THE WAY TO GO, GOVERNOR ALIYU!

Icheoku says congratulations to the able governor of Niger State, Alhaji Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu for publicly declaring the total amount his administration has so far received and realized from internally generated revenue in the last 14 months. Icheoku says the way to go, Governor! There is nothing good like an open governance and the lack thereof is the bane of political office holders in Nigeria. According to Governor Aliyu, Niger State depends on Federal Government for about 95 per cent of their revenue with which to finance its expenditures. According to the governor, his administration had through prudent management been able to rejuvenate the state from infrastructural decadence, stagnation and bad administration for repositioning as one of the best three economies in the country.

"In the last 14 months, Governor Aliyu further said, his administration paid over 10,288,757,785.13 Naira salaries to civil servants and another 648,127,646.08 Naira on the allowances of political and public office holders. According to him, another 497,052 million Naira was expended on 2007 leave grants for 2007, while 713 million Naira was released in December as salary bonus for public workers. The sum of 211,958,831.69 Naira was released for the 2008 leave/transport grant, he added. others. The state, according to him, also received 31,306,906, 668:43 Naira from the Federation account for all the councils in the state in the period under review. The figure include 22,539,161,275.33 Naira from the statutory allocation, 3,135,213,693.34 Naira from the Value Added Tax and 5,632,585,699.76 Naira from the excess crude oil allocations.He said 13,307,465,993 Naira from the councils’ allocation was paid as salaries to local government staff, while 5,240,305,790.84 Naira was paid to the State Universal Basic Education (UBE) Board.Other expenditure by the administration in the last 14 months include 722,076,464. 03 Naira and 586,854.23 Naira to emirate councils and local Government Pensions Board".

From the early days of his administration's shopping for two credit facilities from banks totalling 3.6 billion Naira to offset pressing liabilities inherited from the previous administration in the state, Niger State today is debt free and marching on creditably courtesy of Governor Aliyu who has turned around its financial misfortune. The governor however lamented the sad situation where the state and the councils expended over 50 per cent and 40 per cent respectively of their collected revenue on the payment of salaries and emoluments leaving just paltry sums for capital projects for developments. The governor has since been commended for his good stewardship, steadfastness and diligent management of the state.

Icheoku says that this is the single most important weapon to check the excessive looting of various treasuries by the executive including Federal, States and Local Governments. It was one most important legacy of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime where for the first time, Nigerians were told of the income and expenditure of their government. In that way every person knows what is in the coffers and can easily cross-check it against developmental projects and expenditure which will trigger necessary alarm should any discrepancy suddenly rear its corrupt-head. It is called accounting 101 and it needs to be made the law of the land of Nigeria! Governor Aliyu of Niger State has set the ball rolling and Icheoku calls on all other governors in Nigeria to follow suit and throw their hats in the ring to become more accountable governors! A government's not rendering accounts of its returns and expenses, encourages, aids and abets corruption; as nothing will serve as a red-flag or an indicator whenever these despicable politicians dip their filthy hands into the public purse for their personal gains/benefit. Without returns and expenses accounting, no one will know how much the states received, so it will in turn be very difficult to know how much was expeditiously used for the benefit of the state and how much was embezzled! Nigeria Legislature, please pass this OPEN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY LAW and now!

THE HIT LIST - our incredible but true story series: Serie 1!

These are true stories! They did happen! Please welcome to the debut of our new Sunday page titled "The Hit List". It is a purveyor of the past week's synopsis of weird, strange, incredible but true stories and some eye-catching Kodak-moments as compiled by our team of bloggers. Happy trails!

1. Open Marriage: is it imaginable the thought of your spouse having intimacy with another person to your knowledge? American Will Smith just admitted to that and further revealed that it has been the little secret behind his over ten years marriage with Jada Smith. How does that sound to you? Jaded, may be! Isn't this strange? According to an interview he gave to a British Magazine, REVEAL, Will Smith said " our perspective is, you don't avoid what is natural, and you're going to be attracted to people. And if it came down to it, then one would say to the other: 'Look, I need to have sex with somebody. Now, I'm not going to if you don't approve of it.' In our marriage vows, we didn't say 'forsaking all others.' "

