NIGERIA, IGBOS DISPERSED TO WORLD'S END?

The Igbo of Nigeria are dispersed all over the world, forced by blatant discriminatory policies of successive Nigerian governments against them, since the end of the civil war in 1970. The Igbo-man has very limited chances of survival in Nigeria compared to other nationalities in Nigeria; hence they are being forced into reluctant economic and political exiles to the ends of the earth, from China to India to Bangladesh to Greenland and possibly to the Antarctic/Arctic regions of the earth?

Icheoku's attention was drawn to this amazing pictorial of Nigerians (Igbos) in Guangzhou China and courtesy of the copyrights owners, Icheoku hereby bring to you the said pictorial. As opposed to the usual Chinatown in other countries, here we have Nigeria-town in China! What an amazing feat that some Nigerians are "thriving" in a country of over 1.3 billion natives competitors?

Now click Nigeriatown!

SUPER BOWL XLIII, YET ANOTHER ONE FOR STEELERS!

What a fantastic hair-raiser of a game it was - as fans stood on edge throughout the duration of the game in Tampa, Florida. Icheoku congratulates both teams for representing themselves very well at the 43rd Super Bowl game and particularly Pittsburgh's Steelers for winning their 6th Super Bowl in history. Final score was 27-23 over the Arizona Cardinals who made some fantastic plays throughout the game although they were not enough to effect the outcome.

Once again congratulations to the men of steel from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

For additional stories, now click Super Bowl's stunning end

SOUTH-SOUTH, SO SLAVISH TO THE NORTH?

The Northern Union recently met with Niger Delta's South-South over the future of the current restiveness in the area. Before delving into the meat of this meeting, Icheoku wants to caution the leaders and elders of the South-South, to please not compromise the brave efforts of the youths of the Niger Delta; some of whom have already paid dearly with their lives. Their supreme sacrifice should not be be in vain or trivialized by such a meeting with an insincere North? It is because of their patriotic efforts and sacrifices, that the Northern Union ever contemplated meeting with you, their "subjugated" South-South, in the first place?

Now, in order to attempt an understanding of the intent, purpose and trajectory of the meeting, the following questions ought to be first asked and answered:- (1) Were the Northern Union at the said meeting as equal partners of the South-South or was it a case of a "subjugated" South-South being "told" what their "masters" from the Northern Union desires? (2) Did the Northern Union start the meeting by first apologising for their killing of South-South states-men, Ken Saro-Wiwa and Isaac Adaka Boro or was it with their business as usual "who are you to query our actions" mentality of the North? (3) What about the continuous detention and secret-trial of the freedom-loving Henry Okah and the incessant harassment being meted out to the other man of the people, freedom-fighter Dokubo Asari? (4) What was the real agenda of the meeting or was it simply a ploy to further isolate the South-South from their big-brothers in the South East in order to further weaken their resistance and completely emasculate them? (5) Whose initiative was the meeting anyway? If the Northern Union's, is it a sign that they are beginning to feel the heat of the Niger Delta activism and if the South-South's, was it simply an evidence of their complete capitulation, laying supine?

Where was the olive branch from the Northern Union when their thugs in army uniform were raiding the palace of a royal father in the South-South, to arrest a youth-leader who had gone to the palace in honour of an invitation for a peace-meeting? And this was concurrent to the same time the supposed "peace" meeting was going on? Icheoku knows for a fact that the palaces of the Emirs and the Sultan in the North are totally off-limit for any intruder/s. Icheoku is also aware that any intruder who breaches the "do not enter" Islamic order of "Ba Shiga" always faces a certain death in the hands of such husbands who keep and maintain those harems behind those walled-off enclosures! So why should the Northern Union's army badge into the palace of a South-South King and drag out a person who dutifully answered their King's call for a peace meeting? Or is there no reciprocity of respect between Northern Union Kings or Emirs and their South-South counterparts? Yet the meeting was between "friends" and peace-seeking?

This hobnobbing does not bode well for Nigeria, especially the Southerners and must be resisted or sabotaged forthwith! It appears that the North is cleverly manipulating the South-South into an island of weakness by effectively deploying their divide and conquer strategy masked as a "peace" meeting to completely isolate the zone from the rest of the south? Eventually, when the south is so balkanized into three weakened, isolated groups of South-this, South-that, then each of them will become a vulnerable prey for the ravenous North to devour at their pleasure. Also the Northern Union is not Arewa Consultative Forum (AFC) and could not be said to be speaking for the entire North? This is yet another example of the "use you dump you, Northern-syndrome" with which the North have been mistreating the entire Southern Nigeria, as well as the other minorities of Southern Kaduna, Benue and Plateau regions of Nigeria, ever since independence in 1960.

