THE HIT LIST - our incredible but true story series: Serie 5!

1. A Boxing dog?

Wonders shall never end as man's best friend is now a trained professional Mike Tyson! With her red boxing gloves on, the 3- year-old German Shorthaired Pointer Chela dodges punches and throws jabs with her front paws while standing up on her hind legs. Her trainer says she's the only dog in Peru who knows how to box. Pictures speaks volume and Chela garbed up here pictured ready for a bout substantiates the stunning story; so next time a four legged friend barks be careful as not only may she bite you but she may also knock the teeth out of your mouth or better still chop off your ear; you know what I mean!

2. A Groom gets too close for comfort!

Sometimes certain stories appear to be tales by moonlight but when names and places and events and possibly pictures back such stories up, one cannot but see it as one of those strange occurrences of our times. Can you imagine, a groom being too close to his bride on their wedding day? Holly molly, how can that be possible? And Mary answered the angel, how can that be possible since I know no man? Things happen!

In Batavia New York State, a man was arrested for getting too close to his bride on their wedding day. Police said Timothy Cole 45, quarreled with a guest at his wedding party Friday after re-wedding his ex-wife. When the police arrived, they realized that his bride had a subsisting order of protection against him from their previous marriage. Cole was charged with first-degree criminal contempt, a felony, and ordered jailed without bail.

3. World fatest person!

At over 1000lbs Manuel Uribe from Mexico may be the world's living fatest person. He chows down like a horse and has never left the bed where his fat has imprisoned him all these years of fat induced docility. What a life? But you can possibly avoid his fate by observing good eating manners and protecting your name from being branded a glutton. Eat well and eat less and Manuel Uribe will not be your competitor!

4. Let me adopt you!

When their mother abandoned them, these little curbs have no place to turn to but to a golden retriever named Isabella. At a safari zoo in Caney Kansas a tiger biological mother walked away on her tiny curbs abandoning them to their fate and the inevitable death which would have ultimately been theirs. A dog angel named Isabella appeared and adopted the curbs and today these curbs are being weaned on dog's milk. Icheoku asks will they inherit some dog's tendencies or grow up normal as tigers?

5. A Nigerian Mormon!

Polygamy has been taken to an incredibly new height! A Nigerian has broken a world record of being the highest number of wives-marrying man alive that he shames Warren Jeff of the Mormon Church. Alhaji Bello Abubakar, 84 says he does not go and find women, they come to him and today, eighty-six (86) of them has come to him! According to Abubakar, he considers the fact that God has asked him to do it and he will just marry them. . The former teacher and Muslim preacher, who lives in Bida, Niger State with his wives and at least 170 children, says he is able to cope only with the help of God. Abubakar said that to his understanding, the Koran does not place a limit and it is up to what your own power, your own endowment and ability allows; God did not say what the punishment should be for a man who has more than four wives, but he was specific about the punishment for fornication and adultery. However it does not seem to be a bed of roses as he has since advised other men not to follow his example. Mr Bello Abubakar and his wives do not work and he has no visible means of supporting such a large family. He refuses to say how he makes enough money to pay for the huge cost of feeding and clothing so many people. Some of Mr Bello Abubakar's wives pictured here right in their harem, are younger than some of his children ! Icheoku says, Warren Jeff is then just an amateur!

WOMEN, JUST VERY SELFISH!

Is it the nature of women to practice self-preservation and sometimes to extreme limits? Why is it that women would rather no one else succeeds if she will not be the one to succeed? I was watching a Nigeria movie "MY PROMISE" the other day and the chief protagonist woman, desperate to marry her former fling went diabolical killing the guys' wife and infant child. However nemesis of the dead woman caught up with her and she lost her womb or her capacity to bear a child. She hid all these information from the suitor whom she cast a spell on to make him marry her; and even a prophet the husband took her to while searching for a child confronted her on her past. Anyway the gist of the story is that when she could not give this man a child, he tried to explore other alternative option of getting a child through a second wife, but she would hear none of that!

I have had the privilege of close friendship with some men who are sterile and cannot impregnate a woman. After resisting several years of pressure of childlessness brought upon them by their unceasingly nagging wives, they acquiesced to invitro-fertilization. However I also know some women who cannot procreate because of some medical condition they have but who would not hear the option of their husband having a child outside wedlock or having a quasi wife just to give him a child. Why, one may ask? If not crass selfishness and meanness, what is it? Their reason is always self-centered self-preservation! According to them, what they cannot have they would rather no one else have it; and yet they profess to love their husbands dearly. If this is not a case of classic selfishness nothing else so qualifies?

Why is it ok for a barren woman to adopt a child even though as in some cases, her husband is virile but the reverse is always the case where the man is the impotent party therein; in which case the wife will strong-arm him into accepting her being invitro-fertilized. What is wrong with a husband who can still procreate from taking a second wife or better still a quasi wife or mistress just for purposes of giving him a child? If the husband insists on getting the child somewhere, somehow, he will be accused of being a typical male who only cares about his welfare. That he cannot stand by his wife and wait on the lord for that inevitable miracle of child-birth. The case of the biblical Sarah, wife of Abraham is readily bandied around as the northern star of patience. Would some one with better knowledge please throw more light on this disproportionate disparity in what is tolerable between a husband and a wife. Icheoku says it ain't fair!

