NIGERIAN MEN WIFE-KILLERS!

Warning: some of the images here might be too graphic for your psyche; proceed with caution!

Have you ever seen the face of a wife killer? Have you ever met anyone who took the life of the mother of his children? Have you ever seen or met such a person who is a Nigerian? How spooky it is indeed that such a person has the blood of another human being and a Nigerian for that matter, drooling over his hands! Such a hallowing experience becomes much creepier, when that monster who took the life of a Nigerian is also a fellow Nigerian whom you may have interacted with somehow. somewhat! Now buckle up your belt as Icheoku takes you on a harried excursion through the faces, names and somewhat biographies of some of these denigrate of society! They are painting the average Joe-Nigerian man in American as a domestic violent person; a potential wife killer! A bad name indeed, really? They are the worst of the Nigerian male society in America: the dregs of the society! They are the fabled black-sheep who have defiled and violated the sanctity of the Nigerian family cohesiveness. These men killed their WIVES! They made their children motherless! It is abominable! Brace yourself!

Now, meet denigrate person wife-killer number one, Mr. Kelechi Charles Emeruwa:-
A Nigerian Mr. Kelechi Charles Emeruwa, (pictured here right) 41 of Old Umuahia, Abia State was charged and convicted with first degree murder of his estranged wife, 36 year old Registered Nurse, Chidiebere Omenihu Ochulo. Kelechi finally lost it and stabbed his wife, with her own kitchen knife, several times that the fountain left on Julius Ceaser fades in comparison, until she gave up the ghost. "According to the account, Chidiebere had just returned from Nigeria where she bolted away for three weeks to give her late father a lavish burial despite protestations of Mr. Kelechi of the bills that are accruing and payable here in America. She wouldn’t hear any of it, after-all she makes the money; only to return to an angry frustrated maniacal husband who took her kitchen knife and carved her up. It was on New Year’s Day, in her townhouse in the 4200 block of Dunwood Terrace, in the Washington DC suburb of Burtonsville in Montgomery County, Maryland.

For a little biography, Chidiebere was born on June 1, 1970 and attended schools in Umuahia and Yola before proceeding to University of Nigeria Nsukka where she bagged a degree in Microbiology. She then got married to Kelechi in 1996 and left for the US the same year, having won the American Visa lottery. In an effort to really settle down in the US and get a respectable job, she took a second degree in Nursing and began a career at Washington Hospital Centre. As a result of her hard work, she got to the peak of the administrative cadre as a Deputy Director, Clinical Services, at the Centre where she remained until her death in the cold hands of the man she once loved - the father of her three children.

In Tennessee, a Nigerian man after taking it for so long, lost his cool and shot his Registered Nurse wife as well as his hitherto mother in-law to death with a shot gun. According to the account this RN wife was married from Nigeria a pauper and brought to the United States by this man, who trained her in school as a registered nurse. Soon after her qualification, the demon in her was let loose and it became one torment after another, with one police call after another followed by sleep-over in police cells and it went on and on ad infinitum. After a protracted battle with the authorities at the wife’s instigation, this man lost his almost nearly paid-off home to his wife, including the custody of his three kids by her. He sees these kids just periodically according to court’s order and at the discretionary behest of the wife who sometimes comes to the appointed custody visitation ground at a time of her choosing; just to punish and suffer this man. He could not take it any longer and now the rest is history with two women shot dead and the killer in death row awaiting the electric chair.

Another lunatic fringed monster, Mr. Theophilus Ojukwu has equally entered the annals of Nigerian men wife-killers in the United States of America! This cancer of wife killing by Nigerian husbands is fast spreading that the Nigerian society is getting numb and used to it, as one of the social maladies of our times. A heinous act which hitherto would be very abominable that people are shocked to their bone marrows is today seen as a possibility. In Garland, Texas on Saturday, March 25, 2007 Mr.Theophilus Ojukwu, (pictured right in his orange prison jumpsuit) 46, of Enugwu-Agu, Ihe in Awgu LGA, Enugu State used a mattock (hammer) to bludgeon his deeply asleep RN wife, Melvina Ojukwu, 36, of Umuanebe, also of Ihe, Awgu LGA, Enugu State to a very painful agonizing death.
Sources close to the family said that about two years ago, Melvina’s mother and mother in-law of Theophilus, who was visiting from Nigeria tragically died in a mysterious circumstance, in a bathtub in their house at 5400 block of Barcelona Drive, Garland Texas; this is where Melvina also met her untimely and heartbreaking death. Whether this is a chain of events is inconclusive but both situations were very tragic! Mr Theophilus Ojukwu has since been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole; that one would ask, is the craze to control the RN’s “legendary money-faucet” enough for this tragedy and the life imprisonment consequence thereof?

In another family-related violent incident involving a Nigerian, it was reported in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of March 8, 2006 that a Registered Nurse Roseline Unachukwu, 34, and her six children were taken to the family violence shelter, Northwest YWCA in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, as a result of physical violence. According to people with knowledge of the incident, the poor lady escaped with her life from her husband’s maniacal rage with very severe cuts in her arms which she received while fending off her husband's killer-rage. Her husband, Benjamin Unachukwu from Nnewi, Anambra State, was taken to jail to face two criminal charges with the kitchen-knife weapon of choice as evidence exhibit!

In Los Angeles California it was reported that a Nigerian RN wife was brutally murdered by her husband. The viciousness of the attack was such that the man eventually tied the dead body of his wife to his truck and dragged her dead body through the roads and streets of Southern California until her skull gave up its cranial contents. He was eventually arrested, charged, tried and convicted for first degree murder with special circumstance which carries the death penalty! He is presently awaiting a date with the lethal injection in a cold segregated death-row prison cell!

