RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.

RON DELLUMS: DEAD AT 82.

ICHEOKU says he was an equal justice warrior, who in fact was first a real-life warrior, a United States Marine, before turning to politics in 1970. He served two years in the military; served three years as City Council man for Berkeley and then won election to Congress, where he served a  thirteen 2-year terms, 27 years, before retiring from politics in 1998. But he came out of retirement to run for Oakland mayoral seat and won in 2007; and served for only one 4 year term, retiring again in 2011 as Mayor of Oakland, California. 

Ronald Vernie Dellums was 82 years old. He died of cancer and other ancillary infirmities of old age. He was fiery and he was feisty; his oratorical skills were acknowledged by friends and foes and he used it maximally to achieve great laurels including a successful 13 terms in the United States of America House of Representatives as a Congressman from East Bay, 9th Congressional District of Northern California. 

He was once called a "dirty black African" as a child and later as an adult, accused of being a radical. To the first, he fought the classmate and for the later, he responded as follows: "If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” According to him, "the only question we should ask when we make decisions about anything is: ‘Is this the right thing to do?’ 

He also once advised not to give your enemy the luxury of knowing that he can get under your skin. And for those who succeeded against all odds, he advised them not to ever lock others out of the ladder of opportunity despite their own peculiar challenges and very difficult personal experience climbing the ladder. It was to his credit, he sponsored it, that apartheid South Africa was levied a comprehensive economic sanction in 1986 which eventually led to the fall of the Apartheid regime. ICHEOKU says Ron Dellums, for who the Federal Building in Oakland was dedicated to, was a real champion for good causes; and he maintained his epicurean perch right to the end. ICHEOKU says rest in peace Ron; adieu Dellums. 

CBS CHIEF EXECUTIVE LES MOONVES: A SEXUAL MOLESTER?

ICHEOKU says another pretentious liberal, who is a friend of the Clintons just like Harvey Weinstein, is now being gunned after by the Me-Too crazies. Whether the mantra of the far left, socialist, crazed out, wild eyed liberal anarchists, that women should be believed when they allege sexual offenses against men, still holds valid and also applicable in this case will soon be tested. 

Already, his wife, Julie Chan, has rose to his defense, stating that she trust her husband and believes him when he denied that he did not do it; thus technically calling all the women victims a bunch of liars. But the world waits to see how CBS will handle the latest development and whether the punishment which they meted out to Charlie Rose will be equally applied to the CEO. If indeed they are an equal opportunity work place as they claim, then they will not be partial and will also let go their highest staffer, their Chief Executive Officer for sexually harassing women in a work environment. This development also questions how he met and married his wife, a CBS staff and whether he harassed her into submission or got her pregnant and was forced to marry her or she blackmailed him into saying "I do?"

ICHEOKU recalls the excoriation he gave to Harvey Weinstein when his own scandal broke and how he has been having opinions on virtually everything morality including during then candidate Trump's own travails. You then wonder what happened to the old admonition that you must not throw stones if you live in a glass house; and that he who is with sin should not cast the first stone. But unfortunately, all those holier than thou Hollywood elites always have different standards where others are involved. 

Les Moonves is now the latest target in the cross hairs of those Me-Too hound dogs and once they smell blood, they do not let go; leaving ICHEOKU wondering how long will it be before the management and board of CBS lets him go, just cut him lose like they did to Charlie Rose. Being accused of sexually harassing women, as well as rape and in a workplace environment, is a serious crime which such a corporation might not likely put up with. This shows that the days of Les Moonves as the Chief Executive Officer of CBS Network are numbered and hopefully he has an explanation for his unwanted advances and being just another Bill Cosby or better still, that he did not do what he is being accused of. Definitely, a he said and she said situation, but since the liberals tell us that we must give women the benefit of the doubt in such cases, ICHEOKU rests his case. Boy, was Jesus right afterall that everybody has sinned and fallen short of glory, especially inside the Hollywood casting couch scene. ICHEOKU says Et tu Les Moonves.

STORMY DANIELS' MARRIAGE IN STORMY WATERS: HUSBAND FILES FOR DIVORCE.

ICHEOKU says that somebody even married the prostitute in the first place is actually the real scandal here and not that a marriage destined to fail, otherwise failed. Glorified prostitute and porn star, who had sex and ratted about it; and who also breached a fully purchased Non Disclosure Agreement, Stormy Daniels is no longer married. 

Her three year old marriage to Glendon Crain is over; as her soon to be former husband has filed a get me out here quick divorce. The two has a daughter together. 

Her lawyer Michael Avenatti, made the announcement in a tweet:- “My client Stormy Daniels and her husband Glen have decided to end their marriage. A petition for divorce was filed last week, the accuracy of which is vehemently disputed. Stormy’s daughter remains her number one priority.  She kindly asks for privacy for the sake of her family.”

ICHEOKU says has issue with the request for privacy and for the sake of her family. Why didn't Stormy Daniels think about the need for "privacy" by the man she labored to tarnish his image when she went public with a purely private affair matter of over 12 years old? Why didn't Stormy Daniels remember that the man he accused of having sex with also has a family that did not need to hear all the lurid tales of over a decade old? But here she is, pretentiously acting as if she cares and you wonder which prostitute, who turns tricks for money, really gives a damn. She is shamelessly asking for the privacy which she denied others; and also invoking her family, when she did not extend that to another man's family. All these after collecting a binding $130,000 in consideration, yet she breached it. 