ICHEOKU IS NOT A HATER!

There is no hatred, it is just sadness at the way things are, have been and with no possible hope of any immediate future improvement. In Nigeria, that is! Can you imagine that the same cabals has been running Nigeria since her independence in 1960, you name it. Isn't their ideas now stale that a new infusion of fresh minds is needed to move Nigeria forward? One aphorism has it that doing the same thing the same way over and over again, expecting different result is the surest and best definition of madness. Forty-eight years after her independence, there is no roads, no electricity, no food, no infrastructures, no drinking water, no health care, no functioning government program worthy of mention, local government officials are stealing money, governors are stealing state's funds likewise the presidency including heads of parastatals and agencies. So what is the end in sight, Nigeria? None whatsoever and you ask Icheoku, why is it mad?

An Olusegun Obasanjo ruled Nigeria twice? How can a sane person blow a God's given second chance at rectifying all that is wrong with Nigeria, given that he, Olusegun Obasanjo survived a death-row under Sani Abacha? Olusegun Obasanjo would have used the opportunity to etch his name in gold and share a permanent place with the likes of Nelson Mandela, Nkwame Nkuruma and Julius Nyerere but instead, he chose to waste it as a very vindictive, mean, parochial tribal demagogue! And you ask yourself, why Nigeria plunged further under his suffocating rule? - Olusegun Obasanjo is not bright, he is not sharp, he does not motivate anyone, he is not inspirational, he is not eloquent, he looks like Dee Sam Mbakwe or even worst an ape, he is stout, he does not look any bit presidential nor does he have any leadership traits, he just does not have the charisma or the charm of even the evil genius, IBB? Olusegun Obasanjo is a drab! How did Nigeria even tolerate this mongrel twice as their "leader"? I really do not care a hoot about this human specimen called Olusegun Obasanjo and I pray everyday that the almighty God should save Nigeria the nightmare of continuously having this man in their midst. Olusegun Obasanjo is Nigeria's worst nemesis.

So how can Nigeria move forward, for example, when a timid person who has never interacted with any foreigner before or been or lived in a foreign land like America is made an ambassador of Nigeria to America? And one wonders how such a person can understand the psyche of his new found society to move issues of interest of his country forward in the host-country! CNN did a documentary on Nigeria which negatively portrayed Nigerians and no one saw the break-light of whoever the ambassador of Nigeria in America is? It is despicable.

So visitors, you now know why some of our commentaries appear to be very asinine - it is because of decrepitude leadership which Nigeria has been cursed with all these years and which leadership does not know their left from right; a leadership which have plunged Nigeria into a state of anomie where she is presently bogged down in! It is indeed regrettable that despite the abundance of highly qualified and skilled human resources and manpower in Nigeria, the crop of leadership presented to Nigeria always are from the bottom of the class - the dregs of the society! Why should Nigeria be suffering in the midst of plenty or must it end up as a case of those who make peaceful change impossible will someday make violent change inevitable! We shall see where all these ineptitude shall end up!

ABOLISH THE ARMED FORCES NOW!

Icheoku participated in the fight to deter Nigeria's hand-over of Bakassi to Cameroon without success. The Nigeria territory of Bakassi was eventually handed over to Cameroon by Umaru Yar'Adua on August 14th 2008 against all protestations by the Nigeria community and her leaders of thought. Icheoku now therefore takes the struggle to another area - the Nigeria armed forces and calls for it to be disbanded! The F-grade diplomatic blunder which cost Nigeria Bakassi was particularly encouraged by the Nigeria armed forces which does not want to fight Cameroon; - this much was discernible from the interview granted by the Navy Chief Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye! If the armed forces had wanted, a private threat to Umaru Yar'Adua's government would have put a stop to the madness of ceding a territory gratuitously. What Nigeria does then with an organ of her government which is no longer effective to serve as deterrent to predators of her territory is the subject of this discuss? Send them away. Nigeria armed forces, if they cannot stand up to little Cameroon, then what use are they? Why would the Nigeria tax-payers and oil revenue continue to service an armed forces which cannot defend the fatherland? Icheoku says such investment is money down the drain - a wasted effort which should hence be plugged from further bleeding! We are talking about Bakassi and the truncated judgment of the International Court of Justice at the Hague which provided the basis for an Umaru Yar'Adua's handover of Bakassi o Cameroon. Where were the ICJ when Britain sailed over seventeen thousand miles to South America to fight Argentina over Falklands? Where were they? Where was ICJ when America sailed to Midway to give the Japanese bloody-nose and thereby acquired possession over the island - the largest in the Pacific?