The only thing deductible from the meeting is that the Niger Delta agitation is working, otherwise these mallams will not bother to sit in a meeting with the people of the South-South, whom they hold in contemptible servitude? Admitted Icheoku would rather the Niger Delta activism is better organised and more target-driven, since they cannot match toe to toe, in a shoot-out war with the killing-machine which is the Nigerian armed forces. As always, in a guerrilla warfare, there is usually no theater or drawn battle-lines, the entire estate of contention or country-wide is a fair operating ground! Freedom-fighters operate ghostly and with stealth, in a hit and run schematic-fashion. They assume the position of the under-dogs and the essence of an underdog in a fight is usually not to win outright, but to wear the oppressor out! So for the South-South to declare victory, the Northern Union's enforcement apparatus must be worn out or bogged down in an impasse; which in turn will force a meaningful dialogue, during which time, the bone of contention can be settled in a peace conference brokered by an impartial third party. This is the way and the only meaningful way; no other way makes sense as trying a direct confrontational approach will be suicidal, too calamitous and consequential to the peoples of the South-South.

According to report reaching Icheoku, the South-South presented a ten-point prayer request, soliciting the understanding and support of the Northern states, regarding some pertinent issues affecting them. Icheoku asks, why should the South-South condescend so low to beg the Northern Union for what is rightfully theirs? The land of the South-South and all that is on it and underneath it belongs to the people who own the land. The people of South-South do not need the permission of the Northern Union to harness what is theirs! All they need to do is to stand firm and be supportive of the effort of the Niger Delta youths to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.

The North will not voluntarily let go the goose that lays the golden eggs, which the bowels of the South-South has become. So the only viable, meaningful and feasible alternative "sea route to India" is for the South-South to rise up and take back their possession! All it demands is a today's sacrifice so that the future of their children and children's children shall be finally and fully secured in a settled-Nigeria or a Republic of Niger Delta, which ever comes first? The hallowing poverty of today's South-South must and should be forever forsworn! Northern Ireland did it! Tamil Tigers are on course! Kuwait was formerly part of Iraq! Palestine could be heard today, despite being faced-down by one of the mightiest army on the face of the earth; and digging 20 feet deep-below the ground tunnels through hard desert soil for thorough-fare? So why not Nigeria's South-South with their open access to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and also an international airport? The South-South should just show some seriousness of purpose and the world will take sides! Their God-given oil resources can always serve as collateral?

To Chief Edwin K. Clark, Icheoku says, the Northern Union is not your friend! They are just using the aegis of the meeting to put a lid on the Niger Delta agitation and by extension, maintain their stranglehold on your oil! Please quit whining or complaining, rather reclaim your oil and with it you can solve all the enumerated problems. With a direct fund South-South can tackle all collateral damage from oil exploration activities including oil-spills, oil-pollution, environmental-degradation, gas-flaring and other concomitant problems militating against your region. Icheoku queries, how can the pangs of poverty be severest in your area when it provides all the money that Nigeria spends to build and transform the arid North? Have you been to Abuja lately? The life-blood of Nigeria, oil, is located in the deep bowels of your earth, yet your people have been debased into the pan-handling Nigerians, now begging the North for some hand-outs? This is abhorable and shameful indeed! You deserve better and must earn the respect of the North, convincingly, in order to make a headway; as without respect, no Northerner will ever take you seriously! It is only through a proven-conviction, that any man begins to respect a fellow man! So know ye, South-South, that you cannot beg yourself to relevance in the Northern Union controlled Nigeria! If you desire something so bad, fight like you mean it! In fact, you do not need to beg for positions for your sons and daughters in your oil-backed ministries or parastatal; just take back your oil and your problems are solved! You can then do with it whatever you please including indigenizing NNPC, NLNG, PTDF, PPMC and what have you! But to go cap-in-hand to the Northern Union for their understanding, is simply outrageous and a sign of weakness on your part; which the very crafty Northern Union is all too aware of and so will never take you guys seriously.

Icheoku, while concurring with an aspect of Olusola Saraki's remark that the Nigerian people want peace, wish to add, with the exception of the North who by their wanton actions and comments have arrogated to themselves the right to every position that is golden and juicy in Nigeria! Such selfishness and arrogance of the North is what breeds the resentment being expressed by the entire South. The Northern Union is afraid of an imminent major conflict in Nigeria and hurriedly convened the meeting to sooth frayed nerves and douse the raging fire of disgust. Paradoxically, the Northern Union suddenly realised their several decades-long discrimination against the people of South-South and is now holding a meeting of peace? Icheoku says, all the subterfuge notwithstanding, the meeting is but a sign that the North is beginning to feel the heat of the Niger Delta activism! Otherwise, why wait all these years since Nigeria's independence in 1960, to suddenly realise the need for peace and call for a meeting; after-all the South-South have been under Northern bondage ever since? Icheoku says, the North is not sincere in their stated objective, otherwise they would have made it a wider, more encompassing meeting, which should have involved the entire Southern Nigeria. Why would the North be organising a so-called "peace-meeting" in Nigeria and limit it to the North and the South-South while excluding other Southern nationalities of Igbo and Yoruba from it? Icheoku says, the real intent of the meeting was to find a way to corner the South-South for an easier finish-off; and regrettably, the South-South is so naive to think they have suddenly become very important in the eyes of the North! Why did the South-South not ask the Northern Union the pertinent question of why they came to the meeting with representative drawn across the entire Northern Nigeria whereas the South-South was restricted to only their tiny self? This single omission by the South-South exposes their naivete in political grandstanding!

