TED KENNEDY, PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS 'THANK YOU AND GOODBYE!'

As President Barack Obama says his 'thank you and goodbye' to one of a kind American, who left indelible marks on the nation's political landscape; Icheoku, alongside many other Americans and friends world-over alike, mourn the passing of a great statesman, Senator Edward Kennedy!

Ted died on Tuesday, August 26, 2009 at his Cape Cod Massachusetts home, of brain cancer. He was 77.

In President Obama's remarks, he said of Edward Kennedy, "I wanted to say a few words this morning about the passing of an extraordinary leader, Senator Edward Kennedy. Over the past several years, I've had the honor to call Teddy a colleague, a counselor, and a friend. And even though we have known this day was coming for some time now, we awaited it with no small amount of dread. Since Teddy's diagnosis last year, we've seen the courage with which he battled his illness. And while these months have no doubt been difficult for him, they've also let him hear from people in every corner of our nation and from around the world just how much he meant to all of us. His fight has given us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say 'thank you -- and goodbye'.

"The outpouring of love, gratitude, and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity, in families that know new opportunity, in children who know education's promise, and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just -- including myself. The Kennedy name is synonymous with the Democratic Party. And at times, Ted was the target of partisan campaign attacks. But in the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth, and good cheer."

"He could passionately battle others and do so peerlessly on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintain warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. His extraordinary life on this earth has come to an end. And the extraordinary good that he did lives on. For his family, he was a guardian. For America, he was the defender of a dream. I spoke earlier this morning to Senator Kennedy's beloved wife, Vicki, who was to the end such a wonderful source of encouragement and strength. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, his children Kara, Edward, and Patrick; his stepchildren Curran and Caroline; the entire Kennedy family; decades' worth of his staff; the people of Massachusetts; and all Americans who, like us, loved Ted Kennedy."

The President also issued a 'Proclamation' in his honor accordingly, "Senator Edward M. Kennedy was not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. Over the past half-century, nearly every major piece of legislation that has advanced the civil rights, health, and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. With his passing, an important chapter in our American story has come to an end. As a mark of respect for the memory of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on August 30, 2009. I also direct that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of his interment. I further direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same periods at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand and nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and thirty-fourth". President Barack Obama.

Edward Kennedy was recently awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Icheoku's most memorable liners of Ted Kennedy was his conclusion of the concession speech to Jimmy Carter in 1980 when he intoned, "The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on!" His endorsement of then Senator Barack Obama presidential campaign was a big shot in the arm for the then fluttering effort. He also gave the Obamas' the gift of BO, their first dog!

According to his funeral plans, Edward Kennedy will lie in state for two days at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, beginning on Thursday August 27 through Friday 28; with a memorial service scheduled there on Friday night. A requiem funeral mass will be said on Saturday morning at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Boston, and thereafter his remains will be flown on Saturday afternoon for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington DC area. His funeral eulogy will be delivered by the President!

Edward Kennedy is survived by wife Vicki Kennedy, a daughter, Kara Kennedy Allen; two sons, Edward Jr. and Patrick Kennedy, a congressman from Rhode Island, and two stepchildren, Caroline and Curran Raclin. It would appear that cancer of some sort runs in his immediate family - Edward Jr. lost a leg to bone cancer in 1973 at age 12? Kara had a cancerous tumor removed from her lung in 2003 and in 1988, Patrick had a non-cancerous tumor pressing on his spine removed.

Echoing President Barack Obama, Icheoku reiterates, although Edward's extraordinary life on this Earth has now come to an end, the extraordinary good that he did lives on. We dedicate the rest of this week through Saturday to his memory! Ted was a Titan!

DOMINICK DUNNE, GONE TOO!

It is happening as if there was a flag-off in the land of the dead, to claim as many personalities here on earth-America as they could lay their hands on? Within the past few weeks, America have lost Bob Novak, Don Hewitt, Eunice Kennedy, Ted Kennedy and now Dominick Dunne!

The famed crime writer, columnist and author, joined 'the also-dead club,' today, August 26, 2009 in New York City, aged 83. His killer, bladder cancer! A native of Hartford Connecticut, Dominick was born into a wealthy Roman Catholic family and grew up in some of the same social circles as the Kennedys.

Known as a chronicler of the problems of the wealthy and powerful, Dominick wrote stories about shocking crimes among the rich and famous for Vanity Fair magazine. Some of his stories include the William Kennedy Smith rape trial in 1991, the trial of Erik and Lyle Menendez accused of murdering their millionaire parents in 1993 and the OJ Simpson murders trial, among others. His other literally works include, "Another City, Not My Own," "People Like Us", "A Season in Purgatory," "An Inconvenient Woman", "The Mansions of Limbo", a memoir called "The Way We Lived Then," and a yet to be completed novel, "Too Much Money," which is billed for release next December 2009. There is also a documentary film about his life, called "After the Party!" and he once debuted a weekly program on Court TV, "Power, Privilege and Justice."

Dominick Dunne is survived by sons Dominique, Alexander and Griffin. Icheoku says, adieu Mr. Chronicler!

SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY IS DEAD!

Breaking news out of Massachusetts confirms that Senator Edward Kennedy has yielded to the cancer of the brain which has devastated him recently. Ted as he was fondly called was 77 years old and a Democratic senator for the past forty-seven years. Icheoku mourns the legend whose single endorsement put back the wind in the then fledgling Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The nation mourns the exit of a titan, the last of the original Kennedys! Adieu Ted.

8/25/09; 9.59pm first carried.

CHRIS BROWN, CAGED!

R&B singer, Chris Brown (CB) 20, skirted prison today due to the dexterity of an astute criminal defence lawyer, Mark Geragos, who plea-bargained him there out. Instead he was confined within a circle of very challenging 'dos and donts' for the next five years. Icheoku feels the terms of his probation are rather too stringent and is most likely to ensnare him eventually to prison, should he wander off the reservation as expected!

Judge Patricia Schnegg of Los Angeles Superior Court ordered CB into a five year probation, six months physical (community) labor, one year of domestic violence counseling and another five years of one hundred yards radius make no contact distance from his former paramour, Rihanna; with 10 yards allowed should they be attending the same music industry events? It will be recalled that CB had ruffed up Rhianna 21, last February, which culminated to today's conviction! Any violation of the stipulated probation conditions while it lasted, will spring automatic sure ticket to state prison!