Bolaji Ajibola recently was pontificating on how Nigeria only maintained possession or exercised it and he forgot that possession is nine tenth of ownership? Otherwise where are the contrary ownership acts over Bakassi of and by Cameroon? If it means war with Cameroon, so be it otherwise disband the Nigeria Armed Forces and now! Bolaji Ajibola, the kinsman of the disgraced Olusegun Obasanjo is not telling Nigerians how Olusegun Obasanjo, Obafemi Awolowo and Yakubu Gowon mortgaged Bakassi to Cameroon to help them blockade Biafra during the civil war? No they wont tell Nigerians why their fuzzy math over who owns Bakassi did not add up? Yes because there is nothing to add up! Just the facts, ma'm. Trace the root of title!

Why should Nigeria continue to keep and maintain a now merely "ceremonial" armed forces which does not fight, loathes to fight and lacks the guts to fight wars. Their stock in trade has been coup de`tats and decimating little communities either in the Niger Delta town of Odi and presently Agge or Benue State's Zaki Ibiam. Are Nigerian soldiers now so cowardly they cannot stand ordinary Cameroon, it would seem? They are afraid of the French, may be? But the world cannot stand by and watch the French openly fight Nigeria in defense of Cameroon over Bakassi. It will not happen and Nigeria can invite the Chinese, the Russians, the Arabs, the Americans and even the British to provide support. After all it is all about politics of oil and Nigeria can guarantee unencumbered access to the that crude liquid. Also Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the need to maintain stability in the region might trump whatever interest the French might otherwise have had in the oil rich Bakassi for the French to be allowed to fight for Cameroon. Where are Nigeria's men of valor? Idiagbon and Buhari stopped the Cameroon gendarmes cold before, why can't these corrupt politicians at Abuja encourage the president to resist an international aggression on Nigeria national boundaries? Or are they too comfortable to be inconvenienced by little skirmish with Cameroon? According to Chief of the Nigeria Navy Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye, we have to give Bakassi to Cameroon to buy their good-neighbourliness as we do not want to antagonize and make them mad (allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Naval Chief - Warships Not for Niger Delta)! Icheoku says what use is the armed forces if it cannot defend Nigeria from her external foes including little Cameroon? Their role is to defend Nigeria against all enemies foreign and domestic. Does Cameroon's present intransigence in Bakassi not eminently qualify them as such anticipated foreign meddlesome interloper? If they cannot do their job, then disband them and put their officers and men to a better use in the police service; that way, at least they can help to secure lives and properties of Nigerians which are presently under perpetual siege by men of the underworld.

Costa Rica abolished their military since 1949; Liechtenstein since 1868 same as Vatican city so why can't Nigeria follow suit in view of the present state of redundancy of her armed forces especially now that Cameroon has been bought over with the free juicy gift of Bakassi!

What is the use of a country which has no known "enemy", except previously Cameroon, maintaining such a large armed forces as Nigeria does? Now that the only "enemy" Cameroon has been finally compromised with the gift of Bakassi, no other enemy presently stares down Nigeria on the face; hence it is about time the Armed Forces is disbanded. Nigeria disband the armed forces as they are now merely redundant and constitute a continuous drain on the scarce resources; resources which could be re-channeled somewhere more useful. As for the other little neighboring countries of Benin Republic, Chad and Niger Republics they can be dealt with by the MOPOL as a police action. Thereafter, Nigeria can continue to maintain some naval presence in the Atlantic until Niger Delta attains her full and complete independence as their stated objective has articulated. Navy Chief Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye has spoken and he speaks the mind of the navy as well as the rest of the armed forces that they cannot fight and does not want to fight. Icheoku says, let Nigeria do away with this behemoth which serves them no good and reinvest the resources hitherto apportioned to them to the police and other security outfits with more meaningful job description to shore them up. So many countries in the world does not have a standing armed Forces, so Nigeria will not be lonely but become a member of the few elite armed-less countries of the world including Costa Rica, Vatican and Liechtestein! At worst Nigeria can sign a military pact with a world super power just in case of any emergency. It is a fad and Nigeria can trail-blaze it in Africa! Icheoku says, just send the khaki boys home and away for good!

LOSS OF BAKASSI, THE CULPRITS!

Nigerians Icheoku says that certain Nigerians should be held responsible for the ignoble loss of a Nigerian territory of Bakassi to the Cameroons. It will be noted that the conflict which began in 1994 over the oil-rich 1000-square land called Bakassi was finally resolved in favor of Cameroon by ICJ headed by a Frenchman Justice Gilbert Guillanme, President of the International Court of Justice in Hague on the 10th of October 2002. (Why did Nigeria not object to a Frenchman as head of the panel on the ground of possible bias; afterall Cameroon was formerly a French colony) They should be regarded as denigrate Nigerians who worked against Nigeria security interest in exchange for the privileges of hob-nobbling with foreign dignitaries in various world capitals. Nigerians should therefore treat them as pariahs deserving of their odium and ridicule. These saboteurs are Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar"Adua.