Icheoku identifies strongly with the position of Asari-Dokubo, that the issue of resources-control cannot be resolved through an ordinary meeting of "friends"? Such an issue is so fundamental and foundational to the success or failure of the Nigerian-experiment that only a Sovereign National Conference can conclusively resolve it! The leaders and elders of the South-South are called upon not to jeopardize the regional freedom-struggle by cavorting with the enemy, as the end to their suffering is very near! They need to become more resolute and push a little harder; as always the hour closest to dawn is usually the darkest! The last miles of a marathon is also usually the toughest, so why give up now? To the people of the South-South, Icheoku says, you shall overcome! At least the North should have shown some good intentions and made a good-will gesture towards the South-South by appointing an area person either the Minister of petroleum resources or the Managing Director of the petroleum corporation, NNPC? But no way, as only two Northern-mallams are good enough for both Nigeria's topmost gold-mines? Yet they are holding a meeting of "friends" to find solution to the "oil-crisis" in the South-South?

Former Senator Francis Okpozo of the South-South succinctly expressed the sentiment of these "friends" when he said that "the action of President Umaru Yar’Adua in appointing another northerner, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo as NNPC group managing director after his appointment of Alhaji Rilwan Lukman as oil minister may trigger another conflagration in the Niger Delta". Icheoku says, we are in solidarity with this warning! To John Odeige Oyegun, Icheoku says, no amount of meeting and deliberation will ever persuade the North to be reasonable and do right for and by the South-South; the only language such hydra-headed people as the North understands, is reciprocity in kind! The North has always been very insensitive to the feelings of the entire Southern Nigeria, including their newly discovered bride of comfort - the South-South; and so, ride the donkey they shall until forcibly stopped. When in doubt, take a look at the last ministerial appointments made by President Umaru Yar'Adua and see the lopsidedness of it in favour of the North, likewise so many other of his filled federal positions? Also suing the Federal government for redress should not be an option as such will not resolve the matter because the North has commandeered and now controls the judiciary too! Both the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the court of Appeal are from the North. The only real and meaningful option for the South-South is to galvanize the entire splintered Niger Delta agitations-groups into one coalesced, formidable, robust entity. Then re-constitute the struggle into a military wing and a political wing with identifiable leaders and a common purpose; so collectively they can push forcefully on two fronts for their desired goal of resource-control and/or a fair distribution of oil-income, in lieu. They must also avoid the kidnapping of their own fellow South-South people as this festers division and animosity amongst the people - remember, a house divided is bound to fall!

The Northern agenda as always, remains one indivisible north that appropriates what belongs to all Nigerians for themselves only! They preserve and maintain their Northern Oligarchs at the back of every other Nigerian, reserving every "juicy" positions in Nigeria for themselves while those who naturally "owns" the resources are subjugated into ordinary surrogates, destitute and beggars? Icheoku says, to the people of the South-South, desist from such meetings with the Northern Union since you cannot genuflect your way into power with the Northern Union! You should be man enough to say enough is enough and rise up and take back your God's given possession. As you may know, power does not easily yield or concede; it has to be yanked away! Power can only be taken from its' custodian/s, peacefully in a reasonable environment and otherwise, where stubborn people are the clingers! Icheoku concludes that the meeting between the South-SOuth and the Northern Union was a mistake and should not have taken place; and must be discontinued. The South-South should rather explore how to coalesce the splintered Niger Delta activism into an army of one force to make their agitation more punchy!

MICHAEL STEELE, CHANGE BUG STINGS GOP!

In response to the political wave "Steele" sweeping across America, in a dramatic move, the Republican Party, a party of "whites-only" threw every caution to the wind and "elected" a "nigger" as their party chairman? Really? Wonders shall never end and the Republican party is still smarting from a routing defeat last November 4th, 2008 by the trail-blazing Democratic party and President Barack Obama!

In order not to be outdone so much, the "elephants" magically sprung a blackman to head their party? Icheoku says, congratulations to both Michael Steele and the Republican party for this, yet another first! By this change of direction- election, Michael Steele now becomes the first African-American chairman of the Republican Party! He is to head and lead the Republican party for the next two years as its chairman. The newly minted chairman, was former Lieutenant Governor of the State of Maryland and also a former chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.

With these fighting words, "We're going to say to friend and foe alike: We want you to be a part of us, we want you to with be with us. And for those who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over! This is the dawn of a new party moving in a new direction with strength and conviction"; the newly elected Republican Party chairman, was unmistaken as to the direction which he wants to set the ship of the Republican Party sailing. A new more inclusive party of all and not just a "white-only" country club party".

Michael Steele beat four other candidates, including former President George W. Bush's hand-picked candidate Mike Duncan, who acknowledged that it is obvious that winds of change are blowing through the land! Michale Steele won the election with 91 votes out of the 168 converged delegates, although only a majority of 85 votes was needed.

Once again, Icheoku says, Congratulations!

BLAGOJEVICH, GONE WITH THE WIND!

The notoriously windy politics of Chicago, Illinois has yet claimed another victim. His name, Rod Blagojevich, and now a historical former governor. Rod was convicted and removed from office by the State Senate, today, January 29, 2009 following his earlier impeachment by the State House of Assembly. Democratic Lieutenant Governor, Patrick Quinn, one of Blagojevich's critics, was promptly sworn in as governor; and he immediately stripped Blagojevich of all his security details, fully transforming him into a "complete ordinary citizen."