2. Black Widows: Two women in Los Angeles, California, United States of America were convicted of first degree murder and conspiracy to murder for financial gains of two men, Paul Vados 73 and Kenneth McDavid 50. They were sentenced two life terms each without the possibility of parole. According to the prosecution, the two convicts Helen Golay 73 and Olga Rutterschmidt 75 befriended two homeless indigents, took out life insurance policies on each of them and then killed them in a staged accident of what initially appeared to be a hit and run auto accidents; and collected $2.8 million dollars proceeds of the life insurance on the two men before they were busted. Delivering his judgment, Superior Court Judge David Wesley said " the two men you killed needed only food and water and shelter. They needed a helping hand. They thought they were getting this from you. Instead these unfortunate men were sacrificed on your alter of greed." Could it get more weird than this? Such old hags (ladies) nearly pulled this heinous crimes off. What are they going to do with such a huge amount of money being so near their own graves at seventy plus years old? I don't think so; but please be the judge.

3. Lover fights dog to death: In Redwood City, California, United States of America, a man tired of sharing his girlfriend's bed with her little Chihuahua dog, kicked the dog so hard that she suffered five broken ribs, punctured lung and liver and huge blood loss. An emergency surgery at Sequoia Veterinary Hospital could not save little Chihuahua named Chiquita who died as a result of the blunt trauma. The lover was enraged that the jealous dog urinated and defecated on him while he was sleeping over at the girl friends' house. The suspect, Mr. Ariel Aspedilla of Manteca who posted a fifty thousand dollar bail, is awaiting trial for "dogicide" - the killing of little Chiquita! Incredible? Just a dog some critic will say! But not in the land of America wonder - dogs do have rights too!

4. Nigeria electoral wonder: In Nigeria, the current Senate President David Mark won in only two out of seven districts in his senatorial zone in Benue State yet he "won" the seat anyway and is today the President of the Senate as most recently confirmed by the Appellate Court! How could this be possible? Only in Nigeria where Olusegun Obasanjo single handedly installed Umaru YarAdua as President. It will also be recalled that it was the same David Mark who as chairman of NITEL bought a 33million pounds sterling golf course in Ireland; talk about a national assembly of corrupt officials and who said, Nigeria will be fixed? With these kind of shady charactered men at the helm of affairs, the situation may be near hopelessness. As if that was not shocking enough, a member of the House of Representatives Nuhu Aliyu alleged that so many of their members are criminal master minds of the 419 notoriety; today after series of threats and arm-twisting, the crusader has been intimidated into grave silence and these are still "honorable" men? Icheoku does not think so but would rather they are properly designated for whom they are - "dishonorable men"! How can an allegation of such a disparaging magnitude be made against a whole Nigerian House of Representatives alleging criminality and all the members did was to sweep it under the carpet. If this is not a cover-up, then nothing else so qualifies. Also Senator Jubril Aminu still chairs the Senate Foreign Affairs committee and you ask why the Siemens $12million dollars bribery scandal which implicated him has fallen off the radar and then you will begin to understand Nigeria. So when Nigerians are treated as pariahs all over the world, don't feign ignorance or surprise surprise as to the root-cause. A country which leadership is constituted of criminal minds by extension is populated by criminal minds also otherwise why the statusquo? Only in Nigeria! Shocked?

5. How large do you think a crocodile can grow? Take a look at this picture and say your Holy Molly! This alligator was found between Centre and Leesburg , Alabama, United States of America near a dwelling house! Game wardens were forced to shoot the alligator - guess he wouldn't cooperate? Neighbors had been telling the occupants that they had seen a mammoth alligator in the waterway that runs behind their house, but they dismissed the stories as exaggerations. However they later realized the stories were, if anything, understated. Alabama Parks and Wildlife game wardens had to shoot the beast.

Joe Goff, 6'5' tall, a game warden, walks past the 28-foot, 1-inch alligator he shot and killed in their back yard.

This is the end of our this week's mind-numbing stories and until next Sunday when we shall come your way again, stay tuned. Hope this debut was worth the hype! In any event however we shall continue to improve with subsequent publications. See you on the 27th July, 2008. So long!

ARREST OBASANJO NOW!