Icheoku says, it would appear that this incident under advisement was not the first time CB went ballistic on Rihanna as records indicate that on two previous occasions, the two had been belligerently too close to each others' face? The first time was while they were traveling in Europe last year when Rihanna slapped Brown during an argument and CB shoved her into a wall in return? The second occasion was when Brown broke the front and passenger side windows on a Range Rover they were driving while visiting Rhianna's native Barbados!

Icheoku asks, does these incidences make CB a violent person who abused women, with Rhianna being the poster-girl of his abuse? While some may take that as a conclusive evidence, we beg to differ as what we are witnessed might be 'a youthful reaction to a childish provocation' - two stars with a lot of cash with no real life experiences to guard their emotions and actions? We really do not know think that these reactions makes CB a violent OJ Simpson like personality, except that he is rather immature to understand that women have a clever way of getting under men's skin to bring out the beast in them? That is where a matured soul would always turn tail or play possum, to let them have their way and not achieve an objective to brand you what you are not, - a monstrous women abuser! But at 20, what does a rich famous dude know; and now that he has been made a poster boy for males behaving badly, what would he be thinking in hindsight?

Further, this Rihanna miscalculation is a big stigma which CB can never shake off, try as he may, all remorse on mother earth considered, as long as the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks are around to gene up feminism and reharsh how pathetic men are, and how once an abuser always remains an abuser? Instead of bringing the two young adolescence to counsel and manage them, they were cajoling Rihanna to dump CB and move on and it appears that they have had their way! Whether Rihanna will allow such people to run her life and not see CB's mistake as one big screw-up which does not reflect the greater occurrence or represent most men will be found out in future course. And to make matters worst, CB went before a woman judge, who may understand the incident differently and from a specific viewpoint? Her statement, "I am not amused with the chatter that has been on the airwaves and any violation of your probation in this case comes with the potential for state prison," is almost a notice of affirmation to CB that he is just few steps to the big house and that if not for the weight of his defense attorney Geragos, the plea-bargain might not have been possible. So CB you have been put on notice!

As we make effort to exclude any and every insinuations whatsoever, our advise for CB is to run as far as his feet can carry him away from Rihanna, as she is his imprisonment waiting to happen, judging from what the judge said. Admitted that stuff happens, but a person in the spotlight like CB should have known better to walk away or even call it quits before he got this stigmatized; and today the same Rhianna he was so infatuated with and never wanted to lose, he eventually lost, and possibly forever? Our advise for these 'little boys' of Hollywood is to get some father-figures to mentor and educate you in the ways of real life; all those passe hanging around ain't no good as they will melt away as soon as situation goes south; - where were they today to rescue their Chris?

From what was attributed to CB as allegedly saying, that he was "depressed" since the attack and that he "'does not want to carry on that cycle," Icheoku says, maybe what he really needs is to be institutionalized for serious counselling or ordered to receive help like Brittany Spears, rather than the physical manual labor ordered. Also a suicide-watch is a good thing in order to keep an eye on him should he decide on something very selfish and stupid? His name, fame, career and love is on in the balance, so he might decide it is not worth it afterall? But who knows. Anyway, whatever happens, please men, especially those of you with rabid temperament, whenever you find yourself in a situation, just walk away as it is not worth the hassle!

GLENN BECK, THE BOYCOTT OF SPONSORS!

Surprisingly, the outburst is coming somewhat late, almost three weeks after the unprovoked and irresponsible charge by Glen Beck that President Barack Obama is a racist? According to Glen Beck, "Obama is a racist with a deep-seated hatred for white people."

And who has earned the 'special credibility' to level such an unfathomable allegation but the notorious redneck white racist pig, whose vituperation are so asinine that were he a person of color, Fox Television would have since pulled him off the air! But no, he has the right skin tone and fits the template and so can run his mouth however he deems fit, afterall Fox is owned by Rupert Murdock? Fox Television host, Glen Beck, is not good for public television because he preaches hate and division. But does he really look like a pig, literally speaking? Yes and only if you are well acquainted with the character 'Snowball of the Animal Farm' world!

This writer is not a liberal nor a conservative; but a middle of the road rational partisan, registered democrat but supportive of gun ownership rights etc! I also enjoy listening to Rush Limbaugh but for the over the top entertainment value only, as controversy is a factor of fame, but I do not take Rush literally or as a gospel. However people like Glen Beck, Shaun Hannity and Bill O'Reilly deliberately say stuff which any rational dispassionate listener will understand is meant to stir unnecessary controversy just to keep them relatively relevant and in the news? They are not deep but shallow and they have no humour to keep non fans listening? Any person who had spent some time listening to Rush Limbaugh, unlike these three others, knows that irrespective of how vitriolic his show may sound to an untrained ear, with half his brain tied to his back, Rush means no real harm? Rush Limbaugh, it is who once joked about his mother not being able to afford both her medicines alongside her groceries? But be that as it may, back to the man who could use some tan, Glen beck!

With a total of 33 Fox advertisers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., GEICCO, CVS Caremark, Clorox and Sprint, now abandoning ship of the Beck's show, Icheoku wonders how much longer it will take, before Fox shows Glen Beck the door or at least make him to tender an unreserved public apology to the President for maligning his name. It will be recalled that it was the same Fox Group that its 'Daily News' once published a cartoon depicting a black gorilla shot by two police officers, screaming, lets see who will now authorise the next stimulus package and Fox is owned by an Australian. They stonewalled for a long time trying to wriggle out of responsibility for the tasteless cartoon, but were forced and later apologised for the allusion to President Barack Obama. Icheoku remembers vividly too that the former Australian prime minister Howard was among the first person of note to publicly dismiss the then Senator Barack Obama's presidential quest as that boy's? We are therefore asking, is there something in the DNA of Australians which make them averse or not react favorably to people of color or should we call in the Aboriginals as witnesses?

Icheoku appreciates the current effort of ColorofChange.org in the campaign to get advertisers to think through the damage the Glen Becks of this world are doing to them, painting them as sponsors and supporters of race-baiting in America? This is especially so when one considers that their products know no boundaries as every race consumes them, which should make these companies neutral and not touch the likes of Glen Beck with a ten-foot pole? We hope that the remaining advertisers have been encouraged by these proactive companies who have so far dropped Beck; and that they now have a clear choice either to see reason or have their products tainted eliciting a boycott. It is a potent weapon which have been deployed severally and successfully in the past to achieve a desired result; of a particular note was during apartheid South Africa when a concerted boycott brought down the repressive regime!