Only recently, one Nigeria RN woman living in Dallas Texas had this to write on the Internet about her fellow estranged Nigerian husband:-
“I have been married to Mr. X (real name excluded by Icheoku as we do not want to be a purveyor of this domestic madness) for 20years, and had five children for him. I was married to him at the age of 18years, and joined him in Dallas from Nigeria after my high school. For those 20years of marriage which can pass for 20years of bondage and slavery, I have had to endure constant physical abuse, verbal abuse, and emotional abuse and mental torture in the hands of Mr. X. I am asking whosoever that reads my story to please send it out to as many forums as they have access to. Silence they say is golden. But if you are dealing with a mad, sad, disgruntled man like Benjamin X, silence will no longer be golden”.
And what could have driven a Nigerian wife to write such an unflattering “oration” about her husband, one would ask? The answer depends on who you ask. Is this couple close to the finish line?
Similarly, in Grand Prairie, Dallas, Texas, Mrs. Monireti Abeni Akeredolu, (pictured below in her wedding with her killer-husband) a 46-year old Registered Nurse from Ondo State Nigeria met her untimely death in the hands of her estranged husband, Mr. Ebenezer Akeredolu, Sr., 48. According to the story, Mr. Akeredolu drove several hundred miles from Georgia (where he had moved to nurse his pains at loosing everything he had worked so hard for since coming to the United States several decades ago) to Dallas and pumped several bullets into his ex-wife in day light, with so many people watching the macabre spectacle. Mrs. Monireti died slumped in the wheels of her SUV enroute to a birthday party in her honor – she had just turned 46 a day before on September 7, 2005.

Not too long ago, also, on August 10, 2005 in Euless, a suburb of Dallas, another frustrated Nigerian husband, 45-year old Johnny Omorogieva from Edo State, Nigeria murdered his RN wife, Mrs. Isatu Omorogieva, 35, also of Edo State by savagely striking her on the head numerous times with a hammer in the full view of their 7-year old screaming daughter.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma a yet to be fully authenticated report has it that another Nigerian man recently bludgeoned his RN wife to death while she was fast asleep; following a traumatic life which she has subjected him to since turning into the majority bread winner of the family following her graduating from a nursing program.

Another Nigerian nut-case, Mr. John Onwuka (pictured here right in his orange prison jumpsuit) 49, from Akwete community of Ohafia Bende Local Government Area of Abia State was charged with one count each of homicide and use of a knife in the commission of a felony. He stabbed his RN wife of twenty five years, Mrs Gloria Uchechi Anya Onwuka age 42, fourteen times in her bedroom while she was getting ready to go to work. She was a nurse manager. Mr. John Onwuka committed this crime on the night of Saturday August 19, 2006 at the home of his wife in Estate Drive, Farmington, Hampton, Virginia with her children watching him act out his gory insanity.

"Yes I have killed the woman that messed my life up! A woman that had destroyed me. I am at Shalom West, my name is Michael and am all yours". With those words - a 911 call placed to the authorities, another Nigeria man has joined the infamous heinous club of Nigerian Men Wife Killers. Fifty year old Mr. Michael Collins Iheme (pictured here left) of Hennepin Minnesota placed the call above few minutes after shooting his twenty eight year old wife, Mrs. Anthonia Eberechi iheme, the mother of his 4 year old boy and 3 year old girl, to death. What is wrong with this crazed out Nigeria man was that he lacked the stomach to take all the bullshit he was forced to take by a typical Nigerian "Nurse" wife. However in as much as Icheoku does not condone such misbehaviour of taking the life of another, these Nigeria men who marry "fedexed" wives should better watch it as what they bargained for might not necessarily always come to fruition. There is no need travelling to Africa to find a wife - if it is akaata, filpino. latina mamacita, oke-bekee or even chinese that loves you, please settle down with such a person. Your love for foofoo and egusi soup is not enough to trade your happiness and possibly freedom when they make you do the unthinkable like our Mr. Micahel Collins Iheme and crew.

It has happened again! Another Nigerian lunatic kills his wife. Mr LeKan Fawmi, pictured here right in glasses, just received a 20 year prison sentence for killing his wife Ebonetess. The couple lived at Burcale Road, Conway, Horry County, South Carolina. His weapon of choice, a kitchen knife with which he stabbed his wife, mother of his one year old son, fifteen times in the neck; left her to bleed to death in their residence before escaping to the bush where he was later caught.

For the records, it would appear that majority of these uxoricides occurred in Dallas, Texas! Leading to the question, whuz up Dallas? Is there any maniacal peculiarity with Nigerian men living in Dallas? Further, most of the victims were Registered Nurses which forces one to ask is the "war over the purse" of who controls this their "legendary treasure trove" enough reason to commit the most heinous of all crimes? Also the number of such homicides is rather astronomical judging the sanctity of life-environment from which majority of these homicidal maniacs come from back in Nigeria. Admitted, that it is dreadfully wrong and also a sacrilege for anyone to take the life of another, especially if that other was a spouse; but what could be the driving factor of this senseless exhibition of ravenous rage by some frustrated Nigerian men in the United States of America? This question is imperative because there are other more acceptable options available for getting out of a hellish marriage including just getting up and leaving; mutual separation; taking a second wife just like the Mormons of Texas, Utah and Nevada; becoming a bachelor once again; keeping a girl friend outside your so called matrimonial home or the penultimate divorce instead of committing the mother of all crimes - taking the life of another! Nothing is worth it! Does the underlying problem defy every solution imaginable? NO! Take a deep breath and consider other options including the almighty walking-out! Nothing is worth the trouble! Not all the diamonds in South Africa and/or gold in Fort Knox! The "mansion" which you are fighting for, you did not bring it with you to America? The SUV or Mercedes car that is making you to loose your head, the manufacturing plant in Stuttgart Germany has not yet closed shop! In your convoluted suspicion that your wife is sleeping around because she dresses well, ask yourself, where is the foundational trust of your relationship and at worst, were you the first man in her life? Did you break her virginity and why do you think it is either you with her or nobody at all, that you will rather have her dead than loose her to someone else? Have you also tried getting professional counseling or earnestly engaging your wife in an open discussion to find out what you may be doing wrong and make amends where necessary. Have you tried temporary separation for a cool-off period? At worst get an amicable divorce so that you guys can remain friends for the benefit of the children! Before you write that check which you cannot cash, please stop and ask yourself, before you met her did you not have any life? It is not worth it! Learn to move on; as around the next corner may be lurking your real wife of “Christian marriage” who will really cherish and love you for who you are! Your wife's leaving you is not the end of the world as we know it! As the popular aphorism goes, "when one door closes another one is open down the road". Nothing is worth the taking of life and not that of a spouse who also is a Nigerian! PLEASE GET A LIFE!

