BAMIDELE ATURU, LIFE IS A JOURNEY NOT A DESTINATION?

Icheoku says fortunately for him he was pulled off the line when he was on top of his game, the ovation loudest and was a well known happened on the Nigerian stage. From birth when we all enter the world to begin this journey called life, until we make our exit through death, everything in between is but rest stops and detours en-route our final valediction. Icheoku maintains that the entire human race, like a hamster on a wheel, is on a race to no where. They are all on a journey with no apparent destination and are intermittently, serially, pulled out from the line as the maker chooses. The number of Bamidele Aturu Esquire has come up in the home-coming roster and his journey has now petered to a stop. Icheoku says RIP Bam.

Like few other Nigerians with conscience who came before him, Bamidele came, Bamidele saw, but regrettably Bamidele did not conquer the many societal ills and decadence pervading Nigeria before he took his final bow; admitted he kept fighting till the very end. Gani Fawehinmi preceded him; likewise Tai Solarin; then there was Beko Ransome Kuti's effort which also failed; Chima Ubani gave it his all but also did not succeed; ditto Ebami Eda Fela Anikulapo Kuti just to mention the prominent VERY FEW. Now Bamidele Aturu has also joined the list of this select few Nigerians who desperately wanted and tirelessly worked to affect change in a polity that considered their breed very threatening and thus frustrated them. Icheoku says all these people shared a common passion - they frowned at the decay that is the Nigerian society and set out to do something about it. 

But unfortunately, it is usually very difficult to lit a candle in a dark, dank and daft society where more than 99.9% of the populace prefer to maintain the status-quo and obstinately refused to be mobilized to help change the society for the better. Icheoku says these humanists did not fail for lack of trying or for not pushing hard enough. No, they failed because a septic society in which they unfortunately found themselves was not ready or willing to change. Instead, they turned against them, branded them radicals and socialists and communists who must be stopped at all cost and thus became very hostile and full-throttled in their resistant to their noble effort. Icheoku says this apathy on the part of greater Nigerians is the primary reason why these few well intention-ed Nigerians, who shouted themselves hoarse for a new order but were ignored, often died unfulfilled, downcast and broken-hearted. This is now the lot of Bamidele Aturu as he joins his fellow past travelers, who traversed through the Nigeria unforgiving terrain, a terrain populated by impervious to change human-beings.

Bamidele Aturu allegedly died from 'fatigue and stress' related health complications? Icheoku have always wondered how so many Nigerians survive the pressure-cooker of an environment that is the Nigerian society? Admitted that some locals might attribute his death to "remote controlled" African magic, but Icheoku is certain that acute 'fatigue and stress' could trigger such convulsive pressure on the human physiology that the heart or even the brain is forced to shut down due to some catastrophic trauma resulting in instant death. A brain aneurysm or arterial blood clot which cuts off blood supply to vital organs, resulting in massive stroke, could also be the culprit in his death? Ebola virus disease also sometimes manifests in similar instant shut down of vital organs resulting in instant death and possibly could also have been implicated in his death? However, Icheoku must move on from all these unhelpful speculations and defer to pathologists' autopsy to uncover the actual and conclusive cause of Bam's death. 

Icheoku says what is done is done and instead of hopelessly moaning Bam's loss, let those still walking the grounds of Nigerian find a way of prolonging their own lives through concerted regular medical check-ups and improved lifestyle; and then in memory of the dead, try to continue the good work he did while he lived. Icheoku says the best way to immortalize Bamidele Aturu is to carry on with the fight and struggle for a just and better society which he lived for and courageously fought for in his quest to enthrone a better, improved and "re-branded" Nigerian society, where the rule of law reigns supreme. By doing this, Bam would not have died in vain and this will go a long way in showing that he died fighting a worthy cause worthy of emulation.

However Icheoku disagrees and rejects Femi Falana's assertion that 'Bamidele Aturu's death is unbelievable' because every mortal was born to die and Bam is a mortal and therefore this needless doubt was mere pandering. Life is but an indeterminate journey, wherein individuals are accordingly plucked out as the maker deems fit and whenever He chooses. Although death at a relatively young age may be 'shocking' to those who do not believe in Rapture's teaching of suddenness of end of life, but for all those others who truly understand that there is no stipulation as to longevity, whenever it happens, it is always acceptable without question as a Divine's will. In other words, waxing philosophically, Icheoku says that there is nothing like "untimely death" or "sudden death" or "death come too early" as with any journey, it ends when it ends, period. This affirms the teachings of Master Jesus when he admonished mourners not to mourn like unbelievers and that they should leave the dead to bury themselves. Translation, let the dead move on and now allowed to rest while the living continues with their own journey, carrying their cross of staying alive until they reach their own end too. 

Icheoku says at least Bam lived and in the process left some imprints on the estate called Nigeria which he called home. Like many real activists, he was born an activist, he was a natural, a streak which manifested very early in his life. Bamidele's first noticeable thunder of activism was way back during his NYSC passing out parade when he refused to shake the hand of a military governor because he represented a military institution that is undemocratic and anti-people. Also Bam's ideas were revolutionary and he had the courage to push them regardless of the pains he suffered or the inconvenience they caused him. Unlike some later day mushroom activists, Bam was not a publicity seeking pretender to human rights activism in Nigeria. No, he was the real deal activist; he was as genuine as it gets and the real-estate of Nigeria attests to that. Whenever there was a noticeable flagrant abuse, he shouted, he litigated, he mobilized and he even marched on the streets in protest, refusing to be intimidated by the tear gases and cudgels of the oppressors of the Nigerian state. He did not do it because it was easy or convenient, he did it because it was the right thing to do and he did it without wavering; neither did he scurry away with tail tucked in between his legs when the heat became unbearably too hot and he did it until the end. His struggle against June 12th annulment and mobilization for restoration of democracy in Nigeria was of general knowledge. 