Just like Clorox Co., maker of Clorox brand of bleach and household cleaners said and Icheoku reiterates, none of these sponsors should "want to be associated with inflammatory speech used by either liberal or conservative talk show hosts." We add that what Glen Beck said is incendiary! Towing the steps of UPS Stores, it might be a good idea also for companies doing business with Fox to entirely stop buying ads on Fox News Network, at least to force them to "keep it real honest" as they promise and claim!

Icheoku agrees that Glen Beck is too toxic to be promoting any product and barring an immediate and unreserved apology we shall soon urge and campaign for our visitors to join the boycott of products, whose sponsors bankroll such toxicity! It is a new day in America and the country can use some unification speeches and not a derisive and divisive one such as Glen Beck uttered. Like one commentator observed and Icheoku agrees, "We support vigorous debate, especially around policy issues that affect millions of Americans, but we expect it to be informed, inclusive and respectful." Lastly we advise Glen Beck and his cohort-rednecks to accept the fact that a person of color is presently in "their" White-House and they should learn to live with it, period! All the childish tantrums being thrown around and in whatever guise or subterfuge not withstanding, we understand their undercurrent as a reaction to what November 4, 2008 brought into being. Icheoku says, enough of Glen Beck's unfounded outbursts; he should apologise or be boycotted!

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, YET TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE?

As the devil may-care and deity of Otta, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo, hopefully quits his adulterous and incestuous life with the recent formalization of his relationship with a former paramour, one of his baby-mamas, Mama Funsho; Icheoku asks, when will this septuagenarian be finally brought to justice for the atrocities of his eight years tormentous emasculation of Nigerians?

Please Nigerians, you must never forget the draconian, hellish eight years which Olusegun Obasanjo subjugated you to? It is now two years since he was forced out of his diabolical third term putsch, and Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo is still walking the streets of Nigeria, a free man, why? What is the reason this man has not been held to account for his time in power at Aso Rock? Or is Nigeria a country with no appetite to punish criminality or at least hold it in contempt; is it probable that there is no single innocent enough person therein left, to throw the biblical first stone? Nigerians, please answer Icheoku as the world is waiting and watching to see how disgusted Olusegun Obasanjo's regime was to you. Please whatever you do, do not let this monster walk, a free man!

And this is a man who held Nigerians to the most vicious contempt throughout his eight years of hell-let-loose on earth governance between 1999 and 2007? Icheoku asks, once again, when will Olusegun Obasanjo be brought to justice for all the perfidy of his administration including but not limited to Odi and Zaki Ibiam massacres? So many other Nigerians numbering over twenty thousand disappeared or were killed during Olusegun Obasanjo's regime; yet two years after his immunity expired, no arm of justice has stretched his way to hold him to account for the atrocities of his eight years in office? Nigerians are increasingly becoming too complacent and this is the only reason many of their leaders imprudently ride them like donkeys, knowing fully well that they can get away as there will be no consequences for their criminality? How could a nation have forgotten so soon, the recent experiences of Olusegun Obasanjo's eight years of ignominy in power, and so easily that it smacks of condonation of evil?

With the recent public admonishment by Professor Wole Soyinka that former President Olusegun Obasanjo ruined Nigeria, Icheoku hopes that the hour of accountability is fast approaching for this strange man of Otta, when he can be finally held to account for his misdeeds while in office. According to Soyinka, during Oluesgun Obasanjo's infamous rule, Nigeria had a one-man rule and that one man rule played one group against the other whenever it was convenient. In the same vein, Uche Chukwumerije, recently called Olusegun Obasanjo's eight years in office, "a neo-fascist siege of the nation, crowned by a counter-democratic blitzkrieg of self succession project"? A member of the military-politicians' dynasty that has been holding this country hostage since 1976, after the assassination of Gen. Murtala Muhammed, Olusegun Obasanjo has had too much free rides on Nigeria that his excesses needs be curtailed and now!

One observer summarised Olusegun Obasanjo's eight years in office as "remarkable only for the greed, corruption, inordinate ambition and total breakdown of the rule of law and accountability?" And one other observer intoned, "this failure to rope Obasanjo in for questioning has led to the breakdown of the fight against corruption as governors, local government officials etc point at the selective enforcement each time they are picked up for questioning, asking why their head man Olusegun Obasanjo, a corruption-personified, has been made an untouchable sacred cow? His untouchability status was further confirmed by the PDP which during its convention could not effectively check Olusegun Obasanjo by removing him as their BOT chairman; hence by necessarily implication, condoning the evil that he represents and perpetrated on Nigerians during his eight years of infamy.

Olusegun Obasanjo's criminal count charge could ordinarily number in the several hundreds, and includes Bola Ige and co murders! A known principal suspect and accessory to the murder of Bola Ige, Olusegun Obsanjo has yet to be brought in for questioning seven long years since the brutal murder of a man who has contributed so much to Nigeria's political development and survival? Attorney General Bola Ige's assassination has not been seriously investigated and it happened under Obasanjo's watch with his approval; otherwise how could such a high-up Bola Ige, a serving Attorney General, with twelve mobile policemen protection team, be struck and killed as the same exact window of opportunity when all of the protecting team went on a lunch break? It defies logic and does not make sense except your brain is made up of molasses? A coincidence of some sort or they acted in concert with specific authorisation from Ige's only boss, the then president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo? Several other unsolved politically motivated killings estimated at over forty, also add up to the hallmark of Olusegun Obasanjo's dictatorship, especially between 2001 and 2006; and includes Harry Marshall, A.K. Dikibo, Hassan Olajoku, Funso Williams, Ayodele Daramola, etc.