NIGER DELTA MILITANTS, BRAVO!

It is very arrogant for the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to be discarding the noble efforts of the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters as mere miscreants' misbehavior. These patriotic freedom fighters are struggling to emancipate themselves and their people from the shackles of the Arewa group who have held Nigeria in a strangle-hold since her independence in 1960. The Niger Deltans' effort must therefore be commended instead of all the hot air being blown by these Nigeria desert dwellers, who have arrogated to themselves the perpetual leadership of Nigeria. The Niger Deltans' effort must be respected by all as both genuine, desirable and very patriotic. The Arewa Consultative Forum should tread very carefully as any misjudgment on their part might be the trigger needed to forever chase them out of their age-long parasitic relationship with Nigeria. Enough should now be enough! The ACF's bluff must be called and now is the time! How dare these Northern mallams, who have been siphoning what does not belong to them, blame the rightful owners of the wealth for agitating for fairness and asking for what is theirs? Only a thief can do this and that is exactly what these cattle-rearers have turned into within the Nigeria polity. They are leeches who contribute nothing practically to the GDP of Nigeria; yet they arrogate themselves the lord of the manor status in Nigeria and expect every other person to only ask, how high when told to jump.

The ACF through their minion, midget Sani Abacha killed Ken Saro Wiwa for protesting the injustice being perpetrated by Northern Nigeria elites on the peoples of Niger Delta area. This time, it will not happen, as the sleeping Deltans have woken up from their slumber to ask for what is rightfully theirs. How can a brute like Theophilus Danjuma from Taraba State in the North own oil wells and blocs worth over $3billion dollars in the Niger Delta; yet all the Okumagbas, Briggs, Pepples, Wiwas etc natural Niger Deltans own nothing of their oil wells and/or blocs? Yet this oil is located in the Niger Delta? Icheoku calls on every right thinking Nigerian especially from the South to support the efforts of the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters to secure their independence from these Northern oligarchs once and for all. If it means total activism, so be it; why would a group appropriate all that is profitable just for themselves only and pretend the rest will not mind. It is crazy and it is hogwash. Niger Delta is likely the tinder that will set Nigeria ablaze, if not properly handled both professionally and rationally. Enough of this injustice being perpetrated by these Hausa/Fulani ruling group. Were the situation to reverse, these mullahs will not tolerate the South as a leech like they have been doing all these years of Nigeria's existence? Imagine the chairman of the ACF, Mr. Ibrahim Haruna, calling on the Federal Government to "deal seriously with the situation". Insisting that the militants are "mere miscreants," and that the government "should not go into any form of negotiation with them". If this is not arrogance, nothing else qualifies for that acronym. Icheoku says that it is the Northerners including this sicko, Ibrahim Haruna, that are the miscreants who need to be dealt with in Nigeria and ruthlessly too. In their desire to hide their evil acts from the international community, Mr. Ibrahim Haruna of the ACF is urging that "there was no need to internationalize the issue since it is a domestic matter". And what domesticity are we talking about, Mr. Haruna? Please give the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters a break, Mr. Ibrahim Haruna! Haba aboki? Walahi; Menini banaso kai!

In their very own words, Arewa Consultative Forum noted the grief, the pains and the hardship associated with environmental degradation from oil exploration without commensurate efforts at mitigating such suffering in the past in the Niger Delta. Then a natural flowing concomitant question there-from is, who constituted these past governments that have neglected the Niger Delta all these several decades? The answer is the ACF controlled governments of Tafawa Balewa, Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Mohammed, Shehu Shagari, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, Abdulsalam Abubarkar and now the current sickly Umaru Yaradua. To make matters worse, the ACF has now purportedly appointed one of their own, Professor Ibrahim Gambari to head a government mediation conference between them and the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters and you ask yourself, how can this man be an impartial arbiter? This is the same Gambari from the North, who has been described as evil by the Niger Deltans because he called their hero, Ken Saro-Wiwa and others 'common criminals' before the international community in order to impress his master and cruel despot, the late General Sani Abacha. How can you be a judge in a case involving you? Why can't the ACF controlled federal government appoint an unbiased third party who has no dog in the fight, like Chief Emeka Ayaoku, ex-Commonwealth Secretary General of Igbo extraction or a Yoruba diplomat or any other person from the minority uninterested third party tribe to chair the peace conference between them and the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters? It shows that the ACF controlled federal government is not serious in their quest for a peaceful resolution of the raging conflict. Niger Delta should therefore follow through with their boycott and shun the so called Ibrahim Gambari's peace conference.

