OLUSOLA SARAKI, THE KIM JONG-IL OF KWARA STATE, NIGERIA!

In Kwara State, the North Korea of Nigeria, a Kim Jong-Il has finally emerged. His name is Olusola Saraki who has now converted the state into his personal fiefdom. His family is holding the entire state hostage to their peculiar brand of political power play which favors the Saraki-Family alone. His daughter is following soon after his soon to be termed out son as the next uncontested governor of Kwara State.

Icheoku asks when will this 'dynasty' end alongside their occupation of the government house in Ilorin? Icheoku also wonders if all the men in Kwara State have been castrated with none with any balls left to stand against this Saraki's anti-democratic arrant nonsense. if he purchased Kwara State as a his private property, Icheoku wants to see the deed of purchase as well as the purchase receipt?

The Saraki family has by this novelty, introduced an alien brand of government known as "Familocracy" - government of the family by the family and for the family; with the citizens of the state as ordinary serfs, not good enough to rule or preside over their own destiny. The Saraki family appears to tell Kwarans that they cannot manage their own affairs by themselves and that their Allah-sent, all-knowing Sarakis, are there to help do it for them? Icheoku says what would Nigerian men of power not do simply because they can!

NIGERIA'S GOLDEN JUBILEE INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY, THE 50 AWARDEES!

Icheoku asks were former heads of state Muritala Mohammed, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha excluded from the distinguished Nigerians who are to receive the golden jubilee awards due to their destabilizing roles in Nigeria through their coup-plotting? Or was it a result of politics of bitterness as is gradually becoming the preferred politics of President Jonathan; the recent shut-out of pro-Babangida Igbo Political Stakerholders at a hotel in Owerri Imo State taken into advisement? Whatever be the case, Icheoku commends the audacity of President Jonathan for placing these rascals in their proper place within the Nigerian political history - the political dustbin.

It is only in Nigeria where criminals are celebrated leading to these four despicable Nigerians being erroneously celebrated in some quarters as statesmen? The same impetus enables 419 practitioners to find their way into the Nigerian senate as well as some traditional institutions as their custodians. What President Jonathan just did by shunning these four human-beings is proper and Icheoku believes that such public disavowal, scorn and odium will go a long way in stemming the tide of criminality in Nigeria when criminals know that they will be so publicly shunned or fingers pointed at them as the reason Nigeria is standing on its head today. Way to go President Goodluck Jonathan!

The implication of this show of disdain is that these four army men did not contribute anything to the development of Nigeria but brutally through their jackboots destroyed the fledglings that were taking roots in a democratic Nigeria. Icheoku also could not agree any more with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, who said that the 50 personalities being honored are for their contributions to the development of the country. But conversely looking at the sorry state that Nigeria is today, a concomitant question naturally follows, is it even ok to vouchsafe that these people contributed any development in Nigeria, otherwise where are they? But hey, at least they did not like those four armed and dangerous bandits, muscle their way into power and for this among other things they stand out to be counted as the shinning stars on Nigeria's beacon.

However Icheoku must observe that conspicuously missing from the list are Ebam Eda Fela Anikulao Kuti for his music as a weapon for change and societal upliftment, he was also a great ambassador of Nigeria introducing the world to Nigeria through his world-famous brand of Afrobeat; Chief Gani Fawehimni for his human-rights activism and fine legal mind; Chief MKO Abiola for his democracy credentials; Reverend Father Tansi the first Nigerian to attain a sainthood; Austin Ilodibe of Ekenedilichukwu Transport for a successful conglomerate that employed so many and provided commute to millions of Nigerians; our music maestros Ebenezer Obey, Osita Osadebe and Sunny Ade for providing food for our desolate souls. These people projected Nigeria to the world in various capacities and created tangibles one can really appreciate. But whatever be the paradigm for the selection, Icheoku surrenders to the superior reasoning of the committee that did the selection; but sure is glad that the criminal coup-plotters of Nigeria were well humbled through their exclusion. These jackals contributed nothing to Nigeria development except sorrow, blood and tears!

IGBO POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERS, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN; NOT IN OUR NAME!

Icheoku denounces the umbrage of the so called Igbo Political Stakeholders parading themselves as Igbo representatives when they are neither Oha-N-Eze Ndigbo nor the elected political leadership of the Igbos who are duly authorized to serve Igbo cause. The make-up of the 'Igbo Political Stakeholders' so called, parades of known apologists and appendages of the feudal Hausa-Fulani oligarchical north including Shehu Shagari's beautiful bride Alex Ekwueme and Ibrahim Babangida's beautiful bride in the waiting Ken Nnamani. It also includes the former central bank governor Chukwuma Soludo, and you wonder who crowned these human-beings Igbo leaders or on whose authority they speak for the Igbos. It is condemnable the self arrogation of authority by these self-seeking politicians including Jim Nwobodo who sabotaged Ekwueme's own presidential effort in Jos in 1999 and sold out on his Igbo brother? Kalu Idika Kalu served the notorious Ibrahim Babangida's regime as both Finance and Economic Planning Minster respectively. Same with ABC Nwosu as Health Minster; Luke Ochulor was a military administrator under Babangida and Agunwa Anakwe was the speaker of the House when Babangida annulled MKO Abiola's election.

Now the picture becomes clearer that it is the gathering of the Babangida clan masquerading as an Igbo Forum that was dispersed at Owerri and not a true Igbo organisation; and this group is ready to once again sell the Igbos short to the north and the resident evil, Babangida. Icheoku says not this time; Igbo people are politically more savvy, wiser, smarter and are long tired of 1978 politicians dictating or attempting to dictate the tempo of present day politics in Igboland and trying to influence the trajectory of the 2011 Igbo course. Udenta Udenta or whomever that person is, is presently working as presidential campaign director to the man whose father owns Kwara State, Saraki; and Dubem Onyia, Ben Obi and Chris Ngige are all in love with Atiku.So tell Icheoku why these people are always content with playing the second fiddle or servient role to the Islamic north, who have not stopped killing the Igbo man since their genocidal war of 1967-70; or given the Igbo man reason to still remain fanatically loyal to their northern cause. Icheoku says to Alex Ekwueme that their group does not represent the Igbos and so it was wrong for him to misrepresent the purpose of their meeting as "to enable all Igbos to speak their minds freely and not to support any candidate or political party after which a decision would be made for the Igbo nation." Such statement is very arrogant and since when did the Igbo people become the property of IPS that they should make decisions for the Igbos or on their behalf?

