ABIA ELDERS FORUM, TO HELL WITH YOUR APOLOGY!

For apologising to Abubarkar Atiku, because he was called out on his prostitutional visit to Olusegun Obasanjo, Icheoku says, the Abia Elders Forum is the most despicable and destitutional of all associations presently parading itself in the South East of Nigeria. Their beggarly apology amplifies the stereo-typical thinking in some quarters, that the Igbos are their own worst enemies? Can you imagine these faceless a-holes selling out on their own son, Orji Uzor-Kalu for a piece of the proverbial Abubarkar Atiku's poridge; and someone please tell Icheoku that the Igbos, with this kind of attitude, stand a chance at producing a Nigerian president of Igbo origin someday?

Why must it be Orji Uzor-Kalu that should be singled out and persecuted for putting his take on the swirling criticism of Abubarkar Atiku for genuflecting back to his old nemesis, Olusegun Obasanjo? That Atiku's caustic visit to Obasanjo connotes “selfishness and inconsistency” on the part of Abubarka Atiku is without doubt; so where then, is the beef against Orji Uzor-Kalu, that this Abia Elders Forum should open their ever-yawning mouth in such a denigrating way? Who in Nigeria did not criticise the miscalculated move by Abubarkar Atiku, going on all fours before Olusegun Obasanjo and naively thinking that his sins will be forgiven? Does Atiku not know that with Olusegun Obasanjo, forgiveness is for God only, but not him? Icheoku says, at the appropriate time, Olusegun Obasanjo shall take his pound of flesh off Atiku's body and with some blood as Lady Portia will not avail her services to Atiku. From Wole Soyinka to Balarabe Musa to Segun Osoba to every politician/pundit in Nigeria as well as the media including Icheoku.com; the criticisms were firing on all cylinders? So why should Orji Uzor-Kalu's merely adding his voice on a national discuss be deemed as inappropriate and an exception by these charlatans under the aeges of "Abia Elders Forum"?

Icheoku asks who constitues the membership of this shameless association, the Abia Elders Forum ? Shame on you, Abia Elders Forum and whatever you represent does not include the interest of the Igbo-man. Unmask your ugly self and let us know what you have contributed to the general welfare of the average Igbo-Joe since your inception? Your vituperations on Orji Uzor-Kalu adds impetus to the saying that some Igbos can sell their mother for a few shekels of silver; and also shows that the Igbos are the most disunited of all the people that ever walked the face of this earth. What shall it take for the Igbos to once again become each others brother's keeper? Icheoku says, Orji Uzor-Kalu was right to add his own opinion about the Abubarkar Atiku's infamous visit to the medicine man of Otta and nobody should hang him out to dry or unwantonly criticise his freedom of speech; particularly these lilliputians who purportedly begged Abubarka Atiku to please forgive Kalu? These guys are naughts and out of their freaking minds? They are the men and women every Igboman should beware of! They are the present danger and new-saboteurs of the Igbo struggle in Nigeria. Icheoku says, Igbo people must be ashamed to be so identified, after this shameful condescensional act of unsolicited apology of the Abia Elders Forum.

In their offesive statement, the Abia Elders Forum (AEF) through its Publicity Director Uchenna Kalu, said "it received with sadness the utterance of the former Governor of the Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu, on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. We apologise to Atiku over Kalu’s recent statement calling him a “chameleon, selfish and inconsistent. We commiserate with Alhaji Atiku because we know exactly the role he played in moving the country forward and we urge Atiku to forgive Kalu over his utterances and we call on him to continue to associate with the Abia people". Icheoku says if this people are not the lowest of low-lifers on earth, nothing else so qualifies? How condescending and slavish for them to beg Atiku to continue to associate with Abia people and Icheoku asks what is the benefit derivable from such association? When have Adamawa people ever begged to be associated with anybody, not even Olusegun Obasanjo when he was torturing their own Abubarkar Atiku? Who is the chameleon if not Atiku? Who is selfish if not Atiku? Who is inconsistent if not Atiku? Inspite of all his hoofing and puffing against Olusegun Obasanjo, he still crawled back on his knees to beg for forgiveness of his sins? So Orji Kalu was right! Despite swearing to be the symbol of democracy struggle in Nigeria, Atiku abandoned course and without consulting his followers surrepitously arranged to and went to prostrate before Olusegun Obasanjo? And again, Orji Kalu was right on the money! An Atiku's visit founded on his selfish desire to rule Nigeria at all cost, even if it means dinning with the devil Olusegun Obasanjo; and again Orji was right! Peradventure, a big surprise awaits Atiku as Nigerians will resist such a drooling son of a bitch from becoming their president.

Unlike Abubarkar Atiku, Orji Uzor-Kalu had remained steadfast with his convictions and was the first to throw his hat in the ring to stop Olusegun Obasanjo from his third term bid? That he suffered greatly without cowing down to Olusegun Obasanjo was a fact of general awareness; losing his Slok Airlines operating license as well as Hallmark Bank etc as a consequence of standing up to the lunatic of Otta, Olusegun Obasanjo. That Orji Uzor-Kalu fought off Olusegun Obasanjo's machine and got "elected" twice as Abia State's executive governor and topped it all when he was succeeded in office by his own chosen candidate, under his own newly floated political party, PPA; is there for these urchins consituted in Abia Elders Forum to see? Abubarkar could not even win his own state of Adamawa and yet it is the same Atiku that this Abia Elders Forum prefers and is begging to forgive Orji Kalu; and to also not forsake Abia State? What for and wherein is the dividends of such felicity?