Yakubu Gowon: It was Gowon while he was Head of state of Nigeria that pawned away Bakassi in exchange for Cameroons assistance with blockading Biafra. It is called the The Maroua Declaration which was signed between Nigeria's Yakubu Gowon and Ahmadu Ahidjo of Cameroon. During the meeting held at Maroua from May 30 to June 1 1975, the Heads of State of CAMEROON and NIGERIA agreed to extend the delineation of the maritime boundary between the two Countries from Point 12 to Point G on the Admiralty Chart No. 3433 annexed to this Declaration. They further reaffirmed their commitment to freedom and security of navigation in the Calabar/Cross River channel of ships of the two countries as defined by International Treaties and Conventions

This Maroua meetings led to conceding of the sovereignty of Bakassi to Cameroon by Yakubu Gowon done as a gesture of gratitude for the support which Cameroon gave to Nigeria during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. Cameroon did not allow war and relief materials to filtrate through Cameroon to Biafrans in Eastern Nigeria. Now the chicken of Gowon's youthful recklessness has come home to roost and Nigeria has lost a part of her territory, Bakassi. Icheoku therefore designates Yakubu Gowown a very denigrate person for waging a war of attrition against the peoples of Biafra and nearly starving them to death. It shall not be well with Yakubu Gowon! Even the late Murtala Mohammed denounced the Maroua Agreement and questioned its validity on the basis that it was not ratified by the then Supreme Military Council, (which stood in place of the Nigerian legislature) and which consent under the then existing constitution was necessary for a treaty or agreement of that nature between Nigeria and a foreign state to be valid. It was not ratified when it was made and the present Green tea Agreement was not ratified either before or after its signing by the National Assembly; which shows the manner of men who preside over Nigeria.

Olusegun Obasanjo - This medicine man of Otta, Babalawo Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo signed the Green Tea Agreement in New York, USA which finally conceded Bakassi to Cameroon without any input from any of Nigeria's security agencies nor the people. If this is not dictatorial arrogance, then Icheoku says nothing else so qualifies. It will be recalled that the ICJ handed down their decision ceding Bakassi to Cameroon during the iron-clad regime of Olusegun Obasanjo, which case was taken to the ICJ by Cameroon during ABacha's regime; whom despite advise not to enter representation at the court, did it anyway! This shows the emptiness of the people who have ran Nigeria aground all these years - daft and nincompoops!

Umaru Yar"Adua : this sick weakling from Katsina who was imposed on Nigeria as president by Olusegun Obasanjo has shown the feebleness of his heart! He finally and formally handed over Bakassi to Cameroon on August 14th, 2008 in a secretive ceremony in Calabar. Nigerians have never been blessed with patriotic men of courage as their leaders. Were Bakassi to be a "little" town in Katsina State, will Umaru Yar"Adua give it away to Cameroon? Were Umaru Yar"Adua to come from Bakassi, will he throw it away in the Cameroon? It is pitiful as it is regrettable that this unpatriotic Fulani man had the temerity to just throw away what is rightfully Nigerian and yet he preaches rule of Law.

Where was the required ratification by the National Assembly, Umaru Yar"Adua before your formal handover or is Bakassi matter not within your parochial definition of what rule of law covers? It shall not be well with you and being very sick does not help your case. Umaru Yar'Adua, you did this in a hurry in order to curry recognition of your moribund presidency which was stolen from the Nigerian people and handed over to you as a keepsake. However you can only hold what does not belong to you for so long before the rightful owner takes it over. Take a look at the drama of Pakistan and the "strongman" Musharraf.

BAKASSI : - ASO ROCK FAILED NIGERIA!

Today, August 14th 2008 is a day that will forever live in infamy as Aso Rock makes the transfer of Nigerians of Bakassi origin to the Cameroons, a fait accompli. It is a very sad day that will be sorely remembered as the day Umaru Yar'Adua permanently stained his soul, as the man under whose watch Bakassi was thrown out of Nigeria. And this was despite the strong opposition by Nigerians and the sentiments expressed by the minority judgment of Honorable Judge Abdul Koroma of the International Court of Justice at the Hague in the matter of Bakassi, between Nigeria and Cameroon.

It is unfortunate that Nigeria do not have men with backbone as their leaders. Their lame excuse is that Nigeria desires to be seen as a country that obeys rules of court, a law-abiding country where the rule of law reigns supreme and that respecting the ICJ's decision will make Nigeria to be respected internationally. Further that such deference might make it easier for Nigeria to secure a seat at the United Nations permanaent seat as a voting member. You must be kidding me? Eeh! Icheoku says that Nigeria should understand that respect, unlike a chieftaincy title, is never conferred but is earned by distinguished abilities and achievements. If Nigeria wants to command international respect, they must first put their house in order - conduct free elections and not impose a weakling Umaru Yar'Adua on the country as their president. Also elect as governors, people who are not money launderers and looters of the treasury! Also make the criminality of 419 unprofitable! Also make sure that the NDDC chairman and his cohorts trust less in juju and be smart with their brains about its non-efficacy. Above all Nigeria should try to provide for her citizens including protecting them while overseas instead of their heads being choopped-off like chicken everywhere! Also Nigeria should be a strong back-boned country, not pandering to a decision by ICJ awarding Bakassi to Cameroon despite lack of evidence as to their claim or root of title thereto; a decision which flies in the face of historical and administrative facts over Bakassi since state-hoods emerged in Africa.