Be that as it may, Icheoku does not begrudge anyone or any group from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association to meet and take positions on issues of the moment; but we have beef with any of such group parading itself as representing the entire Igbo nation. Moreso the peoples Generalissimo and Ikemba Nnewi was not there and these people are neither the elected political representatives of the Igbos nor the official existing Igbo pressure group, the Oha-n-Eze Ndigbo. Igbo Political Stakeholders should therefore cease and desist from further parading themselves as representing the Igbos or their cause as Igbo people have duly authorized body and elected officials representing them and only such people can make decisions for and on behalf of the Igbo nation. Get it IPS; you are on your own!

BRISTOL PALIN DWTS, WHEN TEENAGE PREGNANCY MAKES ONE A STAR?

The over-sexed teenage teenage daughter of Sarah Palin, who got pregnant outside wedlock, is now a star - she made it to the TV hit-show, "Dancing With The Stars! Icheoku ask what made her a star or is it now the new ok and an acceptable norm for one's bad morality to be all it takes to meet Hollywood's benchmark for stardom?

What has Bristol Palin achieved or done in her 19 years of life to merit an appearance on DWTS; and she did not even complete her schooling after being knocked up by former boyfriend, Levi Johnston, with her mother Sarah Palin watching?

Icheoku says, this is a new low for television that such a 19 year old over-sexed girl and unwed teenage mom should be so idolized in this manner while other good teenagers who ace their Math, Science and English are cast aside by Hollywood. What is the new standards now, Hollywood? Or does Hollywood want these honor-row students to go back to their dorms, regretting why they did not start having sex soon enough and getting knocked up in their mother's bedroom rather than remaining 'A' students?

It is wrong for Hollywood to provide Bristol Palin the DWTS's portal; it is a bad example of how not to glorify nothingness and elevate societal decadence into something to be tolerated and celebrated. Bristol Palin is not a role model, she is a wayward teenager who got knocked-up outside wedlock in her parents bedroom, figuratively speaking; and so does not deserve a place at such platform as DWTS or any such other. It sends a wrong message that it is ok to be sexually active at such a young age and that it is no big deal getting pregnant and becoming a teenage mom. It is all about the message and this Bristol Palin's message is faulty since it creates a wrong impression that it is ok for teenagers and young persons to occupy themselves with purely adult matters.

Icheoku says it is absolutely wrong, immoral and condemnable for the director of 'Dancing With The Stars' to mine the notoriety of this over-sexed teenage daughter of Sarah Palin in this way. Regrettably too, the all beauty and no brain Alaskan wildlife killer, Sarah Palin, a self-confessed fundamentalist Christian and religious zealot, did not see anything ungodly in her daughter making a spectacle of herself in this way and for the world to feast their lewd awe on. And worst still, Bristol Palin is FAT.

REPUBLICAN PARTY IS RUNNING ON EMPTY!

"Back in Tennessee there's an old saying: When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler. That pretty much defines the Republican opposition to President Obama's agenda for change and their strategy for the 2010 campaign -- a whole lot of hollering to obscure their real goal, which is to restore the very same policies followed for eight years by the Bush-Cheney White House -- and actually promising more of the same. We cannot afford to let that happen." - Al Gore. Icheoku concurs and urge the Democrats to man up and take the fight to the crazed out Republicans. It will be regrettable if the Republicans win the argument again just as John Kerry allowed George Bush to win the argument on national security when he served but Bush never did, being a draft dodger. Marshall the facts and let the facts do the job Dems!

IRAN OFFER OF COMPROMISE, SIGNS THAT SANCTIONS ARE BEGINNING TO BITE!

"Iran would consider ending higher level uranium enrichment, Iran is prepared to set a date for resumption of talks with six world powers - the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China as well as Germany, to discuss Teheran's nuclear program probably in October; we are ready for talks. The doors are open for talks." - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. Icheoku says for this erratic loony of Tehran to be talking in this manner is sure evidence that the rumor is true - the sanction is beginning to squeeze life out of Iran. It should be full throttle henceforth until those mullahs realize that a weapon they can never use without debilitating response, nuclear weapon, is not the way nor the answer! Who says sanctions does not work?

REPUBLICAN PARTY'S PLEDGE TO AMERICA, A RACIST MANUSCRIPT?

Icheoku says they are at it again, doing all they could to 'take back their government' from That One. Racists organisation masquerading as a political party have been grumbling since 2008 that a 'nigger' is occupying their White House instead of plowing the fields; now that they are ganging up and throwing up dirts hoping that something sticks. They have come up with a manifesto, Pledge to America, which they hope will do the magic. Icheoku asks, why did the Republican Party not publish this 21 page booklet during the 8 years of George Bush's bull in a China shop-like destruction of America - economy and relationships. Anyway, they are appealing to the low-information voters who they hope to befuddle into committing a political suicide if they vote these White-Only America mindset back into power in November 2010.

NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE, SURRENDERS TO 'EGUNJE' AT A ROAD-BLOCK!

Yes your eyes are not deceiving you, as you are watching members of the Nigerian Police Force praising and hailing a man in a Toyota SUV who have just bribed them heavily. Call it egunje, roger, your particulars, bribe, tip or what have you; regrettably the police in Nigeria is endemically corrupt and for a proper amount will look the other way as criminals terrorize Nigerians. Can you imagine the phoniness of these six police men at a road block - a mirror image of what is wrong with Nigerian police; what a window they provided into the greater Nigerian police population. But does anyone know the solution?

BABANGIDA'S PROFESSED LOVE FOR IGBO PEOPLE, NOT REAL; NOT GENUINE!

It is unfounded and unsupported by evidence and/or precedents; and therefore an attempt by a conman to throw a fast-ball at the Igbo people of Nigeria. Icheoku says that MKO Abiola's rule number one of surviving the double-faced Janus, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is to remember the mantra, 'with a friend like IBB no one needs an enemy." So Igbo people of Nigeria should beware of Babangida's unsolicited offer of love to them, as it is a poisoned chalice from which any that drinks does not live to tell the story. Igbo people therefore are again advised not to accept Babangida's Trojan gift of sudden affection as it is not needed, not now; as Ndigbo have since learnt to survive on their own and can survive without Babangida's tainted love.

Moreso, Babangida's sudden offer of friendship appears very sinister, it is not genuine nor real; but merely perfunctory, coyly orchestrated and deployed at this time as a tool-subterfuge to cajole Igbo people into providing him with the much needed ladder with which to climb into Aso Rock seat of power. That Babangida will discard them as soon as their use is no longer needed, immediately following his swearing in, is stating the obvious since his antedents speaks volume. Please Ndigbo, Icheoku implores you not to short-change yourselves or in any event, short-sell yourselves to the self acclaimed beast of Minna, Ibrahim Babangida. He is not worth a friendship of the Igbo people and his former friends including the former NSA Gusua know him as a betrayer. Icheoku calls on the Igbo nation to reject Babangida and tell him that the days of northerners using Igbo people as beautiful brides, with which to win presidential elections is since long gone. That the present attempt by Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida to once again, surreptitiously woe Igbo people will not succeed as Igbo people are now politically smarter, wiser and much more savvy than before and will only seriously consider a political alliance with a truthful and trustworthy political suitor; and Babangida is not such a desirable suitor nor is he possessed of these qualities.