Like William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar said through Mark Anthony of Brutus, here was was a man, Icheoku says Bamidele Aturu was a human right activist extraordinaire. He was fashioned in the mold of Gani Fawehimni, admitted he was no Gani Fawehimni whose true likeness there is no fellow in the firmament of Nigeria. Bam also added value to law practice and the legal profession in Nigeria with some very insightful legal thoughts which were published in various Law reports as well as Newspapers; wherein he espoused and expressed valid opinions on how certain things could be done and made better, except that he preached to a deaf society which refused to listen. Icheoku says his foremost effort to affect a change in lawyers' garb in Nigeria, stopping lawyers from adorning wig and gown in a very hot climate, was frustrated by the same lawyers he was trying to help, many of who steadfastly believe that without the hood there is no monk; and that the wig and gown makes them different or enable them stand out from the commoners and ordinary Nigerian general populace. 

Icheoku laments that the dress-code which is still fashionable among lawyers in Nigeria has since been discarded in many civilized societies that has freed themselves of this British colonial vestige. A bequeath which makes lawyers' appearance rather 'too solemn and overtly drably encumbered' than advocates of the law, freely prying their trade unfettered by weighty dark gowns and scratching breached horse-hair wigs? The only good news is that such revolutionary idea often takes several eons after their thinker is gone to come to a general acceptance - the reason why some people are said to have been born ahead of their time. Icheoku is hopeful that like many other great ideas in life whose conception were initially resisted, the now departed Bamidele Aturu's questioned desirability of lawyers wearing wig and gown in such a hot climate as Nigeria, will one day come to a head with Nigerian lawyers asking themselves what have they been smoking all these years, garbed like melancholic undertakers? A purveyor of beautiful idea often die without experiencing the beauty of what he propagated come to fruition and Bamidele Aturu will not be an exception. So with Bam now gone, can the rest of us all who are still walking the walk learn to live our lives as if we will someday also die and pray it will be peaceful and less painful. Rest in Peace BAM and may your ideas live long and thrive, Adieu! 7/27/14

OYEGUN CRIES WOLF, KETTLE CALLING POT BLACK?

Press conference by APC chairman John Odigie Oyegun, Abuja, Wednesday, July 16th 2014 (attached as comment) - a response.

Icheoku says in the selective-amnesia pattern that is the trick of trade of very deceitful people, of remembering ONLY what they choose to remember, this man has forgotten how he was imposed on the APC by Ahmed Bola Tinubu's fiat? Instead, here he is, unabashedly, calling President Jonathan a dictator while feigning ignorance that the man he accepted the gift of APC chairmanship from is not a DEMOCRAT? Icheoku is baffled at how a man who parades himself as a man of God, Pastor Oyegun, could so vilely complain about a speck in another man's eye while ignoring the Iroko log in his own eye? According to this man, Bola Tinubu, the man who OWNS, OPERATES and DICTATES for everyone in APC is not a dictator but Jonathan is? Icheoku says if Jonathan is the face of dictatorship, then every country in the world that has seen and known dictatorship, including Nigeria during the heinous military regimes as well as the last Ota deity's regime (1999 - 2003), must demand an apology from the APC Chairman Pastor John Odigie-Oyegun for ridiculing their horrific and harried experience. 

Further, in the usual characteristics of the Almajiris Peoples Congress, typified by the now impeached Muritala Nyako's malicious accusation that President Jonathan is levying genocide on Northerners, Pastor Oyegun is now making another unfounded and unsubstantiated allegation against the president, of using financial inducements, running into several billions, to achieve the outcome that was Adamawa State Governor Nyako's impeachment? Icheoku says it is a trite rule of law that he who alleges something as a fact has the onus of proving or establishing the alleged; and we hereby call on Pastor Oyegun to produce irrefutable evidence of this financial inducement or eat his shoes in shame for deliberately misinforming his "flock" and trying to mislead them. Unfortunately this pastor forgot what the Lord said concerning intentionally misleading a people that looks upon certain persons as their guide, that it is preferable for such persons that a grinding stone be tied on their neck and weighted down the lake. 

Responding to another frivolous accusation of Pastor Oyegun, Icheoku says if any person or party is destroying or trying to destroy Nigeria, it must be the Janjaweed ideology party and its dictators that does not see anything wrong in imposing persons on the party as well as on their controlled states' offices? Icheoku says the destructive element in Nigeria is the Almajiris Peoples Congress that is malevolently scheming to field two MUSLIM presidential and vice presidential candidates in a pluralistic secular society like Nigeria. Icheoku is emphatic that it is the Bola Tinubu's owned and financed party, APC, which is crying fire in a movie theater and crying wolf where there is a mere sparrow. Icheoku says if anyone is trying to rain havoc on Nigeria, it is APC's Buhari who promised and is relentlessly carrying out his threat, by proxy of Boko Haram, to make Nigeria ungovernable. Yes, you heard Icheoku right - the destructive forces trying to pull the Nigerian house down is the APC and its dictatorship. Icheoku says the APC is what is trying, albeit fruitlessly, to throw spanner into the works that is Nigeria marching on. So Pastor Oyegun must reverse gears and rather look inwards to find the Grinch that is trying to steal Nigeria's joy. 

Pastor Oyegun finds fault in the government's adequately securing an election through the use of the military, so that the electorates could freely express their preferences; and this rather major commendable feat by a government too often known for its sloppiness, is perfidious in the judgment of Pastor Oyegun? Icheoku says if so empowering the people to freely exercise their right to vote and ensuring that no eligible voter is disenfranchised by intimidation of thugs and through election fraud is what perfidy looks like, then hell has no utility again and deserves to be shut and closed down. Icheoku says he who has nothing to hide is never afraid nor does he run away from the police or complain and protest when security agents are around. Therefore the only deductible reason why the APC is complaining about the high security presence in the last Ekiti State's election would be that it forestalled all their rigging plans and eventually produced the result witnessed. Icheoku recalls that Bola Tinubu had made a "rig and roast" threat before the said election and no responsible government, anywhere, would like to see any of her citizen roasted just because an election was rigged. So Aso Rock did the "needful" to prevent rigging and guaranteed that no one roasted; YET instead of commending this harm-free and zero-death election, Pastor Oyegun is complaining that security for the election was too much? Icheoku says please give me a break Mr Pastor. 

