PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN, MORPHING INTO A PETTY DICTATOR?

The traits are there and recent developments suggest that the Nigerian president by providence, President Goodluck Jonathan, has been bitten by the bug which afflicts most African leadership and transform them into sit-tight, never leaving dictators. First he is running for president in 2011 against the odds of his party's zoning system which currently places that office in the north; next he declared Raymond Dokpesi a persona non grata in the Niger Delta just for pitching his tent with Babangida; then he would not allow some Igbo elders to peacefully meet and deliberate at an Igbo hotel in an Igbo city of an Igbo State simply because his security details erroneously informed him that the meeting was to benefit Babangida's candidacy.

Now, the latest of his dictatorial shenanigan is the putting of his cross-hairs on the back of Babangida through the proxy of his campaign director, Raymond Dokpesi; whom he has just arrested based on a phantom allegation of some bomb blast in Abuja. Icheoku says, President Goodluck, show Nigerians the evidence; otherwise back-off from the present course of political intimidation of the opposition as Nigeria is now democratic and no longer under the jackboot of a petty military dictator.

Icheoku could care less if Babangida is served his cold strange dish, being the bomber numero uno of Nigeria and the man to first introduce bombing in Nigerian lexicography - Dele Giwa. But justice and fairness demands that Babangida should be allowed to contest the forthcoming election without unnecessary and unusual road-blocks being thrown his way, such as the present arrest and detention of his campaign director. Icheoku says, President Jonathan should have nothing to fear about Babangida's chances in the forthcoming election as Nigerians know better and will vote wisely; hence he must desist from his present approach of trying to hound Babangida out of contesting simply because he can, using the enormous powers of incumbency. President Goodluck, Icheoku implores you to please back off your oppositions or present Nigerians with the incontrovertible evidence as to Dokpesi's and by extension, Babangida's complicity in the Independence day celebration bombing at Abuja.

As far as Icheoku is concerned, the text message "Have you collected the balance from Dokpesi" is fantastical and the work of an amateur; as in typical Nigerian parlance and the tense situation considered it would have read "Have you collected the balance from Oga?" To mention Dokpesi in such a way is simply fishing the evidence that is desired. Also the other alleged text message "Lets meet at IBB campaign office" is just a rude joke as no reasonable conspirator would so blatantly give itself up in this manner. The ideal text should have read "Lets meet at the place or the office or even the campaign office; but excluding IBB." Such unintelligent forgery smells of the phantom coups with which Babangida killed Mamman Vasta etc and should not find a place in today's Nigeria. Icheoku says if this is the only evidence the Jonathan government has, then they have not found the real culprits as they may, like the president asserted, be still somewhere outside the country! What a pitiful cheap forgery and we hope that the telephone operators whose phones were used would with the help of transcripts, throw more light on whose phone sent what message. Icheoku is not buying into this two text messages as being the smoking gun for Babangida's involvement in the bomb blast, nope!

NIGERIA'S MOST WANTED TERRORISTS, BOMBED INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION!

Messrs Chima Orlu and Ben Jessy, pictured above, are wanted in connection with the bombing of Nigeria's golden jubilee independence anniversary celebration; which have so far claimed the lives of 36 innocent Nigerians. This is Icheoku's public service announcement and our contribution to the global fight against terrorism. Icheoku says, MEND which have claimed responsibility for the bombing should be held accountable for it and it baffles Icheoku why President Jonathan hurriedly absolved these his Niger Delta terrorist-brothers of any responsibility thereto. The only plausible reason will be that he possibly has some political rivals he wants to rein in for the bombing and thereby stop their competition for Aso Rock. But hey, political gladiators know best how to checkmate each other and remember that Babangida had to kill rival Mamman Vasta using a phantom coup plot just to be done with him. Please if you see any of this two armed and dangerous Niger Deltan terrorist, contact the FBI, Interpol, the Police, SSS or any other security agency immediately. Chima Orlu and Ben Jessy are Nigeria Most Wanted!

