OUR FREEDOM-THEMED HOLIDAY MESSAGE, BE THAT ONE !

Our Lord Jesus Christ self-exampled that you are guaranteed as much freedom as you are prepared to pay for,  hence he sacrificed himself to purchase mankind's eternal salvation. So as you continue to cower in fear of your fellow human-being, who peradventure, happens to be in a temporal authority over you today; and like a cry-baby, looking for someone to bell the cat for you, just remember that the slave-master thrives on intimidation; and until you rise up and say ENOUGH, he will continue to hound you down with his cudgel into slavish submission. 

Remember the saying that you get what you pay for and there is no free lunch anywhere in the world. If you want something so badly, then go get it, freedom included. If in doubt ask Nelson Mandela of South Africa what the price for freedom is all about. Martin Luther King Jr also bargained hard for minority freedom in America likewise so many world famous freedom fighters of this world. Myammar's Aung Sui Kyuu is also one such heroine who took it severally and in all forms including years of isolated house arrest in order to get it; and surely the country formerly known as Burma has progressed enough in allowing freedom for the people as to earn a recent visit by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Icheoku says such would not have been possible but for the selfless sacrifice of Aung, who by her unwavering resolve has earned freedom for her Burmese people. 

Mohamed Bouazizi purchased freedom for Tunisians by a selfless sacrifice of self-immolation, which led hundreds of thousands of Tunisians to claim it. Who could have previously imagined in their widest dream that an ordinary street vendor or hawker of wares named Bouaziz, was capable of bringing down the government of dictator Ben Ali of Tunisia? So as you ponder quiveringly about what difference you could make to effect change in the society, always look unto the Mr Bouazizi of Tunisia of this world to see what it takes to bring about a desired and desirable change - simply a will to make a difference. Following Mr Bouazizi's inspired Tunisian peoples lead, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians bought their freedom from Hosni Murbarak; which was copied in Libya and Yemen while the struggle continues today in Syria. Icheoku knows and believes that someday very soon, the Syrian people shall be free of Bashir Assad's shackles and so would all other freedom loving peoples of the world, currently living in tepid fear of a Lord of the Manor in their land. Even the Russians are now no longer intimidated by their petite spy-chief Vladimir Putin as they took to the streets to tell Putin that Russia is not his ordinary third world country where the dictates of just one man holds sway. 

Hopefully those two men, Medvedev and Putin, trading offices or places in Kremlin and toying with the people of mother Russia shall read the handwriting on the wall before a tornado of the peoples revolution sweeps them both into the abys of history. It has happened before in Russia with the Bolskevik revolution so the chances of it happening again is not too remote. Icheoku calls on Vladimir Putin to respect the top-ranking status of Russia among the comity of nations and just do the right thing for and by the people of Russia. Putin, a recycled leader of Russia, is not such a flattering name for him to possess; and should therefore avoid it at whatever cost to his ego. Better still, what did Vladimir Putin forgot inside of Kremlin president's office that he wants to now go get. Icheoku just finds it too hard to understand that Vladimir Putin thinks he is the it in Russia and the only thing good for mother Russia. Before Putin were so many leaders and long after old age or even death shall conscript him and force him out, there will still be several leaders to guide and pilot the affairs in Russia. 

It is usually not going to be easy but broken bones mend. As is usually the case, most always, you will survive to become a greater being, more than you were when they took you captive. And assuming the worse comes to worst, everyone dies and only once; so what if you pay the ultimate sacrifice for what you believe? As you celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the expectant arrival of the new year 2012, please ask yourself how can you help tame or stop the oppressor holding you down today and stop waiting for another Jesus Christ to do it for you. One more thing, Times Magazine was coy in naming a faceless protester as its person of the year 2011 since Tunisia's Mohamed Bouazizi aptly qualified as such person of the year; the fact that his selfless act which triggered the Arab Spring revolution took place in late 2010, nothwithstanding. Therefore by the powers conferred upon Icheoku by our many visitors and admirers, as well as critics for good measure, Icheoku hereby names Arab Spring revolutionary, Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia, as Icheoku's person of the year 2011. He deserves a statute erected in his honor in Tunis's city center as well as have a national holiday declared and observed in his honor. Mohamed Bouazizi was made of a sterner stuff and by his selfless act, have triggered the transformation of the political landscape of the Arab world and have thus transmuted into a legend.

It is being an awesome ride so far, especially this year 2011 and we hope to continue to strive to earn your visits to Icheoku.com. in the new year and many years to come. We appreciate you dearly, inclusive our critics who sometimes are so damn brutal with their acerbic comments. But hey, out of the furnace comes the steel, so keep the darts coming. Happy Holidays and see you in the new year. Off to vacation!

Sincerely,

Facilitator, Icheoku.com