Olusegun Obasanjo's economic sabotage was such a tornadoe that it shuttered so many businesses including Chougory Brothers, Savannah Bank, Ibeto Cement, Hallmark Bank, SLok Airlines and the list goes on and on! His penchant for bribery brought Halliburton and Siemens scandals to fruition; his TransCorp is a named debtor-company in the recently released CBN's billionaire-debtors list and is awaiting EFCC's hammer; his disdain for the judiciary is legendary and led to flagrant abuse of process which made a huge mockery of the law? This incestuous man from Otta, also, single-handedly, pawned Nigerians of Bakassi origin away to an untoward slavery and servitude to the Cameroons and no one is crying bloody murder? According to a former Chief of Defence Staff, General Agwai, Olusegun Obasanjo surreptitiously ceded away Nigerian-owned and controlled Bakassi to Cameroon, without consulting any of the necessary security agencies in Nigeria including the Armed Forces? Also where is the power (energy) that gulped over 16 billion dollars USD? Where are the roads that gulped over 300 billion Naira under his watch with Tony Anenih, Mr Fix-It? Where are the jobs he created in his eight years of maladministration? Above all, what happened to the recovered Abacha's loot? And commissioner of police Danbaba, Major Mustafa, Bamayi and co were all held in prison without any meaningful trial for the eight years of his government and under his specific instruction, - a notoriously very vindictive caveman!

Icheoku asks, how much is really enough, to make Nigerians become so incensed or mad as to call for rendering of account by the former despotic President Olusegun Obasanjo? It is shocking and disheartening that despite all the atrocities Olusegun Obasanjo committed while in office, he is still cockily, walking the grounds of Nigeria a free-man, two long years after he was forcibly made to leave office? What then challenges the moral fiber of Nigerians when such a maniacal disaster as Olusegun Obasanjo could not be brought to justice, to account for his eight years stewardship, amidst a mountain of evidence of his culpability? As the then President cum oil/petroleum minister of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo's hold on the Nigerian economy was so enormous that Icheoku says he was solely responsible for all that went awry with Nigeria economy; including the award of several oil-blocks worth several millions of dollars to some thirty-eight (38) unregistered firms; as well as the crashing of the Naira from then 75 to a dollar to the over 148 when he was forced out of office.

This bastard son of a bastard father whose mother is a whore does not deserve to live a free man in Nigeria. What example is his continued freedom showing to the rest of potential Nigerian leaders except that it is ok to be a very corrupt tyrant, provided you choose a stooge to succeed you, if eventually you are forced out of office? Any Nigeria not enraged by Olusegun Obasanjo's continued freedom, after all the ills that he perpetrated on Nigerians while in office, is either part of the criminal gang holding Nigeria down all these years or such a person is completely insane to fathom an outcry! Olusegun Obasanjo ran Nigeria, a country as complex and as diverse, as if it was his private fiefdom and deliberately suffered her citizens to the brink. Icheoku asks, was Olusegun Obasanjo an imperial president or was Nigeria just an extension of his private Otta farm estate, that he cannot be held to account for his stewardship? Did Nigeria belong to him while he was the president or the other way round? Why are Nigerians not throwing feat and demanding thunderously that this man be taken in for questioning, two long years after he was disgraced out of office?

It is our position that, in view of all the atrocities Olusegun Obasanjo committed, the midget of Kano, General Sani Abacha is an innocent man and ought to be posthumously awarded the highest medal in the land for being such a very "upright and just man;" and/or even cannonized a saint by the church for his "holiness?" Simply put in another way, Olusegun Obasanjo was Nigeria's worst nightmarish nemesis; the worst of the worse to ever saddle the seat of power! It is about time Nigerians rose up in unison and demand for justice for all the victims of Olusegun Obasanjo atrocious regime; and in order to set an example of how not to ever govern Nigeria again! A holding of Olusegun Obasanjo accountable will make subsequent future leaders more mindful, careful and circumspect. Our final verdict, Olusegun Obasanjo should be arrested, tried and if convicted, sent back to prison wherein he earnestly belongs, and where he came from in June 1999 to Aso Rock. There is nothing wrong with this line of action, considering the flagrant abuse of human rights, mayhem, murders, corruption and economic pillage witnessed and sanctioned under his regime. Once this is done, it will serve as a deterrent on budding future leaders on how not to rule Nigeria and dissuade them from becoming just another despotic imbecile called Olusegun Obasanjo!

SEMENYA, THE 'SHE-MAN' OF SOUTH AFRICA?

And Icheoku joins the rest of sceptical world in asking, what gender is Mokgadi Caster Semenya, the new running sensation of South Africa? Is she really a female, a male, a hermaphrodite or even a cross-breed 'she-man'? Is it the perplexity of her triumph at Berlin 2009 or mere jealousy that is fuelling the current 'is she really a female' outbursts or is it a case of an African incredibly out-performing beyond all expectations that "she" must have cheated to achieve that feat?

According to her father, Jacob Semenya, "For the first time South Africans have someone to be proud of and detractors are already shouting wolf. It is unfair. I wish they would leave my daughter alone." Icheoku understands the frustrations of this impoverished South African man from rural northern Limpopo province village, whose daughter's sudden fame is bringing extra baggage of undesired and unintended dimension. Icheoku says that the Young Communist League was wrong is saying that the gender probe was chauvinistic and fed into stereotypes of how woman should look and smacked of racism; rather Caster Semenya is all a man but for her possible anatomical crevices. We are emphatic that women do not look like her as she looks every inch a man or rather a tom-boy; but like her grand-mother said and rightly too, if Caster had a choice she would change her appearance but "God made her so"! What a powerful argument that should rest the matter but not so soon, as controversy is a factor of fame and the whole world is frenzied out, discussing if she is really a female? Remember the American musician, Grace Jones?

According to International Athletic Association Federation (IAAF) official, due to the speed of her rise from unknown competitor to eventual world champion, a gender test, which takes several weeks to complete, could not be done in time for the world championships. Icheoku asks, what other gender test is required for a female who menstruates, squats to urinate and possibly have a boy-friend or a girl-friend? Not every woman will have to be a Miss Universe or beauty queen; as some of them were made to be married by their fathers; so what the heck if Caster Semenya is not feminine enough or lady-like or even ugly? Who cares really, but a bunch of partisans who would rather the 800 meters women world champion looked like a real woman with clearly defined features - figure 8 with a protruding chest and a well-rounded backside as well as a 'please help me lift this and that' syndrome, symptomatic of the female folks?

