GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

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


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

WAKE UP MR PRESIDENT - an article by Ugo Ubili.


Olusegun Obasanjo's mere believe that the simplicity and humility of Umaru Yar' Adua is sufficient for him to be the President of Nigeria is totally wrong! Simplicity, humility and a
good heart is not a guarantee or a good measurement of an individual's ability to politically deliver. I was not part of the decision that convinced Umaru Yar'Adua to vie for the presidency but I believe the calculation was that Yar'Adua's simple mindedness and humility makes him viable to be our leader.
It is about time we really begin to define performance and suitability for public office and leadership based on acceptable template world over! In the western world these indices are clearly defined - players in the economy are known likewise politicians in leadership positions. They are aware of the expectations of the interested general public hence resignations are common when those fundamentals, set-goals, objectives or common trust falls short on delivery. There is usually no mix up or sauntering in the dark like what obtains in Nigeria. In a given ideal society, for one to be successful politically, one must have a serious passion for service. This is very basic and not derivative from the new office or position. There must be boldness, courage, honesty and humility in every aspect of decision making of such public office holder. That person's stability of mind and practical intelligent is equally important too.

I have been following President Umaru Yar' Adua government's developmental mindset since he assumed office as President of Nigeria in May 2007. From my said observation, I have come to conclude that having good qualities as a man does not necessarily mean that one will also be a good leader. In life, every good quality has a cause direction and a good husband may not necessarily be a good politician and vice versa. A well developed mind will use this knowledge to share and allocate resources equitably among various competing needs. This is the greatest attribute that aids development in any given society. With due respect, President Yar' Adua has not shown that he has the presidential temperament needed to guide a complicated union of strange bedfellows such as Nigeria. I do not personally see any leadership charisma and/or practical intelligence in his administration so far. Being very slow and perpetually professing respect for the rule of law is not the performance we can count on; really this shouldn't be an issue to be harped on like a church choir every time and in so many forums. Respect for the rule of law should be a given basic for any responsible individual, government and or a going concern. It should not be the sole measurement for a leadership position, especially the presidency of Nigeria. If a president does not respect the law, who then would when he is supposed to be the chief law officer of the country? Please give me a break!
Now let us talk about the more expansive dream of transforming Nigeria into a league of emerging economies. Nigerians are a peculiar people - you will not appreciate the intelligence of Nigerians until you visit some western world countries and see for yourself what they are doing there as entrepreneurs and participants in their various local economies. Nigerians are and have been part of massive developments, researches and discoveries going on in so many foreign lands. These feats are easily achievable because of solid infrastructures put in place by the governments of these countries for human minds to thrive with. Our people are not lazy but are not adequately motivated or empowered to be the best they can be. Take for example, the State of California in the United States is a very huge economy that boasts arguably, the highest number of entrepreneurs in United States. It is a private sector driven economy, where government basically functions only as a regulator and provider of needed infrastructures. In Silicon Valley for instance, where there is a high concentration of Information Technology (IT) professionals and companies, the State government partners with the surrounding Cities and the players in the economy in every aspect. The operators see the government as a loyal partner and vice versa. This "partnership" throws up private businesses and ideas on a daily basis, hence their economy is able to thrive and create jobs and wealth for the people. It equally multiplies government revenue through taxation and hence government is able to meet her responsibility towards the citizenry more effectively. But in Nigeria, people pay all kinds of taxes and levies to government which end up in private bank accounts due to massive corruption and none is left for developmental purposes or building much needed infrastructures. Nigeria government has never been responsible to her citizenry or other interest which affects them. There is no single project in Nigeria that is free of political arbitrariness and corrupt influence. Imagine all the shameful revelations of financial impropriety involving public official and politicians, concerning projects that were meant to benefit the ordinary Nigerians currently unfolding before various panels and the EFCC. I 'm really sad about this country and the abyss it has descended into over the years. There is a popular saying in Nigeria that to get rich quick, the prescription is to join politics and this is a country that wants to be an emergent economy?

Yar' Adua should aggressively look into the basic infrastructural needs of the people of Nigeria and do something to fix it and immediately. Once the basic infrastructures of electricity (power), motor-able good roads and security of lives and properties are provided, at least Nigerians can and would do the rest by themselves. Nigerians are not asking for special benefits or handouts from their government but that their government should make it possible for them to thrive by levelling the playing field. Make it possible for that budding entrepreneur to be able to power his company, drive to his businesses and be assured that he is safe making these running through a good security that is put in place by the government. All that Nigerians want is simply the basics - infrastructures to jump start their economy. As a matter of fact, Nigeria government is obligated to provide these basic infrastructures to the general public because they collect taxes from them; otherwise let them stop collecting these taxes from the public and corporate organizations. Revenue from such taxes should be ploughed back to the people and organizations in the form of basic infrastructures to enable them live comfortably and operate more efficiently. In that way, it becomes a win win situation both for the government that will collect more revenue and the people that will thrive better. It baffles me when such necessities are made to become a campaign issue. Globally, every government is pursuing some form of program/policy that is in tune with effectively supporting the efforts of her citizenry to better position their economy in the global scene. Look at the emerging economies like China, India, Brazil, Ukraine, etc - these are private sector powered economies. China, according to reports has taken over the lead as the place with the highest number of emerging entrepreneurs; and America and Europe of course are worried about this development. What is so special about these emerging players that we lack as Nigerians? Nothing really! In fact they are scared of our potentials, abilities and resources and will flinch were they to be set free to thrive. Nigeria has the numbers, skills, motivations and abilities; all that is lacking a goal-directed purposeful leadership. This is the much needed solution to our myriads of problems as a country.