Icheoku says, it is regrettable as it is omnious that some Igbo people do not recognise their heros, of which Orji Uzor-Kalu eminently qualifes as one, belonging in the same genre as Odumegwu Ojukwu, Senator Ken Nnamani and Ralph Uwazulike just to mention a few. Icheoku says this, because we recognise where people stand in periods of high adversity and not those story-tellers, like this Abia Elders Forum, who re-appear from their hide-outs after the tornado had already blown away? Calling Orji Kalu a political rascal does not belittle his stature as he, Orji Uzor-Kalu has by his accomplishments during his short life on earth, achieved so much that these rat-packs called Abia Elders Forum can only day-dream about. That Orji Uzor-Kalu is a man is without doubt and a brave man indeed; and to say otherwise will be as pitful as a jealousy-driven denial of the obvious. Aptly described by Orji Uzor-Kalu himself, these folks of Abia Elders Forum are a bunch of irresponsible and faceless political orphans! Icheoku does not care about the veracity of the excahnges between Orji Kalu and Atiku but only mindful that Orji Uzor-Kalu should not be singled out to be crucified, for chastising Abubarkar Atiku's ill-advised, capitulating visit to Olusegun Obasanjo, period!

GBONG GWOM JOS, MAKES HIS FINAL EXIT!

Another Nigerian high up has joined his ancestors, but this time however it was at a local hospital. Unlike others whose remains had to be flown back to Nigeria from various foreign hospitals wherein they expired, this latest ruler died in the land of his forebears.

The Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman of Plateau State Council of Traditional Rulers, Da Victor Pam, is dead. He died at Jos University Teaching Hospital by 5.00am on Saturday March 7, 2009 at the age of 73.

The deceased, a Berom, hailed from Du district of Jos South local government and was the third Gbong Gwom Jos; the other two being Da Rwang Pam and Da Fom Bot. He ascended the throne of the Gbong Gwom in 2004.

Icheoku says, adieu Gbong Qwom!

YOUR SUNDAY WITH PROPHET MKO TIBETAN!

In the name of the Lord Most High, I bring you this good tidings, today Sunday, March 8, 2009, The topic for today's bible discussion and spirituality is "FASTING".

The importance of fasting:- fasting is very important spiritually, medically and otherwise. Today there are many churches with different opinions about fasting but I want you to accept the one that supports fasting from Ash-Wednesday through Easter day. Today as always, fasting is very important to everybody as it is only God who can put food on any-one's table; nobody can boast of tomorrow or his ability to pay his next month's rent or mortgage without God's approval. Everything for most part largely depends on prayer and if you want to get things from him you have to deny yourself of her food and anything worldly.

Therefore, this year, fasting is very important and although it is not by force, they used fasting and prayer to salvage the city Nineveh. The bible teaches us how the Lord accepted their fasting to save their humanity. In Matthew 4:2 even Jesus fasted for forty days and that helped him jump the hurdles set by Satan. He was empowered by God. Fasting is very important, if you are not a special disciple please better join us now as we fast and wait unto the Lord. For instructional reading, please see Acts13:2-3, 10:30, 14:23, Nehemiah 9:1, Est.4:3, Psalm.35:15, 69:10, 2Sam.12:16, 2Cor6:5, 1Sam.7:6, Zacharia.7:5, Deuteronomy 9:3, Jeremiah.36:6, and Joel.2:12.

Brethren in Christ, fasten your seat belt and abstain from food and unworldly things, to allow the blessings of 2009 to be equally shared by us in the name of almighty God. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us there is time for everything under heaven, embrace yourself spiritually now as you embark on fasting, which time has come in your life. Until next Sunday, leave your life as will be pleasing before the Lord. Amen!

TSVANGIRAI:- ONE SURVIVES, ONE DIES IN AN ASSASSINATION?

It is with heart filled with sympathy that Icheoku condoles the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, on the loss of his wife, Susan Tsvangirai! It is most regrettable that death chose to strike now when the struggle for the soul of Zimbabwe between her husband and Robert Mugabe was almost over. Death, oh why now?

That Susan was the pillar of support to her husband Morgan, throughout their marital life and especially during these last years of great struggle to free Zimbabwe from the death-grip of Robert Mugabe, was of general knowledge. As we write this obituary, our mind is racing to one conclusion, that this death has all the trappings of an assassination? Robert Mugabe and his security agencies cannot share power and will not share power; hence would go to the ends of the earth to stop the Tsvangirais' meddlesome interloping in their power-hold. Unfortunately, it is now one down with one more to go.

Icheoku says, Morgan should run to the mountains of safety for his dear life and immediately; as another truck will be crashing into him in due course if he is not poisoned before then. The ways and means of African despots is nefarious and they sometimes even kill their mothers just to maintain a hold on power. Icheoku says this is not an ordinary accident that took this affable lady's young life, no as we are fully aware of the tactics, atypical of African despots. To understand our position, please follow our trend of thought here. First, all African leaders travel to places in a protective convoy of gun-totting stern looking security kill-joys, who will not blink at squashing a life of any intruder. Second, the security agents usually close and condone-ff every intersection on the road to be travelled by the leader and sometimes such stretch of road remains closed-off until after such a visit. If these are given and accepted as informed premise, how then did this driver of the truck make contact with the vehicle carrying the Tsvangirais? Also how did the driver of the truck know exactly when to start his vehicle, drive it from a distance to timely impact and plow into the Tsvangirai's vehicle? Why was it the exact vehicle carrying the Tsvangirais that was specifically impacted amongst the convoy if they were not specifically targeted? All the corresponding coincidences are rather too many for it to be just an accidental contact of a rogue truck that took the life of Lady Tsvangirai. Icheoku says, based on what is obtainable in Africa and the road so far travelled in this analysis, Susan Tsvangirai was a victim of a state's assassination and her husband, the prime minister Morgan was also targeted, but was lucky to escape with his life.