Icheoku is talking about the recent visit by the resident evil of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida to the Enugu residence of Odumegwu Ojukwu, the peoples' warlord; where he solicited and conferred with Ojukwu on the matter of Igbo support/votes for his candidacy during the coming 2011 elections. According to the reports, Babangida told Ojukwu to convey to his Igbo people that he, Babangida, 'loves them.' In his own exact words, Babangida said to Ojukwu, "tell your people that "I love them!" Icheoku retorts, please Igbo people do not mind the Islamic conman from Minna, who has conned Nigerians including Igbo people before with an unending political transition which resulted in the annulled election of June 12th, 1993. Further Icheoku reiterates that Ibrahim Babangida does not love the Igbo people, never did and not in the future; since one cannot teach an old dog new tricks and Babangida is one heck of such old bull-mastiff. A great saying has it that for you to understand the trajectory of an arrow, you must apprise yourself of the boomerang that fired it as well as the archery prowess of the firer that pulled the boomerang. Tell Icheoku where you have been and we shall tell you your intended destination, and so it is that all precedents considered, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is no friend of the Igbos and does not love them.

So what does a person do to a conman but to put it to his face that you are aware of his game and that you won't bite his bait. To Babangida, Igbo people say to you, take back your love and stuff it in your you know what - rear end; as it is worthless since you kill your friends and have killed Mamman Vasta, your best friend and best man during your wedding. According to MKO Abiola, Babangida's friendship or professed love is tantamount to making a pact with the devil as he will always turn around and get you.

Icheoku says, the recent 'love of the Igbos' expressed by Babangida is a empty air not supported by any evidence, both factual and imagined. First Babangida fiercely fought on the side of the Nigerian armed forces, ganged up against a fledgling Biafran side which was merely looking to survive a pogrom followed by a genocide of great proportion. Not only did Babangida and his vicious Nigerian side led by the genocidal Yakubu Gowon tried to annihilate Igbo people by shooting defenceless women and children but they also went ahead to levy an economic embargo on the people of Igboland which nearly completed the genocidal work which their bullets and bombs couldn't finish. As a result millions of Igbo people's lives were drastically wiped out during the Biafra war; yet this toothy-fairy from Sharia Niger State is now claiming love for the Igbo people? Please tell Icheoku that Babangida had just finished a joint, prelude to making this statement in buffoonery as it falls flat on its face amidst known precedents. Secondly, Babangida said he "loves Igbo people", yet nothing was done by his ravaging beast of the Nigerian army to carry through their promised three Rs of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction that forty years after the brutal civil war, ravages of the war still dots the landscape of Igbo South Eastern people of Nigeria.

Now lets fast-forward to December 1983 when Babangida, Abacha, Gusua and Buhari conspired and overthrew a democratically elected President Shehu Shagari's government with an Igbo man vice president, Alex Ekwueme. To so many people, the December 31, 1983 coup was to arrest the rot that had permeated and spreading throughout the country's body-fabric during the civilian leadership. But presently available information indicates otherwise as that gang of terrorists and religious zealots were only trying to preempt Alex Ekwueme's shoeing in as president after Shehu Shagari. Continuing, the story has it that Babangida and his fellow coup-plotters were on a mission for Arewa nation to secure and hold as well as maintain a northern stranglehold on power in Nigeria and not to allow anybody take it. Essentially, the coup, by extension, was against Igbo people's ascendancy to power in Nigeria; they had to struck to prevent an Igbo man from ruling "their" Nigeria? Yet this coup plotter claims he loves Igbo people?

As head of state the first order of business for Babangida was to humiliate Ebitu Ukiwe, a chief of general staff out of office. Babangida relegated Ukiwe to the background and acquiesced to a conspired change of order of hierarchy during parades in deference to Army Chief of Staff, Sani Abacha. But Ebitu Ukiwe instead of suffering further unnecessary humiliation, resigned his commission from the navy. Icheoku queries, did Babangida suffer a temporary amnesia not to remember that Ebitu Ukiwe is a beloved son of Igboland as he scurried to the Ikemba to profess his bridegroom's love for the bride? As head of State, Babangida did not appoint any Igbo man as member of his security council; yet he professes undying love for the Igbos! As head of State, Babangida did not construct a second bridge over the River Niger, fully aware of the particular need of the bridge which serves as a major thoroughfare for the ever upward mobile and commercial Igbo people; so where was this love then? As head of State, Babangida did not rehabilitate the only power station in Igboland - Oji River power station; yet he proclaims his love for the Igbos? As head of State, Babangida did not build any industry in Igbo land yet he loves Igbo people? As head of State, Babangida created states but instead of using the opportunity to equalize the number of states in the South East to be at par with other regions/zones, maintained that lopsidedness started with his crusading then Nigerian army; so where was his love then? As head of State, Babangida failed and/or refused to build any international airport in Igbo land or even upgrade the premier Enugu airport into one while he built three in the north, so where was this love then?

As head of State, Babangida took a once secular Nigeria, dead in the middle of the night, into the membership of Organization of Islamic Conference(OIC) and forgot that Igbo people, 40 million of them strong, are majority Christians with a few animist religionists; yet he choose to rather forcibly Islamize the Igbo people he supposedly loves and against their will? As head of State, Babangida was nearly toppled by Gideon Orkar and company; in the process so many people were executed and few forced to commit suicide rather than be taken alive. To date Babangida has not told Nigeria how or what led to the death by suicide of Chief Ugochukwu, the Abalilkiti of Umunze and proprietor of then Ugo Foam; yet Babangida loves Igbo people? When Babangida was forced to step aside, he did not appoint a person from 'the people he loves' as interim head of government of Nigeria; instead he looked West to make his choice and imposed Ernest Shonekan on Nigeria. So where was this love then? Again in 1999 when an Igbo man Alex Ekwueme was almost clinching the PDP presidential ticket, Babangida again rose to thwart this Igbo man'e effort, preferring instead to hand the ticket and by extension the presidency over to Obasanjo; yet he loves the Igbo people? Icheoku asks where was this love then?

Babangida is again running for presidential election in 2011 and who did he appoint as his campaign director, a person not from his "beloved" Igbo people? Dokpesi is not an Igbo-sounding name nor has he ever made pretensions as to his allegiance to the people of the SOuth East; yet Babangida ignored his loved Igbo people and made his 'enemy' his director? Icheoku says that report had it that Babangida had planned to marshall his campaign through the Yoruba Western States of Ogun or Oyo, with Gbenga Daniel as his point man; but when the Yorubas conspired to confront him over June 12th and to remind his that MKO Abiola was one of their own, Babangida ran for cover scared-stiff because of previously abstracted promises. He made a u-turn and where did he run to but the East for political salvation. He took his private plane airborne and landed in Enugu to visit with the peoples General Odumegwu Ojukwu, where he condescendingly mouthed the word, "tell your people "I love them!"