Blagojevich was convicted by a vote of 59-0 of abuse of power, which automatically ousted the second-term Democrat from office. The lawmakers also barred Blagojevich from ever holding any public office in the state again. According to one of the presiding senators, "Rod Blagojevich failed the test of character. He is beneath the dignity of the state of Illinois. He is no longer worthy to be our governor."

Blagojevich, the son of a Serbian immigrant steelworker was first elected governor in 2002, on a promise to clean up the state government; after its former Governor George Ryan, resigned and was convicted and presently serving a six-year prison term for graft. Now he has followed the path of his predecessor and may eventually join him in the big house when convicted! But Blagojevich is not the only State governor to be impeached and convicted in the United States of America. Seven other governors have suffered the same fate before now, the most recent being Arizona's Evan Mecham, who was driven out of office in 1988 for trying to thwart an investigation into a death threat allegedly made by an aide. However Blagojevich is the first to be so removed in Illinois.

Icheoku says, Rod Blagojevich is out in the cold and in a very lonely island! If the term, "man-alone" ever makes sense, Blagojevich now personifies that term! He has been deserted by friends and family; what a fate? Good luck Mr. Blago!

Now click:- barack obama's senate seat for sale

YOBE STATE GOVERNOR BITES THE DUST!

The governor of one of the Sharia states in northern Nigeria, Yobe State, Mamman Bello Ali is dead! Mamman B. Ali was 53. He died in a Miami-Florida USA hospital, of a yet to be conclusively determined cause but leukaemia, meningitis, liver-cirrhosis, colon-cancer, heart-attack, brain-aneurysm, and a host of other sundry diseases were respectively rumoured as the cause of death? Icheoku says, what killed the governor is irrelevant, since like every mortal he has answered his final call! All is vanity according to the preacher in Ecclesiastes 1:2! What he did or failed to do for the people of Yobe State will now become his final epitaph!

Like many other "leader/s" in Nigeria including President Umaru Yar'Adua, the ailment the late governor suffered from was a top secret and remained so till his death; leading to all the potpourri of speculations as to which of them finally claimed his life. Unfortunately, Nigerians including their leaders/officials keep their health-records very private, due to pride and cultural perception that being ill is a sign of weakness! It is instructive to note that Nigeria's current president Umaru Yar'Adua is presently wasting away from a yet to be officially acknowledged or confirmed illness!

Icheoku has no sympathy for the dead as they have been set free and since moved on! And for dead Nigerian officials, because they do not really care for the well-being of the people they govern! Imagine a sitting governor, dead in a foreign land's hospital, because medical facilities in his Yobe State and country, Nigeria is nearly non-existent! Mamman Ali was able to die in a foreign-land because he had the capacity and ability to seek medical treatment abroad; and you ask yourself, what about the several hundreds of Yobe people who die every day of commonly treatable diseases like malaria, diarrhea, common-cold, ordinary fever, river-blindness induced sickness, polio and such other primordial diseases, just because no medical facility exist for their treatment? The dead governor, like many of his counterparts in Nigeria, had the opportunity to build, equip and cause to be run a world-class hospital or medical facility in Damaturu, Yobe State; but he did not. Why, because he/they can readily hop on the next available flight out of Nigeria to any part of the world to receive a first class medical attention? This time, it was to Miami-Florida, United States of America but peradventure, his time was up!

We are not as cold or unfeeling as any lay-reading of this piece might imply, no, but the foolery of many Nigerian officials in not setting their priorities right, sometimes, bleeds our hearts. Icheoku asks, why would these officials, who habitually travel overseas to seek medical attention, not be patriotic enough to deem it fit and necessary to build and equip such centers of medical excellence in Nigeria? Some of them even by their actions and utterances act as if they will live forever; but this governor is now gone and so will each and every one of these despondent Nigerian leaders/officials, who cannot do right by and for Nigerians through a selfless service to their fatherland. Anyway, may the bereaved family and the people of Yobe State bear the loss with fortitude!

ERVIN LUPOE, A LOS ANGELES WHACK-O?

Icheoku says, only a monster could look straight into the beautiful eyes of these innocent children and cause harm to them. That is exactly what Mr. Ervin Antonio Lupoe of Wilmington, Los Angeles area of California, United States of America is! The heartless vampire who fatally shot his wife Ana Lupoe and five of their children, above right, including Brittney, 8 (middle), twin-girls Jasmine and Jassely, 5 (rear) and twin-boys Benjamin and Christian, 2.4 (front).

The monster from hell, admitted from the land beyond of his culpability - he had faxed a note to a television station claiming that he and his wife had just been fired from their hospital jobs and together planned the killings as an escape for the whole family? Part of the left note read "Why leave our children in someone else's hands?" Icheoku says, this cuckoo is an embodiment of a warped, selfish and egotistic maniac who cowardly wasted his family because he could not stand the thought of them in another person's caring love? If only he had taken just his life, the whole world will understand that he is an ordinary whimp who could not brave the wilderness, but for the heinous mass murder of his family, his place in hell is the core of the burning furnace!