Now, look who is talking about privacy and you wonder if karma is not a bitch and what goes around comes around. If according to Stormy Daniels, she was living incognito back home" before she went public with an affair, why then did she go public. What a pitiful bitch. 

LETS GET ALONG WITH RUSSIA - TRUMP.

"Getting along with President Putin, getting along with Russia is positive not a negative. Now, with that being said if that doesn’t work out I'll be the worst enemy he's ever had – the worst he's ever had." - President Donald John Trump.

TOUGH AS HELL ON RUSSIA.

"Getting along with President Putin, getting along with Russia is positive not a negative. Now, with that being said if that doesn’t work out I'll be the worst enemy he's ever had – the worst he's ever had." - President Donald John Trump.

THE HELSINKI SUMMIT : ANTI TRUMPERS' MISPLACED AGGRESSION.

ICHEOKU says never in the history of mankind, especially those who call America home, has antagonism against a president gone this crazy. A case of two people, where one broke an egg on the floor and the other is merely trying to clean up the mess. While the person who broke the egg is allowed to walk away free without any chastisement or scolding; the other person who was merely trying to clean up the broken egg is now being hounded as not either cleaning up the egg well enough and/or fast enough.

President Donald John Trump did not supervise the alleged meddling of the Russians in the last American elections. President Donald John Trump was not the president when the Russian meddling allegedly took place. President Donald John Trump was not the person who was informed about the Russian meddling before the last election and who failed to take action or do something about it. 

President Barack Obama was president then. President Barack Obama was the president who was told of the Russian meddling and President Barack Obama was the president who told the FBI and NIA to stand down and not to do a thing about it either to counter the Russians or punish the Russians. His reason for not doing anything is that he did not want such development to effect the election or in any other way, consequently taint the election of Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton; believing like the rest of them, that her election was an assured outcome. The American people rejected her candidacy and suddenly President Donald John Trump is being accused of colluding with the Russians and for not doing much at the Helsinki's summit to confront President Vladimir Putin publicly for the Russian meddling. 

Why the man who supervised the Russian meddling and who even assured the nation that nobody can rig the American election, is not being held to account for his inaction is rather the collusion and complicity as well as cover up in this matter. As a result, the angry democrats and their cohorts from the Republican party, the Never Trumpers, are always looking for any excuse to accuse the president of doing something wrong and even when he does something spectacularly wonderful, they will refuse to give him his props and will not mention or even report it in their mainstream media. But any slightest misspeak or misspelled word or slip of tongue by the president, they will hound him for it. Now, following the Helsinki Summit, they are once again up in arms haranguing the president, with some accusing him of being anti America and treasonous. 

Unfortunately, some of these accusers were in power when the Russians were doing the meddling, yet they failed to take action to either stop it or forcefully tell the Russians to cut it off. But instead of hiding their faces in shame of failure, here they are, with straight face, demanding to know why President Donald John Trump should not be impeached for not cleaning their mess fast enough and properly. Query, why did they even make the mess in the first place and/or clean it up after themselves.  

Election meddling did not start with the last election nor did it take place under President Donald John Trump. Also, Ossetia, Abkhazia and Crimea were not forcibly taken by Russia under President Donald John Trump either. But he is being held out for these actions and as if he was responsible for causing the problems or sleeping on wheels and not do a thing about them. 

The president is trying to establish a good relationship with Russia, towards jointly solving so many of world's problems through cooperation, but these guys are continuously butting heads with the president and constituting themselves into road blocks of resistance and obstructions. Admitted that Russia has done quite a number in subverting world's peace by annexing and seizing other countries' territories, but what is the other solution short of going to an outright war with the Russians. But Is this a proposition which Americans would rather opt for. 

ICHEOKU says therefore short of selling weapons and war profiteering, there is nothing else fueling their maniacal attacks on the president and their desire to permanently place Russia on the enemy list. Why make Russia the enemy when other real previous enemies Japan and Germany, have since been reconciled with. If the Russians meddled to help Trump, why did the Barack Obama government not stop them, since the Obama government were heavily invested in electing Hillary Clinton president. If they did not or failed to, does it mean that they too, technically, aided and abetted the Russian help to elect Trump and therefore equally guilty of colluding with the Russians to elect Trump. 

Simply put, just a show of a total meltdown bunkum hogwash by pitiful sore losers, who do not know how to be good sport and are still lamenting their loss of an election for nearly two years now. Hopefully, they will remain in their pathetic and imbecilic lamentation mode when Trump wins again in 2020 and be sworn in for a second term. 

TOUGH AS A NAIL ON RUSSIA - TRUMP.

"Getting along with President Putin, getting along with Russia is positive not a negative. Now, with that being said if that doesn’t work out I'll be the worst enemy he's ever had – the worst he's ever had." - President Donald John Trump.

IT IS FRANCE: RUSSIA 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP CHAMPION.

ICHEOKU says they did it, deservedly and rightly earned; the boys from Paris. ICHEOKU says congratulations.

FRANCE WAS GOOD AND THEY WERE HANDSOMELY REWARDED BIGLY.