Looking at the damage on the SUV carrying the Tsvangirais, it does not appear it was an unsurvivable accident. The pictured accident-vehicle does not look as if there was a tire-burst? Could it be that Susan was possibly not wearing her seat-belt, and was ejected from the rolled-over vehicle, crushing her skull in the process? Icheoku calls on Morgan Tsvangirai to institute a powerful probe to determine how his pillar of strength was taken away from him and so suddenly?

Our fear is that Morgan is merely a "ceremonial" prime minister without any real power, none of which Robert Mugabe has yielded. Morgan could not even secure the release of his deputy minister for agriculture Roy Bennett, who is in detention, despite a court's bail order, being tried for treason. Also currently available information has it that the magistrate who granted Mr. Bennett bail, Livingstone Chipadze has himself been arrested for not kow-towing Robert Mugabe's wishes that Bennett does not see the day-light again. The only meaningful advise from Icheoku to Morgan Tsvangirai, is to resign his office in protest against the illegitimate government of Robert Mugabe; then he can reboot his opposition for a more forceful agitation from outside the government for security purposes. Being so close to the government as a prime minister will only bring him too close for the hatchet men of Mugabe to chop off his head. Morgan Tsvangirai, please do not be a seating duck for Robert Mugabe's enforcers, as nothing in Zimbabwe as presently constituted, is worth making your kids orphans. They have already lost their mother and losing their father also might be too haranguing a trauma from which they may never fully recover from? Robert Mugabe has already killed your wife and must be regretting the shoddy job done by his henchmen in not also getting you in their flaky accident?

Susan Tsvangirai, died Friday March 6, 2009 afternoon in a "road accident" that also injured her husband Morgan. The collision occurred about 30 miles south of Harare, between 1600 hours [1400 GMT] and 1700 (about 2.00PM), on the Harare-Masvingo Road. Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife Susan were headed to their hometown of Buhera, south of the capital, from the capital Harare. As their vehicle collided head-on with a heavy truck, Susan succumbed to her injuries and died soon afterwards at the scene. Morgan was conscious and in a stable condition in a local hospital. To complete the "mafia-like hit" drama, the first visitor Morgan Tsvangirai had at his hospital bed was none other than Robert Mugabe himself? And we are talking about "The Godfather movie"! Icheoku asks, how can the trailer of a large truck suddenly and precisely swing out from nowhere, in front of the Tsvangirai's moving vehicle, sideswiped their vehicle with such a great speed that it rolled-over leaving Susan dead with her husband in hospital? It is the stuff, Hollywood movies are made of, especially if that Hollywood movie was out of Sicily-Italy? It requires the total and complete suspension of disbelief to accept such a mirage of a coincidence? Icheoku says, it does not help speculations when several "enemies" of Mugabe's Zanu-PF party have been killed in the past in such orchestrated and staged accidents?

According to one observer who raised similar doubt on the accident, "I'm skeptical about any motor vehicle accident in Zimbabwe involving an opposition figure. Robert Mugabe has a history of strange car accidents when someone lo and behold dies; -- it's sort of his modus operandi of how they get rid of people they don't like."

It is instructive to note that "car accidents" took the lives of the estranged Defense Minister Moven Mahachi in 2001, the former Employment Minister Border Gezi's in 1999 and former minister and regional governor Elliot Manyika, last year December 2008? And car accidents never saw these men while they were still in the good books of Robert Mugabe until they became "renegades"? Icheoku says, it is such a big coincidence that each of these three deemed "disagreeable" men and now Susan Tsvangirai all died in car crashes?

A full independent investigation is what is needed to get to the root of this one murder too many! Despite all the present Zimbabwe's government-kites being flown to the world as to the possible cause of the accident, from the driver of the semi-truck possibly sleeping on the wheels, to a possible tire-burst of the Tsvangirai's vehicle etc , Icheoku says, only Robert Mugabe's exit from power in Harare can solve this riddle. Until then, and as the world joins Morgan Tsvangirai to mourn the loss of his wife, Susan Tsvangirai, Icheoku wishes the Prime Minister God's protection as the vermin of Harare will surely make another attempt to stop his crusade to better the lot of the Zimbabwean people. Please accept our condolences, Mr Prime Minister and may your wife's soul find peace with the Lord! Adieu Susan Tsvangirai!

An MDC spokesman describes 'critical' accident »

Play Video Zimbabwe Video:Mugabe visits Tsvangirai in hospital BBC

Play Video Zimbabwe Video:Zimbabwe PM's wife killed in car crash CBC.ca

Play Video Zimbabwe Video:Zimbabwe PM hurt, wife killed Reuters

SUDAN, OMAR AL-BASHIR SHOULD SURRENDER NOW!

The present braggadocio of the Sudanese henchman in Khartoum, Omar al-Bashir, will eventually come to naught. History does not support his present defiance of a duly constituted International Criminal Court (ICC) as its issued warrant for his arrest, shall be executed somehow, somewhere and sometime. Omar al-Bashir should, on hindsight ask Libya's Mummar Qaddafi his experience being roiled-over against the international community? What about the other lunatic who held Iraq hostage for over three decades, Saddam Hussein? Today only his bones which lay beneath the earth somewhere in Tikiriti-Iraq testifies to his ever existence; and he died like a common criminal, hung by the neck until it snapped, in the gallows by the brave people of Iraq.