But were she an Angelina Jolie, may be she will not be an athlete today but would have ended up in Hollywood or on a Brad Pitt's arm? But to each her own and Caster Semenya made good use of her none femininity by mastering the tracks? Like the African National Ccogress (ANC) rightly pointed out, "Caster is not the only woman athlete with a masculine build and the International Association of Athletics Federation should know better."And Icheoku adds, if they are in doubt, they should take a good look at the Williams sisters - Venus and Serena, the Amazons of the Tennis world, as they too are not particularly gifted with feminist looks but they sure know how to use the racket.

Whether Semenya have been unduly "humiliated and treated like a leper" will depend on the eventual outcome of the gender test, which will debunk all these suspicions of her sexuality? But until then, when it is conclusively determined, in the spirit of 'innocent until proven guilty' we ask that Semenya be treated as a female, period!

Icheoku says, what is all the hullabaloo about a gender test when a six minutes liaison with her boyfriend or a check by a female doctor can dissipate all the rumours about the sex of the fastest woman on earth, Caster Semenya? Admitted she looks every inch like a guy - one hot dude for that matter, but her mother, her birth-certificate and possibly her urinating posture have all pointed to her femininity; so the matter should rest and an apology tendered to the fleet-footed South African girl, whose only sin is that midway her creation, her maker changed his mind and instead of a phallus, bestowed her with a funnel? But now that the question of her gender has been raised, and for the interest of her competed colleagues, let it be conclusively determined for a rest of the mind. What a complexity of sexuality, as Icheoku hails the new 800-metres women world champion at 1minute 55.45seconds, 18-year-old Mokgadi Caster Semenya, the suspected man or rather 'she-man' of South Africa? Congratulations on your record performance!

MEGRAHI, BRITAIN SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY?

Britain placed its commercial interest above a long existing friendship with the United States of America when it released a known and convicted terrorist, who blew away so many Americans out of the sky over Lockerbie Scotland; and caused ever-lasting pain and suffering in many American house-holds. Icheoku says, Britain has no excuse whatsoever for the thoughtless act of releasing Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the 57-year-old former Libyan intelligence agent, responsible for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing which killed 270 people including 220 Americans aboard Pam Am Flight 103.

It does not matter whether it was on grounds of compassion or business-deals, it should not have taken place in view of the heinousness of the act for which he was convicted. Moreso Megrahi is not the only prisoner in Britain with a compassionate case as there are several thousands of prisoners wasting away in British prison system, whose story are as pathetic, if not worst than Megrahi's and they have not been set free or allowed to go home to die with their families? Had Megrahi died in British/Scottish prison, he would not have made the Guinness Book of World records as the first prisoner to die in prison in Britain, so why the hogwash balderdash? Did Megrahi allow those American kids, returning home on Christmas vacation to their families to get home and at least die with their families? No, but here is compassionate Britain, stabbing Americans at the back, setting free a man whose hands are dripping with several American lives? Icheoku says, no amount of explanation or any of it is good enough and the American government should strongly send a message of disdain to 10 Downing Street that this release is simply inexplicable and unacceptable, period!

Ironically, this terrorist-criminal is wearing American Nike, the product of the ingenuity of the same people who he hated so much, that he blew many of them up over Lockerbie-Scotland? Why would the terminally ill Megrahi be allowed to return home to die with his family when he denied others their right to return home to their own families? It is our firm position, all things considered and all excludables excluded, that Britain considered her commercial interest in the oil fields of Libya more important than the several hundreds of Americans who lost their lives in the tragedy of December 1988 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The British officials' insistence that the decision was "solely the Scottish" is a lie through the teeth as the foreign affairs of Britain is conducted by Downing Street and not Edinburgh or Glasgow. This criminality of Megrahi's mass murder, blowing up an American plane with Americans onboard, over British territory of Lockerbie rises to such 'foreign affairs', so British government should save the world their faceless denial of complicity, denying that they did not have a hand in Megrahi's free passage out of prison to Libya? Icheoku asks, if those 270 victims that perished were British, would Megrahi have been released?

It is our position that the British and the Libyan government sat down and bartered over the freedom of Megrahi and made it a condition precedent to a continuing business relationship/deals! As far as British business is concerned, it does not matter for 10 Downing Street that Megrahi murdered 270 innocent people; for them, it is not wrong, it is completely plausible and actually inoffensive? Their attempt to explain otherwise does not matter as no one is buying into such crap of trying to explain an inexplicable blunder which questions everything that had held together the friendship across the pond? What would Winston Churchill or even Tony Blair do; but for Gordon Brown, access to Libyan oil triumphs over whatever existing interest between London and Washington DC, including America's dead? This thoughtless and reckless act is condemnable and should be condemned; not only by the victims families but by all men and women of good morals? Why should a terrorist master-mind be shown compassion when he never gave anybody any chance at live nor compassion to reach home to spend Christmas with their loved ones?

At Britain positing that Scotland acted solely in releasing Megrahi, Icheoku asks, since when has such an international incident bordering on criminality become the local affairs of Scotland; and this is a Britain which did not even express any scintilla of objection to the decision to free Megrahi? Or is Scotland now an independent country with such an over-reaching and over-whelming powers to conduct its own foreign affairs including poking fingers into the eyes of United States of America, with Britain watching and not objecting? Why didn't Britain offer to transfer Megrahi to the United States, assuming their feeble hearts can't take it any longer to continue to keep a dying terrorist in their prison? If the Brits were afraid of Ghaddaffi, America is not as President Regan once proved to Tripoli by sending a missile right into his bedroom. Icheoku says, not only did Megrahi's ill-advised release gave comfort to terrorists around the world, it also shows that terrorists now have a new partner in Britain; which has by this very act, provided a shoulder for them to lean on in their time of need? What a buffoonery of a decision for a man who spilled so much American young blood to be turned loose a free man? Maybe Megrahi should equally be knighted by their Queen or receive somewhat medal for killing so many innocent Americans over Lockerbie? Icheoku agrees completely, totally and into-to that this release of Megrahi, indeed, makes mockery of the grief of the families who lost their own loved ones on December 21, 1988.