ICHEOKU says they are Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup champion. Congratulations France.

PETER STRZOK: STRUCK OUT IN CONGRESSIONAL HEARING.

ICHEOKU says he was evasive, combative and dodgy throughout the hearing session and his holier than thou self righteousness mien were visible for even Steve Wonders to see. He came across as somewhat arrogant, cocky and as someone who feels that he is better than everyone else, including those elected members of Congress in the hearing committee, who were asking him questions. 

His utter evasiveness and refusal to answer direct questions; and when he tried, did not answer truthfully or invented his own version of the interpretation of what his text really meant, was quite telling and seem to fly in the face of the ordinary meaning of the English words which he used in his text messages. Many of his texts were plainly discernible and needed no interpretation to reveal their true purport and meaning; yet he was bold faced in denying the obvious and thus insulting the collective intelligence of the American people and implying their lack of capacity to read with comprehension to understand what was written in plain English language. 

It is so unfortunate that such a highly placed former FBI officer would lie, lie and lie without shame or compunction. It is sad and it has diminished the bureau in the eyes of America as well as the wider world which hitherto regarded the FBI as above reproach and straight as an arrow. In fact, what he did or did not do or intended or did not intend, is not actually important as the appearance is the controlling factor here. How does the average America perceive what went down? Did it look like the fix was in and indeed that things were fixed, despite all the denials and affirmation of professionalism? To an ordinary person looking from the sideline, how will he or she feel about the while story and will such a person still have unreserved faith in the FBI and that they did not try to influence an outcome. This is the imperative as justice must not only be done but must be seen to be manifestly done; but not as perceived in this case. 

In what Sean Hannity described as a verbal gymnastics, calling him a verbal contortionist, Peter Srrzok did a lot of verbal acrobats and cleverly evaded a lot of questions. In fact, lived up to the billing as he was evasive throughout his questioning. In some case, he outrightly chose to develop a selective amnesia just to avoid giving an answer; and as it soots him and as was necessary to shield him and prevent him from answering some pointed questions and in some cases, he simply parried them off. One other commentator described his performance as indicative of someone who has an unfaithful relationship with the truth. While yet another said that Peter Strzok has a hard time with the facts and that his conduct successfully created a dichotomy that erodes the American justice system. Concluding, he opined that the eventual successful politicization of American justice system, as begun by Peter Strzok and crew, will only mark the end of America's constitutional democracy as we know it. 

Overall, most Americans saw through the charade he tried to put up, a show of perfidy, meant to throw a wool over the eyes of watchers and put a cloud cover over his conduct. Peter Strzok tried to paint a different picture from the obvious conspiracy his band of do-gooders mounted to derail the election of President Donald John Trump. The hearing was indeed a chaos in Congress as Shannon Bream described it and ICHEOKU agrees with Ms Bream that a lot of dive and dodge occurred during the hearing session as Peter Strzok was not there to help unearth the truth but to mount a water clad defense of his actions. But regrettably, it did not fly as he came across as not comfortable with being confronted with the facts and would rather he did not place himself in such exposed position. However, Peter Strzok is apparently brilliant and a gifted mind; and he would certainly make a good advocate, although he refused to come clean and reconcile himself with truthfully speaking. 

NIGERIA ELECTION 2019: PHD OR ARMY GENERAL NOT NECESSARY.

ICHEOKU says in choosing the next Nigeria's president, preparedness for the office should be key and in fact the only single most important requirement of anyone running for the office. It should be made paramount and it should be made a  mandatory prerequisite. Any candidate seeking the office must display his or her readiness to hit the ground running from Day 1 Readiness for the office and the ability to hit the ground running following swearing in ceremony, should be the only crucial, most important requirement of any candidate seeking the office. Every other consideration should be an addition, but should never be allowed to cluster and/or trump this foundational requirement.

Lack of this imperative is the bane of the Nigeria society; as lack of preparedness for the office has been the Achilles heel of all the emergent or rather imposed past presidents of Nigeria. Presidents who were literary, randomly handpicked and imposed on the country by powers that be and who did not prepare for the office; nor had no clear vision on how they wanted to drive the ball of the county and where they indeed wanted to take the country to. As a result, they fumble their presidency and fail to motivate the diverse polity that make up Nigeria into doing great things and achieving greatness for the country's overall wellness. Like a deer under the glare of a high beam, these accidental presidents end up staggering along through their presidency, with a lot of fits and starts, hits and misses, as they trudge on and make it up as they went. This caused Nigeria to stagnate, lost in the woods of nationhood confusion and mired in economic malaise. Lacking vision and with no clear blue print on how to direct the affairs of the country, it becomes one faulty step after another, and you wonder why anyone still feigns ignorance about the root-cause of the backward movement of the country.

What Nigeria needs going forward in 2019 is to correct this anomaly by choosing and electing a president who has a vision and who has an idea of the direction where he wants to take the country to. Time for a confused president is over and only a person who has demonstrated a clear directional purpose should be privileged with election into the office. In 2019, Nigerians need to elect a president who is smart, bold and somewhat brash; someone who has a world exposure and who is reasonably educated to appreciate both macro and micro economic analysis; as well as some other jargons and legalese associated with both local and international relationships. Nigeria needs a person who has a killer instinct and who has desirable judgment calls, including the innate ability to spot talents and judiciously use them in governing of the country. 