If it means total denial of access to the oil so be it, barring any equitable resolution of the conflict. As was recently decreed by the Joint Revolutionary Council of the Niger Delta, "as from next year's anniversary celebration of Late Isaac Adaka Boro, one of our heroes, there may be no more oil production in entire Ijaw territory! We will move our aged people unto production platforms for permanent residence. Women and children will take over rig sites and other offshore infrastructure. Unemployed youths will be moved into office spaces of oil companies. Unrest is not just a state of the mind. It is a course of action! No one will be allowed to take our oil without our permission anymore. Our blessing will not be allowed to be our curse”. However to achieve their objective the Niger Deltans must stay united as a house divided is bound to fall and this is the cardinal objective of ACF. ACF will do whatever it takes to infuse cracks in the foundation of the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters and certain utterances from some of the groups constituting the resistance is suggestive that their foundation is already shaking. MEND's Jomo Gbomo now speaks like he has been compromised by disassociating itself from the JRC and its actions; insisting that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is in no way affiliated with the JRC and they cannot act or take decisions on their behalf such as revoking the ceasefire they declared.

JRC said its combatants are prepared to confront the military where necessary as was witnessed a few days ago in the Bonga oil field and said the goal is to achieve self-determination for the region. To this objective, Icheoku says a loud AMEN! Continuing, JRC said, “given the insincere nature of the Nigerian state, self-determination remains our ultimate goal. The Ijaw and Niger Delta territory is bigger in geographical size than Kuwait or Kosovo. We will reward the countries and nation states that assist our struggle. We will guarantee them good access to the oil and gas resources at the appointed time. This is the time for them to sow seeds. We can strike anywhere in the Niger-Delta and there is no barrier whatsoever for us in the creeks of Niger-Delta, which is our homeland. Nowhere is unreachable to us”. Icheoku commends this audacity of statement and says if it is true, they should let the ball roll. Icheoku heretofore declare her unflinching support for the freedom activities of the Niger Deltans and affirms that anything short of equitable resolution of the age-long injustice in the Niger Delta should continue meeting the present resistance and much more! Aluta Continua!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NELSON MANDELA!

The father of Africa Liberation struggle, Mr. Nelson Mandela turned 90years recently. What a milestone! Ironically the British which colluded with then apartheid South Africa to steal the prime 27years of this man's life, by putting him away in Robin Island prison for his liberation struggles, is today celebrating his 90th birthday. Even the United States of America declared him a terrorist and placed him and his fellow ANC compatriots on their terrorist watch list which they just recently lifted to mark his 90th birthday. (see comment). They never gave him a chance but the rest is now history as they turned Nelson Mandela into a world hero! Nelson Mandela himself has forgiven all the apartheid operators, so Icheoku will follow suit and look at the glass half full instead. Icheoku therefore wishes Nelson Mandela the best of his golden years and pray that the African continent can raise some more Mandelas. Happy birthday, Nelson Mandela! See who is now laughing at the ignoble of the apartheid era! Maybe a case of he who laughs last? Grandpa of Africa, Icheoku appreciates you dearly. Happy 90th!

NIGERIANS EXECUTED!

Indonesia executed two Nigerian drug smugglers Fri, 06/27/2008; 10:06 AM

The Jakarta Post is reporting that two Nigerians convicted of smuggling illegal drugs were executed Thursday night near the Nusa Kambangan island prison in Cilacap, Central Java, a prosecutor was quoted by Kompas.com news portal as saying. Samuel Okoye, 37, and Hansen Nwaolisa, 40, were arrested at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in 2001, each carrying more than 6.5 pounds (three kilograms) of heroin. They had been held at the high-security prison since their conviction. Earlier in the day, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said the two Nigerians would face a firing squad "tonight". Television footage showed the wives and children of the convicts being escorted to the island, along with ambulances carrying two coffins.

It should be noted that one of these men, Mr. Nwaolisa was to be paid a paltry one thousand five hundred dollars ($1500dollars USD) only for his services and now Icheoku wonders if his life was just worth only such a meagre sum? Could this be a result of hardship that force people to go to such extent to survive or was it just an attempt to "kill dead body"? For whatever the reason, the amount does not fit the life that was shot away by Indonesian firing squad!

TRANSITION OF MARY JANE OGBULI

MARY JANE OGBULI

( NWACHINAEMELU )

It is with great sadness that we announce the transition of our dear sister who passed to the world beyond on May 29th, 2008 at Emmanuel Medical Care Center, Turlock, California, United States of America. Mary Jane was from the Family of Akunne Aniemeka Ogbuli of Ogboli-Eke Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Mary Jane was a darling sister of Onitsha-Ado Community of Northern California, USA and will be greatly missed by our community. Onitsha-Ado community of Northern California USA has suffered an irreparable loss with her demise.

Funeral Arrangement

Body leaves for Nigeria during the First week of July.

Signed

Onitsha-Ado Community of Northern California, USA!

BEHOLD THE FACE OF A JEZEBEL!

You are looking at the millionaire who inflicted several years of abuse on two Indonesian housekeepers, held as virtual slaves in her Long Island New York mansion, who received an 11-year prison sentence for her crimes. Varsha Sabhnani, 46, was convicted with her husband in December on a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens. The trial provided a glimpse into a growing U.S. problem of domestic workers exploited in slave-like conditions.

The victims testified that they were beaten with brooms and umbrellas, slashed with knives, and forced to climb stairs and take freezing showers as punishment. U.S. District Court Judge Arthur Spatt called the testimony "eye-opening, to say the least -- that things like that go on in our country." "In her arrogance, she treated Samirah and Enung as less than people," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Demetri Jones. "Justice for the victims: That's what the government is asking for." Federal sentencing guidelines had recommended a range of 12 to 15 years in prison for Sabhnani, who was identified as the one who inflicted the abuse. In addition to prison, she will serve three years probation and pay a $25,000 fine. "I just want to say that I love my children very much," the defendant told the court as two of her grown children looked on. "I was brought to this earth to help people who are in need."