Icheoku says Pastor Oyegun's questioning the integrity of the armed forces is one such misdirected step taken too far that needs to be retracted. Irrespective of partisanship or other loyalty and ideological differences - whether Janjaweed or Western, anyone can say whatever they want BUT questioning the integrity of the Nigerian armed forces is an unacceptable step into a no go area. Icheoku maintains that the Nigerian armed forces is still very nationalistic; that the cord holding them as a force of one is still in intact and very strong, otherwise the hump-dumpty that is Nigeria would have since gone into history. So Pastor Oyegun ought to apologize to these uniformed men and women for causing to their unity, this untoward violence; and must subsequently watch such his utterances so that he does not talk himself into a dangerous corner from which an extraction might prove very difficult, if not impossible. 

In conclusion, Icheoku bemoans the fate that has befallen this APC whose marriage to Nigerians have apparently ended ever before the honeymoon was over. If APC was a pregnancy, it would be ectopic and qualified for an urgent abortion and might as well have since been aborted. Their planned voyage is now moribund with their marooned ship fast decelerating to the bottom of the ocean  Were it a flight, it did not take off as it sputtered and nose-dived into its grave yard. Their so many missteps, series of unguarded statements and their Tasmanian devil-like virulent attacks on even the mundane and intangibles, have left Nigerians wondering what it was they wanted to embrace in the first place? If this is what opposition party looks like, then may the PDP stand unopposed, for crying out loud. How can a party that cannot organize themselves and be harmonious in articulating their Marshal Plans for Nigeria organize Nigeria? Such risk is rather too risky for Nigerians to blazingly walk themselves into and it could be that Nigerians have already decided that the devil they know is better than the pretentious saint they are bewilder at its actions and utterances thus far? Or what word is it again they have in their Islamic vocabulary for saint?  

Of late the APC seems to have been outgunned and outfoxed by the PDP as they now appear to chase after only the dust of a zoomed meteorite PDP. In Ekiti they did not know what hit them and belatedly now threatens to go to court after the fact; ditto in Adamawa with Nyako's stagecraft of an impeachment. Icheoku believes that the APC would still be in their reactionary mode to PDP's pace-setting the agenda and still huffing and puffing about how they will respond long after the 2015 elections are won and lost. But what level of cohesion does anyone expect from a party that is run by dictators where the majority of its disenfranchised members are bitterly complaining and working to sabotage their own party as a result in protest? Icheoku is of the view that morals is very low among APC membership and nothing good ever comes out of a demoralized or ill-motivated lot. This cancerous lethargy that has set in among APC party members is the greatest threat facing the Almajiris Peoples Congress and without retooling, their dictators can complain all they want until the cows come home and will not see a c-change in their fortunes. Not that Icheoku cares anyway. To Pastor John Odigie Oyegun, Icheoku says instead of hollering and chasing shadows or propounding nonsensical fantasies as to the root cause of the problems of the now flightless APC, just look in the mirror and you will see Bola Tinubu and John Oyegun, interchangeably, morphing into one another. This is the root cause of the nearly imploding APC - DICTATORSHIP. It melts away party loyalty since party members are asking themselves what is in it for them and saying that "we do not have inheritance in the house of Bola Tinubu, to our tenets Oh APC members," GET IT, Pastor! 

Disclaimer: - Icheoku is not a member of the PDP nor a fan of President Jonathan Goodluck. But let the truth be told, this particular brand of APC is not good for Nigeria and it is not also good for any Nigerian. This is the only reason we do what we do at Icheoku; and to help save Nigeria a worse evil. That is what drives our passion. The greedy Bola Tinubu is not a democrat but is merely using or trying to use the machinery of the APC as a means to an end and therefore must be STOPPED.

MURITALA NYAKO IMPEACHED, GOOD RIDDANCE!

Icheoku says with the successful impeachment of the recalcitrant former governor of Adamawa State, Nigeria, Muritala Nyako, the PDP has secured one more state in its march to victory in 2015. 

Icheoku has no sympathy for the now impeached former governor who bit more than he can chew when he maliciously accused the president of genocide against his North, with intent to cause breach of the peace and forcibly  bring down the government at Aso Rock. Thankfully though, his own government was first brought down before he could cause further damage as he now joins Baralabe Musa in that very highly exclusive club of impeached former governors of Nigeria. 

Steadily but surely the membership of the renegade PDP conspiratorial governors are depleting and Icheoku hopes it will maintain the present momentum until they all cease to exist or are rendered irrelevant in the country's political affairs. Icheoku says good riddance. The other scenario, although very highly improbable would be to impeach Kano State Governor Kwankwaso and then dethrone Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and banish him like Sultan Dasuki or send him to prison like Jokolo. Ditto, the rascally Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Nigerians now know who "dey laugh" last and that person is holed inside Aso Rock and his name is President Goodluck Jonathan. Way to go, it is definitely time not only to bark and snarl, but to show some teeth and use it.

MARION GOTZE, THE MAN WHO SEALED IT FOR GERMANY.

Icheoku says what an honor it is indeed to be so privileged to put the icing on the cake for one's country's World Cup win. Icheoku says congratulations to goal scorer Mario Gotze and his German national side for a well deserved victory over Argentina in the just concluded FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 finals. Germany is the new world cup champion, hurray!

FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014, ZOOMS INTO HISTORY.

Icheoku says FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 has come and gone and like so many other things before it and which would after it, it is now history. It was well staged and beautifully delivered. Germany won the championship while host country Brazil failed due to an abysmal performance they put up in the quarter against the eventual winner Germany in a 7-1 drubbing, the first of its kind ever recorded in a world cup championship. 