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Agwai has just dropped the final bomb-shell needed to coral Olusegun Obasanjo into a gulag - that Olusegun Obasanjo surreptitiously ceded away Nigerian owned and controlled Bakassi to Cameroon without consulting the necessary security agencies of Nigeria including the Armed Forces. General Owoye Azazi told the Senate Investigative Hearing on the Green Tea Agreement that there was nothing concrete to show that the military was consulted before President Olusegun Obasanjo signed the accord which he said was not in the interest of the national security. What a display of arrogance that a supposed president of Nigeria ran a country, as complex and as diverse as Nigeria, as if it was his private fiefdom? Was Olusegun Obasanjo an imperial president or what? Was Nigeria an extension of his private Otta farm estate? Did Nigeria belong to him while he was the president? Who gave him the right to dictate what happens to some Nigerians of Bakassi origin or are they lesser Nigerians than Obasanjo himself and his Otta people? Why are Nigerians not throwing a feat and demanding that this man be taken in for questioning! Where was his patriotism that a mere recognition of him as a gallivanting president of Nigeria was more important than the interest and welfare of fellow Nigerians of Bakassi ancestry?

Olusegun Obasanjo committed a "treasonable" felony by this singular act, which affects Nigeria national security interest as a nation; more-so since he did it without proper consultations with the security agencies of the country. How can this incestuous man, single handedly, pawn up Nigerians of Bakassi origin away to an untoward slavery and servitude to the Cameroons? This is the same man who massacred the people of Odi for no justifiable reason whatsoever? This is the same vampire who went on rampage in Zaki Ibiam and visited untold mayhem therein. This is the same man who crashed the value of the Naira from Abacha/Abubakar's era 70 Naira to the dollar to over 126 Naira to a dollar. Where is the power(energy) that he pilfered over 16 billion dollars USD for? Where are the roads that gulped over 300 billion Naira under his watch? Where are the jobs he created in his eight years of maladministration? What happened to the recovered Abacha's loot? Why was Commissioner Danbaba, General Bamayi and Major Mustafa incarcerated for over eight years awaiting trial for meritoriously serving their boss Abacha? With all the atrocities Olusegun Obasanjo committed, General Sani Abacha deserves to be made a saint, posthumously! So could it be possible that Babangida, Buhari and Abubarkar praised Abacha under this context? Where are all the billion dollars oil windfall revenue that accrued to Nigeria under Obasanjo's watch? Attorney General Bola Ige's assassination has not been fully investigated and it happened under Obasanjo's watch and Bola Ige was Obasanjo's serving Attorney General?

What more are the authorities waiting to defrock Olusegun Obasanjo for all his infra-dignities while in office. Nigerians should demand that an example be made of this Otta medicine man, Babalawo Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo and the time to act is now! Nigerians should rise and demand for justice for all the victims of Olusegun Obasanjo atrocious regime and in order to set example on how not to govern Nigeria again! Icheoku therefore calls on all Nigerians not to be under any illusion that it is just a Bakassi internal affairs or matter! Yesterday was Bakassi, tomorrow might be your own ancestral home town; so do something today to ensure that Nigeria does not become a banana republic where the will of just one man is the law. A stitch in time saves nine so Nigerians should start today and set an example with Olusegun Obasanjo in order to make her future leaders more accountable! !

A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR MR. CHRISTIAN NNAJIOFOR!

Please join us for a Memorial Mass, as we pray for the repose of the soul of our brother, inlaw and uncle Late Mr. Christian Nnajiofor. Mr. Christian Nnajiofor was killed by hoodlums in Enugu, Nigeria on May 3rd, 2008. Mr Christian Nnajiofor was the elder brother of Madam Theresa Agbowo (Nee Nnajiofor) of Oakland, California. Christian will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Place: 5301 Genoa Street, Oakland, California 94608
Date: July 19th. 2008
Time: 6.00pm prompt

Officiating Priest: Reverend Ray Ogbemure

Refreshment follows immediately after service.

RSVP

Dr Lazarus & Mrs Theresa Agbowo

GREAT EXPECTATIONS, MADAM EFCC!

Icheoku wants to formally congratulate Madam DIG Farida Waziri, retired, the new Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chair-lady on her new appointment and wish her success as she tries to clean the Augean stable of corruption unlimited called Nigeria! When you mention corruption anywhere in the world today, the first place that comes to mind is Nigeria! When you talk about crimes of fraud anywhere in the world the first thing that comes to mind is the notorious Nigeria 419 syndrome. Then add the governors, ministers and even the presidents whose money laundering notoriety has become a teaching topic for corruption in most many a university and police academies in the world then the situation appear comatose! What is Icheoku saying? That Madam EFCC has her job cut out for her and will need all the strength and prayers to make an impact!