Thus far, it has been established beyond any reasonable doubt that a PhD and/or a Generalship of the Army is not necessary an indicator of fine presidency as the failed Goodluck Jonathan and the now abysmally failed Muhammadu Buhari have shown. As a result, Nigerians do not need to pigeonhole their search for the next president on people with this two distinct backgrounds. They need to pivot and broaden their horizon to other areas as they search for who to bestow the honor of their next president come 2019. Having tried a PhD president who turned out to be mediocre, timid, unexposed and clueless; and one who lacked in every leadership test including the ability to inspire the people, the argument of a PhD president is thus defeated. Nigeria is also currently trying an illiterate Army General, who has proved himself to be grossly incompetent and the worst thing to ever happen to Nigeria since the counter-coup of 1966 which sent Nigeria barreling down and into its current ditch of perdition. 

While the flopped PHD presidential experiment shows that studious students, who usually take it all the way up to earn their PhD, do not necessarily make good leaders; the woeful despotic General presidential experiment is also showing that certain promotions across the Nigerian security apparatus were not based on merit nor were they rightly earned. Therefore having conclusively established that parading a PHD in one's resume or rising to the top of the Nigeria Army is not evidence of presidential leadership, neither of this two professional achievements should be the imperative in choosing and electing who becomes the next Nigeria's president in 2019. 

Nigeria needs someone who has a proven leadership ability and one who has actually accomplished something provable in life; which essentially establishes his or her bona fides as an achiever and a leader. A leader who will drive the ball of the country and who will point to the direction where he or she wants the motivated polity to go and motivate them to go there. A leader who shall be a shepard to the Nigerian flock and who like an NFL Quarterback will marshall out and motivate his team to touchdowns. A social recluse who was holed inside a library during his university days, who never socialized, nor mixed and mingled; who did not belong to any students' associations, talkless of leading them, cannot suddenly be foist to a leadership position and expected to do well. He lacks the basic fundamentals, does not know how and was not prepared for the sudden challenge. Ditto, an uneducated soldier, who merely rode the ladder of cronyism to the top, who knows only how to bark orders, but deficient in the art of schmoozing, which is a necessary requirement to carrying people along in a democracy and motivating them to doing great things for the country. 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has a PhD but was definitely not a leader. He proved himself a very incompetent president, who was neither respected nor feared; and was not loved either. Any leadership deprived of either respect or fear is moribund and dead on arrival and cannot take flight; the reason his presidency was lackluster and to a great extent a bungled opportunity to shine and showcase education as an indispensable imperative to governance. He did not and failed to represent persons from the high ivory towers and no Nigerian would ever be sold a presidential candidate solely on his PhD. President Muhammadu Buhari on the other hand, although he is not loved, but he is still a leader; he is at least feared and he leaves no one in doubt about who is indeed in charge of affairs in the country. This is the reason he gets away with so many unimaginable things including his lopsided appointments, which would have been considered sacrilegious with other past presidents. But unfortunately, he lacks education and exposure, the reason for the crass mediocrity which has since become his presidency. 

ICHEOKU is emphatic that presidential leadership requires broader abilities beyond just memorizing written texts and writing and defending a dissertation. Such honed-in academia like Jonathan Goodluck are best suited for the classrooms, laboratories, research centers, think-thanks groups; and other such places where the transfer and acquisition of knowledge is the foundational focus. They also could make good departmental heads of certain government agencies when assigned to manage a micro area where their specialization is fundamentally essential. ICHEOKU is convinced that Goodluck Jonathan would have performed brilliantly well if he was heading an animal science laboratory or a zoological sciences center or even a geneticist science center dealing with animals more than he did in the presidency. He was not fit for purpose and the result showed as he timidly went about, messing up his presidential opportunity.  Being the president of Nigeria was definitely outside Goodluck Jonathan's comfort zone and it left him confused and fidgety and it affected everything he did during his time in Aso Rock. This is an avoidable mistake which must be avoided at all cost come 2019. 

ICHEOKU is not by this suggesting in anyway that having a president who has a PhD is wrong; but that having a PhD must not be the only qualification for choosing a president. Having a PhD by itself without more is not and should not be sufficient to make one eminently qualified for the office of president. Jonathan Goodluck is a PhD but he was not a leader. He was meek and compassionate but lacked the verve to be great. He pandered and kowtowed to every dick, tom and harry in Nigeria, without being firmly in charge of his presidency and he was not decisive. He preached that no blood of a Nigerian is worth shedding for his office, but forgot the incredibly difficult and obstinate society which he was called upon to lead. He forgot the peculiarity of the Nigerian society, a people who only listens when pressured or when their skin is completely lacerated and bleeding. Yes, ICHEOKU says that Goodluck Jonathan should have been a little tougher, firmer and more decisive; but he was not and that was what took him down and out of power and subsequently stretched him out of Aso Rock. 