President Yar' Adua has available at his disposal the two most important tools he needs to succeed with as a president. Nigeria can boast of a reasonable capital base and a trove of effective human resources. It could surprise you that most western government do not have other tangible means of revenue except taxation; but the wonderful utilization of it is where effective leadership kicks in; where the difference lies between their success and Nigeria woes. In Nigeria, our leaders both present and past come across as saying that the abundant resources we have is a curse or mistake and should be taken away! Nigeria is blessed with abundant human talents - we have professionals in every human endeavor. Leadership in Nigeria has misplacement of priorities and lack of boldness problems. Only Ibrahim Babangida and to some extent Obasanjo's regimes made some effort at using professionals in their government cabinets. These professionals are intelligent and almost always are goal-directed as to where they want to take the government policies to. They are usually not guided by political deference or emotions or sentiments but by real time results! These professionals are unlike the politicians who perpetually curry favor and pander, and can hardly deliver as there is always other considerations hampering their ability to dispassionately discharge their duties. There is no real qualification to be a politician, hence the not so literate people that populate politics in Nigeria. It is sometimes very difficult if not impossible for these politicians to nuance issues or think them through; but always see things in through the eyes of political expediency. This all comers game of politics in Nigeria could be the reason why Nigeria is still in a mess today, even though we have politicians with three to five decades of experience still hanging around in government. THIS IS A TOTAL BULLSHIT! We sincerely need to move away from this old way that never worked. We should embrace bold leadership which can confront these weak principles and practices in governance. The purpose of politics is primarily to serve humanity with humility and sincerity but Nigeria case is totally different. This aside, corruption, poverty and instability continues to threaten our existence as one united indivisible country; and until we make the much needed necessary changes we cannot unleash our full potentials.

For this present government to succeed, Yar' Adua must as act fast to get rid of those politicians he surrounded himself with in governance. Politicians do not make good technocrats or administrators but should be set free to go and pursue contracts etc. It is about time Yar'Adua wake up and face his responsibilities squarely. He is the president and the buck stops at his desk. The failure or success of his administration is his and his responsibility alone. One year is more than enough time to access his leadership traits or lack thereof. With all due respect, we are not seeing his promised energy (light) yet despite all the threatened energy emergency declarations. Umaru YarAdua, please if you cannot withstand the heat, please leave the kitchen! Please take a close look and observe some of the performance governors like the charismatic Fashola of Lagos State; Peter Obi of Anambra State; the progressive Suswam of Benue State; the energetic Ikedi of Imo State practical intelligence of Nasarawa's Doma and the determined Saraki of Kwara State. They all have one thing in common - they are focused and doing their States' business as it should be done. I believe they have a vision and surrounded it with dedicated professionals, men and women who have the ability to pilot their pet-projects to the promised land.

Mr President, I totalled up your political appointments so far and has come to the conclusion that it is unfair, unbalanced and lopsided. It continued to show a calculated and deliberate elimination of some integral part of the union - the Igbos. What we need as a president is a man or woman with a mindset of equitable distribution and allocation of resources within the Nigeria context. We do not need a man who see Nigeria as a private property of the oligarchs where the other sections of the country are treated merely like tolerable nuisance. No Nigerian citizen should feel inferior, unwanted, a second class or a total untouchable outclass in a country supposedly his and by and in the hands of fellow Nigerians. One should not be made to feel discrimination in his own country similar to all manners of discrimination we experience abroad ranging from race (remember we are black living in a whiteman's land), accent etc and in Nigeria's case, tribal! What we are seeing in the Niger Delta is a reactionary attitude of a lingering messy leadership culture in Nigeria. The Niger Delta summit will be very effective, friendly and highly productive only with greater local content, interest and participation from Nigerians of the Niger Delta region. A Nigerian from the region should be appointed to head the intended committee. Peace and reconciliation the world over is going locally and the Niger Delta situation should not be an exception. An indigene of that area who understands and speaks the language of the Niger Delta, who knows the remote causes of the conflict in the Niger Delta, one who knows who is involved, talks the language of the militants, knows the strength, weakness, threat and opportunity is highly preferable! Mr President, your earlier attempt to appoint Gambari as the chairman of the summit, would have amounted to a dangerous arrogance on your part and constituted an insult to the people of the Niger Delta; as the necessary implication would be that you think that no individual from the South-south zone is qualified enough to fly the flag as the chairman of the conference. Perhaps Professor Gambari could be appointed as a member of the commission to give the summit an international clout and recognition if the goal is to internationalize the conflict. I believe that we are seeking a lasting peace and unity in Niger Delta and not warring in a foreign land, inclusive Bakassi which you guys ceded to Cameroon free of charge! Truth is very important in that it appeals and calms every troubling heart. Mr President, your political appointments and allocation of resources should reflect your position as President of Nigeria and not a sectional or regional or tribal president. As a result they must be evenly spread among all various Nigeria's competing interests for peace, unity and love to reign supreme among Nigerians.