Icheoku says, Omar al-Bashir should be humble enough to start discussing terms of his surrender, indictment and possible imprisonment for war crimes against his people of Darfur origin. At least he stands to get a fair trial which he denied his people of Darfur who he summarily executed just for their skin color? An Arab killing real Africans just because he is a bigot and now that his hour has come to face his nemesis, he is hoofing and puffing at the international community? The International Criminal Court is a fair court as recently demonstrated when the former president of Serbian President Milan Milutinovic was found not guilty of war crimes by that court, which had earlier indicted him. So, Omar al-Bashir, if you have nothing to hide, begin your defense at the Hague today and right now by turning yourself in!

Omar al-Bashir and his apologists can call it whatever they like, but those people of Darfur who he sent to their early graves; decimating their villages and towns in the earth-scorching policy of his killer-government, are not White people but Africans. It therefore flies in the face of reason, for his government to tag the warrant for his arrest as a "neo- colonialist" move to destabilise Sudan; a Sudan which Omar al-Bashir had personally and single-handedly destabilised when he choose to exterminate a part of its population simply because they are blacks? The risk of such a warrant destabilizing Darfur is a levitating argument since Darfur has since been destabilized by the action and/or in-action of Omar al-Bashir himself. Such sentimental argument has since become mute and should not be factored in, in prosecuting the warrant for Omar al-Bashir's arrest. What is of consequence here is that the ICC has the backing of the United States of America and her European allies; so the so-called African Union can shout all they can or throw all the tantrums they want but Icheoku says, shame on them for waiting this long, until the ICC did a job they could have themselves since done. With over 300,000 Sudanese people of Darfur ethnicity killed and millions more displaced by Omar al-Bashir's government, who in his right mind will argue against bringing this bloody Dracula of Khartoum to justice?

Icheoku says, some pontificators who are arguing that the ICC is selective in its decisions on who to prosecute should read history. Unlike President George Bush who was prosecuting a war against a foreign sovereign, Omar al-Bashir was waging a war of extermination against his own people of Darfur, Sudan. Omar al-Bashir directed attacks on his unarmed civilian population, which population he had sworn an oath as president to defend and protect. The people of Darfur were not collateral damage to the conflict raging on in Sudan. No, they were victims of Omar al-Bashir's deliberate, intentional and calculated act of aggression on a civilian populace. Omar al-Bashir according to the warrant for his arrest, is being sought for "murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing and forcibly transferring and displacing large numbers of Darfur civilians and pillaging their property". Also, after Hitler's maniacal attempt to take-over the world failed, a subsequent war crimes tribunal en-panelled, tried some of his cronies for their role in the genocide. They were tried principally for exterminating their native as well as other civilian Jewish population and not necessarily for bombing London to near smithereens. The implication is that act of war is recognised by the international community and so Hitler was legally engaged in act of war with Britain; but his conduct of deliberately targeting Jews was what was frowned against? Therefore, to state that the ICC is selective by not indicting President George Bush on Iraq is stretching the parameters and hence, over-reaching. President George Bush did not deliberately target Iraqi civilian population for extermination, as most of Iraqi war-dead were victims of collateral damage occasioned by the armed hostilities between two nations? We all must be able to distinguish the two scenarios and accept that what Omar al-Bashir did against his people was heinous as it was horrendous; so his sentiments of "neo-colonialism" should not be allowed to fly. It is a plebeian argument meant to evoke an unfounded emotional passion of patriotism in the masses of Sudan and some faceless African nations.

Look at Egypt being "greatly disturbed" by the ICC's decision when they could, but chose not to stop the carnage of Darfur simply because it was a fellow Arab that was perpetrating the "genocide"? Also it was their crony Omar al-Bashir who had fought alongside Hosni Mubarak in their war against Israel in the 1970s? Further, Mubarak is a fellow dictator like Omar al-Bashir, and sees nothing wrong in his friend trying to wipe out real Africans from their land in Africa's Sudan? That the African Union said the ruling could strike a fatal blow to faltering peace moves in Darfur is a testament that this union has no moral basis for its existence. Icheoku asks, where was this African Union all these years since the mayhem in Darfur was taking place or were they hijacked by the Arabs thus rendering it impotent and hence being used as a mere tool? According to one commentator, by this warrant of arrest, Omar al-Bashir is now a wanted man; which Icheoku rephrases to read, Omar al-Bashir is now the world's most wanted genocidal criminal.

Icheoku congratulates the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo's for bringing this warrant of arrest against one of Africa's bloodiest despot. We pray that the international community will give him the necessary back-up muscle to prosecute and put away this vampire of Khartoum for good. Icheoku says, the good news is that precedents favour the current position of the ICC, the good people of Darfur, Sudan, Africa, and the entire world. We have previously seen such grandstanding by other despotic African-terrorist-leaders eventually come to naught and this donkey in Khartoum will not be an exception? From Idi Amin Dada of Uganda to Libya's Ghaddafi to Liberia's Charles Taylor, it has been the same conclusion - they all capitulated and so shall this soon to be former president of Sudan. Saddam Hussein once taught he could take on the world and his epitaph in Tikiriti now possibly reads, "here lies the lunatic of Baghdad who killed and buried his own people in their thousands and in mass, unmarked graves".