Mahender Sabhnani, 51, who is free on bail while awaiting his own Friday sentencing, wept as he watched his wife's punishment pronounced. He was charged with the same crimes because he allowed the conduct to take place and benefited from the work the women performed in his home, prosecutors said. He is expected to receive a much shorter prison term. Prosecutors contended the accusations amounted to a "modern-day slavery" case. They said the maids were subjected to "punishment that escalated into a cruel form of torture," which ended in May 2007, when one of the women fled in the early morning hours of Mother's Day. She wandered into a Dunkin' Donuts wearing nothing but rags and employees called police.

"This did not happen in the 1800s," Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lesko said during the trial. "This happened in the 21st century. This happened in Muttontown, New York." The women, whose relatives in Indonesia were paid about $100 a month -- they received no cash-- said they were tortured and beaten for misdeeds that included sleeping late or stealing food from trash bins because they were poorly fed. Both women also said they were forced to sleep on mats in the kitchen. Spatt postponed a decision on the amount of back wages owed to the women. Prosecutors suggested the women were due more than $1.1 million, while defense attorneys said the figure should be much lower. The couple also face fines and could be forced to forfeit their home, which is valued at almost $2 million. Mahender Sabhnani ran a lucrative international perfume business out of a home office there. The victims said they were beaten with brooms and umbrellas, slashed with knives, forced to climb stairs and take freezing cold showers as punishment for various misdeeds. One victim was forced to eat dozens of chili peppers against her will, and then was forced to eat her own vomit when she couldn't keep the peppers down, prosecutors said. One of the women arrived in the Sabhnanis' Muttontown home in 2002; the second came in 2005. Their passports and other travel documents were immediately confiscated by the Sabhnanis, the women testified.

The defense, which intends to appeal, contended the two women concocted the story as a way of escaping the house for more lucrative opportunities. They also argued the housekeepers practiced witchcraft and may have abused themselves as part of a self-mutilation ritual. Defense attorney Jeffrey Hoffman said 175 letters were submitted to the court detailing Sabhnani's charitable acts around the world. He called her "a woman who spent a lifetime doing good deeds." Hoffman said that around 2004 or 2005, Sabhnani's weight plummeted from 325 pounds to 135. "She did it by starving herself," and that resulted in a chemical imbalance and significant malnourishment. "She had become a very different person." "I think it's very harsh," Hoffman said after the sentencing. "She has suffered dramatically."

TRANSITION OF MADAM ORIAKU EUNICE OGBONNAYA OPARA

LATE MADAM ORIAKU EUNICE OGBONNAYA OPARA

(Nee Elendu)

Mama was just 83years old!

It is with great grief but total submission to the will of God that we announce the death of our dear mother, aunt and mother-in law; who departed this world on June 7th, 2008 at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek California, United States of America.

Mama was from Agbo-Akoli, Akoliufo, Alayi in Bende, Abia State, Nigeria.

Funeral Arrangement

Body leaves for Nigeria on July 3rd, 2008

Signed

Humphrey Okeke

Son in-law
For & on behalf of the Family

IBB:- ONE DOWN, ONE MORE TO GO!

The evil genius Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) has finally turned the corner and confessed how he wickedly annulled the freest election ever to hold in black Africa! On June 12th 1993 Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida annulled the election of Alhaji Mudasiru Kolawole Oluwole Abiola as President-elect of Nigeria for no justifiable reason whatsoever. In his own very loud mouth and egoistic rambling, he admitted to this infamy and expects Nigerians to applaud him? Really? Shame on you Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

IBB spoke against the backdrop of the outcry that greeted the book written by former National Electoral Commission (NEC) Chairman, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, where he attempted to absolve Babangida of blame in the episode. Babangida explained in a statement issued through his Media Spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, that the criticism against Nwosu is unnecessary because he has the right to write a book on his knowledge of events at the time. According to the spokesman, "Babangida has repeatedly said that given the circumstances at that period, it was better to take a decision, no matter how judgmental, than not to take one at all. And that he should be held responsible and accountable for whatever happened during his tenure as President". And Icheoku will like to add, that this includes the parcel-bombing of journalist Dele Giwa? Bravo Babangida! Kudos to you the evil one, the evil genius of Nigeria! Nigeria will forever vilify you for this stupidity and reckless disregard for the will of the millions of Nigerian electorates who for once freely decided on the candidacy of MKO Abiola as President of Nigeria; but which you thwarted. However, Icheoku says your confession is the way to go, IBB; one down and one more to go.

The question now is, when are you going to confess to your complicity or otherwise in the parcel-bomb assassination of Dele Giwa? Dele Giwa of Newswatch magazine, whom your henchmen killed to silence his investigative effort to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Gloria Okon; who was a victim of a cover-up dispatch. Anyway, Icheoku awaits that time when your ignoble self will also come around to make this once in a lifetime confession! Nigerians will finally exhale at that time and we pray it will be very soon. As for your aspiration or lack thereof to the presidency, just remember that you are no longer in uniform and that General Yakubu Gowon once ran for that office but was stopped cold by your one and only successful achievement, OPTION A4! May be a trial will convince you on how despicable you are in the eyes of Nigerians. Nigeria loathes and despises you for thumbing your nose on them on their historic June 12th, 1993. How dare you think that what you did to MKO Abiola will not turn around to hunt you? The chicken will finally come home to roost as soon as you declare your candidacy. What you denied MKO Abiola, you now want to enjoy? Dream on IBB! Nigeria will place you where you belong at the proper time, Mr. EVIL GENIUS!