Her opening statements and steps so far is encouraging but she must tread meticulously and deftly carry about her duties. Madam EFCC must not assume any air of a "super-human" superiority, the bane of her predecessor in office Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, whose good works were overshadowed by his petulant arrogance and protection of the master mind of corruption in Nigeria, himself, corruption personified, Olusegun Obasanjo! According to Madam EFCC, corruption is so endemic in Nigeria that the United States of America has posited that Nigeria will become a failed or a rogue state within some years if the endemic nature of corruption practices in the country were not tackled. According to available reports, the amount of graft in Nigeria is so high that development is impossible. We cannot continue like this in the midst of plenty where the basic amenities are not there for the masses. Mrs Farida Waziri lamented that governors hide under the cloak of immunity to evade the watchful eyes of anti-graft bodies but vowed that the EFCC under her leadership, will not wait for the expiration of their tenure before taking action as investigations into their activities are already on and will be updated continually till they leave office and answer for their crime. Speaking further Waziri said the gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider, adding that while the masses don’t even have access to basic amenities of life such as pipe-borne water, electricity, hospital etc their political leaders are swimming in stupendous wealth. "It is a well-known fact that a country is not known for its greatness by the amassing of wealth but how the country treats her poor". To this Icheoku will like to add that any governor with a credible culpability should be made to resign and face the charges immediately; there is no need to wait for their penultimate end of tenure before prosecution. If only the Senate and House of Representatives have the will to fight corruption in Nigeria, they can use the instrumentality of law-making to checkmate corruption but albeit one of them Alhaji Nuhu Aliyu made it known to the world that they are populated by criminals - 419 practitioners. So it becomes almost impossible for the legislators to legislate themselves out of business.

Madam EFCC please consider pursuing these measures with necessary authorities in your quest to eradicate corruption in Nigeria. See if they can make certain grave financial crimes a High crime and/or misdemeanour with severe penalty including the death sentence, just as a deterrent (China has such laws). Such a public servant/politician/military should also be banned for life from holding any position of trust including any political office and have all the proceeds of corruption confiscated. Seek the western countries support and cooperation if you are seriously geared to fight corruption in Nigeria - that is where they bank their loot and launder some with property acquisitions. Solicited their help to discourage these criminals from banking their proceeds in these countries such that they have to explain the source of any deposit exceeding $9999.99dollars USD anything they bring such money overseas. Such explanation will be cross-checked with your agency back in Nigeria. Sign pacts with FBI, M15 and Israeli MOSSAD (their financial crimes branch) to assist Nigeria combat financial criminality world-wide. Also start a whistle blower prize for any public official whose information leads to a successful prosecution of a financial criminal. Finally, get rid of corrupt officials in the EFCC - periodically demand they declare their assets and pay random visit to their homes and make them explain disproportionate assets found in their possession including cars, houses, homes and fat bank accounts.

You also said that you are aware that each time monies are released to the states and the local government to do certain things in those areas, these monies are shared. According to you, plans are already in place to put up preventive measures to checkmate these excesses. You are going to be very proactive monitoring money earmarked for certain projects in those areas and cross check physically with what is on ground and take up those we know are in position to steal these monies. Those who sign vouchers, who sign cheques, those who counter-sign and when we get them, they will tell us where the monies are. "The governors at the moments have immunities but they don’t have immunity of investigation. We will go ahead to investigate them, compile their case file, up date them from time to time and wait till they are available. These are what we are going to do" she said. Sounds very lofty indeed and hopefully your courage will see you through.

"What we have today is not encouraging because cases drag so much in the court. We have some lawyers who are not following the ethics. When they know that their clients have very bad cases, they play for time. They first challenge the jurisdiction of the court and this takes ages and you know the case can last up to one year in high court. "They can appeal which may last another one year. It may also last another one year in the Supreme Court so a case takes ages to be completed, meanwhile, the culprit is on bail and is enjoying his loot and other Nigerians are watching and this is not helping matters. To this Icheoku will like to add that a Special Adhoc Tribunal should be established to try corruption cases expeditiously. Such a tribunal will have specific instruction and timetable to dispose all corrupt cases before them and within an allotted time. No technicalities, once evidence exists to the culpability then they will jump in and out of the matter immediately. No rigorous trial procedures will be allowed or encouraged; just proof of evidence. You own such and such, how did you acquire them? If they are not yours who owns them and what is the source of the purchase money? if there is no satisfactory explanation, then their confiscation by the State. If the property is real estate or vehicles or machinery or other tangible accouterments then auction them to the State government owners of the looted revenue and they in turn can dispose of it as they may deem fit. if it is cash, then use the cash for a state's road project or any other project that would have ordinarily absorbed the earmarked money which was embezzled. A "Forfeiture of Crime Proceed Act' may be the anecdote to this criminal behavior and the National legislature should be encouraged to pass such bill for the president's signature.