The sincerity and fairness of Mr President is a great part of our moral and economic solution as the public and private sector players would automatically follow suit because their objectives are dependent on government policy direction. The figures your Central Bank governor, Chukwuma Soludo are giving out about the growth or appreciation of the Nigeria economy in Abuja, which I applaud as an economist, may be theoretically correct but does not truly reflect the realities on the grounds. Until Nigerians in rural areas confirm that they could feed themselves, save, have affordable and reachable basic necessities of life such as health care, school, job, water, good roads, electricity comparable to the ones in the cities, no tangible economic growth or development should be claimed by your government. Nigerians still trek several miles just to fetch ordinary water, there is no chairs in classrooms for pupils to sit, some Nigerians still cannot afford to eat three meals per day, natural disasters such as erosion still threatens Nigerians daily and practically, life in the village is like experiencing hell on earth. These are the real indication of economic direction of any society and not government officials or politicians trying to spin facts to enable them keep their jobs. Also these public officials have unlimited access to public funds so their private economies are always flourishing; same goes dubious private sector players who continuously use the ignorance of the public to amass stupendous wealth for themselves and their families. Professor Soludo please stop releasing those figures and instead encourage the President to embark on a meet the people tour of the villages in Nigeria to see for himself how much the economy of Nigeria has "grown" since his inception into office. This will be a better thing for him and comes highly recommended instead of his current overseas junketing. Mr President, you ought to step up and raise the standard of governance after the destitute Olusegun Obasanjo's. We want you to showcase a difference between your government and other inept previous administrations. The basic tool to succeed is sincerity, fairness,working smart,working with the right people, devotion to duty and constant meditation about unity of Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is day-break and time for your government to wake up, Mr President!


Always, the proud Nigerian that I am.
Ugo Ubili writes from California.
He's the Founder/CEO of Thisdaypeople.com and Bay Area Medical Transportation Inc.

SUV OR THE MULLAHS?

Icheoku finds this Newsmax poster very interesting hence its republication! What say you? How do you cast your vote. As for us at Icheoku it is a case of demand and supply - if there is no consumption there would be no supply. But is there adequate supply to force down the price? This is where the mullahs come in and they would rather maximize the only resources they have. They have decided that we need the liquid and come rain or shine we must have it hence they could care less whether it sells for $140 dollars per a barrel or not! Some conspiracy eeh?

RITUAL KILLINGS!

You are looking at what used to be a living human-being. A young woman cut down in her prime by marauding beasts aka ritual killers! Her name was Edith Onuh-Ossai. Her young 26years old life was cut short by men believed to be ritual killers. Edith was a native of Inyi in Igbo-Eze North East Development Council of Nsukka general area of Enugu State Nigeria. According to information reaching Icheoku, Edith left her parents home on February 4th, 2008 to attend a funeral ceremony of her deceased kinsman but never made it back home thereafter. A search party organized by the traditional ruler of Inyi, Igwe Hyacinth Alumona for Edith, discovered her dismembered body, dumped in a shallow grave near their town’s health centre.
Edith according to information available to Icheoku was just one of a many such victims of ritual killings, which is becoming a trend now within the environs of Inyi and the surrounding town of Umu-okoro community. (Inyi and Umu Okoro are two border towns between Enugu and Benue states in Igbo-eze, with headquarter at Ogurute and very close to the popular never center of commerce Ubollo Afor. They both share a common border with Orakam, Benue State). Most recently, about four women have fallen victim to ritual killings in the area including one Mrs Eucharia Abugu, Mrs. Caroline Odo and two others whose family would rather they remain anonymous. According to Igwe Hyacinth Alumona, these four women who were gruesomely murdered in the past three months in the two neighboring towns, had their vital parts removed by their killers which increased the speculation that they were victims of ritual killings. The traditional ruler named four traditional medicine practitioners in the community who are suspected of sponsoring these ritual killings including one Madam Veronica Uja, Mr. Joseph Ogbonna, Mr. Francis Ojobor and Mr. Jeremiah Eze. Continuing, the traditional ruler decried that their people can no longer go to schools, markets or farm because of palpable fear of these ritual killers. That nobody dares to go outside their house from dusk till dawn; in other words there is an unofficial self-preservation induced curfew within their surrounding vicinity. During the day, nobody travels alone but will demand companion in case the ritualists strikes! The matter, he said has been reported to the authorities.
Information reaching our desk at Icheoku reveals that these towns have, over the years, assumed a particular notoriety for being nesting-grounds of native medicine practitioners and its concomitant ritual killings. According to available information, in Inyi community, virtually every male and some handful of women pride themselves as first class native doctors, herbalists and witch-doctors. It is estimated that over twenty persons have been killed for ritual purposes in the areas surrounding these communities within the recent past. It was also gathered that the preference for killing of women suddenly spiked because of very high demand for their unique body parts (particularly their labia-majora) by patrons of native doctors in the area, who use it for "charms that will make them rich overnight or the ones that will facilitate their electoral victories or steel charms that will fortify them against bullet attacks aka "Ode echi"- bullet proof talisman".
Icheoku
decries this ugly development as a serious security concern for the people of Inyi, Umu-Okoro, Igbo-eze, Nsukka and Enugu State in general. As a result all security agencies in Enugu State must rise up to the occasion and curb this very primitive primordial practice. It is a stain on the image of the good people of Enugu State. Such activity negatively impacts the economy of the local communities so affected and will also damage the reputation of Enugu State which will now be seen as the haven for ritual killers. Such is not a bankable reputation and hence must be crushed ruthlessly and immediately! If it means summarily execution of the culprits through vigilantism so be it, but this ulcer must not be allowed to fester! It must be stopped at all cost! At worst, let the State government invite the famed Bakassi boys and turn them loose in these communities of Inyi and Umu-Okoro so that they can clean house, Bakassi way, of course! Whatever form it takes, this disgraceful criminality must be stopped anyway and anyhow possible! If it means the end justifying the means, so be it; period!