Icheoku says, this Babangida is so full of it and thinks that an aged Maradona, at 70, can out-dribble all Igbo intelligence put together and prevent them from seeing through the fog of his desperation. Not this time Babangida, as your sins have finally caught up with you and are yelling for the holding of you accountable; if only President Jonathan has some balls, may be your silence would have long ago been secured as a trade-off for your freedom. The other good news however is that Ojukwu does not speak for the entire Igbo nation as the republicanism of the Igbo man continues to be alive and well. So irrespective of whatever promises Babangida might have extracted from Ojukwu on behalf of Ndigbo, the Igbo people will do the right thing at the right time and shall reject Babangida for his numerous infra-digs against Nigeria and for this attempt to pull a wool over their eyes by alleging his "unfounded love for the Igbo people."

Concluding, Icheoku emphasis that Igbo people know who their true and genuine friends are and that fortunately enough, Mallam Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, the evil-genius, is not one of them. That he conscripted into a war-marriage a beautiful Igbo gem, Maryam, during his plundering days as a Colonel in then Nigerian Army waging an atrocious war against Biafra alone, does not make him a beloved son-inlaw of Ndigbo. At best it qualifies him as an adopted son-inlaw of Ndigbo but nothing more; needless to say a friend, as no sane person craves such a murderous friendship of a man known to have stabbed his numerous friends in their backs. Once again, Icheoku reminds Ndigbo that MKO Abiola warned Nigerians to beware of Babangida, stating that 'with a friend like IBB, no one needs an enemy'. So my dear Igbo people of South East Nigeria you must be fully advised of this Abiola's espoused time-tested truism about the person of the crazed-out toothy monster of Minna, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and deal with him with a ten-foot totem pole, if at all. Babangida does not love the Igbo people and at best could pass for a green snake in a green grass waiting to strike! Reject Babangida's love; reject his candidacy, reject his presidency, never again Babangida!

INDIA 2010 COMMONWEALTH GAMES VILLAGE, FILTHY AND UNINHABITABLE!

With just a few days to the October 3 - 14, 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, the host country preparation for the games has been described as sub-par. According to the Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper, the Athletes Village is “filthy and uninhabitable!” Icheoku says, it must be scenes from 'Slumdog Millionaire' come alive! But in order not to be outwitted, an Indian official responded that "India have their own standards of cleanliness and that the West should not dictate to India their own imperatives." To this Icheoku says to India, stuff it as the standard and meaning of hygiene anywhere remains the same and accommodates of no shortfalls. Either India cleans up their act or the game be cancelled or moved elsewhere; even to Pakistan if that will drive the message home to Hindustanis that their being too many, poor and dirty should not be an excuse!

RACIST PRANK, A WHITE GIRL THROWS ACID ON SELF AND BLAMES BLACK GIRL!

As another white girl wrongly accuses a black person of inflicting a criminal injury on her, Icheoku says this is the second time it is happening in the recent past. A white girl in Vancouver Washington throws acid on herself and accuses a black woman of being responsible. It lead law enforcement agencies on a wild goose manhunt for the supposed criminal until investigation eventually led them back to her; thus the complainant becomes the accused. Icheoku says it seems de javu American 50s all over again and the lynching of innocent black people based on hoax perpetrated by racist white people comes to mind.

First was during the tail end of the 2008 McCain/Obama heated presidential campaign when a girl in Pennsylvania cut her face up with razor-blade and blamed a black man for the assault. Now it is this no-good white bimbo from Vancouver who went to the extent of throwing acid on her face and pointed accusatory fingers on one phantom black woman. Icheoku wonders the kind of hatred which was churning inside this girl's heart to lead her to the great extent of pouring acid on herself just to implicate a black person. Which but for the vigilance of some homeless people who witnessed her fall on the ground with no one by her side, would have led to another anti-black people sentimental emotional outburst in an increasingly more racist charged America ever since the advent of black President Obama.

The 28 year grocery store worker, Bethany Storro, concocted her tale from hell of a black woman assaulting her with a cup of acid and elicited sympathy and financial support from a gullible but sympathetic public; who rallied around to help pay her hospital expenses and rehabilitation; only to later find out that they have been duped by a wicked and racist soul who inflicted an acid attack on herself and blamed it on a black woman. Icheoku says not only is Bethany Storro "obviously dealing with some deep internal emotional and psychological problems" as alleged by her parents; but she is also a case study for a lunatic asylum where she needs to be long confined until she figures out the demon in her that pushed her into this path of infamy - accusing another person for the acid attack she levied on herself. Icheoku says the black community in Vancouver are rightfully indignant that another white girl claiming to be a crime victim had once again purposely and wrongfully placed an African-American person in jeopardy - the villain which fits the template of the usual suspect in America.

According to one commentator who is conversant with the usual police and criminal justice practices in America of presuming African Americans guilty as alleged, "this case is quite different as the police did not automatically accept she was telling the truth because she is white." Thanks to good old police investigative work that unraveled her story 'of a strange black woman throwing acid on her; who searched her home and car; wanted to know why no witnesses saw the attack; why the pattern of splash was not cognizant with the alleged throw and finally why the phony victim was wearing sunglasses after 7 pm as she alleged it was her sunglasses which she had bought immediately before the attack that saved her eyes.

On the final analysis, Icheoku says lets hope American criminal justice system will learn some lesson from this experience that many of those they rush through the harrowed criminal justice are sometimes not guilty of the crime they are convicted of. That so many people are languishing in the prison system today with many already executed wrongfully based on hoax perpetrated by racists white people as this self-inflicted acid injury by Bethany Storro of Vancouver Washington has shown. Icheoku prays that long after she is healed of her physical injuries that some permanent scar shall remain to serve as a constant reminder of her wicked act; and also that her pangs of guilt shall remain indelible. Bethany Storro shame on you, how low could you go to prove your racist wicked heart.

BABANGIDA'S PRESIDENTIAL QUEST, A VOYAGE DOOMED BEFORE IT SET SAIL!

When way back in 1999 this contributor wrote urging Nigerians not to acquiesce to the return of army man Olusegun Obasanjo back to power, as that will open the floodgates for all other army men to queue up waiting for their turn particularly Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. So many people told me to me to be real and branded my reservation against Obasanjo as the usual anti-Yoruba sentiments. Peradventure, Nigerians paid dearly for that grave mistake of allowing Obasanjo's comeback; which subsists till today. Obasanjo, having let the dogs out, another disgraced former army man has presented himself to Nigerians to plead his case to be let back into power.