Nigeria cannot earn respect by cowardly obeying what her masters in Europe and America want her to do, including ceding an integral part of her territory to the Cameroon. It is regrettable and a day like this recalls back the memory of Tunde Idiagbon/Buhari regime - a regime which tried to sanitize Nigeria and provided Nigeria some backbone. It shall not be well with all the conspirators and executioners of the Bakassi enslavement project!

Nigeria wants respect of the international community, international community which is fully seized of developments in Nigeria through their ambassadors, embassies and foreign correspondents. Who will respect Nigeria when her citizens are now the indicators of fraud anywhere and everywhere in the world? Who will respect Nigeria when her "selected" governors are brazen treasury-looters and you have an ex-president who have not accounted for his stewardship and a present one who did not win an election? Who will respect Nigeria but treat her like a scumbag merely tolerated just for the oil deposits; when she cannot feed her population? If Nigeria is desirous of respect, she should make the conditions at home more tolerable to checkmate her citizens rapid migration abroad with some of them loitering around the globe like wildebeests. Who will respect Nigeria when conditions at home has forced so many of her citizens to become global nomads, economic, political and social fugitives and wanderers all over the world. If you want respect then do the heavy lifting and like they say, charity begins from home. Nigeria sholud provide her citizens adequate security, construct roads, provide power supply, provide conditions for businesses to thrive which leads to job-creations in the process. Who will respect Nigeria when the totality of her people are practically crime-prone just lying in wait for time and opportunity to strike? And the government is akin to Ali Baba and the forty thieves? Who will respect Nigeria when her "president" did not win an election but was imposed on the country by a cabal led by Olusegun Obasanjo?

But does Aso Rock care? Why would they when nobody voted them in hence not afraid of paying political price for their ill-advised action. Why would Umaru Yar"Adua stand up to Cameroon when he is not under any obligation to Nigerians including Bakassi to be a good president; after-all his allegiance is to the cabals that installed him in office. Umaru Yar"Adua does not care a rat-ass about Bakassi as his primary constituency is the international community who he desperately needs their coveted recognition; but like a known typical fraudster, Umaru is as good as the amount of oil they can squeeze out from him. Musharraf of Pakistan will soon be history - use me and dump me syndrome!

Today also marks the beginning of Nigeria's gradual but sure disintegration and history will look back to this day and confirm it, as the day the melting of the wax began. How can a part of a whole be forcibly removed from its base and the people that perpetrated this, expect the remainder to still remain intact? Any entity that starts going down stays on downward spiral until its' eventual demise or collapse. Turkey still holds Cyprus; Israel still holds Golan Heights and Bekkaa valley and Nigeria is being strong-armed to give up Bakassi. It is a very sad commentary in Nigeria that other Nigerians stoodby and watched Bakassi banished forever from Nigeria? It is regrettable indeed! Who knows what part next will be forced out of the unholy alliance called Nigeria! To the people of now ostracised from Nigeria-Bakasssi, please pray fervently until something happens and then you can return to your motherland; and may be as part of the new Republic of Niger Delta or whatever name they choose to call it when their stated intention of a statehood finally comes to fruition! Umaru Yar'Adua has been over-ruling so many of Obasanjo's acts, including existing contracts but why he played coy in the matter of Bakassi is for historians to adumbrate on. Icheoku prays that posterity will not give him a passing grades for this action! A true leader would have used the resistance of his country men and women to forestall the transfer and if need be send in the boys in khaki! My heart bleeds for Nigeria, especially the "it does not concern me attitude" Nigerians. A typical Nigeria it would seem is not his brother's keeper hence Bakassi can go to hell; otherwise where was Nigeria Labour Congress on the matter of Bakassi? Why did NLC not go on strike to force the hand of Aso Rock? It is so sad it should be investigated by the national house of representatives. May be a treasonable felony was committed by this handover calling for impeachment proceedings against the sickly Umaru Yar'Adua! Icheoku says, to hell with him and all the cabals that he represents for cowering before Cameroon over Bakassi!

NO PENSION FOR COUP PLOTTERS!

Bravo, Nigeria's Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission for concluding that there will be no pension for all the military adventurists whose lackluster inept regimes caused Nigeria's stunted growth since her independence in 1960. Your basis and reasons were well founded and Icheoku applauds you for the courage brought to bear on this very important statement on the illegality of military intervention in politics! Also it will serve as a lesson to all other would-be military adventurists that their place is in the barracks and not in government.

Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and Abdulsalam Abubarkar are brigands who do not deserve any compensation for having imposed themselves on Nigeria willy-nilly and collectively for so many years. A decision cannot be more goal-directed and productive than this. If this is what it takes to finally and permanently put the excesses of the military in Nigeria in check, so be it and Icheoku gives it 100% support and approval.

The RMAFC chairman, Alhaji Hamman Tukur, is a brave and courageous Nigerian and Nigerians should applaud this decision into-to. Also these juntas have their primary military constituency to draw pension from, according to the chairman's reasoning and this is equally a very sound conclusion. To this Icheoku says, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo should also be denied any pension and gratuities for plunging Nigeria to the lowest ebb of existence and for his dishonourable, atrocious signing of Bakassi away to the Cameroons. Olusegun Obasanjo is a very bad man - a devil's incarnate!

CONGRATULATIONS NIGERIA!

It is not just doom and gloom that Icheoku is all about; no, when something uplifting happens -whenever there is something to celebrate in a country which has disappointed on so many expectations of many of her country men and women since her independence in 1960, we accord it the same attention! Today in far away Beijing at the Olympics, there is cause-celebre for Nigerians and Icheoku joins the teaming millions others in saying Congratulations Nigeria Men's Soccer (football) Team for your win over United States of America!

Nigeria's captain Promise Isaac and Victor Obinna scored Nigeria's two goals respectively, while Sacha Kljestan gave the United States of America her only goal with an 88th-minute penalty kick. It was a 2-1 win over the United States who played with only ten men for 86 minutes of the 90 minutes game. There was an early minute red card by referee Wolfgang Stark following left back Michael Orozco's elbow on a Nigerian while jostling for position.

Icheoku says that it was a game and in the spirit of sportsmanship, both sides understands the result in good faith! Once again, Congratulations, Nigeria Men's Olympic Soccer Team!

KUWAIT, BY SOME TOURISTS!

Kuwait is country in the northeast Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf. It was settled by Arab tribes in the early 18th century, later became a British protectorate in 1897 and later an independent kingdom in 1961. Its population is overwhelmingly Arab and its languages includes Arabic (official), Persian, and English; their official religion is Islam and unit of currency is Kuwaiti dinar.

The nomadic 'Anizah tribe of central Arabia founded Kuwait city in 1710, and 'Abd al-Rahim of the Sabah dynasty became sheikh in 1756; the family continues to rule Kuwait. Kuwait is a constitutional emirate with an area of 6,177 sq mi (16,000 sq km), located in the North Eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula, at the head of the Persian Gulf. Kuwait is bounded by Saudi Arabia on the south and by Iraq on the north and west. The capital is Al-Kuwait or Kuwait which has been transformed into a modern city.

Kuwait is a low, sandy region that is generally barren and sparsely settled. It has a warm climate, dry inland and humid along the coast. The population is about 80% Arab; however, somewhat more than half the population are non-Kuwaitis. Native Kuwaitis have an extremely high per capita income, pay no taxes, and enjoy numerous social services. Since the development of the oil industry, large numbers of foreigners have found employment in Kuwait; non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. Foreign ethnic groups include South Asians, Iranians, and others. Arabic is the official language, but English is widely spoken. Some 85% of the population is Muslim, with about twice as many Sunnis as Shiites. There are Christian, Hindu, and Parsi minorities.

According to my tourists friends, Kuwait has a population of about three million people, two million of them are foreigners who run the country on behalf of native Kuwaitis. The international dialing code for Kuwait is: 965 ! Let me know you saw this as promised!

FROM RUSSIA, WITH NO LOVE!

And Georgia wrote a check they cannot cash! When the orders to invade their separating neighbour, South Ossetia was made, little did they know that the almighty red army from their northern neighbour, Russia will roll down their tanks to kick some butts. It was a historical misjudgment on the part of the policy wonks at Tbilisi, to think that Russia will let them have their way in South Ossetia, unanswered. A school of political science would have added, and why didn't Russia crush Georgia's separation from the former old Soviet Union if invasion is the proper means of securing back a disgruntled break-away region like South Ossetia? It was just three days after Georgia launched a military assault aimed at reclaiming the breakaway province of South Ossetia, that a bellicose Russia is defending the province with artillery and bombing campaign it began against Georgia in response.

Anyway as the entire world tries to pull back the now awakened sleeping bear - a former world super power, let the other little guys around the world take a lesson in what is unfolding in the Baltic State and learn how not to poke a stick in the eyes of a giant. Also let the big guys take a cue on how not to be a firepower-bully from America's stance with Cuba - America who could easily have crushed Cuba if it wanted but tolerated both countries co-existence within just 90 miles from each other despite all the sabre rattlings cum provocations. The people at Washington chose to wait Fidel Castro out and they are succeeding. Russia and China, this might be the way to go against little neighbours of yours; after-all don't you already have enough mouths to worry about, why desire some more? It is mutual reciprocity that is the only meaningful key to peace on earth. Luckily, the other possible flash-point, Taiwan has recently toned down their rhetoric against mainland China and there is presently, a relative calm on the strait of Taiwan - the little pond separating Taiwan from China.