GOT MILK?

Not bad looking for a Nigerian gal? Isn't she adorable? Icheoku thinks she is and cannot begrudge or complain about her endowment, if you know what I mean. However this is with a proviso, provided they are all organic! How about you? Funny, really? Life is already stressful enough to stress about a partially exposed mammary; so take a look at a happy face for some respite? Did you laugh? Then, our job is done!
The above picture appeared in Nigeria Vanguard Newspapers of Sunday July 13th, 2008 under an article titled "Unmasking drive to bare boobs" which article is herein re-published as comment 1 below! Happy trails!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

ACID BATH FOR A LAWYER!



What kind of vigilantism is this, a lawyer was bath with acid? Who is this culprit that is so unfeeling as to throw sulphuric acid on a fellow human being? An Enugu based lawyer, Barrister Francis Okafor had the misfortune of being bath with concentrated acid in front of his office at 32 Nike Road, Abakpa Nike, Enugu, Nigeria. Now the said Barrister Francis Okafor is on the verge of going completely blind - first he lost his left eye immediately following the acid attack, now he is about to lose the right eye barring an immediate overseas medical attention to fix it.
His tragic story began on the fateful evening of September 26th, 2007 when he stepped out of his office en-route his home after the day’s work. Outside his office, unsuspecting Francis Okafor received a call and was answering the call when one unidentified person crept out from a corner of the premises and smashed a bottle containing some liquid, later determined to be sulphuric acid on his head. The attacker then disappeared, as the lawyer was left screaming in agony of the terrible burning sensation on his head, face, chest and left arm. He was later rushed to the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu by some sympathizers.
A suspect, Engineer Willie Orji, a substitute lecturer at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu was arrested and arraigned for the the deadly attack. Surprisingly, Engineer Willie Orji and Barrister Francis Okafor are neighbours at their residence at Amaetiti Street, Ugwuoye, Abakpa-Nike Enugu. He was charged for attempted murder and remanded in prison custody by the court; subsequently he made bail but his current where-about is unknown.
Meanwhile, doctors treating the acid-victim has prescribed a reconstructive surgery for Barrister Francis Okafor; which is available only overseas due to lack of similarly situated facilities in Nigeria. The overseas medical trip will cost about six million Naira (roughly forty eight thousand dollars) which is presently not available; hence this appeal for men and women of meek heart to come to the aid of this unfortunate victim of a terrible acid attack to make this treatment possible. Icheoku identifies this as a good cause and urge you to please contribute to Barrister Francis Okafor's appeal fund: -
BARRISTER FRANCIS OKAFOR'S WELFARE FUND:-
ACCOUNT NO.: 0191201008081
OCEANIC BANK, ENUGU-NIGERIA.
BARRISTER FRANCIS OKAFOR'S PERSONAL ACCOUNT
ACCOUNT NO: 9562000013856
UNION BANK, NIGERIA PLC, ENUGU-NIGERIA

TONY SNOW YIELDS TO CANCER!

Mr. Tony Snow, a former Fox Television anchorman and radio talk-show host, who later became Whitehouse Press Secretary and chief spokesman for the Bush administration died early Saturday morning after losing his long running battle with colon cancer. Tony Snow was 53 years old!

Mr. Tony Snow was first diagnosed with colon cancer and treated in 2005, a year before joining the White House staff. The cancer later returned after an operation in March 2007 to remove what doctors thought was a benign growth in his lower abdomen. The cancer subsequently spread to his liver, forcing Mr. Snow to quit his new dig at the Whitehouse for treatment and later for somewhat greener pasture in the media as a commentator for CNN.
Tony will be missed by his family and friends as well as millions other America who knew. Icheoku says, shame on you colon cancer; Tony sleep in the Lord!

Friday, July 11, 2008

CONGRATULATIONS GOVERNOR!


Icheoku congratulates Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime of Enugu State, Nigeria on his victory at the Appellate Court, sitting in Enugu which reversed his annulled election. (An Election Tribunal had earlier annulled his election as governor; see appellate text posted as comment 1 below).

This is something we at Icheoku do not normally do, regarding "elected" offices in Nigeria as we are firmly convinced that there are usually no elections but "selections" in Nigeria! However we are making an exception with this under the special circumstance that the same Election Tribunal that nullified Sullivan's own governorship "election" victory had earlier upheld the "election" of the master-rigger Chimaroke Nnamani himself, to the Nigeria Senate. Something does not seem right by this picture that a master will be found innocent of the same charge for which his servant was found guilty. Icheoku would have preferred that all elections of May 2007 in Nigeria from the Presidency of Umaru Yar"Adua, Senators, Representatives, Governors, Assemblies and Local Government were cancelled completely in view of the massive irregularities of the said "election" under the supervision and direction of the disgraced Olusegun Obasanjo. But our wish did not come true and now we have to operate within what is available; we feel that justice has been done by the Appellate Court with respect to Governor Chime by upholding his "election"! Icheoku hopes that all past politicians and/or public office holders will learn how to gracefully make their exit so that the incumbent will find a benevolent environment to try and fulfil his own election promises. In this way they will be more respected and deferred to as statesmen which status their peaceful transition ordinarily would have bequeathed on them.