The family picture left shows the dead family Ervin, Ana and their five children. It was the fifth mass death of a Southern California family by murder or suicide within one year; most of them induced by tough economic times! Icheoku says, doing something so horrific and drastic as this, shouldn't be an option; no matter what?

The region has been shook by several recent mass murders. On Dec. 24, a man dressed up as Santa Claus invaded a Christmas Eve party and killed his ex-wife and eight of her relatives. The man later killed himself. In October, an unemployed financial manager despairing over extreme money problems shot and killed his wife, three children, mother-in-law and himself in their home in the Porter Ranch area of the San Fernando Valley. In June, five members of a Turkish-American family, clad in black, were found dead in an upscale home in San Clemente.

Now watch U.S. Video: Man upset over job kills wife, 5 kids, himself AP

NIGERIAN UMARU YAR'ADUA, YOUR ODDS IS BETTER WITH UCSF!

Icheoku writes this open letter to Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua who is critically ill of "renal failure" and hopes it gets to him sooner than later. Our sources tell us that you are making plans to travel to Ohio for a possible transplant and we ask, have your handlers shopped for the top hospital in the world of transplant?

With all the oil money Nigeria has, why settle for just "something" when you can afford to buy the best? Icheoku advises you to proceed immediately to the world center of transplant surgeries at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) at 505 Parnassus Avenue and reclaim your health, if possible.

We do not like your administration but at least you can be kept alive to retire from office, hence our decision to open this window of opportunity. Let your handlers do their job and you will be convinced that your odds at survival is highest, with this one of ten topmost centers of medical excellence in the entire United States of America, with particular niche in organ transplant. UCSF is organ transplant-reputed and if in doubt ask your Saudi Arabia friends! Please do not play chicken with this your kidney transplant!

You may also see our previous commentary on your state of health advising on this hospital, UCSF by clicking this link: - a cat with nine lives .

SOUTH AFRICA, UNRAVELLING?

South African former freedom fighter, political prisoner of conscience turned president Dr. Nelson Mandela owes the people of South Africa and that sub region one more lasting service; - to harmonize the warring factions of his African National Congress (ANC) before it is too late! If the simmering bickering is not urgently addressed and the revered statesman makes his exit, the unfolding whirlwind in South Africa's political landscape might blow away what he spent 27 years of his youth, in Robin Island prison, to achieve.

Regrettably, ego, greed and selfishness has pitched two former comrades, former president Thabo Mbeki and president in the waiting Jacob Zuma against each other and so have their flocks. This is a bunch who hitherto were brothers in arms fighting against the former repressive apartheid racist government of Botha's South Africa. Icheoku says no matter what it takes, the current rift between Mbeki and Zuma needs to be resolved urgently to starve off what might be the catalyst to permanently unravel black South African leadership!

Today there is a faction within the ANC and who knows what tomorrow might beget of these factions - may be a shooting war amongst brothers for no reason whatsoever other than the selfishness of their leadership? This is where Nelson Mandela must come in as a respectable African world leader to mediate a truce or final resolution of this emerging conflict. As a regional power-house, Africa cannot afford to have a South Africa that is disintegrated or not fully galvanised to continue to provide the leadership in that region. The white minority may be amused at what is unfolding between this former comrades and will cease on any given opportunity to reassert themselves. Icheoku says, this is the gleam future that awaits South Africa should the current imbroglio between Mbeki and Zuma be allowed to fester on and metastasize.

The other day a prominent member of South Africa's governing ANC Mbongeleni Zondi, 39, a staunch supporter of Jacob Zuma was gunned down in Umlazi, Durban. Mr. Zondi was great-grandson of Zulu chief Bambatha, known for leading a guerrilla campaign against British colonialists in 1906. According to ANC, Mr. Zondi was "brutally assassinated"! Icheoku says, what if the ANC decides to avenge the death or retaliate for the murder of their Zondi Mbongeleni? What if ANC's reprisal attack/s leads to an all out warfare between the ANC factions like obtains in today's Iraq, Afghanistan or in a turf-war like manner of the Mafia? When added to the already high crimes encumbering South Africa, such a street warfare between former ANC members will spell doom for South Africa. This is one reason why the living father of South Africa must intervene now as a matter of utmost state urgency. Comrades killing each other is a tragedy of the unfolding political madness in South Africa which might conflagrate the entire country barring a sudden decisive intervention by a commanding figure like Nelson Mandela.

Admitted that in a democracy, people of like minds are allowed to unite around a common cause in the form of a political party of their choice to push their agenda but the Mosioua Lekota's Congress of the People (Cope), formed after the ousting of former president Thabo Mbeki, will only succeed in splitting the ANC amongst old friendship lines. Icheoku says this is not good for South Africa's future and demands an immediate intervention to stop these former friends and comrades at arms from soon becoming foes at each others throats, fighting for power. South Africa must not be allowed to go the way of other African countries; what is at stake is too much and all hands must be on deck to forestall such implosion.

OBASANJO-ATIKU, AN OMINOUS HONEYMOON?