So as Nigerians ready and politicians jockey for position in the forthcoming 2019 presidential election, it is important to revisit the process which springs up Nigeria's presidents. Why do they not usually succeed in office and how can amends be made to affect a change in the outcome. How can Nigerians defeat the jinx of bad presidents and elect a president who will in fact succeed and do great things for the country. Why are these presidents not always well prepared or well enough for the office; and ready for its challenges, both foreseeable and unforeseeable ones? Why do they not have the mental fortitude to do the job required of the office and rise up to be the best president they can be. What relevant backgrounds and experiences are they armed with and bringing to bear on their new presidential gig. What have they accomplished in their lives previously which relevant experiences they are bringing along with them to the new office; and what is their level of interactions with people of diverse backgrounds which political governance is all about. 

But unfortunately, Nigerians never have the opportunity to find out some of these fundamentals of a successful president. A process which debates and press conferences are made for, but which opportunities are always denied them because candidates refuse to debate or grant press interviews. In Nigeria, candidates for office often stonewall and out rightly refuse to engage in debates or grant press conferences, afraid of unraveling before millions of Nigerians who would tune in and be watching. They know that they are grossly incompetent and unprepared for the office, and afraid of letting the mask of Zorro fall off too early, would refuse to engage in debates or give press conferences, to answer some insightful questions about the office and their preparedness for it. 

Obasanjo did not debate or rather refused to debate. Umaru Yar'Adua did not debate or rather refused to debate. Jonathan did not debate or rather refused to debate. President Muhammadu Buhari did not debate or rather also refused to debate. So Nigerians always end up being forced to pull the trigger for a candidate based on other mundane considerations and not because they determined them to be most qualified for the office from conducted debates and interviews. Without having such necessary insight into the person's ability, qualification and competence for the office, which debates usually make possible, a joker who pulled other parochial strings for support usually ends up becoming president; and the endless vicious circle continues till today. 

This makes the Nigerian presidency the only job in the world where someone is hired for a job without first going through the interview process and without establishing their suitability and qualification for the job. The process of hiring Nigeria's presidents is grossly faulty and it cascades into the mediocrity of each successive president; who lack in performance and cannot inspire anyone into doing greater things in order to help make Nigeria great. Olusegun Obasanjo was a failure, although he excelled when compared to other subsequent presidents following after him. Yar'Adua failed as well; ditto did Jonathan and of course the nightmare in Elms Street that is the Dracula of Daura, President Muhammadu Buhari. 

They were not products of the democratic process, but were literary imposed on Nigerians by some powers that be, hence their failure to launch and amaze. Had Nigerians produced them by making them to pass through the crucible of electioneering process, may be they would have, with hindsight of how they got there, girded up to do the job for which they were elected and passed through fire to get there. But it is not always the case, hence they are usually beholden to the powers that sprung them on Nigerians and periodically  cut fat checks to them in order to stay in power and could care less whether or not they are governing well. This imbecility must end and it must end in 2019 if Nigerians dream of ever having a government they can trust and believe in to do good for them and which the can be truly proud of as their elected government. 

ICHEOKU says the road to get there is simple, if only Nigerians are ready to do the heavy lifting required in choosing the right candidate for the job. Unfortunately, it is very doubtful if Nigerians are there yet as a lot of parochial tendencies usually festoon the road to electing a good president and thus suffocate that possibility. Anyway, this write up is about the future and not in any way a ruefulness about the past; but only how Nigerians can at least try to get it right come 2019.

First step is the need to find a candidate who is well qualified for the job. Nigerians have tried a PhD who ran a government of mediocrity which showed that a storied education is not a necessary sine qua non to being an effective president. ICHEOKU says this because President Goodluck Jonathan with his PhD in Animal Science/Zoology was a failed president which showed that a storied academic credentials along does not cut it. Goodluck Jonathan never had a grasp of his presidency while it lasted. He was timid, he was clueless and he did not really appreciate the seriousness of the office nor how to effectively wield powers of the office. He attended weddings and he knelt down before human beings when he is supposed to be the fealty above who there is no other Nigerian. He disrespected the office and he lost his respect among Nigerians. Any president who is neither feared nor respected cannot function and Jonathan was neither, hence the unraveling of his presidency. He was too readily available and this defeated the near  solemness of the office. He lacks charisma and charm and did not inspire nor motivate anyone. 

These shortcomings must be avoided in the next candidate for president, as Nigerians only need someone with a sound education, who is audacious, bold, well traveled and well exposed to the world; someone who is a good mixer and who interacts very well with people because timidity is a big deficit in running the affairs of any country which requires intermittent mixing and mingling with other world leaders. The person must be a goal getter and near maniacally, possessively driven. The person must have very little distraction and unlike the heavily distracted Abubakar Atiku with his four wives and many concubines, must make do with a single wife, if any. The person must learn to make eye contact and have the ability to eyeball wall leaders, unlike the coward of Otuoke who fidgets and looks the other way whenever in the midst of foreign leaders. President Olusegun Obasanjo excelled in many of these departments; but he was a parochial leader who was both tribal and pigeonholed and also very vindictive; otherwise he was the best among the rest. 

These qualities must be determined by compelling the candidates to go through real interviews for the job. They must agree to debates and actually debate several times, at least do three debates. The candidates must agree to holding press conferences and at least hold two of them where questions must not be presented ahead of time but freely chosen for them to answer on national television with audience watching them live as well. The candidates must be made to give a clear road map blueprint answer to whatever solution they are preferring for any Nigerian problem. They must not be allowed to parry questions or give the usual one liner generic answer such as "I will fight corruption; I will create jobs and insecurity will become a thing of the past or my government will provide power to Nigeria etc. 