Based on the heretofore canvassed premise, Icheoku now formally congratulates Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime of Enugu State, Nigeria on his victory and urge him to among other things, urgently address the criminality of ritual killings currently going on in some parts of Enugu State. (see account of such incidents posted as comment 2 below). Icheoku also implores the governor to be magnanimous in his victory and not to follow the part of vindictiveness that has made his predecessor a pariah in Enugu State. Governor Chime should understand that he is the governor of all Enuguans and not just a select few; and also try and resist the pressure for a pay-back that will be mounted by hangers-on and political jobbers. Once again, congratulations Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

WELCOME YOUR EXCELLENCY!


His Royal Highest Igwe (Ambassador) L.O.C. AGUBUZO, OON was in California recently to honor an invitation for a visit. His Excellency was hosted by his close friend Professor CN Okeke & wife Tina and some select few others, to an evening of warm felicitations. We feel privilieged to have shared an evening with your Majesty! This message is to say to His Excellency, thank you for coming!
We are glad at the opportunity to meet with such an erudite son of Wawaland; a bona fide Enugu State indigene of no mean repute. A man who has travelled extensively globally and has served Nigeria in various capacities including Commissioner of the African Union (AU); Assistant Secretary General of the former Organisation of African Unity (OAU); High Commissioner aka Ambassador of Nigeria to Zambia and Malawi; Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations in New York.

The Nigeria government recognized Ambassador L.O.C. Agubuzo for his impeccable services to his motherland and conferred him with a National Honor of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)
Igwe LOC Agubuzo
has also served his people of Enugu State (formerly Anambra State) as the then Commissioner for Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Matters of Anambra State of Nigeria.
Today his people of Ezema Olo Autonomous Community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria has called upon this illustrious son of theirs to serve them as their traditional ruler (King)! As a traditonal ruler, Ambassador LOC Agubuzo is now the Igwe of Ezema-Olo!

Once again, thank you for finding the time amidst your royal duties to visit California! .
Signed
Professor C.N. Okeke

JESSE JACKSON, NUTS?

"Barack is talking down on black people on this faith based thing; I want to cut his nuts off"! With this whispered comment, Reverend Jesse Jackson has once again javelined himself unto the center-divide of political discourse in America. Jesse, Icheoku hopes that this is the last time you will be publicly manifesting your disquiet over the success of Barack Obama with the American people in politics. Admitted that a shifting of chairs has occurred amongst the African American community as to who speaks for black Americans but you should be a sportsman and deal with the reality on the grounds just like your friends, the Clintons! There is a new sheriff in town and his name is Barack Obama!

Most Americans understands that you secretly wish you could trade places with Barack Obama; that you covet his presidential nominee status so much that you will give one of your arms for it; that you wish you could rehabilitate yourself and endear yourself into the hearts of many Americans just like Barack Obama, but you must be very careful trading that waters. It is a heavenly ordained tsunami which if not carefully navigated could drown you forever. You must be careful in saying very sensitive things and Icheoku is doubtful if it was a misspeak or real churning of the heart which became public due to an accident! It was a conceited thought of yours which accidentally was voiced out, thanks to an open microphone!

Jesse, what did Obama say that infuriated you so much that you would like to cut off his balls (testicles)? Barack Obama was merely advising black American youths to stay in school and stop dropping out as sports and music is not the only way out of squalor. Jesse, you jumped off the cliff alleging that Barack Obama was talking down on black people; and your ulterior motive is discernible to any observant person. First, you know that once the black American youths heed Barack Obama's wise advise, that you will loose your day job of being a racial entrepreneur; wherein you shake down corporations in the guise of fighting for injustice in the black community. If black American youths stay in schools and graduate, they will be in a position to better nuance issues and not cling to you as their Messiah and spokesman. Or tell me what is hype about a fifteen year old "child" giving birth to another child? It is about time you left the scene quietly for the new Joshua to step in and lead black Americans to the promised land which Martin Luther King dreamt about over forty years ago. Icheoku understands that you are mad at being replaced at your job, being the alter-ego of black-men in America, by Barack Obama but you can at least put a face to your disdain? Why make your envy and jealous at Barack Obama's success so manifest that it becomes the talk of the whole world?
Icheoku
is also well aware that you are a double faced Janus; that you are an inveterate hypocritical adulterer who, while counselling President Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky dalliance had your personal assistant pregnant with your baby. That as you are putting up face publicly as supporting Obama you may secretly be wishing him bad out of envy! That your immoral conduct of getting an unmarried African American girl pregnant while still married to your wife of so many decades was a betrayal to your wife's bones and you are a reverend? Who do you expect to later marry that your baby-mama and whuz up with that, Jesse? What kind of reverend are you? Are you just a hypocrite or the biblical pharasee, our Lord Jesus warned us to be wary of? That you had a child outside wedlock with a mistress was the type of bad example Barack Obama counselled agains;t so Icheoku can see where you were coming from - as an affected party with interest. This immorality alone was sufficient to have removed you from the scene a long time ago but you were given a second chance which you are now strenuously trying to blow away. You do not want the statusquo to change among black American youths so that your lord of the manor status among them will remain unfettered and securely assured. You are afraid of loosing your day-time job of being the unofficial prime minister of black Americans so that you can continue being the shakedown artist of the country? Your ego must not only be so bloated but bursting at the seams. You shouldn't have uttered the statement specially that aspect which made allusion to "cutting off Barack Obama's testicles". With a friend like you, one wonders really if Barack Obama needs any other enemy? It was too insensitive of you to have said what you said concerning our candidate of Hope & Change in America! Or don't you honestly believe in the message on the poster which you are clinging to here in this photograph? Your statement actually unmasked how you really feel inside about your now second-place fiddle role among black Americans. There is a time for everything, Jesse - you are so yesterday and Barack Obama is the now and the future; get it, Reverend Jesse Jackson?

