil war was since over four decades ago and according to the verdict of reconciliation, there was no victor, no vanquished? The Igbos should become more assertive as full bona fide members of the Nigerian society and forcefully demand to be taken seriously by other components of the Nigerian federation. If the Igbos are waiting for anyone to just hand them power or the presidency without any meaningful serious agitation, then they will have to wait for too long if not forever; as power is never given freely but taken by whatever means necessary. The Yorubas south-west were heard during Abiola's unrest and Obasanjo became president for eight long years; the south south Niger Delta did it with militancy and Jonathan is now a full fledged president.

The truth of the matter is that Babangida is evil and anyone supporting or endorsing him, or seen to be doing either or both, could as well pass for a mini-evil giving comfort to the enemy! Such support and/or endorsement is an unconscionable act, mindful of the blood, tears and sorrow Babangida rained on Nigerians!. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu has not denied that he endorsed Babangida and witnesses bear testimony to this perfidy; hence our condemnation of the said endorsement as blatant, reckless and capable of alienating the Igbos further from other good people of Nigeria, especially among the Yoruba south west. Igbos cannot afford to be seen as the group that glossed over Babangida's crimes and is cavorting with a murderer. Icheoku says to the Igbos, never again shall they allow themselves to be caught like a deer in the headlight, on the wrong side of the intriguing political permutations in Nigeria. Their apparent support for the moribund IBB's very insulting 2011 presidential ambition with this Ojukwu's endorsement is not a healthy political move; and smacks of political naivety. Nigerians will not have a Babangida's presidency in 2011 or any other time; and the sooner the Igbos realize this and jettison off IBB's unworthy political boat, the better.

ICHEOKU, JONATHAN PICKS NAMADI AS VEEPEE!

The Nigerian President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck has again caved in to the Nigeria Governors Forum by appointing their nominee, Kaduna State Governor Mohammed Namadi Sambo, as the new vice president? President Goodluck has by this appointment dissed his political godfather Obasanjo, his presidential advisory committee chairman Danjuma, the David Mark led Senate, the Bankole House of Representatives and instead deferred to the almighty and powerful governors' forum! Icheoku says, when it walks and quacks like a duck, it might as well be and now Nigerians know who really is calling the shot at Aso Rock. All for a back-boneless President by default of death, Jonathan Goodluck. Anyway, congratulations Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo; and let governance begin!