Overall it was a good world cup championship that introduced to the world of soccer players named Hazard and Hulk, which names appositely fits their bearers particularly the hulking Brazilian named Hulk. World already famously existing names like Messi and Ronaldo featured prominently too, admitted  they failed to live up to their billings, especially Portugal's Ronaldo  that could not see his side beyond the primary rounds. The cool cucumber(ed) goaltenders are also recognized particularly Mexico's Ochoa, Nigeria's Enyema and Argentina's tender. Anyway, Brazil has moved over and on, to make way for Russia 2018, provided the ever restive Tasmanian devil in Moscow Vladimir Putin will not set the world ablaze before then. Icheoku says Russia 2018, here the world cometh; so long Brazil.

FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014, GERMANY TAKES THE CUP AWAY!

Icheoku says what a 'thriller in Manila' it was, except it was in Rio de Janerio, Brazil and not the Philippines. The FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 finals, between Germany and Argentina, really lived up to its billings. The two teams that worked very hard throughout the tournament and therefore eminently merited their berth in the finals, gave a very good account of themselves. What a final it was that went full ninety minutes and into extra time of thirty minutes; with the first fifteen minutes gone and the other fifteen minutes gone eight minutes, before German's Mario Goetze put a stop to the cliff hanger of a match with a spectacular goal, thus giving Germany their well deserved 1-0 victory over Argentina. 

Icheoku says although our projected winner Netherlands was eased out of playing in the finals, the German win result is equally an acceptable alternative. With the World Cup now gone back to Europe, Germany being their representative, Icheoku hopes that Russia 2018 would be a good opportunity for all those who did not excel this time to prove they are equally as good. Icheoku congratulates Germany for winning the cup and also Argentina for playing so wonderfully well against Germany, unlike the host Brazil that was turned inside out by the eventual winner Germany. Icheoku says FIFA, and Brazil in particular, deserves commendation for hosting a stellar world cup tournament despite the initial doubts as to their readiness and ability to deliver a good world cup outing. Overall it was a good FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 event and everyone that pulled together to make it the beautiful event it turned out to be deserves a pat on the back. It was also a World Cup event that showcased names like Hulk which appositely fits the incredibly huge Brazilian guy that bears the name and Havoc which also fits the Netherlander that goes by that name. Until Russia 2018, Icheoku says adios amigos, so long!

DUTCH, WHEN A CHAMPION SETTLES FOR THIRD PLACE?

Icheoku said it before and will say it again - Netherlands would have gone all the way to clinch the cup but for FIFA intervention and Icheoku stands to be corrected on this. Today they proved once again that they had the stuff champions are made of with their routing of host Brazil 3-0 and you wonder what a beautiful World Cup finals it would have been against Germany had FIFA's machination not so cruelly intervened. Anyway, their consolatory third place is not one of such cases where a half loaf is better than no loaf for Icheoku; and as a result Icheoku is not satisfied. The Dutch has been and remained Icheoku's favorite throughout the tournament and Icheoku will continue to believe they were forced out of the finals and no opinion can persuade otherwise. So long FIFA World Cup Brazil 2004 championship until Russia 2018; admitted Icheoku will tune in tomorrow to see how the finals is rigged. Congratulations Netherlanders, Ciao!

DUTCH LOSS, REGRETTABLE.

Icheoku says unfortunately we missed the mark and for this we are indeed very sorry for projecting a Netherlands win over Argentina as well as the finals against Germany. Why the Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal did not bring in his penalty-kicks best keeping goalie, Tim Kral, is beyond everyone's imagination. What is done is done and the coach has his conscience to worry about on the real reason behind the unthinkable. Icheoku griefs the Dutch loss as avoidable. 

DUTCH LOSS, A CASE OF A COACH GONE ROGUE?

Icheoku must prefix this article by owning up and accepting defeat in the projection that Netherlands will go all the way to the finals and eventually win the cup. Events of the last few hours have proved Icheoku wrong that not always would our analytical crystal ball get it right. Icheoku is neither a voodoo doctor nor does he pretend to see visions and prophesies; we are just a bunch trying to employ empirical analysis to make certain pronouncements; some of which we get right and some, like today's FIFA World Cup semi-final match between Netherlands and Argentina, we got wrong. Icheoku apologizes and Icheoku accepts full responsibility for getting the projection off the mark; we were confidently hopeful in the projected outcome but things did not pan out as hoped. It is our bad, but the show must go on and we intend to line up in tandem and follow suit. 

Now what went wrong with a Dutch side that outplayed and outperformed their Argentina opponent in virtually all departments of the match, one would ask? In one short terse answer Icheoku posits that it was a result of a "compromised" coach that fell victim to FIFA and their sponsors' inducement? They brought an overbearing pressure on Louis Van Gaal to help them spread the tournament final between the two continents that are their core disciples, with a view to harnessing the increased revenue potentials of the South American continent? Instead of South American fans abandoning the finals as an all European "dem, dem" affair, they will now seen it as a soccer WAR of supremacy between them and those Europeans; as a result of which many of them will show up to support their representative Argentina with Europeans doing same for Germany? In capitalism it is always about the bottom line and FIFA is an unapologetic savage corporation! 

Although, Icheoku admits that we do not have any smoking gun hard evidence that trailed to this conclusion but circumstantial evidence aids our conclusion. Query, why was the penalty kick catching Dutch goalkeeper not brought in today, in keeping with the tradition and stated objective why he was introduced in the Quarter finals game against Costa Rica? Listen to Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal on why he had to bring in the taller Tim Kral during the Costa Rica penalty shootout. According to him, "Tim Krul's greater height and reach was the reason I sent the Newcastle keeper in for the World Cup quarter-final penalty shootout win over Costa Rica." So Icheoku asks what then changed that the same logic was not applied in today's penalty kick against Argentina or did the shorter Jasper Cillessen suddenly add two inches to his frame overnight to override the stated height advantage or did the differential not matter anymore to Van Gaal? 