If the candidate says I will, he or she must go forth and explain how the "I will", will come to fruition. He must explain to Nigerians' conviction, his rudimentary understanding of how things get done; how to mission accomplish set objectives. If he says will reduce unemployment, he must tell Nigerians how he plans to create jobs that will accomplish the promised. If he says he will end corruption, he must also disclose the judicial reforms he plans to embark on that will help solve the corruption problem. Therefore, no interview (debates), no hire (vote) for the presidency come 2019.

Were ICHEOKU to suggests a candidate for Nigeria's presidency come 2019, will strongly recommend the banker, Tony Elumelu, for consideration. He successfully turned around and repositioned the nearly moribund United Bank of Africa into a consortium and could do so with a comatose Nigeria. He will be much better at figuring out Nigeria's problems and finding solutions to them; unlike those two failed presidents who could hardly mix and mingle, or interact with people from other climes and backgrounds to extract what they could offer to reposition things. Such attempt often left them confused and out of their comfort zone. This is the reason a businessman or banker or lawyer always make a better president or leader, because in their normal course of doing business, they interact with people from various backgrounds and they are a good people's reader to spot the diamonds amongst them who will bring something rewarding to governance. They are also good public relations personalities and they have a killer  instinct to spot talents. They are good mixers and they are courageous people too who are not afraid to say what they are thinking and break what needs to be broken in order to move the process forward.

THE CAVE BOYS OF THAILAND RESCUE: SIMPLY MIRACULOUS.

ICHEOKU says it was a synergy between science and divinity, admitted the two hardly intersects each other or ever worked in tandem, being polar opposites. But the circumstances of the twelve soccer playing boys of Thailand and their coach, who went missing inside a cave, cannot be so easily explained away and in any other way, other than to say it was the hand of God working alongside together with science that made the successful rescue possible. 

Those young boys showed extraordinary courage under such a daunting, incredible pressure of being in an inhospitable condition, trapped three miles deep inside an unforgiving cavernous cave, that was nearly flooded to the brim and for such a long time of 19 days. Yet, they managed to find a corner that was secured and high enough, above the water and couched there until discovered. Their discovery was equally by sheer dint of hard work plus associated mother luck; otherwise how anyone would have located them under such dark, putrid air, with associated flood water and murkiness, is beyond reason. But they were found, thanks to committed cave experts and divers who successfully mapped and navigated the flooded cave and rescued the twelve boys and their coach. They were all alive and relatively in good health, after close to nineteen days of being in a subterranean, zero visibility and humid environment,  perched atop a rock shelf. It was a case of miracle and science worked wonders; as miracle kept them alive while science rescued them.

Previously united in their soccer playing hobby, the boys are now further bonded by their shared hallowing experience inside a cave, an adventure which went awry and turned out not as they originally had planned and anticipated. But the good news is that they are alive and well and were successfully brought out of their watery entrapment and will someday relive their ordeal when they will be asked to partake in one way or the other in putting together a block buster movie about them. ICHEOKU says to God be the praise and glory; and also kudos to the over 90 experts who flew in from the world over to render whatever assistance they could give to the Thai Navy Seal and officials who led the effort and successfully coordinated and supervised the effort to its conclusion. 

ICHEOKU says Thailand once again was shown much love, which is reflective of an appreciative world who come to Thailand on vacation and leave with good experience. It was an example of a world working together for a common purpose and it turned out well. ICHEOKU is completely satisfied and full of gratitude that everything turned out well. All the best, lucky 13. 

KAVANAUGH IS THE ONE: CONGRATULATIONS.

ICHEOKU says he is coming with a clear-eyed view of what the United States of America constitution provides. ICHEOKU says the right pick.

JUDGE BRETT KAVANAUGH IS IT: THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE PICK

ICHEOKU says President Donald John Trump has decided on one of the candidates for the vacated seat of retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy of the Supreme Court. He is Judge Brett Kavanaugh of Federal Court of Appeal Washington DC 3rd Circuit. A devout Catholic, devoted father of two young girls and a husband; and of course a son, the only child of his parents. He comes from the Bush Family's wing of the Republican Party and they resoundingly approves of his pick. 

ICHEOKU says it once again shows the largeness of heart and magnanimity of President Donald John Trump, whose immense capacity to rise above petty reprisals and not judging one guilty by association, has once again been made manifest with this pick. The president described Judge Kavanaugh as one of the finest and sharpest legal minds in our time; a jurist who would set aside his political views and apply the Constitution as written. ICHEOKU says is very hopeful that he will hold the forte for conservatism following his assured confirmation. Congratulations to the nominee and congratulations to the president who nominated him. Here now is the beautiful nominee's remarks:- 

"Mr. President, thank you.  Throughout this process, I’ve witnessed firsthand your appreciation for the vital role of the American judiciary. No President has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds, to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination. Mr. President, I am grateful to you and I am humbled by your confidence in me. Thank you. Thirty years ago, President Reagan nominated Anthony Kennedy to the Supreme Court. The framers established that the Constitution is designed to secure the blessings of liberty.  Justice Kennedy devoted his career to securing liberty. I am deeply honored to be nominated to fill his seat on the Supreme Court. My mom and dad are here. I am their only child. When people ask what it’s like to be an only child, I say, “It depends on who your parents are.” I was lucky. My mom was a teacher. 