Icheoku says, the present action of the International Court of Justice (ICC) has our full support and we pray that all the dictators of Africa should meet similar fate as befits every crazed-out lunatic of this world! How Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, a potential "indictee" of this court, escaped prosecution for the Odi and Zaki-Ibiam massacres is yet to be determined. Icheoku calls on Omar al-Bashir of Sudan to save himself and the world further pain, and immediately hand himself over to the ICC to be prosecuted for his crimes against humanity of Darfur!

A NIGERIAN, SENT AWAY FOR 188 YEARS!

In the spirit of "re-branding", a Lagos, Nigeria court sentenced a criminal fraudster to a whopping 188 years behind bars! By this sentence, the Nigeria court is making a statement that it is no longer business as usual for criminal masterminds in Nigeria. Samson Oluwatoyin Lukula was sentenced by an Ikeja High Court, Lagos to virtually a triple life sentence which means he will need to die and come back trice in order to fully serve out the term of years; judging by the average life span of 63years for a typical Nigerian male?

Mr. Lukula had passed himself as a qualified accountant (CPA) and obtained a job with his false credentials and thereon the job, defrauded his employers to the tune of over N40 million ($400,000.00)? The court found him guilty on all the 94-count charge of forgery, stealing, uttering and false declaration. According to available information, the convict "went to a notorious slum in Lagos Island, Oluwole and forged several certificates including a University of Lagos (BSc) degree in Accounting; an Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) certificate and a National Youth Service Certificate (NYSC) discharged certificate. With these fake documents, he secured employment as a Finance Manager in an Investment Company in Lagos, without being discovered. Icheoku says, little wonder certificates awarded by Nigerian Institutions of Higher Learning does not worth much outside the shores of Nigeria?

Being the master forger he is, Mr. Lukula forged his employer's bank deposit slips and with it diverted company's receipts into his personal account to the sum of N40,000,000.00! He also forged the signature of one of his employer's client and defrauded it of N1.5million ($10,000.00). He was arrested and charged for these crimes. The Court found him guilty on all the counts and sentenced him to two years imprisonment on each of the 94 counts. In addition he refunded the sum of N5.4million and forfeited a N7million property to his victim and was also ordered to re-pay the sum of N500,000 to the victim every month until he amortizes the balance on the N40million defrauded.

Icheoku says, this is a step in the right direction and only prays it extends to the political class in Nigeria, who are the real mega-fraudsters. Regrettably, no politician has been convicted and sent away to prison since the fabled EFCC sprung into action; while Nigerians are being inundated daily about the "barking and no biting" anti-corruption agency? Icheoku implores the EFCC to be courageous and take a bite on the political class to regain its relevance amongst Nigerians.

VIEIRA & WAIE OF GUINEA-BISSAU, WHAT A DOUBLE TRAGEDY?

As another African leader bites the dust, the whole world is trying to make sense out of the double tragedy that struck the tiny West African country of Guinea-Bissau. Her President Joao Bernardo Vieira 69 (right), and Chief of Army Staff, General Tagme Na Waie (below) were respectively killed within just a few hours apart. The former by 5.00am Monday March 2, 2009 and the later on Sunday March 1, 2009 night?

The marauding and rebellious soldiers which took the life of the president were reacting to the act of violence authorised, sanctioned and carried out by and on the orders of the late president on their chief of army staff. According to available information, the chief of army staff was bombed to death in his official quarters on the direct orders of the late president? Icheoku says, what a brutal taking of law into ones' hands both by the president who instigated his own very demise and the amok-running khaki-boys who wasted him in retaliation! Why must a sitting African president always see himself as a "god" who can, at his whims, take the life of another human-being without first going through due process? In a way, Icheoku some-what accedes to the riotous soldiers show of instant justice, at least to prove to these African "demi-gods" leaders that they are not all that supreme!

If the chief of army staff did something wrong, where was the president's Commander-In-Chief's power, with which he would have relieved him of his office; rather than the primitive act of "shooting him between the eyes"? The chief of Army staff was, before any-other thing, a brother, a husband, a father, an uncle and a tribesman to so many Guinea-Bissau people; so why would the late president think that his action will not elicit a response? This is especially so in Africa, where tribal loyalty far exceed any allegiance to any oath of office, and revenge-killing is somewhat viewed as very honorable; and coming just a few hours after the state murder of an "innocent" Chief of Army staff makes it more "worthwhile". According to law, one is innocent until proven guilty, so without any form of trial, the Chief of Army Staff would be adjudged innocent.

Icheoku says, the Chairman of ECOWAS Mohamed Ibn Chambas assertion that the killing "is not only the assassination of a president or a chief of staff, it's the assassination of democracy", is an arrant nonsense as the president is not by himself the democracy in Guinea-Bissau but a mere product of the democracy and in his absence, another president will be elected. Also, if only the president had realized that in a democracy, there is a thing called rule of law, may be he would have not authorized the brutal murder of the chief of army staff and by so doing would have been alive today. The army sustains democracy in any given society and to simply kill their chief of staff without any cogent reason and in total disregard to due process, was the biggest insult on the Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces and peradventure, they reacted accordingly, as expected. Admitted an eye for an eye makes the world go blind, but Jesus Christ minded us that he who kills by the sword goes by the sword!

The Guinea-Bissau armed forces spokesman Samuel Fernandes, spoke well when he vowed that they "are going to pursue the attackers and avenge ourselves." Icheoku says, now that they have avenged the death of their chief of staff, may they allow democracy to continue to flourish in Guinea-Bissau and remain the brave custodians thereof, which they are! Be that as it may, Icheoku commiserates with the people of Guinea-Bissau on the double tragedy of their army chief of staff and president's violent deaths.