British feeble attempt at denying complicity and involvement in rubbishing American-dead, have been put to rest with the Libyan leader Moummar Gadhafi singling out for thanks, Brown, Queen Elizabeth of Britain and Prince Andrew, for in his own words, "encouraging the Scottish government to take this historic and courageous decision, despite the obstacles." So who is now the lying chicken if not Britain, trying to deny the obvious? To make matters worse, Britain is bare-facedly lying that 'London and Tripoli did not reach any deal'? This is incredulous and incredulity fused in one! And assuming for the sake of argument that we yield to Britain that they were not involved in the release of Megrahi, as they are desperately trying to pull a wool over the eyes of the world to believe, Icheoku asks, under what authority then did Prime Minister Gordon Brown write to Moummar Gaddafi, instructing him to 'treat Megrahi's return as a purely private domestic family affairs and not to celebrate it? So now, you know the Brits are not coming through in their explanation, possibly once again lying through their teeth? If according to the Brits, a high-profile return in Tripoli would cause pain and suffering to the families of the victims, Icheoku asks, how about the hellish agony which the release by itself caused, especially coming from Britain, our supposed staunchest ally? Why didn't Britain nip whatever 'high-profile return' by not releasing this criminal-terrorist in the first place; instead of now purportedly addressing the symptoms and not the cause of the disease? And these Libyans, with the tacit support and approval of the British, are now celebrating an evil man who took away the lives of so many innocents?

In summation, Icheoku says, it is a 'pay to play' deal that made Britain to stab America's interest at the back with the release of Megrahi; as their $900 million dollars oil exploration deal between their BP PLC and Libya's National Oil Co were at stake; and they considered such a paltry $900 million dollars sufficient enough to sell-out on the American Lockerbie-dead? Is this a Judas Iscariot's move or what? E tu Britain! And Gadhafi's son, Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, confirmed as much when he said that 'Megrahi's release was a constant point of discussion during trade talks with Britain.' Therefore, the case of complicity of Britain in the release of Megrahi is conclusively proved beyond any reasonable doubt; and Britain stands convicted in the courts of American public opinion. They are guilty as charged! Guilty! Guilty!

TOM RIDGE CONFESSES, TERROR ALERTS WERE MANIPULATED!

Icheoku says, his confession is simply a ploy to hype and sell his upcoming book; so, do not fall for it. Instead, just boycott the book, do not buy it! Protest the frequent rides of the American people by politicians and government officials, particularly this unwarranted 'terror-alert level, code yo-yo', which drastically jeopardized our security and health. FYI:- The book comes out on September 1, 2009 and is titled, "The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege ... And How We Can Be Safe Again"?

He is not credible because when he was supposed to stand up and be counted, he capitulated and kept silent through elections 2004 to 2008 until now? The question is why did he not speak up and/or resign when it mattered most, when it would have made an impact; only to come now after the fact, to yak about events which he was a potential corroborator, whether tacitly or necessary implication? His options then were clear, either sign in with the plot or fall out in the cold, and he chose to stay in, a made-brother? When can't real men go to their graves with some privileged information rather than rat on confidences once shared?

Icheoku asks, to whom did Tom Ridge swear an oath of office to serve, - President George W. Bush or the American people? What about the inconveniences suffered by the American people, fearful of imminent danger to their lives and properties? What about the grandmas and grandpas who died just because their hearts could no longer withstand the frequent color-coded torture of impending "doom" to America? How about the inconveniences suffered going through airports as a result of added scrutiny of travelling passengers, many of who were nearly strip-searched because of heightened security alerts? How about economic activities that were affected because many people chose to remain indoors and not go to the malls to shop, afraid of possible terrorist attacks? What about cancelled flights and other travel plans? What about the psychological trauma suffered by the American people, who were hoodwinked by Tom Ridge and his inner-circle raising the security alert level unnecessarily and just for mundane things other the its intended objective?

Icheoku says, Tom Ridge committed 'treasonable felony' and should be arrested immediately and tried for jeopardizing the American people's life; and also for conspiracy to torment American people through frequent and unreasonable raising of the color-code, just because his Republican party wants to remain in power? Does this Tom Ridge know that what he 'conspired' to do created panic, tension and high-blood pressure in so many Americans, fearful that the terrorists are gonna get them? Does this guy, Tom Ridge, understand that what he just confessed to reduced him in the eyes of many Americans and that a true patriot will not be found dead around such devastating conspiracy? Does he know that by raising the security alert unreasonably, that he played into the hands of the terrorist whose primary objective is to keep Americans fearful? Where was this guy's loyalty?

Icheoku condemns Tom Ridge's action and calls on the American people not to support such a fraud by buying his book; they should reject same as the product of a fraudulent conspiracy, a made-up tales of unprovable dimension. Who is there to corroborate his account of what allegedly transpired between him, John Ashcroft and Donald Rumsfeld? Possibly it is a figment of his imagination, a tale by the moonlight, concocted to boost sales of his upcoming book? Why should this guy be rewarded with the purchase of his book when he was then advising Americans to stockpile on duct-tapes and plastics-sheets to seal their windows in case of a dirty-bomb attack? Who pays for the expenses incurred duct-taping our windows? Someone employed by tax-payers money to protect them, turned around to cause untoward panic and fear on his employers, just for a fickle reason to win an election for his boss? Why didn't this guy resign his office immediately or put up a seasoned protest; and because he did none of this, that makes him a traitor, a corroborator, an American hater and a political jobber who danced to any tune simply to keep his tab at the seat of power? Where was Tom's backbone to resist evil and call it for what it is? This will make American people to be more distraught with their government as the trust relationship was further tarnished with this confession; the chasm between the government and the governed further widens, and a cynical people are a less motivated people.

If according to his confessional, 'top aides to then-president George W. Bush pressured him to raise the "terror alert" level to sway the November 2004 US election', Icheoku asks, why did he not resign rather than become a corroborator in such a scheme to frighten the American people into running to President George W. Bush for cover and protection from the imaginary terrorist-wolves? It is our position that Tom Ridge waited too long to make this confession, which is now too little too late as the consequential damage caused were unquantifiable and cannot be fully repaired. Tom Ridge is simply put, a turn-coat who sold his war heroics for the office of the Home Land Security and did not stand up for the American people? Tom Ridge for the records, is a former governor of Pennsylvania and the first secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security, created in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and other places.