In the 1960s and 70s she taught history at two largely African American public high schools in Washington, D.C.—McKinley Tech and H.D. Woodson.  Her example taught me the importance of equality for all Americans. My mom was a trailblazer. When I was 10, she went to law school and became a prosecutor.  My introduction to law came at our dinner table when she practiced her closing arguments.  Her trademark line was: “Use you common sense.  What rings true?  What rings false?”  That’s good advice a juror, and for a son. One of the few women prosecutors at that time, she overcame barriers and became a trial judge.  The President introduced me tonight as Judge Kavanaugh.  But to me that title will always belong to my mom. My dad went to law school at night while working full time. He has an unparalleled work ethic and has passed down to me his passion for playing and watching sports. I love him dearly. 

The motto of my Jesuit high school was “Men for others.” I’ve tried to live that creed. I’ve spent my career in public service, from the executive branch and the White House to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.  I’ve served with 17 other judges, each of them a colleague and a friend. My judicial philosophy is straightforward. A judge must be independent and must interpret the law, not make the law. A judge must interpret statutes as written.  And a judge must interpret the Constitution as written, informed by history and tradition and precedent. For the past 11 years, I’ve taught hundreds of students, primarily at Harvard Law School. I teach that the Constitution’s separation of powers protects individual liberty, and I remain grateful to the dean who hired me, Justice Elena Kagan. As a judge, I hire four law clerks each year. I look for the best. My law clerks come from diverse backgrounds and points of view. 

I am proud that a majority of my law clerks have been women. I am part of the vibrant Catholic community in the D.C. area. The members of that community disagree about many things, but we are united by a commitment to serve. Father John Enzler is here.  Forty years ago, I was an altar boy for Father John. These days, I help him serve meals to the homeless at Catholic Charities. I have two spirited daughters—Margaret and Liza. Margaret loves sports, and she loves to read.  Liza loves sports, and she loves to talk. I have tried to create bonds with my daughters like my dad created with me. For the past seven years, I have coached my daughter’s basketball teams. The girls on the team call me “Coach K.” I am proud of our Blessed Sacrament team that just won the city championship. My daughters and I also go to lots of games. Our favorite memory was going to the historic Notre Dame-Yukon women’s basketball game at this year’s Final Four. 

Unforgettable. My wife Ashley is a West Texan. A graduate of Abilene Cooper Public High School and the University of Texas. She is now the town manager of our community. We met in 2001 when we both worked in the White House. Our first date was on September 10, 2001. The next morning, I was a few steps behind her as the Secret Service shouted at all of us to sprint out the front gates of the White House because there was an inbound plane. In the difficult weeks that followed, Ashley was a source of strength for President Bush and for everyone in this building.  Through bad days and so many better days since then, she’s been a great wife and inspiring mom. I thank God every day for my family. Tomorrow, I begin meeting with members of the Senate, which plays an essential role in this process. I will tell each senator that I revere the Constitution. I believe that an independent judiciary is the crown jewel of our constitutional republic. If confirmed by the Senate, I will keep an open mind in every case, and I will always strive to preserve the Constitution of the United States and the American Rule of Law. Thank you, Mr. President." 

THERESE OKOUMOU: A CONGOLESE KNUCKLEHEAD CLIMBED LADY LIBERTY.

ICHEOKU says what a way to gain notoriety so fast by desecrating Lady Liberty just to make a political statement. A political statement which she never felt was needed and never deemed it necessary to make in her native Congo from where she flee and was given refuge in America. To reciprocate  this gesture, she decided to take Lady Liberty hostage and on a day when Americans celebrated their freedom, their Independence Day. 

The Statue of Liberty is a destination of choice for millions, both foreign and domestic, who throng there to be inspired by the welcoming spirit of America, which she represents. People particularly go there on special days including on July 4th Independence Day, but many of these people were deprived the opportunity to fulfill their long awaited dream to visit with Lady Liberty, the beckon of hope to the world, by the action of this nappy haired crackhead-looking ungrateful strangler. 

Therese Okoumou, 44, a naturalized United States of America citizen from the Democratic Republic of Congo scaled the pedestal of Lady Liberty and staged a three hour protest, which according to her was against President Donald John Trump's zero tolerance policy on illegal immigration. She was arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespassing and disorderly conduct and faces up to six months in jail on each charge, if convicted. She wore a T-shirt on which was written "White Supremacy is Terrorism" and said that she went as high as she could go and that children do not belong in cages. In her own exact words, she said, "When they go low, we go high and I went as high as I could. No children belong in a cage." 

ICHEOKU says the only thing is that she forgot about her sanctimonious indignation at the Immigration Law enforcement when then President Barack Obama similarly separated children from their families and equally put them in cages. ICHEOKU says her action and her choice location was to say the least reckless and thoughtless; and hopefully she will do some time and also pay hefty fines for disrupting visitors at Lady Liberty and for putting her rescuers and herself in danger of both fall and drowning in the East River. What a pitiful person, admitted that her 15 seconds of fame turned into a three hours of notoriety and disruption of visits to Lady Liberty. What a shame. 