Continuing, Van Gaal said "I like all that gamesmanship from Tim Krul. I like my goalkeeper to do that, to try to put them off, it puts a bit of edge to it. Man United fans will be buzzing and thinking 'What a manager we have got'."  Icheoku says but suddenly today, Van Gaal forgot about all these attributes of a penalty kick catching goalkeeper or does he no longer like his goalkeepers to be so upstaging of the opponents? Further, Van Gaal said "We all thought Tim was the best keeper to stop penalties. He is taller and has a longer reach. The tactic worked out. That was beautiful. I'm a bit proud of that." Icheoku lampoons Van Gaal that if "Tim was the best keeper to stop penalties", which was convincingly proved in the Dutch match against Costa Rica, what changed TODAY to make him now less desirable? Icheoku laments that anybody who watched today's penalty kicks would agree that were Tim Krul manning the post the outcome would certainly have been different, especially in view of the last Argentina kick that saw the shorter Dutch goalkeeper bounce back into the net a kick he had already apparently saved? Even the second kick that went under his arm was keep-able and so also was the other one that his short fingers could not reach. Lastly, Jasper Cillessen's reaction time was rather too slow compared to Tim Kruls much quicker reflexes. 

Icheoku says what is done is done and there is no need crying over a spilled milk or trying to put back a genie that is already out of the bottle. But let truth be told, the penalty kicks looked rather fishy and atypical of a match fixing scandal prevalent in FIFA organised games where profit always drive decisions. In the final analysis it would appear that after Brazil's humiliating loss yesterday to Germany that FIFA hurriedly took a decision to avert the repercussion of an all European finals in a World Cup being hosted in South America; and decided to pull some strings in order not to lose the millions of fans and potential buyers of their sponsors' products that call that part of the world home? 

Unfortunately, Icheoku has no way of irrefutably proving this BUT if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it might as well be a duck; as millions of fans and soccer/football enthusiasts worldwide are asking and wondering out aloud, what happened and why did the Dutch coach not bring in his "best goalkeeper to stop Argentina penalties" when it mattered most? icheoku says then factor in the coach's choice of first penalty kicker in Vaal when Hauntleer was there or even Ian Robben; and then imagine Sneijder losing a PK? Please Icheoku is on the verge of losing it and wants to end this here before he is forced to jump. BUT hey it is FIFA and FIFA needs to clean its house and stop playing game with people in their game of football/soccer. As it stands now who even knows if the finals have also been predetermined? What a huge JOKE!

GERMAN DEMOLITION DERBY ROLLS OVER THE SAMBA BOYS!

Icheoku says the outcome was predictable and indeed was predicted, except that the margin was the surprise. Anyway that is exactly what happens when a side is not a team in the strict sense of it but comprised of very few players or rather a player playing alongside the others. It is the same problem afflicting the Los Angeles Lakers where Kobe Bryant is playing with the rest of the boys; unlike San Antonio Spurs that is a real team with so many good players concerting for one objective. 

Icheoku says it is called team work for a reason and as Igbo people would say, a tree does not make a forest. So at last it was Neymar OUT, Brazil OUT. Icheoku says sure the boys from the country known for their precision did save their best for last with their trouncing of Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semi finals. But should Germany owe some gratitude to Colombian Juan Camilo Zúñiga for the gift of taking Neymar out of commission? Icheoku does not think so, admitted the goal differential would not have been that so outrageous that it made the Nigerian Super Eagles' performance seem so wonderful. Icheoku reiterates that similar fate awaits Argentina tomorrow as the world gradually coasts to Saturday's all European FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 finals with Holland clinching the cup. Go DUTCH.

NETHERLANDS V. GERMANY, 2014 WORLD CUP FINALS?

In the future of the FIFA World Cup 2014 championship holding in Brazil, Icheoku sees an all European championship final between Netherlands and Germany. Germany will defeat Brazil and Netherlands will defeat Messi and his boys during the semi finals resulting in an all European meet in the finals; following which Netherlands will emerge victorious. Icheoku remains steadfast in our projection that the Orange guys will carry the golden cup this 2014 and there is NO SHAKING in our conviction. Go DUTCH!

GOVERNOR RASCAL AMAECHI, BOWS FOR ATIKU?

Icheoku bemoans the mentality of this Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, who continually battles a president from his neighboring state and sometimes insultingly too; but has no qualms genuflecting and bowing for an ordinary Hausa man Abubakar Atiku? 

The only way to sensibly fathom any logical explanation for this inexplicable disparate behavior is to conclude that Governor Amaechi is psychologically troubled and probably suffering from a South-south man's inferiority-complex tinged slave-mentality that still regards the Hausa/Fulani North as superior to them? Icheoku asks how can a man who stands up on rostrums all over the place, pouring invective on a sitting President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, now crawl to the residence of Abubakar Atiku to bow for him? 

Icheoku does not know about you BUT this Governor Amaechi makes me sick to the stomach. Icheoku says if the PDP cannot stop any other recalcitrant governor in 2015, Rotimi Amaechi MUST be made an exception because he has since crossed every bar of decency in showing mortal disrespect to a sitting president while at the same time slavishly kowtowing to the Hausa/Fulani North. Icheoku condemns his slavish conduct as very despicable, especially in view of the mortally CORRUPT individual before whom he bows and trembles as personalized in Atiku Abubakar. What a farce this man is that is Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Icheoku feels like throwing up for his vileness. 

PUTIN'S 4TH OF JULY MESSAGE, A PLEA FOR MERCY?

Icheoku says the Russian strong man it would seem is not so strong afterall as he now reaches out to the United States of America asking for understanding and accommodation in world affairs? Icheoku says it is definitely a good step in the right direction by Vladimir Putin as unnecessary obtrusiveness and petulant braggadocio never delivers ill-desired results, especially when a united world stands firm against such meddlesome interloper. Finally, the whole world now knows whose position was right and who provoked unneeded crisis when he invaded and stole another country's territory, Crimea, thinking that he can get away with such murderous act. Thankfully America alongside its international partners stood firm and now Putin is begging to be forgiven. 