Reacting to the bombshell dropped by Tom Ridge, one observer said, "Just like they did in Iraq, the Bush Administration manipulated intelligence to cause fear in the public to further its political goals". The allegation that such a top-dog of the Homeland Security department as Tom Ridge "was often blindsided during daily morning briefings with President George W. Bush as he was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings", we find quite absurd! Who then will be sitting in a meeting to discuss 'national security' matters without the head of the homeland security department? Icheoku says, whatever happens, please maintain your dignity, do not buy that book, do not be fooled twice as fool me once shame on you, but fool me twice, shame on me. Ask yourself, how much is really too much to take that these people will continue to take the nation on a jolly-ride just for their personal and political aggrandisement?

In conclusion, Icheoku says, Tom Ridge's allegation that "they tried to make me do it" does not fly in the face of what is known by everyone as government's 'wag the dog' syndrome? It is our position that the elicitation never took place and if it did, it was with Tom's full acquiescence and cooperation and that he willingly acted on it. Those numerous, frivolous security color-coded alerts he declared during his tenure at the Homeland Security department bears this position out. He very much admitted same when on one occasion, he owned up to using a three-year old stale intelligence to cause an alert level to be raised; otherwise how else does one explain such randomness? Further, what did he do when he was allegedly prospected? Did he shout, raise an alarm, put a protest or even resign his office on grounds of irreconcilable differences or lack of free-hand to perform and discharge the duties of his office?

No, none of that happened and who is available to confirm his present allegation; except for the mentioned individuals who will at a future time, rightly deny it ever took place? It will then be his word against theirs; and every one of us will be back to square one, in our perplexity of the complexity and betrayals of what was once the Bush administration's inner circle? Icheoku says, he who keeps silence in matters where common sense dictates that he should have spoken up, raised some protest or alarm is ordinarily defined as a corroborator, and Tom Ridge aptly fits the template! So, please do not buy that book, it sucks and contains so many untruths!

SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI AND HIS 'NAME AND SHAME' POLICY?

ICHEOKU.COM declares and unequivocally states that the ongoing action of Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (SLS), towards sanitizing the Nigerian banking industry, has our total, full, complete and unalloyed support!

It is about time the big fishes in Nigeria get fried too; at least to help bring some real sanity into a country, where none existed prior? Some of these people are the reason why Nigeria's growth has stunted all these years because they get away with everything including murders, as they think, behave and act as if they are above the law. Icheoku calls it the "untouchables' syndrome" of Nigeria'?

What is happening in the banking industry today, reminds us of the statement made by Col Umar Murkta, sitting at an investigative probe panel in Benin during the corruption trials of post Buhari-idiagbon coup of December 1983. According to Murkta, while addressing one of the accused persons, ' ...you saw tinsels and mistook them for gold and in the process, you forgot that one day, a King who does not know Joseph will come to power and ask for the rendering of accounts'; and so it is that SLS has ascended to power as governor of the Nigeria's Central bank and today, all the high and mighty debtors have been asked to pay up or be jailed?

Who ever knew that a time will ever come in Nigeria, when a heavy weight and such a matron of a politically connected Ibru family, Cecilia Ibru or the northern mogul Aliyu Dangote or the Igbo woman at the Nigerian Stock Exchange Ndidi Okereke Onyiuke will be called to render account? By publicly disclosing these chronic debtor-billionaires, Sanusi has 9/10th solved the problem as public shame is one heck of an effective deterrent? These people's ego are so out of this world and because they cherish their status dearly, the collection's register will be ringing within the given five day grace period. Icheoku says, this is change Nigerians can believe in!

But surprisingly the name of Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo is missing in the debtors' list since he once claimed that his moribund Otta farms was resurrected with bank loans? So Icheoku asks, which of these 'failed' banks lent Olusegun Obasanjo his loan or has he since amortised it; if yes, how did he source the money with which he paid off such a huge amount of loan as would resuscitate his Otta Farms, and so soon? The other mouth-dropping name in the debtor-list is the name of former governor of Rivers State Peter Odili - which could be somewhat more positively interpreted to mean that he did not corruptly enrich himself while in office; otherwise what did he need a bank loan for? Or are we being naive here, since some may argue that such loans are meant to cover their tracks and money laundering; but we shall see what the five days automatum given to them to pay the loans back, will provide?

This present n&s action once again shows that all hope is not lost for Nigeria, as one day a person of integrity will rise to preside over affairs in Nigeria and fix the broken? When the late midget of Kano, Sani Abacha dethroned the Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki and jailed him, Nigerians thought that the heavens will fall, but several decades later, the heavens are still hanging up there intact and Dasuki remained banished from Sokoto Caliphate? Again when Tunde Idiagbon emerged in the scene and tried to instill discipline, through WAI, into the lives of Nigerians; no Nigerian ever believed that Nigerians are capable of queuing up to wait for their turns? Then enter Nuhu Ribadu who came and touched some previous untouchables and Icheoku called it, progress, progress? Icheoku is not delving into this narrative simply because they have resolved Nigeria's intractable problems; no, but to show an emerging pattern of directed trajectories aimed at the eventual destination where Nigeria should be; - a progressive corruption-free, disciplined and functioning country! Nigeria, a country that could be very great if not for frivolous nepotism, crass cronyism, corruption, indiscipline and the worship of men and women of means who think they are gods and above the law?

The current effort of Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi led Central Bank of Nigeria is an effort in the right direction and we appreciate it dearly. Understandably, many southerners in power in Nigeria are usually not with the 'real power', as they must defer to the whims of their appointing Northern over-lords before taking any decision? So they try so hard to maintain buoyancy in the government, and as a result even some well thought-out, goal-directed initiative must get clearance from the above, which in most cases are rejected? Because of this position of weakness, an otherwise would be great and endearing decisions impacting society are always sacrificed to appease mentors and in order not to step on some sacred toes? But now a prince and a scion of the Kano emirate, the fourteenth in line to become the emir, is at the helm of affairs at the Central Bank; and hence these foundational changes taking place! Icheoku celebrates them as a gift to the Nigerian economy in general, particularly their banking industry. Icheoku wishes Governor SLS Godspeed in the current battle against the high and mighty Nigerian billionaires, who it would now appear made their riches leeching on Nigerian peoples' money? We pray that those implicated billionaire-debtors and their corroborators, very corrupt Nigerian government officials will not gang up against SLS and cause him to suffer similar fate as did the former EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu? Icheoku says, Bravo SLS and emphasises that the new 'name and shame' policy being implemented at the Sanusi-led Central Bank is very appropriate; as those billionaires living on borrowed money, have now been unmasked and possibly downgraded or even axed by Forbes 'fortune' magazine; which will compel them to pay up.