Hopefully the world will be able to persuade the Russians to pull back their charging tanks and allow Georgia to be and try to put back what has been decimated. Icheoku says did the people at the helm of affairs in Tbilisi consult Washington before embarking on their misguided provocation of the Russians? Also did somebody somewhere assure them that the Russians will not come charging down with their tanks to crush such mis-adventure? Remember France's Chirac gave similar assurance to the then mad man of Baghdad, "Sad man Insane" that Americans will not attack his country! Men with power as well as countries with power will always have their way; so little guys deploy your brains instead of your Lilliput army which will never be a match against the heavy hitters, which unfortunately still includes Russia; this is a beginners class in diplomacy 101!

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said Sunday his troops were retreating against Russia's superior firepower; to which Icheoku says, you should have known that before sending your army up north to the "breaking-away" South Ossetia. Georgia, you should have been fully seized of the fact that South Ossetia was a bait which Russia was waiting for you to bite with your botched invasion, before charging south to teach you a lesson in how to be a submissive neighbour.Possibly the men of power of this world including America's President Bush, European Union's President Sarkozy, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Russian other ceremonial President Medvedev, (depending on who is in-charge in Russia) will see reason to amicably settle what may turn into a major world showdown. Icheoku prays that some bloated egos are bottled up quickly enough in the interest of peace; otherwise the developing crisis in the Balkans may force a global conflict of unimaginable proportion. Believing that Russia will be persuaded to cease and desist from further attacks on Georgia, Georgia's Mikhail Saakashvili and the Russia puppet at South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity should please take some civics lesson and be smart by half; in the future, please avoid kindling a fire that might turn into an inferno and eventually consume your sorry little asses! Next time both of you may not be this lucky, Icheoku says!

AS WE MOURN!

Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, both dead the same weekend; does anybody out there still need proof of the vanity of life? Both icons just gone and forever; all their fame and wealth not enough to ward off their deaths? According to the reports, Bernie Mac was fanatically pleading with doctors treating him not to let him die as he does not want to die. Regrettably, he forgot that doctors do not create life and hence cannot stop its taking! Bernie Mac died Saturday August 9th, 2008 at the age of 50years from complications of pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital. Bernie Mac, prior to contracting the pneumonia infection that eventually killed him, suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body’s organs.

A day after Bernie Mac died, another black entertainment icon Isaac Hayes aka Black Moses also died, August 10th 2008, at age 65years in Memphis, Tennessee. Relatives found his unconscious body in his home next to a still-running treadmill suggestive that he may have died following a work-out from possibly a pulmonary embolism (heart-attack) or of a stroke of the brain related causes; an autopsy will eventually reveal the cause of death. Arriving paramedics tried in vain to revive him through CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation aka mouth to mouth) and later took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 2 p.m. Isaac Hayes embodied everything that is soul music, blazing into the scene forcefully with a theme song for the 1971 movie "Shaft" titled "Theme from Shaft," which made him an instant pop music's icon.

Anyway the world, especially the black American community will miss both men sorely! As we mourn both deaths - Bernie for being such a terrific comedian and Isaac for giving the world plenty of soul riveting ballads, Icheoku says rest in peace both of you- your journey of life has now come a full circle. Adieu!

THE HIT LIST - our incredible but true story series: Serie 4!

1. Meet an 11 eleven year old husband!

An eleven year old boy is scheduled to be married to his ten year old niece in Saudi Arabia province of Hail. Ten year old Mohammed al-Rashidi and his unidentified cousin will seal the marriage they contracted under the sharia laws of Islam and move in together after a ceremony to take place in the summer, Al-Shams newspaper said.
“I am ready for this marriage. It will help me study better,” Mohammed, who goes to primary school in the northern province of Hail, was quoted as saying by Al-Shams.

2. Too fat to be killed?

A death row inmate scheduled for execution says he's too fat to be put to death, claiming executioners would have trouble finding his veins and that his weight could diminish the effectiveness of one of the lethal injection drugs.

Mr. Richard Cooney (pictured here) is awaiting death by lethal injection but has told the State that he considers himself too fat to be executed. According to him, finding his vein to administer the intravenous lethal injection will be a daunting challenge for the executioners and therefor called on the State of Ohio to halt his execution. Icheoku says may be a bullet through the heart can do the magic! Also a super-sized needle with the help of an MRI machine can help deliver the fatal dose.

3.Nigeria is in real trouble!