JACK BAUER & 24, THAT WAS OVER-BOARD!

Nobody slaps an American president, period! And it does not matter if that slap was handed down on a Hollywood set! Icheoku is an avid fan of Jack Bauer's 24, but when the writers and producers of the thriller, allow a scene where the "terrorist" rogue General Juma lays his filthy hand on our president, we condemn such as very indecent.

Today's episode was hair-raising until that downer where our helpless president was forced out of her secured-room, by the threat of Juma to slice her daughter to pieces. And to watch her already stressed but courageous face be slapped by General Juma was as unthoughtful a scene as it was very insulting to our general psyche. No one slaps an American president anywhere, anytime and no matter the circumstance.

Icheoku would have preferred the Vice president gave the order to assault the White-house or better still the agent escaped with the president's daughter to alert the security agents that Juma does not have the president. There were several instances where the spitfire of 24 would have been maintained in a more dignified way other than to slap our president. This is an over-kill and please 24 and crew must take this under advisement when scripting subsequent series! Such a scene is simply speaking, a no no and as unthinkable as it is horrifying!

We understand that the whole episode was intended to make us stand on our toes till next Monday, but slapping of an American president was a disrespect to all Americans and that president, being a woman, in lieu of the recent Chris Brown roughing-up of Rihana, fortifies the stereotype of humiliating women in a masculine world!

Icheoku condemns this scene and hopefully we are not the lone voice in denouncing this humiliating slap of an American president by the rogue General Juma of Singala.

"THIS IS PAUL HARVEY, GOOD DAY"!

He was exactly what legends are made of! Certainly he belonged to that genre of very few gifted radio icons who knew how to hold their audience captive? Like Rush Limbaugh, he communicated to his audience in a language of familiarity and succinctly too!

Veteran radio commentator, Paul Harvey passed on to the world beyond, on Saturday February 28, 2009 at the very ripe age of 90! ABC Network that carried his program, confirmed his death and added that Paul died at his winter home in Phoenix, surrounded by family. Although no official cause of death was immediately available, Icheoku says, the cause of death is good old age!

Paul Harvey had a radio career spanning over 70 years from 1933 until his death. On May 10, 1976, he began "The Rest of the Story," program which delved into the forgotten or little known facts, behind stories of people and events. He usually signed off this program with his signature "This is Paul Harvey, Good-Day"! It is estimated that some 18 million people tuned into his daily reports to hear his 15-minute take on the day's events. He was heard on California's Bay Area KGO Newstalk Radio AM 810 as well as on over 1300 other radio stations and 400 Armed Forces Network stations, world-wide. According to one tribute, Paul Harvey "truly communicated. He talked right to you. In words you could understand. He looked straight into your eyes even on the radio. He spoke with conviction, enthusiasm, and all of his arguments made so much doggone sense".

Paul Harvey was survived by his son Paul Harvey Jr., who is often heard filling in for Paul Sr., especially on the "The rest of the story" program. His wife "Angel," the former Lynne Cooper of St. Louis, had pre-deceased him as she passed away on May 3, 2008. Icheoku says, may the soul of Paul Harvey rest in peace!

NOSE JOB FOR THESE NIGERIANS?

In a Mister Nose contest in Nigeria, which of these three men will come up tops and go home with the coveted trophy? Clockwise from left to right, Nigeria's Vice president Jonathan Goodluck, Peoples Democratic Party's chairman Vincent Ogbulafor and the Bank Executive Jim Ovia? Each of them is rather very richly endowed with prominent breathing apparatus - N O S E!

Look masculine or just another African feature which does not far remove them from their chronological ancestors, the chimpanzees? Were these men simpletons, they would have considered a nose reduction cosmetic surgery; but no, each has achieved a milestone in his respective calling and would rather that speak to his "handsomeness" rather than the singer, Michael Jackson's approach? Icheoku says, however, any of these men would qualify for the trophy and emerge as the Mister Nose of Nigeria!

TYRA BANKS, A LOOK-ALIKE OR WHAT?

This picture of a Tyra Bank's possible look-alike appeared with a story titled "Sleeping with my friend's husband has rendered me homeless", in a Nigerian publication, "Lagos Weekend" of February 27 through March 1 2009.

Icheoku queries, is this our Tyra Banks or someone that looks very much like her? If your guess is that this is a Tyra Bank's clone, then the two ladies need to meet each other; and such a meeting will be a roof-popper, chart-buster in the Tyra Bank's TV show? If on the converse it is a real picture of Tyra Banks, then Icheoku says, what a downer or mood-scorcher our ever amiable TB is in! Or was it just a painting of her?

Once again, be reminded that Icheoku culled the picture from a Nigeria publication, "Lagos Weekend" of February 27 - March 1 2009.

JACK STRAW, 419 "RE-BRANDING" NIGERIA?

In the spirit of current effort at re-branding Nigeria, some Nigerian 419 operators recently targeted the British Justice Secretary, Jack Straw? What a way not to re-brand Nigeria and someone still says Dora Akunyili will succeed with her planned make-over of Nigeria? Where does this effort at re-branding Nigeria, really start? From a president who did not win an election but was imposed on the country by a cabal or a criminal 419 operator who is still scheming his next victim? And it does not matter whether the next victim is the chief law enforcement officer of the United Kingdom? Icheoku says, we do not envy Dora Akunyili as she is between a rock and a hard place in this her improbable effort to make Nigeria, lovable once again.