"IF I'M GIVEN 1000 LIVES, I WILL SACRIFICE THEM ALL" - TIMES SQUARE BOMBER FAISAL SHAHZAD

Icheoku says what a sadistic preview into the soul of the Islamic crisis America is facing down, that a naturalized American citizen of Pakistani origin, who is of a fairly decent background and upbringing; and an aspiring middle class family-man American living the proverbial American dream would have such a conceited soul as to attempt to detonate a car bomb on a busy Saturday night in Times Square New York. By his sentence, the Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad will spend the rest of his natural life behind bars in a near solitary confinement where according to the judge, he will have enough time to do some reflections, introspections and possibly come to terms with himself on his nefarious and misguided action.

But defiant Shahzad did not go quietly to prison as he tongue-lashed Americans for the final last time saying, "Brace yourselves, because the war with Muslims has just begun, consider me the first droplet of the blood that will follow. We are only Muslims trying to defend our religion, people, homes and land, but if you call us terrorists, then we are proud terrorists and we will keep on terrorizing you until you leave our lands and people at peace." Icheoku says this son of a gun is one stray cannon and if he didn't mean to take the oath of allegiance seriously, why did he take it.

The good news however is that America's drones are keeping watchful eagle-eyes over the Afghanistan/Pakistan terrorists breeding grounds and does not hesitate to incinerate them whenever they are spotted. So in essence our drones are making us safer from these murderous thugs who are not amendable to reason or capable of any rationalized thinking. Icheoku hopes Faisal Shahzad will be sent to the underground Colorado Maximum Security Federal prison where he can join his other evil confederate-jihadists as they ponder the gravity of their actions and whether they upturned the teachings of the Koran and in the process took their zealotry too far!

TENNESSEE FIRE DEPARTMENT SINGS, LET THE HOUSE BURN, BURN, BURN M'FUCKER, BURN!

Only in America, the land of every possibilities and all things imaginable. A fire department in South Fulton Tennessee stood hands akimbo and watched as a man's house burnt to the ground because he has not yet paid an annual fire fighting and protection fee of $75, a somewhat fire-fighting insurance policy payable in the county. All his pleas to pay a premium fell on deaf ears as he was told to learn the hard lesson that had everyone behaved like him and waitied for their house to be on fire before making their payment, there would have been no money to buy fire trucks and train for such fire emergency. Icheoku says, what a bitter pill trailer-parker Gene Cranick was forced to swallow just to prove a point and put it on record that if you don't pay you won't be allowed to play. Tough love, nay, tough hate, Tennessee style!

Rural dweller Gene Cranick did not pay the annual fire-fighting subscription fees, a policy in place since 1990 and when fire struck his house, the county fire service refused him from drawing on the benefit of the covered policy. He lost his house and everything therein to the fire. However when the fire threatened to spread to his neighbors properties, the fire fighters standing nearby and watching his home consumed by fire, fought off the threatening fire, his neighbors having paid their protection fees accordingly.

Icheoku says this ordinance is simply ruthless, callous and has no heart in it; it also makes nonsense of the term emergency and ridicules "be your brother's keeper and America the beautiful." What if the Cranick has no money to pay? What if the man forgot to pay or the check was lost in the mail? What if Mr. Cranick dies of a broken heart or even commits suicide having lost everything to the fire and after watching his beloved America allow such a misfortune to befall him. Who takes the blame but America and southern Tennessee which accommodated such "Benjamines-only America?" Or is this no longer America where we help our brothers in need? Icheoku says the only way this absurdity could be properly recompensed is for the county or the state of Tennessee to immediately rebuild Mr. Cranicks house and do everything possible to restore him to his status-quo ante. There is no rational mind that will accept the basis for the disproportionate loss of property over a non payment of ordinary $75.

If one fails to comply with a law, and provided it is not a criminal violation; he is usually assessed a penalty and this is what would have applied to Mr. Cranicks provided his home is saved. Until this inhumanity to an American is fully redressed and his home restored, Icheokusays there is really no point carrying on with all these nation building Washington does in far away countries and far-flung territories when one of its own is treated in this shabby manner. It is simply pretentious that tax-payers money will be deployed to develop dessert Iraq and Afghanistan while an Americans home in South Fulton Obion County Tennessee is lost deliberately in this manner just because of the owner's inability to come up with $75. It is callous; it is wicked and it is un-American!