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Number of millionaires swells

by Candice Choi

NEW YORK - The world's million­aires club is getting bigger and its members decidedly richer. The number of people around the globe with at least $1 million in assets swelled by 6 percent last year to 10.1 million, according to the 12th annual World Wealth Report released Tuesday by Merrill Lynch & Co. and Capgemini Group, a con­sulting firm. That means an additional 600,000 people became millionaires or richer even as problems tied to the U.S. credit crisis spread in the second half of the year. The combined wealth of the

mil­lionaires' club meanwhile grew 9.4 percent to $40.7 trillion. Their average wealth, which didn't include primary homes, surpassed $4 mil­lion for the first time.

The number of the super rich — those with at least $30 million — grew by 8.8 percent in population while their accumulated wealth grew by 14.5 per­cent. This rarefied group controls about a third of the $40.7 trillion. Warren Buffett is atop of this group with a personal fortune of $62billion dollars USD according to Forbes magazine.
For such an elite club, 10.1 million may seem like a lot of members. But the figure represents just 0.15 per­cent of the world's population of 6.7 billion.
When taking into account infla­tion and the expansion of the world economy, the growth in the number of people with at least $1 million is not surprising, said Brian Bethune, an economist with Global Insight. An increase of around 15 percent to 20 percent would mark an unex­pected jump, he said.

The U.S. is home to about a third of those around the world with at least $1 million. — AP
Note: Assets exclude collectibles, consumables, consumer durables and primary residences.

SIX TOP NIGERIAN BUSINESSMEN!

The Financial Times of London, yesterday gave a list of six Nigerians it rated as "Six of the best: Lords of the emerging private sector" stating that they constitute an elite club of business executives who have exploited Nigeria's emerging private sector opportunities to become super rich in recent years.The list led with the president of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and has five others namely, the chairman of Globacom, Mike Adenuga, Chief executive of UBA, Tony Elumelu, the chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, Zenon's Femi Otedola and Dahiru Mangal of Mangal Air.For Dangote, the newspaper said it is a measure of the achievement that he has made his fortune from more humble commodities such as cement, flour and sugar. “After starting as a trader, Mr Dangote is now one of the largest private sector employers. He has invested heavily in fixed asset production facilities in Nigeria and is the broker of ground-breaking deals with South Africa and China,” FT said.On Adenuga, FT said he has traversed the world of oil, banking and now telecoms. "Quite literally, larger than life - at least to newly arrived visitors to Ghana, who face huge billboards carrying the likeness of the founder of Globacom, Mr Adenuga's expanding mobile network as they make their way into Accra,” it said.The newspaper said Adenuga has shrugged off speculation that his wealth is built on relations he enjoyed with Nigeria's military rulers in the late 1980s and early 1990s.“His relationship with the government has not been without its moments of difficulty. He found himself under investigation in 2006 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. After being arrested for two days Mr Adenuga then spent several months out of the country,” FT stated.Elumelu was described as a serial optimist who has driven the bank to a new international profile with a network that includes a presence in the US and the UK."He is also a figure of some controversy, both with regard to his 2005 takeover of the bank and for his bank's relations with several former government officials and state governors now linked to corruption,” the report said. FT said that Ovia returned to Nigeria from studying in the US in the 1980s with an MBA from Louisiana University and a plan to set up something new in Nigerian banking."He founded Zenith in 1990 and continues to shape the bank in his own image. Under his stewardship Zenith survived the crash of the mid-1990s when Sani Abacha, Nigeria's then military ruler, closed down foreign exchange dealing loopholes and forced many unsound banks out of business,” FT said noting that his success stems from his devise of uncluttered bureaucracy of established rivals, Otedola was described as the diesel prince. According to the report, the reasons behind Otedola's astonishingly swift rise from relative anonymity to a position where his company, Zenon Petroleum and Gas enjoyed a near monopoly on Nigeria's lucrative market in diesel have attracted interest and speculation in equal measure.Mangal, according to FT, “He is, however a well-connected and increasingly prosperous businessman from President Yar'Adua's native Katsina state with interests in haulage and trading, as well as air charters. Mr Mangal is said to have helped finance Mr Yar'Adua's gubernatorial campaigns in Katsina in 1999 and 2003 and is one of the few businessmen to have the president's ear.”

NO MORE HAPPY TUNES?

With the sudden demise of Chief Sunday Akanite aka Oliver De Coque, King of Highlife, the Highlife listening world, especially those Igbo happy men and women who gyrate to the audacious tune of Highlife music, have been deprived of the last remaining master-musician of our times. According to one sympathiser, “as far as Highlife music is concerned in the South East, Oliver was the last man standing and now that he is dead, it is hoped that Highlife in the east would not die with him.” Oliver De Coque passed on to the great beyond last Friday June 20th, 2008 after a massive coronary embolism aka heart attack.

Last year we lost our other maestro Chief Osita Osadebe and now it is Oliver de Coque; what is happening in the kingdom of happiness? Shall we all now run to the Pentecostal church for their choir? May the soul of Oliver De Coque, Osita Osadebe as well as other entertainers including Sonny Okosun who have passed, continue to provide joy and happiness in the land beyond. Icheoku believes in the after-life and that death is comparable to dreamland; but unlike the living person, the dead dreams on forever, uninterrupted. Oliver, you have moved on to glory but your musical legacy will live forever; we shall treasure your music forever! In the eyes of your innumerable fans, you are not really dead! Adios! So long Oliver, say hi to Osadebe and Sonny Okosun! Ka omesie!

NIGERIA UNSOLVED MURDERS MYSTERY?