According to sources, some Nigerian 419 criminal fraudsters sent out several hundreds of e-mails in the name of the Justice Secretary, asking for some money. The e-mails claimed Jack Straw had lost his wallet while on a charity-work mission in Africa and needed just $3,500 US dollars to enable him get back to London. The message read, "I would like you to assist me with a soft loan urgently to settle my hotel bills and get myself back home ". Such messages headed the Right Hon Jack Straw MP were sent to several council bosses, government chiefs as well as other British citizens. Secretary Straw confirmed that such e-mails were sent to a "significant number of people" in his address book but he said there were no security issues as it was his Blackburn e-mail address rather than his ministerial account that was compromised. According to him, "I started getting phone calls from various constituents asking if I was really in Nigeria needing 3,000 dollars. It was an issue for constituents, not the government".

Icheoku says, whoever falls victim to such idiocy is an imbecile, knowing that there are channels for the Justice Secretary to re-coupe, assuming he is stranded while on foreign mission, other than letter for help to the British public. What is the British embassy in Nigeria or the Office of Foreign Relations in London doing, when a mere phone call or personal visit would have solved whatever financial difficulty the alleged loss of a wallet could have brought upon the Secretary? More-so, such a high State official does not personally pay for his affairs while on official state matters and the whole scam would have been disregarded but in order to throw additional searchlight on Nigeria's effort at re-branding? Even the Secretary acknowledged the stupidity of the emails, when he said "But I think it was so obviously ridiculous that I could go off trekking in Africa and I would lose my wallet." Icheoku says, these Nigerian criminal 419 operators should at least research their ploys better, to know that an official of state such as the British Justice Secretary has avenues of recouping a loss rather than an open letter to the British public. What a hydra-headed dumb and dumber these Nigerian 419 criminals are? With so many such similarly situated Nigerians still out there to prey on unsuspecting victims, Dora Akunyili has a very steep hill to climb with this her re-branding of Nigeria effort!

YOUR SUNDAY WITH PROPHET MKO TIBETAN!

The Topic for this Sunday, March 1, 2009, word from On HIGH through Prophet (Dr) MKO Tibetan is "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"!

In Philippians 2:12 we are made to understand that we need to work hard because salvation is personal and freedom is not free; we have to work for it. In Isaiah 6:8, the Lord said “who shall I send to pay for the freedom”? He had to send his only beloved son to die for us to pay for our freedom. Jesus Christ made us to realize in Luke 23:26-46 when Simon of Cyrene helped carry his cross, that we should not cry for him but for ourselves, because freedom is not free as there is a price to be paid; and he, Jesus paid it in Golgotha!

In Matthew17:27, while in Capernaum, Jesus was asked to pay tax; and Jesus asked Peter to go to the river and the first fish he catches would provide for their taxes. From that alone, you can see that God is with Jesus Christ! So if you want good things in life pray also to God as He alone can provide them for you. Brethren in Christ, no matter your financial crisis, retrace your steps back to Jesus. In Jeremiah 6:16 the Lord asked us to seek the ancient paths, the good way and walk in it, in order that we shall find rest for our soul.

When you go through these chapters, the spirit of God will minister to you that salvation is not free. To live on this earth is not free, but you must be assured that if God is with you nobody can be against you; as he alone is the only one who can and have paid for our freedom! Finally, any traveler going to Freetown, Sierra Leone in West Africa must have to pay for everything because there is nothing that is free in Freetown!

Until next week, God be with you as you churn these words from ON HIGH in your mind and make use of it during the week ahead, and all the days of your life, AMEN!

RUKUNDO, A GENOCIDAL-CATHOLIC PRIEST, SENT TO PRISON!

A blood-thirsty killer in cassock, who revolted against the Lord's instruction to be "your brother's keeper", and instead became "your brother's killer", was sent to prison for 25 long years. When he dies, he will again be sentenced by our Lord to Hell in perpetuity, for the sins of hate, murder and genocide which he perpetrated against God's children in Rwanda! Behold the murderer, Emmanuel Rukundo, pictured here above; and he is a Catholic priest?

This mongrel, a Hutu, was a former army chaplain and took part in the abduction and killing of Tutsis, who had sought refuge at a seminary under his episcopal command?

It will be recalled that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered within one hundred days, during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda; in which this blood-sucker, participated in. This sub-human specimen was also convicted for sexual assault, kidnapping and attempted rape of a young Tutsi woman!

Emmanuel Rukundo was arrested in Geneva in 2001. According to the findings, Emmanuel Rukundo used his office as a reverend father to monitor local Tutsis, many of whom were his parishioners and led them to their slaughter, in the hands of ethnic Hutu soldiers and militiamen.

The genocide, it will be recalled started when on April 6, 1994 the then Rwandan Hutu-President, Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down by people believed to be Tutsis? Between the April and July 1994, an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the ensuing retaliatory ethnic cleansing. However in July 1994 a Tutsi, Paul Kigame led rebel movement Rwanda Patriotic Front captured Rwanda's capital Kigali, thus bringing to an end the genocide. The resulting victory of the Tutsis rebel led to the fleeing of about two million Hutus to the then Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to Judge Joseph Asoka de Silva of the United Nation's court, "The accused was found to have abused his moral authority and influence to promote the abduction and killing of Tutsi refugees. Rukundo's acts were clearly part of the genocide. When he committed these crimes, he intended to completely or partially destroy the Tutsi ethnic group."