The recent declaration of the resident evil, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, for the presidency of Nigeria is not only an affront on Nigerians but a bad example of what happens when a people do not stand firm against evil. Had Nigerians remembered what Olusegun Obasanjo did in the 70s particularly his repression of students and other trade unions which led to "Ali must go" riot of 1978; and rejected his candidacy then in 1999, there is no way in hell that Ibrahim Babangida would have ventured on the same thorough-fare to Aso Rock now. But a 'monkey see monkey do' mentality has now spurred Babangida to want to match and possibly outdo Obasanjo's ruling record, with his declaration to rule Nigeria as her elected president in 2011. But Babangida will be surprised at the abysmal failure his campaign will receive in the hands of the Nigeria people at the polls, assuming he doesn't chicken out before the d-day as has become his customary cowardly stock-in-trade practice. And to make matters worst, this self-styled prince of Minna is jumping the gun and instead of doing first things first, he is pretending the preliminary imperative can easily be glossed over. Icheoku says, Babangida before you seriously get involved in your presidential pipe-dream, please first explain in detail to the Nigerian people, why your previous eight years first coming to power was such an atrocious experience for Nigerians; thereafter apologize profusely to them for the sweat and blood which you took away from them.

A good place to start is to explain why June 12th ended in flames; and mindful that it was Nigerians mandate held in trust by Abiola that you messed up, apologize and ask for their forgiveness. Then visit UruEkpen and ask Dele Giwa's people to please forgive you for murdering their son or better still for being the man in-charge in Nigeria when their son was brutally parcel bombed. Then tell Nigerians that your scorning Oputa panel was out of your rascally misbehavior and that you have since grown up and now no longer a hot head or so explosively ill mannered and tempered. Then tell Nigerians that admitted you took control of $12billion of their money, that you used it to develop Abuja and nest your retirement; that you are not arguing or trying to justify any of your evil actions but merely asking for their understanding and peradventure, forgiveness. That Mamman Vasta, Gideon Orkar and co were victims of an army survival tactics which you learnt in Defence Academy? That those army officers that you killed in Ejigbo faked military plane crash also had to go because of security imperatives. And that all the money you amassed were not Nigerians' money but kickbacks you got from being a corrupt head of state and that they should understand and please forgive your poor judgment. Lastly that you surreptitiously took Nigeria into OIC (Orgnization of Islamic Countries) membership not out of your free will but out of instigation of Saudi Arabia; that you will use all powers within your authority to withdraw them as soon as you are inaugurated. Except that such a day of your official oath taking as Nigeria's president shall never arise as you are both unelectable and heavily disliked and hated by every sane Nigerian.

Now Babangida, Icheoku wants you to know that the beef Nigerians have with you is not necessarily because of your numerous acts of misdeeds while in office, but for your arrant and arrogant refusal to ask for their forgiveness, atone for your sins and make amends. Nigerians are a forgiving bunch and if only Babangida has come genuflecting before the wronged millions of Nigerians, all these army lined against his candidacy would have been unarmed and of peace keeping nature than the present one firing on all cylinders. Regrettably, Babangia and his handlers do not get it and are not getting it - the real reason why the resistance against him is so goal-directed, fierce and widely spread; otherwise he would have long adjusted his strategy and come before Nigerians, humbled and in tears, plead for their forgiveness. That is the only way Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida would and could jump-start his near dead on arrival presidential effort and securing power again in Nigeria. Anything short of this is not necessary as they are efforts in futility akin to putting the cart before the horse. If Babangida wants to plant a farm of Nigerians, he must first cultivate it and this is the missing link of his lacklustre campaign efforts this far. It does not matter how many times he flies to Enugu in his ill-gotten private plane to meet with Ojukwu or to the West to meet some other Yoruba leaders or to the north to meet with some emirs; Icheoku says until he resolves his problem with Nigerians and apologizes to them, he is just wasting his time.

The rehashed speech at his declaration of intent notwithstanding, Icheoku fact-checks as follows:- the situation Nigerians face today are minor compared to what they were forced to endure during Babangida's eight long years of murderous regime; that nothing infrastructural was developed then; that power supply was the ever "never expect power always" and so was telephony and other communications, which led to his then communication minister David Mark, the now senate president to once say that 'telephone is not for the poor;' that Babangida never harnessed the abundant human resources available in Nigeria instead he was busy blowing them away with parcel bombs; that instead of encouraging education he was in constant war with higher institutions, arresting and jailing students union members as well as Academic Staff Union officials including the current INEC chairman Attahiru Jega; and corruption was midwifed by Babangida as his own beloved child. So Icheoku does not see how Babangida would kill what he gave birth to or better still, let Babangida show leadership by example by explaining to Nigerians how he came about his humongous fortune including a private jet? Babangida Icheoku says it is either you do what is expected of you - apologize to Nigerians for your regimental misdeeds especially the political roller-coaster ride that ended in June 12th annulment or just forget about the 2011 presidency. Just in case you need to be reminded, Nigerians have since passed their verdict - they do not want to relive the nightmare that was your first coming and are now tone-deaf to whatever message you may have, get it! What a politically damaged good this toothy-fairy, evil-incarnate is; and he doesn't even appreciate the enormity of the hate Nigerians nurse for him.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN FORMALLY DECLARES HIS 2011 PRESIDENTIAL RUN.

In a thought provoking sanctimonious parody similar or rather borrowing heavily from America politicians, Nigeria's President Goodluck Ebelechuku Azikwe Jonathan offered himself for the office of the president of Nigeria in 2011; emphasizing his "never despaired" zeal and his desire to "keep hope alive; but without however paying tribute to either Reverend Jackson or President Obama for their borrowed inspirational one liners. Icheoku would have rather the zoning arrangement of the PDP was sustained, allowing the north to complete their eight years term of office; but instead of the resident-evil of Nigeria, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida ever smelling power again in Nigeria, let anybody, including President Goodluck Ebelechuku Azikwe Jonathan be the president. On this note, Icheoku wishes GEAJ God's speed!

OLUSOLA SARAKI HIJACKS KWARA STATE, CONVERTS IT INTO HIS PERSONAL FIEFDOM!

"Some uninformed minds have been saying a woman cannot govern a state with sizable numbers of Muslims. They have forgotten that she is not coming to be an Imam." With this statement, the fabled godfather of Kwara State politics, Olusola Saraki, endorsed his daughter and sister to the current governor, Gbemisola Saraki, as the state's next governor. She will succeed her brother, Bukola Saraki, following his termed out eight years in office. And the soon to be ex-governor is angling for the presidency and Icheoku wonders why this Saraki family thinks that they are the rulers of men.