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

MUGABE AND WESTERN HYPOCRISY!

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, any way out? For some western powers, it would appear that Mugabe is now in a bind, that there is no way out; but Icheoku says don't count your chicken yet! Mugabe is a warrior and will survive!
President Robert Mugabe is not going anywhere soon and the precedents are there for the whole world to understand that African leaders so called do not willingly concede their seats to another. Most recently in Kenya, President Mwai Kibaki stole a freely won election from Odinga and after all said and done an arrangement was reached where he now co-governs Kenya, despite losing the election to the opposition. In Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo wanted a third term but was frustrated out of his desire, then he turned around and single- handedly picked Umaru Yar'Adua and installed him as president. Despite the lack of any credible election in Nigeria, the many cries and shouting, today, Umaru Yar'Adua is recognized the world over as the President of Nigeria, receiving red carpet receptions whenever he steps into any capital of any country in the world. South Africa Thabo Mbeki tried it but for the powerful Zuma whom the ANC thronged to, and thwarted his planned third term. So the question is why would Robert Mugabe listen to the world when precedents have shown that after a while the hot air usually blows away?
Africa it would seem was not tailored for a democratic governance!
Before the advent of the Europeans Africa were merely kingdoms, fiefdoms and empires being ruled by various kings, rulers, emirs and emperors! So the sit-tight tendencies in their present day leaders so called run in their body genome, blood! As Jesus said, he who has no sin should throw the first stone, almost all African leaders are guilty as Robert Mugabe hence do not have the moral high-grounds to look Mugabe in the eye and ask him to do right and respect the wishes of the Zimbabwe people as expressed in the election - the present crossroads! Of the fifty countries/states that make up Africa, about twenty five of them are under the jackboot of very sit-tight rulers, who are ruling their people autocratically; and with tacit approval of the west and for rather too long now. Take for example, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak who has been in power since 1981. Muammar Qaddafi of Libya has also been in power since 1969 and today the west is wooing him because of proven and known oil reserves in the Libyan desert. In Angola, Jose Eduardo dos Santos has ruled the country's 17 million people since 1979. In Cameroon, Paul Biya has presided over the country's affairs since succeeding Ahmadu Ahidjo in 1982 prior to which he was Prime Minister from 1975 until his succession. In Burkina Faso, Blaise Campore assassinated former head of State Sankara and has remained the country's despotic leader since 1987. In Cape Verde a country of just about 530,000 people their President Pedro de Verona Rodriguez Pires has been in power virtually since 1975. In Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso has presided over this country of 3.8million people since 1979 and same longevity goes with Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea. Eriterea's Isaias Afewerki has been in charge of his tiny country since 1993. Gambia's Yahya Jammeh also has seen the greater 14years since he rose to power in 1994. In Guinea Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira has presided over his country since 1980 with a little break for only four years. Chad's Idriss Deby has been running the game-show in N'Djamena since 1991. Mali's Amadou Toumani Toure has been in power since 1991. Mauritius Prime Minister Navim Ramgoolam first came to power in 1995. Tunisia's Zine El Abidine first came to power in 1987; Uganda's Yoweri Museveni in 1986. Gabon's Omar Bongo has been in power since 1967 and this is a man who has dined and wined all the presidents of the West including President Bush. Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia has been in power since 1991 and same goes with Guinea's Lansana Conte since 1984. In Morrocco, King Mohammed VI has ruled since 1999; Lesotho's King Letsie III has been in power since 1990 and King Mswati of Swaziland since 1986. Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe's 1980 ascension to power, although very long, is not the longest ruler-ship in Africa as Omar Bongo of Gabon holds that "ignoble" title. The question now is why single out Robert Mugabe? Why should Robert Mugabe be asked to give up his power? Is it because he has no power guaranteed security insurance of OIL flowing under the grounds of Zimbabwe to mortgage or serve as his collateral?
Aside from Nelson Mandela of South Africa who stepped down from power in 1999 and Sam Nujoma of Namibia who stepped down in 2005, virtually no other African leader has voluntarily conceded his office to another person in recent recorded history
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It may be a tradition after-all, Africa is used to having kings, rulers, emperors and Supreme heads before the advent of the white-man; so the idea of a rotational head of governments is anathema and an alien culture which Africa is yet to get used to! Each serving African Head of State or President sees himself as the absolute king or ruler or emperor, supreme head or potentate and any idea of leaving for another is unthinkable until death otherwise decrees; before which they usually would have primed one of their sons to carry on their assumed mandate - Togo's Faure Gnassingbe and Democratic Republic of Congo's Joseph Kabilla readily exemplifies this talking point. Moreover all African heads of States and governments are inco-hoot with one another and are corroborators as each is as guilty as the other. Take for example President Paul Kigame of Rwanda who used to be the security chief for Yoweri Museveni of Uganda had helped him as a fighter during his guerrilla war fare in Uganda. As a return of favor, Museveni encouraged and sponsored Kigame's take over of the government house in Kigali. So how can an East African regional power like Uganda effectively urge Kigame to do right if he goes astray since both of them are co-travelers in the journey of infamous political mercenary in Africa? As a one time guerrilla, the now President Bashir of Sudan once fought alongside the Egyptians in the war against the Israelis in 1973 and yet you wonder why the Darfur crisis has not been resolved! Couldn't Mubarak put pressure on Bashir to do right if he chooses to, but no, he owed him that favor to do whatever and however he pleases in his own fiefdom? They owe each other one form of favor or the other. ZANU-PF's Robert Mugabe and ANC's Mandela, Mbeki and Zuma waged resistance fight together against white oppressive rules in Southern Africa, which explains the difficulty of a buddy going against another buddy by condemning his actions publicly.
Furthermore, most of these African leaders were guerrilla fighters who fought their way from the forest and jungles of Africa to their respective government houses hence they see governance as the trophy for their effort and theirs for keeps. Their perception of governance as their war spoil makes it very difficult for them to voluntarily and peacefully transfer authorities to another person. They see it as a sell out to hand over what "belongs" to them to another and hence very unimaginable. Their attitude then becomes, if you want it so badly, come and get it. This is the reason why change of government or succession in Africa is usually through counter insurgency or out right coup de tat's forcible change of government which sometimes is very bloody in Africa. Moreover because of the power over life and death which governance bequeaths on the governor in Africa, many of their minions including their wife/wives find it absolutely a no brainier to loose their position of authority and hence dissuade emphatically a willing president from conceding authorities.