MEXICO, THE NEW 'TALIBAN' COUNTRY OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE?

Icheoku says, looking for a Taliban-horror, look no further; and you no longer need to travel to faraway Afghanistan or Iraq or even Pakistan to understand what real horror feels and looks like. Just cross the boarder to the south and you are in a 'Taliban' country of Mexico where drug lords have deployed every imaginable instrument of horror in their terrorism-arsenal to drive home their message and keep ordinary Mexicans guessing as to what comes next.

They have publicly beheaded innocent Mexicans, mass-executed hundreds of Mexicans, lynched many Mexicans, kidnapped and shot several Mexicans including government officials; now the mother of all terrors - death by stoning and one is reminded of the adulterous woman awaiting execution by stoning in Iran. The question that boggles Icheoku is why the western media is not treating the deteriorating situation in Mexico with the seriousness and heightened attention it deserves; but are rather busy pillorying the Middle East, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and at the same time keeping a blind eye in what is going on in our neighborhood , the western hemisphere country of Mexico. What are they waiting for or are they waiting for President Calderon himself to be kidnapped and possibly publicly executed or beheaded for them to focus their attention or beam their searchlight on the atrocities going on in Mexico on its knees and under the jackboot of vicious drug lords. When shall enough really become enough, the world?

Their latest mayhem, the stoning to death of Tancitaro city Mayor Gustavo Sanchez and city adviser Rafael Equihua, whose crushed bodies were found dumped in the back of a pickup truck abandoned on a dirt road near the city of Uruapan; bringing to five the number of government officials that have been slain by these drug cartels within the past one month. Icheoku asks, is the government of Mexico winning this war or are they just engaged in an endless war with vicious murderers who use terror to drive home their message that they are not going away, not anytime soon. The question therefore is how long can the people of Mexico watch their sons and daughters being slaughtered in this manner with a nearly hapless government promising to rein the situation in but to no avail? How long shall the blood-letting last and when is the band-aid coming to stem the bleeding?

It will be recalled that in 2009 the city council chief, Gonzalo Paz, was kidnapped, tortured and eventually murdered; which led to the mass resignation in December of the mayor and seven other town officials following a threat to their lives by drug traffickers. The city police equally stopped coming to work due to fear for their lives as well as that of their families and were all later fired for dereliction of duty and abandonment. The now stoned to death mayor was appointed in January this year to take over from the one that resigned and it would appear that the former's resignation was for a good reason. Icheoku asks, can the government of President Calderon declare these drug infested regions of Mexico ungovernable lawless areas like Western Waziristan and let American marines come in and do the job that needed to be done. Also drones could be deployed to incinerate any armed and dangerous groups not wearing the Mexican armed forces uniform spotted parading there.

With police stations being raided and guards overpowered by armed gangs, stealing automatic rifles and handguns, bombs going off, hospitals invaded and patients tossed from top floors, tens and tens of people bound and massacred, government officials being so brazenly kidnapped and murdered and now Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, becoming one of the most dangerous cities in the world; Icheoku asks, what is the world and the United States in particular waiting before they declare a state of emergency in Mexico's lawless areas and send in the marines to take back those lost territories. It is a national security imperative that we do not harbor or tolerate criminal elements settling down so close our southern boarders as they might after consolidation, start negotiating with Al-Queida terrorists and in partnership, threaten our country. Icheoku says that the drug cartels of Mexico should be treated as the terrorists they are and fought with the same seriousness with which the Talibans and Al-Queida terrorists are being hunted in Western Waziristan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and throughout the world.

With 28,000 Mexican citizens so far killed since 2006 when military crackdown against drug cartels begun, Icheoku says it is time President Felipe Calderon manned up and owned up that his Mexican security forces are not meeting up with the challenges of the present time; and about time, he asked for some help from the big brother to the north. United States marines could use some of their training in Mexico and help arrest the fast deteriorating situation down the boarder where thousands of people are being killed, maimed and kidnapped for ransom on a near-daily basis. What if the mayhem spreads up north across the boarder or should American rather go down now to fight those drug lords in their home turf just as they are fighting the Taliban and Al-Queida in their native turfs of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. Icheoku says, let us take the war on drugs down to them in Mexico now before we are forced to fight them here at home on our own soil. It is a common sensical thing to do and those drug lords are no better than those terrorists we are fighting in various foreign countries since 2001.