It appears that Olusola Saraki has learnt well from the House of Saud on how to convert territories into a family entity, such that his daughter should now succeed his son as also governor of Kwara State respectively; and you ask yourself, does the Saraki family own Kwara State? Icheoku says what a pity that Kwarans have allowed themselves become enslaved by this family who have now fully and completely emasculated them; hijacking their state in the process.

Even the United States of America storied political Bush family fades in comparison with the blatancy of the Sarakis; at least the Bushes were not such impositions as Bush junior came two terms after Bush senior left office and the other Governor Jeb Bush served in Florida and not Texas; all practically on their own merits. And this hybrid Kwara State (half Hausa/Fulani North and half Yoruba West) is proud of their present sissy-status and hostile take-over by the Sarakis? Icheoku says, 'I don't think so!

NUHU RIBADU IS A FRAUD, ACCEPTS STOLEN MONEY FROM POLITICIANS?

As then EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu once said concerning former governor Bolaji Tinubu of Lagos State, "Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu's corruption is of international dimension!" But now as a fake politician and a hopeless presidential candidate/president wanna be, who is being sponsored by the same 'thieving' Bola Tinubu, the skinny mallam from Taraba State has made a shameful about-turn; engaging in a somersault of gargantuan proportion.

Responding to a reporter's question on how to reconcile his previous public stand and indictment of Bola Tinubu when he was EFCC chairman and his now receiving so many perks from the same Bola Tinubu, including a planned sponsorship of his presidential crawl, Nuhu Ribadu quipped, "I won’t bother myself with the integrity of politicians that will sponsor my campaign.” Icheoku cries holly macro, and says what an irony of life that a man's tide could be so easily swayed and in this horrible fashion; sending a rising political neophyte plummeting back into the cesspool of now political untouchables? Which politician in the entire global political firmament would have answered a curve-ball question in such an unfiring-brain manner? Nuhu Ribadu just committed a political suicide as he unwittingly decimated the only thing he prides himself as having - incorruptible candor? Icheoku adds, whether or not 'the money was put in Ribadu's pocket' or used to facilitate his movement and/or his fantasy political aspiration is immaterial, since the source of the money, proceeds of Lagos State's looting; and the knowledge thereto that it was sources illegally is what controls culpability and Ribadu stands complicit.

Even the biblical Esau was not this complicit when he sold his birthright for a pot of porridge; as Nuhu Ribadu, the self-acclaimed anti-corruption 'saint' of yesterday have now turned himself into an accessory after the fact and beneficiary of Tinubu's stolen money largesse? Or should Icheoku say, a receiver of stolen goods since the money which Tinubu allegedly stole belonged to Lagos State and Nuhu Ribadu, despite being fully aware of the source of the money, is now partaking of its drunken-sailor like profligacious spending? According to necessary implication of this Nuhu Ribadu's pathetic answer, 'Bolaji Tinubu's sins of looting Lagos State's coffers has been forgiven, because some of the stolen money has now been laundered into sponsoring his (Nuhu Ribadu) journey to Nigeria's presidency; and Icheoku might as well add, only in his malaria induced fantasy dreams of sort.

Ordinarily Icheoku would not have bathed an eyelid about Nuhu Ribadu and his confused state of arrogant assumption of importance, but because this very sanctimonious, holier than thou and overtly over-ambitious mallam, Nuhu Ribadu, a duckling who thought that having feathers alone makes him an eagle, has been deceiving Nigerians with his hallucinatory impeccable character and for too long. This slip-off, an uncouth and unintelligent response to an honest question really exposes the underbelly, the constitution and the very core of this Islamic fraud, Nuhu Ribadu; who has by this particular flip-flop now undeniably proved himself to be a conman trying to pull a wool over the eyes of Nigerians. Icheoku says, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has been living a lie as to his character traits, since he who freely partakes in crime proceeds might as well become the criminal.

Nuhu Ribadu is currently jobless and someone has been bankrolling his expenses, including flying around in Nigeria to deliver his useless talks/lectures ever since he went back to Nigeria from his publicity exile, so Icheoku wants to know who this person/s is/are; or better still the source of his funding? Nuhu Ribadu's changed position with regards to his previously investigated and indicted Bolaji Tinubu, shows clearly that he has no scruples with spending stolen money despite his claims of high morality and being above board. Icheoku queries, could it be an evidence that the resident-evil of Nigeria, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, was indeed right for once when he said that "Gani Fawehimni was the only one Nigerian that has no price tag"; and if Icheoku may, does anyone know how much it cost Bolaji Tinubu to purchase Nuhu Ribadu?

In short some of us were never deceived by the plotting, conniving and scheming of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as we knew since that he was no different from all those politicians and bankers he was hounding for corruption as then EFCC chairman. Now that the wind has blown and exposed the chicken's ass, Nigerians have seen how the same former anti-corruption czar Nuhu Ribadu has conveniently and comfortably joined the same corrupt men and women he was deriding on the dinning table for dinner, both of which were bought with stolen money? Icheoku flatly declares, 'he who partakes of crime proceeds is also a criminal' and Nuhu Ribadu should convince Nigerians otherwise. And this anorexic Islamic northern Nigerian mallam said he wants to rule Nigeria, what a pathetic and pitiable proposition indeed only realizable in his la-la dreamland!

SARAH PALIN GOES ROGUE ON REPUBLICAN PARTY, STEALS THEIR THUNDER!

If the statement "beware of what you wish for" has ever been true, the Republican Party are sure feeling it right now, as they helplessly watch in awe as the animal killer kills off their preferred candidates in the Republican primaries nationwide. Her latest victim is the 9th term Congressman of Delaware, Mike Castle who lost to Palin's candidate Christine O'Donnell.

The "mavericky" air-head beauty queen, who the Republican Party uprooted from her enclave in Alaskan tundra has sprung unwanted rude shock of a surprise on Republicans and has stolen their mojo right from underneath their very own eyes. Her instrument of choice - the Tea Party; which she has used now to successfully hijacked whatever remains of the soul of the Republican Party. In its stead, a Taliban-type of extremism is being foist which admits of no compromise or any meeting grounds. What a house divided between this rabid extremism and those few more rational ones in the Republican Party who would rather not voice out publicly what they are really thinking.

To Sarah Palin, Icheoku says, big thank you for now killing the Republican brand the same way you drove a dagger right through the chest of the McCain presidential ambition. Hopefully, from their ashes shall arise a full fledged Tea Party whose membership are not shy about the monolithic America they would rather reconstitute, de-javu 1773. Way to go, Mama Grizzly!

SENATE PRESIDENT KEN NNAMANI, PLEASE NOT IN OUR NAME!