The former boss of EFCC Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has been demoted from his AIG rank to an "ordinary" ACP based on alleged frog-jumped promotion. However the weakling Nigeria has for a President, Umaru Yar'Adua failed to tell Nigeria why the IG Okilo himself was not demoted alongside, after-all he too was bumped up ahead of AIG Ogbonnaya Onovo to head the police force! Icheoku says that this is vendetta at the rock bottom. This is why there is no patriotic Nigerians anymore as the good among them are usually humiliated at the end of the day. Icheoku is not a fan of Ribadu for shielding Olusegun Obasanjo from prosecution but at least he tried to put the fear of EFCC in many a Nigerian thieves. This development finally confirms that the illegitimate government of sickly Umaru Yar'Adua has been hijacked by some very corrupt and contemptible people, but who heads the cabal running affairs from Aso Rock is yet to be determined

4. Killer gets 110 years jail time!

A California court has sentenced a convict to stay behind bars until he turns 93 years. A long term behind bars is in store for Manuel Enraine Moreno, an East Palo Alto man convicted by a jury of premeditated attempted murder for a gang-related shooting of a teen pedestrian in Menlo Park in March 2007.
Judge John Grandsaert of the San Mateo County Superior Court sentenced Mr. Moreno, 27, on Friday, Aug. 1, to 110 years to life in state prison, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe in an Aug. 4 report. A killer Mr. Manuel Enraine Moreno was given a hundred and ten year sentence for shooting an unarmed fellow. Before the trial the presiding judge has offered the accused some fewer years of sentence, during a botched plea deal but which the accused rejected and elected full trial. However, the verdict did not go in his favor and being a candidate for California's three strike law, he got the book thrown at him and will only be eligible for release at the very ripe old age of 93years! What a term?

5. Can you watch someone else make love to your wife?

At 74 Otis Street San Francisco that is exactly the business they are engaged in! Sound weird? May be, but you can still visit just to watch other couples swap spouses at a higher cover charge of close to $75 bucks. On entry you will check in your clothes and will be given a towel/blanket and chaperoned to the party central where so many people are grooving and gyrating to good rhythm. If you chose to have your clothes on and just watch, it is ok!; but you have to pay a penalty above what every other people are paying. San Frisco? You trade spouses at Power Exchange or you can chose to remain conservative to still make love just to your spouse; but in the open and full view of other participating horny copulating parties! The Power Exchange as an adult sexual play space, is the place to experience public sex adventure or expand your experience in sexuality! Sounds Splendid? Icheoku says "I don't think so" especially if you are atypical anti-sexual-fantasies conservative African!

PLEASE DO NOT CEDE BAKASSI!

An S.O.S. letter to the authorities in Aso Rock!

For heaven's sake and for all that holds Nigeria together, please do not force your brothers and sisters of Bakassi origin into an untoward slavery in the Cameroons. Where is the plebiscite of their intention to abscond from Nigeria and move over to Cameroon? August 14th 2008 is fast approaching and the presidency is threatening to carry through their so call Green Tea agreement with the Cameroon and yield Bakassi to them. All world's precedents are opposed to the position of Aso Rock and why force someone who wants to stay in the nation out of the nation; whereas Nigeria resisted the desire by Biafra to go their own way? Is it double standards or what? Why is nobody mentioning the pact between Gowon's government and Cameroon to help them during the Biafran -Nigerian civil war to blockade Biafra into submission? In exchange Cameroon was offered Bakassi as a gift for their conspiratory collaboration. Why has no pundit or writer ever discussed the impact or lack thereof of the minority judgment of Honorable Abdul Koroma, the African Judge on the bench of ICJ from Senegal? Why can't Aso Rock tell the world that the action is against public opinion of the Nigerian people? Such ICJ's judgment can be shut down by a willing patriotic Nigerian president based on the feelings of the Nigerian people.

According to the referenced Judge Abdul Koroma minority decision, the conclusion reached by the Court with respect to the 1884 Treaty between Great Britain and the Kings and Chiefs of Old Calabar regarding the Bakassi Peninsula is tantamount to a recognition of political reality rather than to an application of the treaty and the relevant legal principles. In my view, it is not the function of the Court to recognize or consecrate political reality but rather to apply the law in ruling on disputes before it. In my view, the approaches taken by the Court to reach its conclusions on these two issues are both fundamentally flawed.The main purpose of applying the law is to do justice and where the law is not correctly applied it could lead to an injustice. It is principally because of my disagreement with the conclusions and findings of the Court regarding these two issues that 1 have decided to exercise the faculty to enter this dissenting opinion as provided for by the Statute.
There is, therefore, no legal basis on which to hold, as the Court has done in this case, that the protector State was entitled to cede terri­tory without the consent and in breach of the protective agreement, by stating that "from the outset Britain regarded itself as administering the territories comprised in the 1884 Treaty, and not just protecting them" (para. 207) or that under the law prevalent at the time (in 1913) Great Britain was entitled "to determine its boundaries" (para. 209), even when this affected the territory of a protected State without its consent and inconsistent with the provisions of the relevant Treaty.

Icheoku says that Aso Rock should have a change of mind and consider what is in the best interest of Nigeria and not sacrifice her territorial integrity on the alter of appeasing the international community.