INDIAN AYODHYA RESOLUTION, GOOD FOR MIDDLE EAST JERUSALEM CONFLICT?

It was biblical King Solomon who refused to divide something in disputation, a child, because to do so would be very unwise and King Solomon was a very wise man. Had he yielded to the agitation of the woman who did not own the child and divided the child between the two women, the child would have died and both women lost out in their claims of ownership of the child or their motherhood. While the adverse claimant-mother insisted that the child be divided into two, the mother who went through the pangs of child-labor decided otherwise and instead implored King Solomon to give the child to the other woman and when the child grows up he will discover who the real mother is.

Icheoku says, whereas King Solomon's case appertained to a human life, other things especially chattels and lands that are easily divisible should be so divided if that is the only equitable manner to deliver redress to parties claiming ownership interest therein. It is on this note that Icheoku gives hi-five to the Allahabad High Court India which gave verdict on September 30, 2010 on the 60 year old Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case which had pitied Hindu and Muslims over the disputed Ayodhya prayer grounds. The court ruled that the 2.77 acres of Ayodhya land in question should be divided into three parts, one third for the construction of Ram temple, another one third for the Islamic Sunni Waqf Board and the remaining one third for the Hindu religious denomination Nirmohi Akhara. Icheoku applauds this ruling as the 'only tenable and meaningful solution to an otherwise incendiary matter touching on peoples' faith, mythology and politics; and in India, such people are plentiful.

The Ayodhya piece of land in controversy is located in the city of Ayodhya in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh India. It is traditionally regarded by Hindus as the birthplace of the Hindu God, Rama; while Muslims' revered Babri Mosque was built thereon. However, the mosque was destroyed by hard-line Hindu activists in December 6, 1992; claiming that a previous Hindu temple was demolished or modified to build the mosque. A land title case as to who owns the land or have the right of use thereof was lodged in the Allahabad High Court resulting in the verdict. But an archaeological evidence upon which the court partly relied its ruling found that a ruined temple existed beneath the mosque but did not find any evidence of its destruction or by the Muslims who merely used its ruins to build their mosque.

Icheoku says the Ayodhya verdict was a big relief for the Indian Congress-Party led government which is Hindu dominated as a completely pro-Hindu verdict would have put a question mark on the government's secular credentials or its non-interference; while a wholly pro-Muslim judgment would have alienated the government from their Hindu majority. This is an apparent case where wisdom came to judgment as the judges of Allahabad high court took all reasonable considerations in arriving at this fair and equitable decision. Icheoku says may be the Middle East conflict which has its primary roots on the status of Jerusalem should take a cue from this decision and use it as a precedent. It should consider bringing the wisdom of Ahodhya decision to bear on Jerusalem and divide it into two or even three parts - one side for Jews and their Judaism, another for Arabs (Muslims) and their Islam and the other for the Christians and their Christianity. This way, the century long and solution-defying problem of how to go about with Jerusalem or how to proceed therefrom would have been equitably solved and the three religions with their umbilical cords attached to Jerusalem would have given a portion thereof and the world would live happily ever after. What an Indian solution to the Jerusalem question; with a Daniel come to judgment! Thank you India, especially the learned gentlemen of Allahabad high court for seasoned judicial decision.

Indians were glued to their televisions Thursday afternoon as a team of three judges at the Allahabad High Court ruled that one-third of the site would be held by a Muslim organization, with the remainder divided between two Hindu groups. For more than a century members of the two faiths have fought over the site in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. In 1992 a Hindu mob tore down the 16th century Babri Mosque there with pickaxes and their bare hands. Ensuing riots killed more than 2,000 people, mostly Muslim.

MID TERM ELECTION 2010, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

VOTE YOUR HEAD NOT YOUR HEART, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS! THE COUNTRY MUST MOVE FORWARD AND NOT BACKWARDS, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

Now go vote, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

ON TUESDAY VOTE FOR MODERATION AND RATIONALITY, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

Do not let extremism run over America; show that you care for a progressive America and not America rewound and retrogressed. Vote for the future, vote for reasonable ideology, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

ON TUESDAY, VOTE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD!