It certainly does not bode well for Nigeria to see these two discredited men warming up to themselves this passionately? Like a love-struck couple, they have been at it since their infamous meeting at Otta few weeks ago. It has been a frenzy of "boy meet girl" meetings all over the country with "smooching" pictures, methodically released to the gullible Nigerian audience as a testimony of the new rapprochement of two bitter enemies? This is the third time within the last two weeks, that both men have been captured by cameras, professing their undying "love" for one another and you say to yourself, really?

The newly found love-affair, between Olusegun Obasanjo and Abubakar Atiku is an ominous sign that Nigeria is in real danger, once again. It portends calamity for Nigeria! That Nigeria's well being is at stake is obvious when these two former sworn enemies embark on a wild-romance as once again captured in this photograph, taken in Katsina recently. Icheoku says, these two power-hungry lunatics must be stopped forthwith and by all means necessary, if Nigeria is to survive their shenanigans.

Nigerians, ask yourself, what could bring these two foes back to this close "kissing" proximity, if not their selfish evil scheme for another power-grab; after they almost drove Nigeria aground between 1999 and 2006? Nigerians, are you going to let these two evil-men have their way once again? Remember the popular aphorism, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, so Nigerians, will you be fooled once again by these two urchins? Icheoku says, guard your loins Nigerians and be prepared to stop these two men cold in their tracks, otherwise, forever mortgage your freedom of conscience!

BARACK OBAMA, A LEADER-PRESIDENT OF AMERICA!

To our numerous visitors, this concludes our nearly year-long passionate coverage of the phenom, President Barack Hussein Obama!

From his early start delivering the keynote address in Boston 2004, to the democratic primaries, to his presidential campaign and eventual ascent to the citadel of power, Icheoku has devoted valued time covering the exploits of this emergent leader-president of America.

Now that he has been sworn in as the 44th President of the most powerful nation on earth and settled in for the long haul, Icheoku will now pivot away to let BO do his thing! Baring any major development, it is ciao, bye-bye for now, of our unceasing coverage of the now Mr. President!

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO'S INCEST, SON DIVORCES WIFE!

The marriage between Mr. Gbenga Obasanjo, son of former Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo and his estranged wife, Mojisola Obasanjo, Nee Onabanjo, daughter of Otunba Alex Onabanjo has been dissolved! The ground for the dissolution was that "the marriage has irretrievably broken down and is irredeemable, principally due to the continuing intimate sexual relationship between the former Nigerian despotic ruler, Olusegun Obasanjo and his son's wife Mojisola, his otherwise daughter in-law? And this was the same man that ruled Nigeria for over eight years? What a country, populated by men with no soul?

In the petition for dissolution of marriage filed in 2006 by Gbenga Obasanjo, two paragraphs of the deposed affidavit in support, stood out with desperate cry for help. Paragraph 10 deposed that he, Gbenga knows for a fact that the respondent, his wife, committed adultery with and had an intimate, sexual relationship with his own father, General Olusegun Obasanjo? And paragraph 8, to the effect that the respondent, his wife, confided in him severally while they were still living together, that she had been sexually abused and defiled by her own biological father, Otunba Alex Onabanjo on several occasions? Please Icheoku says, take note of the two qualifying statements of authority herein viz "knows for a fact" which presupposes percipience and no second-guessing? The other statement is that his "wife confided in him severally". With such a powered statement made at the pain of perjury, Icheoku concludes that Gbenga Obasanjo was the real victim here, of two powerful men's ritualistic obsession with their daughter's birth canal?

Icheoku says, a divorce is more than appropriate in the circumstance; while sympathising with the whore-of-a-wife whom Gbenga had married. Regrettably, there appears to be something magical and "voodoo`ish" about Mojisola's private-part for her own biological father and marital father in-law to be taking turns therein? But to whom did she complain or was it a case of fear of not being believed? Were Nigeria to be a decent society, may be both fathers of Mojisola would have been arrested and prosecuted for some sexual proclivity offences. Until that day, such a discredited man of power like Olusegun Obasanjo shall have his excesses curtailed in Nigeria, nothing will ever take flight therein. And such a low-life man of very ebbing morality was allowed to run amok in Nigeria for eight years and just very recently? It is regrettable that a son was forced to dissolve a once happy marriage because of the libidinous nature of his own father, who could not discriminate from his own daughter in-law's "pink receptacle"?

GHANA, JOHN KUFOUR'S GIFT, WELL DESERVED!

Icheoku have keenly followed the storm generated by the "gifts" of six cars and two houses allegedly given to John Agyekum Kufour, the former president of Ghana and concludes that the raging whirlwind is uncalled for. Our reason for taking this position, despite our established aversion to untoward gratifications, is that those enumerated gifts were quite "a token" considering the sit-tight dispositions of African leaders with the attendant legendary mass looting of the treasury! Both of these vices, your respectable John Kufour shunned.

The only rational approach to understanding the cursed African leader's unwillingness to ever cede power is to find out why they so clutch to power till their last breath? Icheoku concludes, it is because of the "security of the stomach" and self-preservation of a perceived status, period! So for the one of a kind among the many African leaders, John Kufour, what is the worth of these gifts when juxtaposed to the alternative? Therefore a gift of about $400,000.00, two houses and six cars to a former Africa leader who could have chosen to sit tight and milk Ghana until her well runs dry is not too much? Ghanaians should always remember that former President John Kufour gracefully stepped down for the incumbent to step in without preconditions?