Icheoku says forgive, the world shall; BUT Putin must first vomit Crimea and pledge never to act like a spoilt kid who needlessly throws tantrums each time his wishes are not met or when he is told that he cannot always have his way. Icheoku says the world will accommodate Putin's request to be recognized but he must be told that unequals cannot be made equal just because he so wishes; and provided he is ready and willing to take his place as possibly the number two country and ceases and desists from making further troubles, then reasonable accommodation should be made for Russia in the comity of nations.  On July 4th independence day celebration, Icheoku says many more years to America and may America continue to shine the light for the rest of the world. including Putin's Russia, to see and follow!

VANDALIZATION OF BRT BUSES, UNACCEPTABLE UTTER MADNESS.

Icheoku says provided the Nigerian army is guilty as alleged that some of their soldiers went on rampage, vandalizing public transportation buses, just because one of them was mowed down by a bus while illegally riding his bicycle on a lane exclusively reserved for such buses, their action is condemnable and simply unacceptable. Icheoku asks what was the soldier doing riding his bicycle on such a busy highway as Ikorodu road, especially on a lane strictly reserved for those rapid transit buses (BRT)? If true, then it is yet another display of crass indiscipline, wantonness, egregiousness and lawlessness by the often ill-trained Nigerian "unknown" soldiers, whose penchant to go cuckoo on the slightest provocation is legendary. Icheoku says it is completely incomprehensible for these soldiers to go on rampage, destroying public transportation equipment and infrastructures, simply because one of their possibly 'DRUNKEN' colleague, seemingly chose to commit suicide using a BRT bus; otherwise what was he doing in such an exclusive rapid transit bus lane in the first place? By the same token, if a train kills someone on a rail track, whose fault is it anyway?

It is only in uncivilized brutish enclaves that men and women trained, equipped and paid to protect and defend the territorial integrity of a country, often viciously turn around against the same people that make their existence possible. In advanced civilized societies, the only place and time you see soldiers is on television news coverage when they are returning from or shipping out on deployments, during such National holidays when they are participating in parades and on other seldom occasions when they are receiving honors or burying one of their killed in action (KIA). You do not see soldiers on the streets getting rascally or in "MAMMY MARKETS" getting drunk or in 'Mosalashi Yaba burning Kalakuta Republic' or now on 'Ikorodu road burning BRT buses' or at any other place for that matter that is not within their confined barracks, which is often zoned off to 'bloody' civilians. Speaking in equivalence, such occurrence as this BRT brigandage is alien and completely none existence, admitted that once in a while, an incensed soldier can snap, pick up a gun and kill his colleagues or family members and then sometimes self in a murder suicide? This could be explained away as a mental illness of that particular soldier BUT Icheoku refuses to accept that an entire army of a country is probably afflicted with unsound mind due to the frequency of occurrence of such outlandish misbehavior by the Nigerian army.

The BRT buses destruction by the Nigerian army will go a long way in further damaging the image of a country that is already very far below stellar; added to the Boko Haram madness particularly their Chibok girls 'alleged' abduction that is continually spewing very corrosive sulfuric volcanic ash upon it. icheoku asks which tourist or investor would pick such a country as a priority go to place for a visit or investment? Humanity like to be safe or at least have a sense or feeling of it, otherwise no one would want to even visit America because of gun violence, but at least you know and feel the authorities are making effort to stop it or solve it when it happens. Most times, appearance rather than reality is key; and at present, Nigeria certainly appears to be a very unsafe place for anyone to be. 

With one crisis after another, Boko Haram this Boko Haram that and some school girls being kidnapped etc; and in an Internet age when one does not need a Nigerian Information Minister Maku to spew his peculiar facts about the condition in Nigeria, Icheoku wonders whose interest all these disturbances are really serving? Icheoku says Nigeria could sure use some break from all these nightmarish daily incidences and so, this further stain on its image at this time of great tribulation and challenges was certainly uncalled for and was also avoidable. But whether the authorities would do something to find and arrest these miscreant soldiers and punish them accordingly, the jury is still out. icheoku says our safest bet is that instead, the authorities will use the cover of "UNKNOWN SOLDIERS" to allow them to escape from justice. 

Icheoku laments that the impunity of these khaki wearing department of the Nigerian society was foist on Nigerians by the Alusi (deity) of Ota, Olusegun Obasanjo, who in 1977 destroyed Fela's Kalakuta Republic, killing Mrs Ransome Kuti in the process and later dismissed the carnage as 'Unknown Soldiers' act? Regrettably, for Nigerians, if it is not them that is impacted directly by an action, it does not matter; and today, the BRT which was not even in existence during Fela's persecution by Obasanjo, is now at the receiving end of the same Nigerian soldiers' fury. Since that Obasanjo's infamy of 1977, it has been one abuse after another, one wantonness after another by the Nigerian army against the people of Nigeria; with some of them stealing governance through coup de tats (Buhari and Babangida), to murdering innocent civilians including Dele Giwa, Bartholomeo Owo, Bernard Ogedengbe, Segun Lawal, Ken Saro Wiwa and most recently a Police DPO and his deputy in Ikorodu Lagos. Simply put, the Nigerian soldier has brought so much sorrow, blood and tears to many Nigerians that one begins to wonder if there is indeed any real use for their existence and whether they actually do add value to the Nigerian society?