"We are not there yet, but we are on course and headed there:- full economic recovery and a better future for all Americans." - Democrats! This November 2, 2010 VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

ICHEOKU ENDORSES JERRY BROWN FOR GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA!

That Arnold Schwarzenegger comparison advert finally did it for Icheoku. How could this $150 million governorship woman, Meg Whitman, not attempt to even paraphrase a copyrighted material to make it sound and appear somewhat original? This November 2, vote for Democrats; VOTE JERRY BROWN governor of California!

THIS NOVEMBER 2, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

Republicans, they have already sold our economy to China, India, Russia etc through out-sourcing and there are no more jobs in America. Now they want to also sell our democracy to foreign interests through undisclosed foreign sources of election funding and we shall then also lose our freedom to chose our leaders. Would you let them? This November 2, 2010, VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!

GOT AMNESIA, VOTE REPUBLICANS!

If you have amnesia, vote for Republicans; otherwise, this November 2, 2010, vote for Democrats! Remember, Bush messed it up so bad it gonna take awhile to fix. But thankfully enough the people in charge right now know what they are doing and are on the right course to fix the broken and should remain in office. They will get it right and only needs your support and additional time. Just empower the Democrats more with your votes this November and watch them sizzle. Democrats gets it and gets it done!

'IBRAHIM BABANGIDA THINKS BLACKBERRY IS A FRUIT' - NASIR EL RUFAI

“President Babangida and General Buhari should just disappear. They should give way to a new set of people with new ideas. Young people preferably. Obama is 48 and Cameron is 43 for God’s sake. So, why are we recycling leaders that ruled this country very well or very badly 25 years ago? I was 25 years old when Buhari and Babangida were Heads of State and I am now 50 and they still want to be Head of State. I don’t understand that. I don’t understand that at all and I call on the young people of Nigeria to take their future into their hands and ensure that in the next election, they vote for a new generation of leaders. I think that we will not make progress until we break the link from the past and just move on. 70 per cent of Nigerians are below the age of 40. Many of these young people, the next generation, as they are called, are on internet services such as Facebook and twitter, using Blackberry and if you ask any of these people running for presidency, they will think that Blackberry is a fruit. So, we have to move away from there and stop thinking that this leadership thing is all about us or all about individuals. We must put the future of the country at heart and give way to a new generation of leadership.” - Nasir el-Rufai. Icheoku says, this particular mallam is different and quite impressive.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIGERIA!

Today, October 1st 2010, Nigeria turned 50years old, post independence colonial Britain. Nigerians are celebrating their one half century of co-existence and for good/different reasons. Icheoku is despondent at a paradise lost and billions of dollars which was fretted away by successive highly corrupt leadership which took their turns in raping Nigeria into comatose. Regrettably many of these decrepitude personalities are still walking the Nigerian landscape with bold cockiness instead of cooling off in some central prison somewhere in Kuje or Abakiliki. Some of them even have the effrontery to again solicit Nigerians to allow them another entrance to Aso Rock, to which Icheoku screams lung-heavy, NEVER AGAIN.

Fifty years later, there is still no electricity, security, good motor-able roads and navigable water-ways, jobs, there is tension in the land with disparate people asking when shall the contraption called Nigeria finally yield itself for a new birth of the different nationalities forcibly clustered therein to move away to pursue their respective destinies. Icheoku on the other hand is however glad that finally in Nigeria and for the second time since her independence in 1960, a highly educated person (PhD Zology) is presiding over the affairs of the land. The first leader of letters being the Great Zik of Africa and Owelle Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Nigerian's post independence first president; admitted his presidency was ceremonial. As for all others before President Jonathan, especially those military coup-plotters, they are all semi illiterates and you wonder how a blind man could have lead people with sight. Anyway, congratulation Nigeria and happy birthday to you; we hope Nigerians will get the upcoming elections 2011 right.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

REPUBLICAN PARTY IS RUNNING ON EMPTY!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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