Icheoku says the gift is trifle and should be supported by all men and women of good will in Ghana. Former President John Kufour deserves all that could be given to him for displaying such an uncanny valour and statesmanship of a free power-transfer, which is very uncommon with many African leaders. Such a gesture will also encourage future leadership to yield power, fully aware that they will be properly taken care of by the incoming government; and by extension it might be a role-model for other African countries to institute welfare packages for their outgoing leadership. This might also reduce the penchant and disposition of African leaders to provide for themselves while still in power and hence abate corruption.

Icheoku's only reservation with the gifts is that the five cars would have been spread over a period of time, like one car every three years till the end of his natural life. Commonly, pensions are paid all over the world to public servants in appreciation for their selfless service; except in Nigeria where such public servants pay themselves upfront, while still in office, with massive looting of the public treasury. The people of Ghana can afford to buy six cars and build or buy two houses for their former honorable president, John Kufour. Peradventure, were John Kufour as corrupt as Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo he would not need these gifts, as he would have built several mansions and even bought himself a private jet while still in office; but instead he left office a gentleman. Ghanaians, Icheoku says the two houses, one in a choice area of your capital city Accra and another in his country-home are very well-deserved gifts for the decent John Kufour, case closed!

It is rather ridiculous for some Ghanaians to be "shocked" at this "pittance", considering the priceless pride John Kufour brought to Ghana by conducting a free and fair election that even saw the opposition attain the presidency. He could have perpetuated himself in power, rigged the election or better still clamped every dissenter into detention or sent state assassins after them to take care of business. He however decided otherwise, insisting that Ghana was greater than anyone man including himself and voluntarily relinquished power. If Ghanaians are in doubt of what an average African-leader monster is capable of unleashing on his people, they should ask Bola Ige and his co-victims of the ravenous machinations of Nigeria's megalomaniac, Olusegun Obasanjo? Better still, a look at Zimbabwe will suffice!

Icheoku says, there is nothing "embarrassing" about this well deserved and well earned retirement-package to honor a patriotic John Kufour or would Ghanaians have preferred that John Kufour had looted their treasury himself before leaving office? If, according to one Ghanaian commentator, they have "water problems, light problems, job problems, road problems etc" Icheoku says, find out from Nigerians how they have lived a life of abject want of practically everything, since their independence, despite their oil wealth?

SOMALIA PIRATES, THIS HAPPY?

These happy go-lucky fellas must be happy at something very nice? One would have expected them to be very sad, with sullen face, in that they are docked in a Somalia court, for their piracy activities off the coast of Somalia, but instead they are very excited. Of what?

Icheoku is very surprised that this trio, accused pirates sitting inside the dock of a Somalia court-room, are rather sharing banters of their exploits instead of bemoaning the fate which possibly awaits them. But Somalia being the failed Islamic state it is, will not let anything happen to these arrested "expatriates" Somalia pirates, who now constitute part of the source of the country's foreign exchange earning capability; since the man with the cash is always the man with the authority. Icheoku regrets that they were not ease-dropped on to really ascertain what they were so happy about. What a way of life for these three Robin Hoods of Somalia?

ATIKU, A MAN WITHOUT A CORE?

One of the cardinal philosophies of Politics 101 is that there is no permanent enemy or permanent friend in politics, only permanent interest bonds politicians together; the reason some people have tagged politicians as whores and prostitutes. "Shame on you; Shame on you, Barack Obama, shame on you" was the notorious Hilary Clinton's campaign war-cry, but today she is the Secretary of State for President Barack Obama's presidency? Icheoku asks, with the preceding in mind, what then is the beef with Abubakar Atiku's recent visit with the Otta medicine man, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo? They are both politicians and politicians are very unpredictable people, as foes today can become pals tomorrow and vice versa, so Atiku and Obasanjo met, so what?

Could Obasanjo have read Abubakar Atiku correctly as a man without conviction or whose only meaning is self preservation - the reason cited for not letting him become Nigeria's president? How could this man from Adamawa have betrayed the trust of so many Nigerians who have come to identify with him as a real democrat, by visiting his nemesis, Aremu Obasanjo? How could Atiku swallow back his spittle after all he was forced to endure under Olusegun Obasanjo's presidency, including the near-decimation of his business empire? Only a mind-reader can fathom the sudden somersault of Atiku and regrettably, Icheoku is not one. We can only try to analyse what happened with a view to placing some handle thereto.

Shamelessly, Atiku tried to explain away the visit as "his new year visit to his former boss", to which Icheoku retorts, did Atiku make such similar visit to his former boss, last January 2008 or was there something very special about this particular January 2009 to warrant his sudden about-turn? Also, if there was nothing "personal about their disagreement", according to Obasanjo, Icheoku says, there could be nothing more personal than a selfish ambition for a third term and a crazed-out presidential ambition. Atiku's pretension of opposition to Obasanjo's depraved third term ambition, was as personal as it can get and Obasanjo, being the unforgiving despot he is, will still find a way to take his pound of flesh from Atiku, someday, somehow!