Icheoku wonders what manner of men these guys are and what sort of training they actually receive and further, whether they are from another planet; because were they Nigerians, they cannot continuously be committing such hateful crimes against their fellow citizens and their properties? It is quite unfortunate that the BRT which every Lagosian applauds Governor Fashola for, could be so vandalized by the Nigerian army. Icheoku wishes that all of these soldiers in Lagos as well as other cities in Nigeria could be shipped away from the cities to places like Sambisa Forest, Bakassi, Kaura Namoda etc because army formations do not belong in the cities. Military formations throughout civilized world are NOT located in cities but in such far away secluded places where they can freely be the armed men they choose to be. They remain there, train there and wait to be deployed as security needs arises and periodically get some days off to visit the cities if they earned it. The military have a separate existence or world of their own and the Nigerian military should not be an exception to the rule by stationing them within city limits. Such their removal and separation from the main society greatly reduces frictions between them and the civilian population; and thus help in reducing the frequency of such outcomes as was witnessed on Ikorodu Road Lagos today. But unfortunately, icheoku forgets that preaching to a 'deaf and dumb' society, led by a timid government that refuses to learn how things are done better or could be improved upon, is often an effort in futility. 

Anyway, what an unfortunate BUT otherwise avoidable destruction of public properties by the Nigerian army it was. Icheoku hopes that Governor Fashola will throw enough tantrums and stir overbearing dust over the incident that Abuja is forced to do something to get the army authorities to pay for the damage done and also punish their petulant errant soldiers that perpetrated such untoward breach of the peace. OR could it possibly be that these perpetrators are Boko Haram members and/or sympathizers trying to provoke Lagosians into a confrontation? Icheoku says what happened on Ikorodu road today is crazy-madness and unacceptable, no matter the prism with which it is viewed. However, if according to the army version of the incident, Lagos Area Boys took advantage of the accident involving their soldier and carried out the vandalization, then Icheoku apologize; but maintains that such rampage is not beyond the usual repertoire of the Nigerian army. Only a thorough investigation would unravel what actually happened and Icheoku calls for one. 

NATIONAL CONFERENCE, THROWS NIGERIA A LIFE LINE?

Icheoku says it appears the National Conference was worth its assemblage as it has given Nigeria another chance at survival with a much needed shot in the arm. Icheoku says provided their resolutions are fully implemented, the call for Nigeria to wind down as an entity has now become mute since most of the problems militating against its unity has now been RESOLVED. Most times people, especially minorities, always agitate for separation when they feel they are being treated unfairly as non-equals or that their voices are being needlessly drowned out by the majority. So solve the pointy issues and no one wants to leave a big house for their little huts because their is strength in numbers. Given this backdrop, the National Conference's solution to the problem of what happens when a sitting president dies or in any other way could no longer function as one is as clever as it is brilliant. 

Icheoku commends the recommendation that a presidential election be held to fill the slot within a prescribed time and that only candidates from the particular zone of the indisposed president be allowed to participate in the run-off election. While icheoku prays for its full implementation, Icheoku queries whether a sitting vice president's only function now is strictly limited to only temporarily holding fort until run-off election to elect a replacement president and no more? Also what happens to such a "widowed" vice president after the election; is he forced to retire or to continue acting as vice president to the new president? Lastly, what happens if the party that produced the president loses in the run-off election OR is the runoff election going to be limited to the party that won it in the first place? 

The second germane resolution is the bringing of Southeastern region to par with other zones in the number of states in the region. It is equitable and justice hugs equity. Icheoku would have wished the conference went a step further by asking Nigeria to apologize to the people of former Biafra for the inhumane way the civil war was conducted especially the use of starvation as instrument of warfare as well as the twenty pounds criminal payout. Anyway the people of Biafra has since moved on and the matter might as well be mute also. Further the conference would have recognized MKO Abiola's election as president and mandate the president to formally recognize him as a president Nigeria never had and then apologize to Nigerians for June 12. 

Icheoku says the freeing of Local Governments from obtrusive State Governor's control was also on point and commendable. However Icheoku begs to disagree on the intent to later create additional eighteen states in Nigeria as not viable and unrealistic. Fifty five states for a country of less than two hundred million people, without any sound economic base for the states to self-sustain would be undue duplicity of bureaucracies and multiplication of government employees and avoidable administrative functions which will only serve to further drain state resources, period. Icheoku believes that a well structured and functioning Local Government areas would solve the problem of agitation by ethnic minorities and other disenfranchised members of such states. Icheoku emphasizes that what Nigeria needs is mega cities and not all these mushroom states that can barely pay their overheads if Abuja does not show cause.

Icheoku also would have wished the Conference pegged the number of senators from each state to just two since the House of Representatives already serves the purpose of representing the population based on density and spread. This way associated cost involved in running the senate could be curtailed and saved once the extra thirty six senators are weeded out. The senate main function is merely to take a second look at whatever the House resolves on, hence there is really no useful need having too many of them around. Further on the issue of the political status of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Icheoku says it should be treated like Washington DC with only locals appointed as Ministers of the territory. This will give them a say on what happens on their neighborhood and enable a fair and equitable development of their land. But the current idea of appointing someone from Bauchi or any other "foreign" place as lord and master over the people that OWN the territory is another form of colonization and slave mastery and this ought to stop. 

To ACF's Anthony Sani, Icheoku says in rebuttal that if 'no one has wronged anyone' then why did Northern army officers coup plotters create more states in the Northwest than in the Southeast? Further, If many of existing states are not economically viable and their governors contributed to their underdevelopment, especially in the North, let Boko Haram tackle those governors. Icheoku says it is not only population or landmass or viability or homogeneity that is used to create states. States are political institutions and therefore are created for political expediency ONLY, period.  Icheoku maintains that in any political estate such as Nigeria, each congruent member is deemed as equal irrespective of their size or number, hence the Arewa Consultative Forum was off the mark when their Anthony Sani argued against this point while challenging the creation of additional state in the Southeast. Take for example the United States of America where a state like California boasts of about thirty nine to forty million residents while a state like Wyoming has fewer resident than the City of San Francisco (eight hundred thousand) at a mere five hundred thousand residents? Or a state of Delaware with about two thousand square miles of land area while Texas has over two hundred and sixty thousand square miles of space and Alaska has nearly six hundred thousand square miles? So Icheoku asks Anthony Sani whether all those arid useless desert wastelands in the North should now be used to unfairly disenfranchise other regions that have a more concentrated and saturated population living within their congruent territories? 