Icheoku would rather this priest recieved the life sentence demanded by the Prosecutors; to send a message that a killer masquerading as a priest in a white cassock, deserves to have the book thrown at him. It is also note-worthy that "Reverend Father" Emmanuel Rukundo is the second Roman Catholic priest to be convicted of genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in the Tanzanian town of Arusha. Icheoku says, what would Jesus Christ say about this his "representative" from Rwanda?

For additional story on the genocide, now click:- Rwanda's 100 days of genocide

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME, FAN INCURS A $27,000+ BILL?

What a whopper of a bill? For just watching a football game on his laptop, using a wireless card, a fan of Chicago Bears was slammed with a hefty telephone/Internet access bill of $27,000 USD! Holly Molly!

According to the reports, on November 2, 2008, one Wayne Burdick, was aboard a cruise ship in Miami waiting to depart on his scheduled Caribbean cruise. While still docked at the port, he set up his laptop and wireless card and accessed his Slingbox device which allowed him to watch a Chicago Bears game via an Internet connection. When the game was over, Burdick closed his computer and continued on his cruise; only to return home to find a bill from AT&T charging him over $27,000 for the three hours of Internet usage.

AT&T had charged Brudick the international rate for the Internet/television access at two cents per kilobyte, which totalled $27,788.93 for the time spent watching the game! Burdick pled his case to AT&T, saying he was still at the port and not in roaming territory. After speaking with nearly a half-dozen people at the company, he managed to get the bill down to $6,000; after providing evidential documentation that he was still technically in Miami at the time he used his wireless card.

LOUIS OBYO OBYO NELSON, PhD AND DIABETES CURE?

Icheoku congratulates Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, PhD of Nigeria on his discovery of a potential cure for Diabetes! This chemist has by this discovery, "re-branded Nigeria" to the extent that his achievement could help in burnishing its image? Yet Nigeria has a minister of health whose name is not Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson? Talk about a nation that does not value her shinning stars or men and women with proven records?

Icheoku also learnt that GDP Ayurvedic Univer-sity (GDPAU), New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America has signed on for the commercialisation, marketing and sales of the anti diabetic drug. According to the University's Professor Ramesh C. Pandey, pictured below right, his institution has signed the exclusive-worldwide licence agreement for the commercialization, sales and marketing of the diabetic herbal drug, known as AD-1?

Unfortunately Nigeria has not learnt how to effectively represent her citizenry's interest in world affairs; that at the signing ceremony on February 3, 2009, it sent just a junior minister of health Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong to represent her government? Even the Senate President David Mark had to send a mere representative, the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Gyang Dantong to attend the signing ceremony? Icheoku wonders, does Nigeria really know the potential of what is at stake here? A potential cure for one of the killer-diseases which has plagued the world, defied western research and medicine; with the only known palliative being a daily needle-poking of the body to deliver a dose of insulin, and which afflicts over 180 million people world-wide? Does Nigeria realize that this drug has the potential to give her oil-revenue a run for its money, if properly managed? Ask Pfizer about their golden goose, Viagra! Instead of throwing the full weight and might of the Federal government, Nigeria is treating this discovery in a cavalier manner with which so many uplifting events has been met with since independence? Why couldn't the Minister of Health be there at the signing ceremony? A country really serious, would have sent even the vice president, himself a medical doctor, to this signing agreement, to project full support of the government.

The other good news here is that this PhD in chemistry, have obtained a US patent No. 6,531,461 B1 of March 11, 2003 for his finding. Icheoku asks, were there patent lawyers engaged by this scientist to adequately tie the parties' hands to ensure adequate future returns on his finding? How much involved is the Nigerian government and particularly Akwa Ibom government which financed the research? Icheoku believes that they were properly provided for in future returns on the findings too? Our effort is to ensure that this scientist is properly rewarded and not be short-changed on a finding whose potential is indeterminate. Also all future references to this chemist should incorporate his full names, and not just the present "Louis Nelson"which sounds "alien" and "foreign" and which does not properly identify him with his indigenous Nigerian names! Nigeria, please stand up in a thundering ovation for the great scientist, Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, Ph.D; who has brought to Nigeria, a bountiful of good tidings with his discovery. Icheoku prays that before too long, his discovery will start to put smiles on millions of diabetics all over the world. Once again, Congratulations Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, PhD!

Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, PhD can be contacted via his Email: mailto:?@yahoo.com

To find out more about the other party with interest, click:- American Academy of Ayurvedic Medicine, Inc. (AAAM).... Founding ...

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, ADDRESSES CONGRESS!

It is energy! It is education! It is health-care! With these three cardinal policy-trusts in focus, United States of America President Barack H. Obama vows to lead the country out of its inherited and persisting economic down-turn.

The President vowed to vigorously lead the effort to get the United States of America out of the crushing recession and into a lofty and hopeful future. In his words, "Tonight I want every Americans to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before."

Continuing, President Barack H. Obama said, "The only way this century will be another American century is if we confront at last the price of our dependence on oil and the high cost of health care, the schools that aren't preparing our children and the mountain of debt they stand to inherit, that is our responsibility."

Icheoku says, good-luck Mr. President as you navigate through the molasses of the present economic quagmire, which your predecessor left for you! God's speed!

For the full and complete detail of President Barack Obama's address, click the two links, below:-

To watch the full video of the President's address, click:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MVtE7C-YVc

To read the complete text of the President's address, click:- Text: Obama's address to Congress - International Herald Tribune

For the Republican Party's response to the President's address, click:- Transcript of Gov. Jindal's GOP response to Obama speech - CNN.com