Continuing, Madam EFCC, said "we will expose those who come in to public office poor and go out very rich. They go back home to demolish their little shanties and build a paradise in the villages, with high walls, and bore holes and all such thing that make modern life livable". That is a lofty idea provided it is not bogged down with implementation; as what Nigerians want in real term, is nothing but justice, fairness and end to corruption. So Madam EFCC provided you will be fair in your decisions as to who gets investigated and/or prosecuted; you must be seen to be the opposite of your predecessor in office, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who shielded his boss Olusegun Obasanjo. if you can pull off this, then Icheoku will supports your effort as laudable. Icheoku hopes this includes military and para-military personnel as some of these retired military men, customs, police and navy are known to be stupendously very rich.

Now that you have your assignment cut out for you as you eloquently identified them, Icheoku wishes you all the best and hopefully Aaandokaa and cohorts will allow you to achieve your set out laudable goals. In any event that they do not let you operate, please shout out to Nigerians so that they can rally round you; but do not ever die in silence. Once again congratulations on your appointment as the new helms' woman at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission!

DEATH, WHY THE FEAR?

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..."

These are the famous words of John Donne, which passage was taken from his Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions 1624 Meditation 17; although originally written as prose were later made into a poem "for whom the bell tolls!" This is one of my most favorite writings of all times as it asks a soul-searching question which "our mad rush to nowhere" has never allowed us to answer ever since! Who is the "thee" referred to in the closing lines above? It is you, me, a relative, a friend, a family member and sometimes a total stranger! The same goes for an open casket - for whom is for instance, the above casket door open? It is open for you, me, a relative, a family member and sometimes a total stranger! The above two examples affirm one thing and one thing only, - that we are all in this together; just passing through!

The irony of life or life's essence is that no one really knows who answers that call first and it is not by age, wealth, beauty, size or any other considerations that death chooses whom to kill. Surely all of us shall one day be forced into that tight confines of a casket and it does not matter if you once lived in a twenty bedroom mansion or your bedroom was the size of Georgia dome with a California canopied king size bed nestled in one corner of it. The only exception however is if one is so unfortunate not to have a body to be so confined such as those victims of a fiery plane crash in an isolated jungle or some other inaccessible place on earth; or those washed away to seas by a ravaging tsunami or those who simply disappeared without a trace or were eaten by wild beasts some where in the African wilderness. So if you are fortunate to take up a confined space final residency at your last call, to God be the glory as you can still move on with it to the land beyond. The most important question as you churn these passages in your mind is to ask yourself, "Have you made peace with your inner self? Have you done all that you can necessarily do today to prepare for your passage into the life beyond? Have you done all those favors you want to do today and not necessarily wait till tomorrow to do them, as tomorrow may never come? What are your death plans? Have you disclosed to your loved ones and family how you would like your final rites to be performed and whether you will like the fiery final exit of cremation or choreographed burial! Whether you would like your remains shipped to motherland if you are in the Diaspora or interred where you are domiciled? Are there any wills or plans to make one? If you have not done so, immediately after reading this, do yourself that singular favor; you can always update them as time goes but know that tomorrow may never come!