Additionally, the western powers are very selective in their decisions as to who goes and who stays in power both in Africa and the world at large, thus have lost their moral authority to effectively broker a resounding resolution in Africa's numerous political conflicts. In Russia, Vladimir Putin single handedly put Medvedev in power, locking away all oppositions in the process, what did the west do? Nothing because energy guarantees to Europe means more than some few disgruntled oppositions in Russian jails/prisons. Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo did similar thing with Umaru Yar'Adua but because Nigeria has power guarantee security insurance of OIL, the west is today working together with an illegitimate Umaru Yar'Adua's government. It is this attitude of "whenever the shoe fits" hypocrisy of the west that is the bane of Africa and many other places in the world. Take for instance, Hosni Mubarak who has been a despotic maximum ruler of Egypt for over 27 years now; despite all agitations for a true democracy therein and evidence of his lost elections and intimidation of opposition including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, he is still doing business with America - the democracy crusader! Icheoku will like to ask, despite his flagrant violations of human rights, who is America's most beloved African leader? Hosni Mubarak! And this position has not changed or waiver despite recorded human rights violations and his maniacal zero tolerance of opposition activities in the land of the Pharaohs! Another despot in Africa is President Omar Bongo of Gabon who has been in power in Libreville since 1967; yet this midget dines and wines with all the Western leaders because he has power guarantee security insurance of oil and you wonder are the Gabonese not suitable for democracy? Why has the Western powers not raised an eye brow about this entrenched ruler of Gabon all these years (41 in total)?
For Robert Mugabe to be singled out as "the MUST GO candidate" is not understandable to many African leaders in view of what is prevalent throughout the continent. Icheoku opines that this singular vindictive attitude towards Mugabe smacks of a somewhat pay-back day for Robert Mugabe for humiliating the British colonial powers out of the then Rhodesia and for most recently redistributing lands that were illegally appropriated by the white settlers in now Zimbabwe. Was Mugabe the first African leader to annul an election? Where is Nigeria's MKO Abiola today, a victim of an annulled election? How many times did Mubarak of Egypt cancel elections that were clearly won by the opposition? Who elected Omar Bongo for forty one years in Gabon? It is all a smoke screen for some uterior agenda which an election, boycotted by the opposition has provided a way and means of accomplishing in Zimbabwe! How can you come to one's land and take for yourself all the choice areas therein while the native inhabitants have virtually nothing? Which leader so called will not take exact same action as Mugabe took to redress an apparent injustice? Now the heavens will fall because some people lost a piece of property? These were the same white settlers who fed live Africans to their lions and tigers and no eyelid was batted by the West. The same white settlers whose oppressive apartheid government was accommodated by the West for a long period of time. The same west that designated Nelson Mandela and his compatriots' freedom fighters as terrorists until very recently! The gist of the matter is that there is no existing moral authority to make Robert Mugabe to relinquish office voluntarily; and he being a freedom fighter will not be easily intimidated into a retreat, more-so since South Africa still backs him! They were fellow freedom fighters who dodged bullets together as well as lived guerrilla jungle life together while fighting for their people's freedom. The bonding developed over the years is such that cannot be just thrown overboard because Washington, Paris or London said so. The memory of the oppressive apartheid regime is still too fresh in the minds of these resistant hero-Presidents of South Africa and Zimbabwe for them to embrace the West so fully as to now turn against one of their own. A time like this call for a show of leadership by African leaders so called and urge the west to put some brakes; the west should show caution in the present fanned-crisis in Zimbabwe! Let an African solution be allowed to prevail - even if this means letting the 80years old grandpa Robert Mugabe live out his very limited time on earth, in view of his very advanced age, as life president of Zimbabwe, so be it; provided anarchy is avoided in Zimbabwe at all cost. The whole African continent is festooned with wars and mayhem strewn across the continent from Congo to Darfour to Rwanda to Somalia to Western Polisario Front to Uganda and the list goes on and on. Why add more instability to the already instabilized Africa? If America could tolerate Cuba's Fidel Castro for over fifty years until he retired recently, why not extend the same courtesy to Robert Mugabe? If the west is looking for some state building role in Africa, Darfour is waiting for them; so does Somalia, the Congo as well as the unfinished business in Liberia etc.
The only meaningful thing anybody can do is to try and be an honest broker and be seen to be really one by every concerned party with interest; otherwise it will be a hot air that will soon blow away. In Kenya the West agreed to let Kibaki steal an election won by Odinga because Odinga had some communist background and so they cannot fully trust him to be president of Kenya; hence they settled for a shared mandate! Maybe if Kibaki had been forced out and made to concede an election which he lost to Odinga in Kenya, Robert Mugabe would have seen a precedent to follow. Robert Mugabe probably asked himself, "but Kibaki had his way in Kenya so why not Mugabe in Zimbabwe? Such arranged governance in Kenya will surely be the fate of Zimbabwe; after-all Mugabe was even "honorable enough" to organize an election in the first place; which African leaders usually do not do. Remember the case in Nigeria where the former President Olusegun Obasanjo imposed a president on Nigeria without any credible election whatsoever. The West threw tantrums but today are cavorting Umaru Yar'Adua because of Nigeria's oil. It is called condonation and corroboration as a result of power guarantee security insurance of OIL! This is the bane of the neo-colonial societies foist on Africa by the lopsidedness of western policies therein. If the West seriously wants to make an impact in African democracy, they must stand firmly against any African dictator whomsoever! Whether it is Hosni Mubarak of Egypt or Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, whom President Bush most recently praised very highly (during the last time he was in Africa) and yet this is a dictator who has ruled Uganda by fiat for over 21years now. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done! It is called fairness! Icheoku does not carry water for Robert Mugabe but strongly opposes the current arm-twisting by the west because it has the semblance of their seeking a pound of flesh in the guise of upholding an election result. The west does not love the Zimbabwe people more than Robert Mugabe and they cannot be seen now to be crying more than the "bereaved" people of Zimbabwe. How can the west be more catholic than the pope, for crying out loud? If Robert Mugabe must go, then show some examples where it has been done before in Africa. Where has it happened before in Africa that a "leader" voluntarily conceded his office to another or a successor? Who has ever told Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to go? Who has said that Omar Bongo of Gabon should vacate the seat of power in Libreville since 1967, being the longest sit-tight head of State in Africa? The charade in Nigeria that put Umaru Yar'Adua in power since May 2007, which western leader has challenged it with every sinew in him/her; yet they are spitting fire because a similar exercise took place in Zimbabwe? The genocide in Darfur when will it be resolved and yet the government of Bahir is sponsoring the Janjaweeds death merchants! Where are the sanctions on Khartoum? WHY THEN ROBERT MUGABE?