Take it or leave it, until these most heinous political assassinations and murders of the century which took place in Nigeria is finally brought to a conclusive end, there will never be a real peace in that country. All the Truth and Reconciliation Commission notwithstanding! The blood of the innocence; the crimson of the victims screamed to high heavens for vengeance and surely they must be avenged. Abel's blood shows us that no unjustily shed blood will go unavenged!
Over the years, several personalities have been killed by the powers that be in Nigeria and all the world is told is that their death is a mystery or that armed bandits struck. Among these notable personalities that fell victim to these political assassinations and state sponsored murders were Dele Giwa, Pa Rewane, Ken Saro Wiwa, Bola Ige, Barnabas Igwe, Harry Marshall, Dikkibo and Funsho Williams to just name a few. To date no one directly responsible or implicated in these criminalities has been brought to book. The reason is not for lack of suspects but that these prospective suspects are deemed untouchables because they are part of the powers that be which have ran Nigeria aground and for so long. Nigerians have be silent for so long! Enough is enough and let the shouting begin! Icheoku now examines the various murders and what is known or suspected about them:-

Dele Giwa - Fortunately the person responsible for this death by parcel bomb of African foremost journalist Dele Giwa is still breathing the air of freedom in Nigeria. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida under whose watch Dele Giwa was blown away because he was investigating a story on Gloria Okon linking him, Babangida, to one sordid business deal is today walking the grounds of Nigeria as if no life was brutally taken. Maybe TEAM BABANGIDA is waiting for such a time when another shameless Professor Humphery Nwosu, will write another book exonerating Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida for the murder of Dele Giwa just like the said Humphery Nwosu insulted the mentality of all Nigerians with his book claiming that Babangida was not involved in the annulment of June 12th MKO Abiola's election! According to Professor WOle Soyinka, "Prof. Humphery Nwosu’s book was a serious mischief, trying to paint Babangida in a different hue over the anti-people act he committed when he annulled the election". Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and Akilu his henchman must be brought to account for what they know or did not know about Dele Giwa's violent death with parcel bomb! It is regretable that these varmints are still parading themselves in Nigeria as if their hands are not dripping in the blood of Dele Giwa among numerous others including Gideon Orkar, Mamman Vasta etc. The other equally abhorrent and despicable of people in this saga are those who kept silent in the face of tyranny - the other Newswatch crew! The cowardly manner the rest of the Newswatch crew turned tail from investigating the killer/s of their erstwhile colleague and founding member, Dele Giwa when all leads point to one man and one man only - Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida was very shameful indeed! Shame on you Ray Ekpu & Co; for your disservice to the journalism profession as well as the memory of your colleague, Dele Giwa.

Pa Rewane - this elder statesman was killed by the then Head of State General Sani Abacha goons, under his direction because of his democratic activities. Although Sani Abacha has since died but no official responsibility has been assigned to him either posthumously or to one of his colleagues in miltary gansterism, for this death. It is just not ok to consign such a high profile killing to another social incident; especially so when it is considered that the victim had a family who were perpetually deprived of their patriach. One would argue that since general Sani Abacha is long dead, nobody is left to take responsibility for this atrocity; but in answer Icheoku says, Abacha did not act in isolation but had a team of co-travelers in their land of wanton indifference to human life. Jeremiah Useni, Oladipo Diya and Abdulsalam Abubarkar were all part of the Abacha infamy and should be held accountable for the misdeeds of the Abacha junta. That Abacha was posthumously recently praised by Islamist Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida as well as Abdulsalam Abubarkar, all retired ex-military juntas who pillaged Nigeria as Head of State respectively, was a gamesmanship meant to rubbish the psyche of every Nigerian. How dare these mallams tell Nigerians that General Sani Abacha was a saint when all the state murders carried out by his regime cries to high heavens including Pa Rewane's? Was the over $500million dollars USD allegedly recovered from Switzerland as proceeds of looting of Sani Abacha by Olusegun Obasanjo a fantasy or what? It is about time Nigerians stand up to these military marauders whose only qualification is that they were dare-devils in uniform staging one coup after another and today they are opening their loud mouth to beatify a despicable man as Sani Abacha! To hell with these urchins! Pa Rewane's death in the hands of Abacha goons must be investigated and responsibility assigned accordingly.

Ken Saro Wiwa - General Sani Abacha arrested, "tried" and executed this freedom activist all within forty-eight hours for no other reason than to silence his voice of freedom for his people - the Niger Delta Peoples of Nigeria. Like they say, you cannot silence the people by killing off their leader and today, the situation in the Niger Delta of Nigeria bears testimony to this. Yet this was the same Abacha, Babangida, Buhari and Abubarkar were pouring encomiums on as their saint from the North? Or is it because these bloods were Southerners? When will these Arewa bloodhounds be told enough is enough? Coincidentally all those being killed are Southerners and those doing the killings are all Northerners. Something is not right here or am I hallucinating? Ken Saro Wiwa's offence was merely that he was agitating for fairness for his Niger Delta People of Nigeria whose land had been devastated by so many years of oil pillaging by the Northerners without adequate recompense for the owners of the land, the Niger Deltans. If there is one death that needs to be thoroughly and fully investigated, it is Saro Wiwa's; and the Military Governor of Rivers State then, Col. Marwa is today, a Nigerian Ambassador to somewhere and one wonders the kind of people inhabiting that country Nigeria? Maybe a band of marauders? How did he pass muster of vetting for the job of an Ambassador one may ask or is he just one of a kind? Afterall the Senate President David Mark and his golf course in Ireland which he purchased with NITEL money when he was Communications Minister is there for every eye to see! Or how else was he able to purchase a 33million Pounds Sterling golf course in Ireland? Only in Nigeria's holy grail! A band of bandits, maybe? The other day their House of Representatives refused to pass the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) and one wonders what they are hiding? Also not too long ago, one of them alleged that some of their members are criminals practising the notorious Nigerian 419 Fraud! His head was called for and he cowardly backed down. A den of scavengers masquerading as a National Assembly one may ask? But they represent all that is wrong with Nigeria - CORRUPTION & FRAUD! House of Representatives are 419 criminals? Governors are killers and money launderers? President is fraudulent with several billions of dollars belonging to the treasury missing? Who then are these Nigerians with such criminal leadership?