Afraid? You shouldn't be, as death is the only certainty in an uncertain world! Why do men still fear death, the great equaliser? Ajanaku! It, that takes one when life is supposedly sweetest! The humbler of all humanity! The thief who steals whenever it pleases - in daylight or nighttime! What name has not been used to described this end of all beginnings? Yet men fear thee! Why? Poet MJA once wrote, "Death, thank you for killing mankind otherwise life as we know it, will be really too unfair!" Can you imagine if death has a price and some people can pay that price? Can you imagine if death can be bribed and some people can bribe Mr. Death? How unlivable and hellish life would be for some very unfortunate ones who would be the butt of the death insured fellows? Death, life will be incomplete without thou! Isn't it beautiful that such a leveller exists? Have you ever for once stopped in your tracks amidst all your running around to ponder, where, when and/or how your ultimate end will come? Is the fact that you are oblivious of the time, place and manner of its coming not enough to turn you into a new leaf today and for the better? If you do not have any control over it, why then do you think you really matter so much? Introspectively everyone is really a nobody and this should be the beginning of our wisdom on earth. Take a second to try and remember all those you know who have departed? The number is rather mind-boggling because they are too many of them who have moved on. As at the last count this blogger counted one thousand five hundred transited people since last July 2007 who this blogger remembers. Where are all these people today? They are all dead and gone forever, but to where?

Have you ever thought of dying? How would you like to die? Have you ever watched a person die? Have you ever witnessed death in real time as it takes over one's body? Have somebody close to you either a relative or a friend died in your arms? Have you ever had the singular most sorrowful experience of throwing a fare-well earth to earth dirt on on a casket containing the remains of a dear one who is being buried? Have you ever thereafter thought that it could have been you in that casket that was covered with dirt and walked away from, condemned to bone chilling loneliness in perpetuity? But why haven't you, since you are born a mortal and that grim fate awaits you. That is the greatest gift to mankind! The mother of all gifts! Scared now? Aren't you? But hate the message or love it, death will come when it will come; so said the great William Shakespeare and he was wise! Icheoku counsels you to live everyday as if it is a borrowed day since tomorrow may never come! Live every day knowing that may be your last day on earth with any viable pulse! Be good to all you meet as a second opportunity at meeting them may be aborted by MR. DEATH! Do all the favors you can today as that long awaited "D-day" reserved for favors may never come to pass because of the almighty killer, DEATH! Make peace with yourself. Want more, just be good and always remember your mortality!

DISTASTEFUL, NEW YORKER!

No one said it was going to be easy running for president in a predominantly white country, which was once very racist, being a person of color. However the attacks are beginning to pile up and sometimes very subtle like this ignoble front page cover of The New Yorker, which luckily no one reads any longer.

It is very disheartening to see such stereotypical fear mongering cover on a magazine out of New York; depicting all the numerous rumours making rounds about Barack Obama. It feeds the fear factor of those Americans who are not comfortable with an "outsider" running for the president; imagine those along the Appalachian belt such as West Virginia who will take this as gospel? To The New Yorker, Icheoku says "shame on you" for feeding the ember of flames of falsehoods about Barack Obama, which has for some time now been dogging his presidential campaign run. It does not matter the context, even the pretext of satire which you tried to explain it away with, is as distasteful as it is disparaging. Icheoku has hence branded you an anti-change and anti-hope yellow tabloid of the Union.

By your cover of the July 21st, 2008 issue titled "The Politics of Fear" depicting our beloved Democratic Party's presidential candidate Barack Obama dressed as a Muslim and his wife as a terrorist, you have crossed the line of decency and now becomes a full fledged idiotic partisan. And your artist, Barry Blitt whose warped mind created the cover will never sleep well again, as he has murdered sleep by regurgitating all the innuendos of the past concerning our candidate of change and hope; which innuendos you full well know to be falsehoods and purely a tactics to derail his campaign. You are guilty of abetting and inciting a hate speech!

To your lame duck defence that your readership is sophisticated enough to get the joke; Icheoku will like to respond, did you guys at The New Yorker ever factor in the not so literate many who will see the picture literally and take it for its face value? Did your editor ever consider that there are still so many Americans incapable of nuancing issues and who will take the cover for what it depicts and swallow that as a given fact, alluding to the fact of its publication as the evidence of its truthfulness? You guys at The New Yorker are rather very shallow and very myopic with this your inept attempt at defending a defenseless hit job of a cover. And whatever defense you guys may have had falls flat on its face when the inside page fierce critique of Obama's political skills by your writer Ryan Lizza is taken into advisement. The totality of both referenced proves a concert - there is a willful and deliberate attempt by your tabloid to sabotage our Obama's campaign but you will go the way of all the other antagonists of yore.

Even the Washington Post, a conservative right wing publication identified your cover as "incendiary", so where are your allies? Icheoku's verdict on you for this infradig is that it shall not be well with all you conspirators out there, who are having a nightmare over the present cataclysmic shifting political climate in America!

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!

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!

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!

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