Finally Icheoku says there is no injustice in harmonizing the number of states in the respective regions to be at par with one another since each region is deemed in politics and law to be all equal. Nobody or region is unequal in Nigeria and this fact should be drummed into Anthony Sani's head as well as other Northern Nigerian elements he represents and speaks for. Icheoku admonishes Anthony Sani that family planning is a virtue and not a vice and that one man should not be punished or another man unduly rewarded because they have various ideas as to the number of children that is ideal to have. No man should because he has thirteen children ask to be paid more than his colleague who has only one child since choice was what each of them made. Nor should vast useless dusty arid desert lands be used to determine who gets what in Nigeria.

But be that as it may, with some of these far reaching resolutions of the National Conference, Icheoku is now more hopeful today than yesterday in the survival of Nigeria. It appears that finally Nigerians as represented in the National Conference are now prepared to do the heavy lifting needed to move the country forward. Icheoku prays that these recommendations be wholly adopted through a voice vote by the National Assembly without any amendment whatsoever. At last the path forward has been parted and Nigerians can  now begin to nation-build instead of all these break us apart war cries renting the air. Well done and thank you, National Conference. Nigeria, we hail thee!

UMARU DIKKO IN A CRATE, GOES HOME IN A COFFIN?

Icheoku says whether it is in a crate or coffin or casket, they are all confinement as the man who once ran Nigeria under President Shehu Shagari's government is going home for the last time, albeit willy nilly; and not even the British Government's Scotland Yard can rescue him this time. Courtesy of the almighty leveler, MISTER DEATH, then fugitive Umaru Dikko can no longer run or hide from his transgressions for which the Buhari/Idiagbon junta wanted him bundled back to Nigeria so badly that it led to a diplomatic face-off between Nigeria and then Margaret Thatcher's British government. Icheoku says whether Umaru Dikko's body will be handed over to Muhammadu Buhari on arrival, so that he can "retroactively" settle their old scores, the jury is still out. Icheoku recalls with great vividity the urgency of the junta getting the runaway Umaru Dikko that they paid Israeli agents to bundle him back to Nigeria, dead or alive, and at whatever cost; an operation that was botched when the whimpering Umaru Dikko was discovered unconscious inside a crate at Gatwick airport waiting airlift back to Lagos. The rest of the story is now history and so also was the man Umaru 'DISCO,' who once welded so much power in Nigeria. Umaru Dikko has made his exit from this journey called life which he began eighty something years ago when his mother pushed him out of her womb.

Icheoku asks but who is Umaru Dikko that his death would elicit all these obituaries? What made him a "statesman" that David Mark described him as? What legacies did he leave behind? Did the lot of his Kano State people and Nigerians in general improve while he held sway? When he was called to serve in various capacities especially as Transport and Aviation Minister, did he deliver on his assignment creditably well? What kind of Kano and Nigeria is he leaving behind? Did he groom and nurture successors to take over from him and finally did he ever had time to explain himself to Muhammadu Buhari and did both men make up and reconcile their differences? Anyway answers to some of these questions on the life and times of Umaru Dikko, Nigerians may never know; but suffice it to say that Umaru Dikko was one heck of an unapologetic Northern Nigerian Fascist, who believed in the inalienable right of the Northerner to maintain a vice-hold on power and in perpetuity. 

Umaru Dikko was so many things to so many people, depending on which side of the political and geographical divide they belong, who would remember him divergently. But above all, Umaru Dikko would be remembered for his no nonsense quasi-presidential authority which he exercised over his then political party, National Party of Nigeria (NPN), and throughout Nigeria in general. The rice scandal readily comes to mind too. Icheoku will remember Umaru 'DISCO' particularly for his condescending 'HUNGER-TEST' theory that "no Nigerian is picking food from the dustbin and therefore there is no hunger in the land?' Icheoku berates that were this a valid universal litmus test, it will then be safe to also suggest that because some Americans feed off discarded food from garbage bins, that there is hunger in America? 

Anyway in Umaru Dikko, lived one Nigerian who once thought that the entire estate called Nigeria was his private playground and boy did he weld absolute authority then. Stories abound then that even President Shehu Shagari had to first check with Umaru Dikko on so many issues of the day? Icheoku says just like today's men of power Edwin Clark/Tony Anenih are to President Jonathan Goodluck, Umaru Dikko was the go-to-man in the then Shagari power structure, such that even the vice president allegedly deferred to him? Umaru Dikko was among the very few men that can go to then Agura House whenever he pleases and secure the ears of President Shagari. But hey in politics as well as in many other life endeavors, having a godfather or a father-figure to check in with never hurts. 

Among other things credited to Umaru Dikko, he solely stopped MKO Abiola's presidential ambition in 1979 whence came his infamous "the presidency is not for sale to the highest bidder" comment; and then literally handpicked Shagari for the office? Umaru Dikko also resuscitated and solidified the "born to rule" fighting words of Northern Nigeria Hausa/Fulani Muslims as initiated by Ahmadu Bello the Sarduana of Kaduna and permanently etched it into their psyche? Umaru Dikko was once quoted as saying that "the Igbos are gifted in technology, the Yorubas in diplomacy and the North has the gift of leadership of Nigeria bestowed on them by Allah?' Also the then dreaded "Kaduna Mafia", now made impotent by the Niger Delta/South-South Mafia, was part of his brainchild too? Icheoku says now that the nightmare of a crate has finally become an inescapable reality in the shape of a casket, except that at the shallow grave he will once again be freed of its confinement as his white-linen draped body is lowered into it for yet another confinement and covered up to begin his final journey back to dust from whence he came, Adieu Umaru, RIP Umaru 'DISCO' Dikko!