Monday, July 7, 2008

BUSH, WHAT A SEWAGE HONOR?


We have had so many presidents and more will surely follow after the current outgoing one, but non has been so loathed and admired by so many at the same time, as our current 43rd, George Walker Bush. Whereas some see in him a brave leader, some others see him as a Texas inglorious gift to the world. But love him or hate him GW has got guts and Icheoku attests to that.
Now a citizen group in the City of San Francisco, California is at it again; - this time they want to "immortalize" GW in a sort of unique and special way, - they want to rename their sewage treatment plant after GW! According to the proponents of the measure, "GW left a substantial mess which the country will be cleaning for the next ten or twenty years. According to the chief proponent of the measure, Brian McConnell, a sewage plant's job is to clean up mess, so it is a fitting tribute for GW. As Gw leaves office, the country will begin to repair the damage and rebuild the country's reputation which his eight years in office has tarnished. Since it is good to remember our presidents in the right historical context, such is a fitting tribute to the outgoing chief executive and the mess he will leave behind".
But while other past presidents have had very edifying monuments and infrastructures named after them, GW is having a sewage plant named after him. Some other presidents have their bursts engraved in granite in Mountain Rushmore in South Dakota; some also have had international airports named after them like Reagan National in Washington Dc and HW Bush in Houston Texas; President Lincoln has his face and name in almost everything and everywhere including our penny. Lincoln Memorial and the luxury car Lincoln Continental; Franklin Benjamin's chubby face is on our $100 billfold; some presidents have aircraft-carriers named after them; but now one soon to be former president is being given a sewage honor! What this activist San Francisco group wants to achieve by renaming a sewage treatment plant after GW will probably come to light if the ballot initiative passes in November 2008. But Icheoku is doubtful that GW will be grateful for this stinking memorial albeit his legacy or lack thereof which is now subject to a stinking honor in the maverick City by the Bay, San Francisco, California!