Icheoku believes in freedom and that anyone should be free to associate with anybody as he or she may deem fit and proper. But the case of the former Senate President Ken Nnamani bringing the rear for Babangida at his declaration of intent for president party, Icheoku finds it extremely objectionable and unacceptable.

No one wants to relive the Ebitu Ukiwe experience again as Babangida cannot be trusted - his words is not worth any weight in gold - none, nada, zilch! Ken Nnamani represents something bigger and greater than just himself and he should have factored this in before publicly humiliating himself in this manner. Babangida is a pariah, public enemy No1 and cannot be elected, so why would Ken damage his battle-tested reputation in this pathetic way. Henceforth Nigerians and the world will see him as one of those errand boys of Babangida with its attendant odium; or is he waiting for the illusory Babangida's promise of Igbo presidency in 2015 with him as the candidate?

The good news is that his very constituency, those who believes in Babangida and would want him elected, is very infinitesimal compared to the school of smarts that are praying for his misfortune, Babangida that is. Caveat: this is not in any way our endorsement of President Jonathan; no, only that a more credible northern candidate should have been brought to complete Yar'Adua's northern turn and allow the wheel of rotation to continue to turn to a much stable Nigeria where peace, love and equity will reign supreme. But for Jonathan to appropriate the presidency just because he can is simply morally wrong, unfair and regrettable.

PALIN-BECK 2012, TEA PARTY FINALLY SUPPLANTS THE REPUBLICAN TICKET?

Icheoku says the sign is very ominous for the 'soon to go out of existence' Republican Party as the monster they created out of Alaska have now turned around to consume them. One popular word of advise usually admonishes people to "beware of what they wish for;" and Icheoku strongly believes that the Republican Party establishment must now be regretting and privately cursing Senator John McCain for unleashing an untamed tigress on the party and by extension the nation in general.

Sarah Palin, even while she was running with Senator John McCain as his vice presidential candidate always displayed through her demeanor and emotion that she was not comfortable playing a second role for anyone or capable of towing a strict party guidelines or studiously following any script. She is simply a free radical which is now threatening the very foundation of the Republican Party. This led to the failure of the flight of that Team of Mavericks to launch; and ever since that uneventful and lackluster campaign, the lady who kills animals in Alaska have been fighting a one-lady's war to establish herself for who she is and not to be continously known nationally as Senator John McCain's running mate. Since that their failed attempt to capture the White House and her denied concession speech, the moose-killer of Alaska has been crawling and gnawing to get herself where she really wants to be. Icheoku most reluctantly and with envy, announces here that Sara Palin is very much at home with the Tea Party; we urge her to jettisoned the good old white boys Republican Party and take her Tea Party to the next level - the immediate registration of it as a third party, the ultra conservative right wing party.

Icheoku is saying in essence that Sarah 'Airhead' Palin has by her induced political earthquake in Delaware that shook away Mike Castle now fully asserted herself as she over-ran the Republican Party despite its machine and cash. In its place she has institutionalized her version of a pure ultra-nationalistic conservative movement called the Tea Party. Her backed candidate in the Delaware Republican primaries, a political freshman and novitiate Christine O'Donnell triumphed over Republican backed candidate, a 9th term congressman with all the blessings and cash of the RNC. Her victory today, including other of her backed candidates victories in Nevada, Alaska, South Carolina, Kentucky says in effect, anyone in the Republican Party who is still dismissive of Sarah Palin's conservative powers better beware except he/she is merely delusional and living in a land of disbelief. Put in another way, Sarah Palin has hijacked the Republican Party and instead of keeping it, has transmuted it to the new Tea Party; on which platform she plans to run for election 2012. But with who shall Palin run, Glen Beck of course; and the Democrats might as well start planning their election 2012 campaign around this possibility and competing against the duo of Sarah Palin and Glen Beck.

'JENNY FROM THE BLOCK' AS NEW AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE, I DON'T THINK SO?

Icheoku says the rumored recruitment of Jennifer Lopez as the next American Idol judge will be the final nail on the coffin of the comatose musical talent-hunt show. When the whole world was beginning to think that Fox and co has finally got their act together with the firing of Kara DioGuardia, here comes another bummer, JLo.

Icheoku says emphatically that Jennifer Lopez with her notorious lip-singing, P.Diddy's episode and the fact that her musical appeal is not universal and can hardly pass for a natural herself will sing the final requiem for American Idol. And as stated before, until Paula Abdul is brought back

Icheoku is tuning out together with our numerous visitors. Losing Simon Cowell is already tragic enough and without Paula Abdul and now JLo, Fox should just forget about it. Icheoku says Jennifer Lopez is a very wrong choice or couldn't Fox afford the lovable and indefatigable Lady Gaga, if they really want a bounce!

IGP OGBONNA ONOVO, THE REAL REASON WHY HE WAS REMOVED!

In a short two word sentence - election 2011. Plans by the Jonathan cabal to easily retain President Jonathan in office in 2011 caused the removal of IGP Ogbonna Onovo from office and the subsequent catapulting of AIG Hafiz Ringim to the high office of the IGP.Hafiz Ringim, a man who had once, as then commissioner of police in Bayelsa State, helped the then deputy governor Goodluck Ebelechuku Jonathan successfully execute a civilian coup alongside Olusegun Obasanjo against his former boss, then Governor DSP Diepriye Alamieyesigha. Now the same hatchet-man Hafiz Ringim is being positioned to facilitate the smooth and unhindered 'election' of President Jonathan as Nigeria's president in 2011?

Icheoku says the cries and shouting of President Jonathan about an impending free and fair elections in 2011 notwithstanding, the facts on the grounds suggests that rigging of the coming elections have already begun; with this Hafiz Ringim as the icing on the cake of a rigged election. The cries of 'free and fair election' tactics is being deployed as a ruse to confuse the Nigerian public over a predetermined outcome by a president who has learnt so well from his political godfather Aremu Matthew Okikiliomo Olusegun Obasanjo. Icheoku says any Nigerian thinking that President Goodluck Jonathan is a saint or political novitiate must be delusional and might as well have landed from Mars where he has been since 1999 not to appreciate the conniving qualities of this cool as cucumber political operative from Bayelsa State now president by providence of Nigeria Republic.

Talk about rigging the forth coming elections and the hand-writing on the wall is not good; as the promised free and fair elections cannot be guaranteed nor was it meant to be achieved. With the notorious Mr. Fix It Anthony Anenih directing operations from within the "Elect President Jonathan campaign establishment," which has now led to the appointment of Hafiz Ringim in an all out bid to retain President Jonathan in office come 2011, there is no way in Hell the 2011 election will be free and fair. What other place to start in paving the way for rigging of the coming elections than to start removing every suspected and perceived stumbling blocks that might constitute a hinderance on the way to Aso Rock 2011. Bleeping on their radar of obstacle finding is the disciplined former IGP Ogbonna Onovo who has through elections conducted in Edo, Ekiti and Anambra States proved that he cannot be compromised and that free elections is still possible in Nigeria. Team Jonathan's decision, take care of this apparent "spoiler" before it is too late as they are not ready to accept or even entertain the possibility of yielding Aso Rock in 2011 and anything that poses any possible snag or threat must and should be taken care of immediately and now. Their verdict, IGP Onovo has to go and in order to make it appear normal, the service chiefs has to follow in tandem since they are not prepared to take any chances as the 2011 date with history approaches.