The motive behind this sudden dance of death between Obasanjo and Atiku is irrelevant as both men are not credible and will not even tell each other the simple truth. Icheoku calls on Nigerians to just be on guard to make sure that none of these two munchkins ever find their way back in Aso Rock, no matter the subterfuge. Their sudden-found love can go on blissfully forever, so long as they stay out of power in Nigeria. Whether Atiku slaves it back to PDP or not should not even concern Nigerians since they already know this former customs' officer and a former vice president as a self-preservation charlatan. However after Atiku's once describing Obasanjo as corrupt and an enemy of democracy Icheoku will like to see how he is now forced to retract his very own words and applaud Olusegun Obasanjo's latest immaculate transformation into an "upright friend of democracy?"

Icheoku says that the Atiku camp was very preposterous in citing the example of Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in prison and went on to work as South African President with his former foes without bitterness and in a spirit of forgiveness with their Atiku's visit to Obasanjo. How long has Atiku been out in the cold? How long was Atiku behind bars? To make such a rancid comparison is to whittle down the Utopian heights which Nelson Mandel occupies in the world. Also, citing America's President Barack Obama and Senator John McCain's meeting is not analogous with Atiku's meeting with Obasanjo as neither men presently won any elections or contested any between themselves. Were it Umaru Yar'Adua that Atiku met, may be such comparison would have basis both in fact and reality. This Atiku camp must be populated by unthinking mallams who could not distinguish between two polar opposites. What a parallel comparisons?

The good news however, is that both camps are so soon after the ill-advised visit, throwing bricks of one denial after another; with an aide to Obasanjo saying that the meeting was preparatory to Atiku's eventual return back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to re-launch his political career for 2011; while Atiku's camp is denying the allegation as unfounded saying that "the meeting a mere rapprochement between the two men who have now decided to bury the hatchet and focus their attention, redirect their energies and harness their collective experiences for the benefit of the country?" To all these abracadabra, Icheoku says, tell that to the marines! Whether Atiku is a sell-out or not depends on who is talking as Icheoku would like to ask, to whom did he sell out and what did he sell? The real opposition deal whom Nigerians should be concerned about is that opposition that won five states in the last elections, Muhammad Buhari and not Atiku who could not even win his state, Adamawa. Were it not for Bola Tinubu, may be AC would have come out of the election worse than Pat Utomi's party. Now the evil man of Otta is even alleging that it was Atiku who "begged" for the meeting, what a dumb political move by Atiku?

One commentator said that "it was this type of meeting between Atiku and Obasanjo in the latter’s home in Ota in 1998 that eventually culminated in the worst presidency Nigeria ever had. Their presidency and vice presidency held Nigeria in thrall for eight years, during which no day passed without one political turmoil or the other brewing and erupting in one corner of the country or the other." One other commentator described the meeting of the two political gladiators of Nigerian politics as a big irony after what they had said and done to each other these past years. The meeting shows that the two men lack principle, that they are both selfish and are both evil men, While another commentator was quoted as saying "I am truly spooked by this reconciliatory move because experience has shown that when Obasanjo and Atiku are friends, next to nothing good comes of it for Nigeria."

In conclusion, Icheoku says, the victor here is Olusegun Obasanjo who ate his cake with Atiku and had it back. Obasanjo successfully out-foxed Atiku by luring him to Otta and later exposing an otherwise "private visit" to an ambush of a battery of photographers, just to ridicule Atiku? Obasanjo ignored and sidelined Atiku during the greater half of his presidency, stopped him cold when he tried to run for the party's presidential candidacy and eventually drove him entirely out of the PDP. Now Atiku has been forced to crawl on his all fours back to Otta to beg for forgiveness of sins from Olusegun Obasanjo. Admitted, it is only 'interest' that binds politicians together, but Icheoku will like to ask, what interest now binds these forsworn duo? Icheoku says, Nigerians should be wary of this romance of two fathom menaces; and now that they have been placed on a red alert, the fault will be theirs should these two evil salamanders ever weasel their way back to Aso Rock, either directly or indirectly? Guard your loins Nigerians, for the fight ahead will be rough and tough!

CNN LARRY KING, SON WANTS TO BE BLACK!

President Barack H. Obama has started delivering some dividend on patching up race relationship in America? Things are now getting so honky-dory between white and black races that a little eight (8) year old white boy now wishes he is black? Really and Icheoku will like to remind this enthused white-boy that being black is a big burden in America, our new president success, notwithstanding. However we understand the little Larry King's happiness with President Barack Obama's success.

According to CNN Larry King of Larry King Live, his youngest offspring, Cannon King 8, wants to be black! Young Cannon, like many other Americans is love-struck with President Barack Obama's mesmerising charisma; and as always, success has many kindred. We shall however wait to see if this 'desire to be black' still subsists when this minor turns majority and then we can seriously consider how to assist him achieve his dreams. Like the saying goes, where there is a will there is always a way - either through dye or some other form of skin pigmentation? Got it little Cannon 'Larry' King?

THE BOY WHO BECAME PRESIDENT!

Icheoku is happy to share with you the picture of the little happy boy who became President Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th, on Tuesday January 20, 2009!

May God Almighty protect and guide his actions, as he try to pilot America out of the woods of the many problems bedevilling us, in Jesus name we pray, AMEN! God bless America!