Lastly, Icheoku urges that by the same token, the present 'name and shame policy' should be extended to the 36 governors in Nigeria? Let the people know how much their states periodically receive as their share of federation account; so that they can compare it with alleged infrastructural development and then by reconciling expenses with receipts they will be able to unravel the level of corruption in their respective states. Idiagbon was doing it while his administration lasted - disclosing to Nigerians, periodically, the receipts and expenses of the government. Once this is done, it will be bye-bye to corruption as the states' chief executives will be careful when they are embezzling states' money; as accounts reconciliation will easily serve as a check and balance on their excesses. Also the ever restive Niger Delta will specially be served by this as the militants will now clearly know who their real enemies are; - whether a federal government which is not giving them their 'fair share' of resource allocations or their governors who are embezzling untoward amounts of money, meant for the development of their region? As we congratulate Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, let the 'name and shame' policy of the Central bank snowball in Nigeria as it will mark the end of corruption as we know it.

DON HEWITT, SUCCUMBS TO MORTALITY!

As yet another television personality waves the world goodbye, Icheoku says, the season of death appears to here; and it is harvesting bountifully men of the fifth estate, - journalism?

Less than 24hours after Bob Novak gave up the ghost and one month after fellow CBS heavy-hitter, Walter Crankite expired, another heavy-weight television personality has died. Don Hewitt, the man who created CBS' 60 Minutes,' died of pancreatic cancer at his Bridgehampton home in New York on Wednesday, August 19, 2009. He was 86 years old!

Don Hewitt, in September 24, 1968, created the popular one-hour broadcast of mixed hard news and feature stories known as "60 Minutes" news-magazine and produced same for 36 years! He was also credited with producing the first televised United States of America presidential debate in 1960 between Democratic John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard Nixon . It is to his astuteness that "60 Minutes" won 73 Emmys, 13 DuPont/Columbia University Awards and nine Peabody Awards during his years chaperoning the news-magazine, which ended in 2004. '60 Minutes' also finished among Nielsen's top 10 for 23 straight years and was television's top-rated show four times, most recently in 1992-93.

Don Hewitt was the central character in the 1999 movie "The Insider," in which he was portrayed as a whip who caved to pressure from CBS lawyers and as a result failed to air a whistle-blowing story about the tobacco industry.

Among his many firsts:- Hewitt directed the first network television newscast on May 3, 1948; he originated the use of cue cards for news readers which today is done by electronic machines; he was the first to "superimpose" words on the TV screen for a news show. According to one commentator, Don was such a colossal television personality that "There isn't a news show on television that doesn't have Don Hewitt's DNA in it." Icheoku says, what a resounding tribute for a man who did television so much good! His last known production was the 2007 televised version of the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular," for NBC.

Don Hewitt is survived by his third wife of 30 years, Marilyn Berger; two sons from his first marriage and two daughters from his second marriage. Icheoku says, death please go away as you have already killed enough within this past period. To the Hewitt family, your man's life should be celebrated for what it meant and accomplished! To the departed, so long Mr. Sixty-Minutes!

MAULVI OMAR, A LESSON IN NONE EXTRA-JUDICIAL EXECUTIONS?

Nigeria should learn from the example of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on how not to summarily execute captured terrorists or enemies of state, but to extract valuable intelligence from them? It is called 'intelligence-mining', and this is lost when such captives are hurridely executed, without getting valuable and actionable human intelligence from them; which defeats the purpose of their capture in the first place.

Our commentary herein is focused on yesterday's capture of Pakistani Taliban's spokesman Maulvi Omar; in contrast with the last month's capture and lynching by Nigerian officials of Nigeria's pain in the arse, Boko Haram leader, Yusuf Mohmmed?

Icheoku being pro-capital punishment, however frowns at the sometimes dizzying speed to carry out such punishments; especially without exhaustive trial of the accused with all available options of appeal fully expended. This is the only reason we took offense with the madness in Nigeria of several weeks ago; otherwise, we could care less whether thousands of Mohammed Yusufs died in battle; or were later executed after a court of competent jurisdiction hands them a sentence of death after first finding them guilty of crimes of murder and mayhem? Admitted that privately, we are convinced that the Boko Haram sect meant no good, they were evil-deviants whose declared purpose of being, is to forcibly make every person in Nigeria to knock their heads on the ground by way of worship? Their guilt was never in doubt or dispute, nor was it ever equivocated in our minds; but we insist that justice must take its course and do its solemn duty, - declare them guilty as charged and we will volunteer to be their executioners, if need be.

Be that as it may, Pakistan proved their maturity as a state today, when they arrested their enemy number-one and were able to hold their passion in check? Unlike Nigeria and Mohammed Yusuf, Pakistani officials painstakingly avoided pumping gazillion number of bullets into him, only to later allege that he died while trying to escape? it takes a sure big heart to express such magnanimity! With the netting of this big fish, what Pakistan have is an inexhaustible intelligence-trove which will be exploited to the fullest in the interest of Pakistan, United States, Afghanistan, India and all those peoples of the world who will become safer as a result of the actionable intelligence which nabbed in as well as those now, proceeding from this spokesman's debriefing?

The captured spokesman for the Taliban insurgents in Pakistan, Maulvi Omar, have now finally confirmed what was merely being speculated this past two weeks, that a U.S drone missile strike successfully killed their top commander in Pakistani, Baitullah Mehsud? Maulvi Omar was captured in the early hours of Tuesday, August 18, 2009 in the village of Khawazeo, in the Mohmand tribal area of Northwestern Pakistan while travelling to South Waziristan, near the Afghan border. Maulvi Omar according to sources will be made to tell his interrogators much about Taliban plans and strategy in Pakistan and possibly elsewhere.

A native of Badan in Tehsil Mamond, Bajaur, a tribal area in the North West area, Omar was the official spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella organisation of regional and tribal-based Pakistani militant groups, and a senior aide to Baitullah Mehsud? Real name, Syed Mohammad, son of Alaf Khan, Omar was going to Bajaur from Orakzai through Mohmand when he was nabbed.

Lastly, Icheoku implores the Nigerian authorities to never again, carry out extra-judicial killings of her captured disruptive individuals, but to emulate Pakistan and their captured Maulvi Omar!