Convinced that IGP Onovo will stand his ground and not play ball when the time comes, they decided to shove him aside to make way for their team-player - a tested and trusted hand who have been used before on a similar assignment. Team Jonathan settled for a junior officer, an AIG, below seven other senior DIGs and an AIG; a person who is more pliable and who can be easily used to achieve a certain predetermined outcome in 2011. Icheoku is emphatic that election riggers of Nigeria who populate the PDP especially the Tony Anenih led Jonathan's campaign insiders advisory team were responsible for the sacking of IGP Onovo to make way for their malleable right hand man Hafiz Ringim. Icheoku is urging Nigerians and the Igbo nation to disregard the dummy sold to them that it was because of the young IGP Onovo's administration inability to completely reign in banditry of armed robbery and kidnapping especially in the South East that he was removed. If still in doubt, ask yourself this innocuously simple question, if truly it was because of the unabated criminality particularly in the South East that led to IGP Onovo's removal, why then on earth was it that the same AIG Hafiz Ringim in charge of South East Zone 9, who was tasked by Onovo with policing the same South East that was now elevated to the new IGP position? Where is the logic that an AIG that had direct responsibility to tackle crimes in the South East was spared the rod but his boss in Abuja was held responsible for his deficiencies of direct policing that led to the increase crimes in the South East; and to make matters worst, the same AIG is now rewarded with the post of the IGP, instead of also being fired assuming the logic and reason of high crimes and incompetence is true.

It does not make any sense and defies every logic, clear thought and common sense applied towards understanding the permutations of IGP Onovo's removal. It would have been otherwise if another AIG of another zone was made the new IGP; but for Hafiz RIngim who was in charge of the crime-infested South East Zone 9 to now replace IGP Onovo who was accused of not ridding the South East of criminalities, it smells very fishy. Nigerians will only come to find out when it is already too late after the 2011 elections with police-assisted massive rigging that President Jonathan took them for a sucker with this firing of IGP Onovo and the appointment of Hafiz Ringim. There are smoking guns everywhere which points to some other ulterior motives behind IGP Onovo's unexplained removal and the appointment of Hafiz Ringim as a replacement, except that Nigeria lacks investigative journalists who could rifle out buried facts; as many of them have now settled for news for cash or news that comes with special packaged "transport money" and have thus compromised the quality of news they disseminate. Just try to add it up and it is impossible to get a working sum.

It would also appear that the Igbo nation has not particularly fared well under President Jonathan's administration with successive Igbo men and women removed from office and replaced by other peoples of Nigeria. Also his ministerial list did away with the Igbos occupying prominent positions unlike during the late President Yar'Adua's era and even during Olusegun Obasanjo's government when Igbos featured very prominently. Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe was replaced with a non Igbo; NCC Ernest Ndukwe was replaced with non Igbo; INEC's Maurice Iwu was replaced with non Igbo; NSE Onyiuke was replaced with non Igbo; Chief of Defence Staff Dike was replaced with non Igbo and now IGP Onovo has now again been replaced with non Igbo. It is also on record that no Igbo person is a member of the President's inner "kitchen" advisory team such as special adviser or assistant or a minister within the presidency.

During Obasanjo time in office, Igbos were Central bank governor, Finance Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister, Special Assistants, Aviation Minister, Economic Adviser, Defence Minister just to name a few. During Yar'Adua's administration, Igbos were appointed as Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Education, Health, Commerce & Industry, etc as well as junior ministers. Admitted that under Jonathan administration, Igbos were appointed to Internal Affairs, Immigration and now Army Chief, but compared to other zones, the South East has not faired any much better under his administration. Even the expected elevation of Barthlomew Nnaji as Power Minister never materialized as a Northerner was later brought in to head the ministry after Jonathan relinquished control. The same applies to all the board and parastatals membership being filled by Jonathan's administration; and when you think that the second River Niger bridge is still a pipe-dream as well as the deplorable condition of roads in the South East including the Oji River power station which has not been activated, then the whole picture is painted of someone not particularly warmed up to the Igbo nation.

Icheoku also finds some agreement with the assessment of the former Lagos State commissioner of police Alhaji Abubakar Tsav that the "appointment of Hafiz Ringim, an Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) as the new Inspector-General of Police is insincere and a payback to someone who aided President Goodluck Jonathan to begin his journey to the presidency." According to Tsav, "we are talking of reformation of the police, and Mr Ogbonna Onovo who is doing his best to achieve this is not only removed but all his Deputy Inspector Generals DIGs and senior AIGs are being swept away by the tide to create room for an officer who made it possible for Jonathan to succeed Alamieyeseigha as governor after Obasanjo's carefully schemed impeachment." What a bulls-eye analysis of the politics behind IGP Onovo's removal; anyone still groping for the reason behind IGP Onovo's sudden removal should look no further as it lacked any plausible explanation due to who was appointed in his stead; - a junior officer tainted by then Deputy Governor Goodluck Jonathan's civilian coup in Bayelsa State and the unabated criminality in his controlled South East Zone 9.

It also does not make sense that an AIG who has less than 18 months to his retirement from the force would be a preferred choice for the office of the IGP when they are several DIGs and a senior AIG with much longer time left in their service; who would now be forced to summarily retire to make way for their junior officer to freely deliver on the assignment of a Jonathan's 2011 presidential election. The only plausible explanation for this convulsion is that AIG Hafiz Ringim is a hatchet-man being deployed for a specific assignment - to allow President Jonathan's people a free reign with rigging the next 2011 election in his favor, period! And if as some of his apologists are wont to argue that he rightly swept away all the chiefs including IGP Onovo, Icheoku asks why did he spare the Customs chief, a man allegedly working with a forged certificate? Why was Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko not removed if the mass sacking is true and not a targeted removal just to cut some people to size and not allow them two voices in the security council? Why was Petrini retained, etc. But Nigerians should seize themselves of one commentator's observation that "Jonathan’s wholesale tinkering with the leadership of the armed forces, law enforcement and security agency adds to the perception that the first stages of the rigging may well be underway." And whether or not Icheoku's fears and suspicions as well as that of other commentators are well founded lies in the womb of time of the 2011 elections; and how it will go down as the most rigged election in the annals of Nigeria democratic history!