JUSTIN TRUDEAU: SEXUALLY HARASSED WOMEN?

I remember that day in Creston well. It was an Avalanche Foundation event to support avalanche safety. I had a good day that day. I don’t remember any negative interactions that day at all.” - Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister. 

ICHEOKU says really? Of course he "had a good day that day", but at another woman's expense; and he "didn't remember any negative interactions that day at all", because as far as he was concerned he was having fun but did not care a hoot whether his victim considered such a violation of her person funny as well. And yes, this is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mounting a very pathetic weak defense to the allegation of groping a woman and you wonder what else is he hiding, including the rumored possibility that he is also gay and at least goes both ways as a bisexual. 

The fact of the matter is that the victim considered his action so unwelcome that she reported it to her boss and wrote about it, suggesting that but for Justin Trudeau's high profile family name, being afraid of retribution, did not pursue the incident. This is the imperative test here and not the state of mind of the Prime Minister or how he felt. 

ICHEOKU says according to the story, the now Prime Minister of Canada in 2000, when he was somewhat a 28 year old aspiring hippie, groped a reporter with Advance Newspaper, while they were both attending a summer festival, the Kokanee Summit Music Festival in Creston, British Columbia. 

In his pique eliciting defense, the baby face Canadian Prime Minister said that he would never have groped the reporter if he knew that she was a reporter for a national newspaper; leaving many askance and wondering if it was then okay to grope reporters who only write for local newspapers? In his own words, Justin Trudeau said: "I'm sorry, if I had known you were reporting for a national paper I never would have been so forward." A matter collaborated by the reporter's boss who said, "I certainly believe that it happened, this reporter was of a high character in my opinion and was professional in the way she conducted herself and there's no question in my mind that what was alluded to, written about in that editorial, did happen." 

However, Justin Trudeau denied that happened the way it was narrated, saying I don't think so. I've been very, very careful all my life to be thoughtful, to be respectful of people's space and people's headspace as well." Continuing, he added that there is no context in which someone doesn't have responsibility for things they've done in the past. To which ICHEOKU says Justin Trudeau should now take responsibility for what he did in the past, in 2000 at the Kokanee Summit Music Festival in Creston, British Columbia and resign the office for lying about the encounter; thus misleading the Canadian people. Needless to add that the fine face Prime Minister is currently under investigation for  allegations of sexual harassment by one of his ministers. 

ICHEOKU says it bothers on pattern of behavior and if he did it before he could do it again and is most likely guilty of the committing the latest allegation by one of his ministers. ICHEOKU says that another woman must not have to go through the torture which the reporter went through and therefore must be held to account for his pervasive proclivity to commit sexual offenses including unwanted sexual advances and groping of defenseless women. 

ICHEOKU says when will this holier than thou, "Canada cannot be pushed around", sissy, girlie man Prime Minister of Canada resign his office in disgrace. He sexually molested a female reporter, assuming that was his first time of doing it and now another one of his ministers has accused him of sexual harassment. He was the son of a Prime Minister and was considered then to be above the law; but in this Me-Too era, nobody, including the now Canadian Prime Minister should be let off the hook for unwanted sexual advances on innocent, defenseless women. The reporter expressed that much, which made it impossible for her to seek redress then; saying that she was afraid of the notoriety of the Trudeau Family and their reach and influence in Canada. ICHEOKU says today's Me-Too movement has overcame this barrier and hopefully they will come to this reporter's aid and assist her go full metal jacket frontal against the prime minister.

HAPPY JULY 4TH AMERICA !

ICHEOKU says nothing spells America more appropriately than freedom.  It is this day in 1776 that our forebears made it possible, fighting off their colonial British overlords to free themselves from all manner of dictatorship, foreign or domestic. In their declaration of independence were written these solemn words: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 

On this principles, which still hold true till this day, America became simply exceptional and like McDonald's, all freedom loving peoples of this world are loving it. ICHEOKU says congratulations America and happy birthday. It is America's 243nd birthday aka Independence Day; so lets celebrate America, Hooray!

MEXICO HAS A NEW PRESIDENT: LOPEZ OBRADOR.

ICHEOKU says he is a pro Trump who has promised to pursue a cordial relationship with Washington DC; a former mayor of Mexico City and a known unapologetic leftist. He was on his third attempt for the presidency and he won bigly; in a near land-slide. Lopez Obrador, 64 years old, ran under the platform of his relatively new National Regeneration Movement aka Morena, defeating the candidate of the incumbent party and convincingly at 53 percent. 

His campaign promises include to bring organized crime to heel – with an approach of “hugs not bullets” by addressing the root cause of crime and violence, poverty. He also supports NAFTA and will work with President Donald John Trump to resolve whatever differences that is holding the renegotiated NAFTA. However, he said that he will defend Mexican migrants in the United States of America and that Mexico will not be policing Central American migrants trying to reach the United States of America through Mexico. 

ICHEOKU says we shall see how everything works out for Mexico with his election; and hopes that Mexico will witness a much more improved society under his presidency. Congratulations President elect Lopez Obrador.