Bola Ige - The medicine man of Otta, Babalawo Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo supervised the killing of this Cicero of Oke Ona, a serving Attorney General of the Federation and to date his blood is being flushed down the drain pipes without morse? It is not fair, it is not right and to make matters worst, the hitherto vociferous, loquacious and boisterous Yoruba Nation is keeping quiet over this murder. What has become of the sons and daughters of Oduduwa that they will keep silent in the face of tyranny or is it because it involved one of their men? Olusegun Obasanjo ought to be arrested and tried for this heinous assassination of one of the country's foremost lawyers and politician of great repute. That Obasanjo is still strolling the grounds of his Otta farm a free man adds credence to the country's reputation that anything goes in that country. It happened to a sitting Attorney General, how about the man of straw on the street? It is such story that sends shivers to investors, tourists and visitors that they would rather pass on Nigeria!

Barnabas Igwe and his wife: - the former governor of Anambra State, Mbadinuju was fingered as the man responsible for the butchering of this lawyer and his wife because they opposed some of the antics of his governace of Anambra State. Several witnesses have come up but to date Mbadinuju is still walking a free man in Nigeria. How can this be possible in a country that wants to move forward when the sanctity of human life is a no brainier especially when the powers that be are involved? How can these people who were sworn in to protect lives and properties of the people be the ones wantonly taking them? It is crass lawlessness and very condemnable. According to the story, Barnabas Igwe who was then the chairman of Onitsha Bar Association was shot, cut into pieces with a machete and then had his dismembered body-parts crushed with a truck and photographs of the carnage taken for a "mission accomplished" report; all on the orders and directive of then governor of Anambra State, Mbadinuju. For any body in doubt, such a high crime cannot take place except it has the sanction of the highest authority and that authority in Anambra State then was Mbadinuju. Mbadinuju is today still walking the grounds of Nigeria a free man and Icheoku says it is not right! Mbadinuju should be arrested and prosecuted for this heinous double homicide with special circumstance, pronto!

Harry Marshall & Dikkibo: - Peter Odili, then governor of Rivers State is being fingered for these killings and one authority has it that he secured the approval of Olusegun Obasanjo to seal it. These two murdered men were prominent sons of Rivers State who were respectively cut down in their homes while sleeping in their bedrooms according to the reports. If ex-governor Peter Odili was responsible for these heinous murders, why hasn't he been arrested to face the music for his crimes or has he crossed the threshold where you cannot be held accountable any longer for crimes because of your standing in the Nigerian society? These two deaths must be conclusively investigated in order for a lasting peace to reign in the land of Adaka Baro.

Funsho Williams - The Lagos State PDP under Olabode George is the guilty party here. Funsho Williams was killed inside his bedroom to stop his assured victory in the Lagos State PDP election primaries. To date no one has been arrested or tried for this heinous crime despite all the witnesses present and the killing was done shortly after a meeting of some party officials and in his house. What type of country is this that known killers of men go scot-free? At least there is existing circumstantial evidence which any slight forensic would have unraveled but they will not pursue it.

Icheoku here therefore calls on the present government of Umaru Yaradua as a matter of urgency to immediately direct the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to re-open investigations on all these identified "state" murders. There is also a state of emergency on security matters in Nigeria and this is paramount to even the Power sector! People must feel safe to operate and you cannot thrive if you cannot operate. Same with investors, tourists and visitors. There is no way a sitting Attorney General of the Federation can just be killed except with approval or signing off from the highest office in the land and that office higher than the Attorney General's is the presidency and Olusegun Obasanjo was the president then. So there is a start off base for the investigation, Olusegun Obasanjo! It does not make sense that a weapon's grade parcel bomb took the life of Dele Giwa when he was doing a story involving Babangida about Gloria Okon without IBB signing off on it; yet Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is still walking the streets of Minna, Nigeria parading himself as a "prince" therein. In Pakistan, Benazair Bhutto was assassinated and Musharaff fearing nothing to hide invited the Scotland Yard to investigate, they conclusively gave an opinion which was acceptable to the Pakistanians; why not do the same with Nigeria with respect to some of these murders? Same goes with Mbadinuju and the Igwes; Peter Odili and the Marshals etc.

The only way to stop criminality is to make no one a sacred cow, immune from prosecution thereby. For the fact that these marauders are still walking free and tall in Nigeria instead of being caged in the confines of a prison makes the government an implied corroborator and comforter of despicable men.

When will it stop? A serving Justice Minister was KILLED and a current Justice Minister is not throwing tantrums? Where is the camaraderie? Where is the outrage? Nobody wants to die, really? But where is Sani Abacha today? Where is MKO Abiola? Where is Adedibu? Where is Bola Ige? Where is Okadigbo? The only man who lives forever is that man who has etched his name in marble! Attorney General and Minister of Justice Aandookaa, please urge your President Umaru Yaradua to let you investigate these murders to their conclusion. If you die in the process, so be it; at least Nigerians will know you died trying to do right for them. Every man shall die someday! Be a man, bite the bullet. Stand up to these beasts and clean up the urgean stable. It stinks to high heavens. Bola Ige was assassinated yesterday, it may be your turn tomorrow, please do something today! If Abiola had not parried with the military to overthrow Shagari, maybe they would not have sucked life out of him when they did with the June 12th, annulment. He who dines with the devil must use a very long spatula, as spoon may not be long enough, when the devil wants your head! Why serve, if you cannot make a difference? The power you presently possess, someone have had it before including the assassinated Bola Ige! The money you may be making today, someone once had it in abundance before including the Late MKO Abiola. Nothing really is worth a dumb followership. Stand up and be counted! Mr. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Aondoakaa destiny calls for you to investigate these murders conclusively now and have your legacy enshrined forever in the annals of Nigeria!