CHIEF (DR) AUSTIN CHUKS-ORJI, A MAN OF GREAT HUMILITY, A TRIBUTE!

To the many well-wishers and sympathisers who thronged the hall of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Antioch, California, USA to pay him their last respect on November 28, 2009; he was that affable and amiable man who always wore a smile. So many of them gathered did not really know the gravitas and accomplishment of the man lying prostrate and face-up in a beautiful brown casket?

Dressed up in death as he would while alive, impeccable and immaculate, in a well matched two piece suit with a neck-tie and his trade-mark fedora hat lying next to his body. He was as restful in his eternal sleep as he was while alive. The morticians did a perfect job and his body did not in anyway betray his looks while alive. Every mourner was satisfied in the job that was done to preserve his body.

The wake-keeping was well attended with over five hundred people taking up every available seats, some standing and spilling the hallways and even into the outside of a cold wintry Bay Area night. There was a funeral mass, followed by performances of traditional African music and masquerades; funeral orations, eating and dancing, while the gathered celebrated the life and times of a man many people in Bay Area of Northern California affectionately knew as GQ! He was a man of good character and unfathomable humility.

Chief (Dr) Austin Chuks-Orji, the Ogbuenyisiogu 11 of Obe, Nkanu, Enugu, Nigeria obtained a PhD in Finance way back in 1971. But the way and manner he carried himself, mixed and mingled with even the lowly, never betrayed his attainment of the apogee in academic pursuit. He once owned and operated four McDonald's Franchises, a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury car dealership in America; as well as the then Macons Nigeria Limited, which bakery arm made the popular and delicious Macon's Bread in Enugu, Nigeria; (anyone who grew up and lived in Enugu back in the eighties would attest to the popularity and quality of this bread). He was also the national vice chairman of the then Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe-led Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), - a very high political party office in NPP and second only to Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya - the very chairman! He was also chairman of then Anambra State Housing Development Co-operation. He was an author. He was a member of board of directors of so many companies and government parastatals. He was married and blessed with eight children and some grandchildren. He was a successful man. To Icheoku, GQ was a good man!

Chief (Dr) Austin Chuks-Orji died in the United States of America on October 26, 2009 following complications from surgery. He was born at Aba, in present day Abia State, Nigeria on May 29, 1943. He was highly educated. He was a politician. He was a businessman and entrepreneur. He was a husband, a father and grandfather. He had brothers and sisters including nieces and nephews. He was good dresser and dapper, which earned him the acronym GQ! He was also an African high chief. He was loved by his family and so many friends and admirers. Chief (Dr) Chuks-Orji lived in the Bay Area of Northern California United States of America for quite some time; but in a somewhat humble and meek manner. Icheoku says, but for his eulogy, many would not have known who he really was and/or his actual worth? And so it was that Chief (Dr) Austin Chuks-Orji lived and mingled with all without isolating or segregating himself from the proverbial commoners; some of who did not know or could careless that in their midst was such a great-man of no mean worth and contacts; a reminder of the Igbo aphorism that in a strange land, people usually do not recognise the proverbial "big-man" from another land (mba ama onye ukwu)?

So as Icheoku mourns the passing of a very good-man, fondly called GQ; a man who lived a short fulfilled and fruitful life of 66 years, we pray that his soul rests in peace! May the Almighty God forgive him his sins and reward him accordingly for his fairness; and for lack thereof in the treatment of his fellow human-beings, show him mercy, Amen! We shall all miss his fondness, care and empathy; and above all his mentoring! A man of great humility, which humility masked the worth of the man, whose name was Chief (Dr) Austin Chuks-Orji. So long, GQ!

CHIEF (DR) AUSTIN CHUKS-ORJI, FUNERAL MASS/WAKE-KEEPING!

Late Chief (Dr) Austin Chuks-Orji

(Ogbuenyisiogu 1 of Obe Nkanu Enugu State Nigeria)

Begins his final journey to motherland with a funeral mass/wake keeping:-

Date:- November 28, 2009

Venue:- Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church,

1313 A Street, Antioch, California 94509 USA.

Time:- 5pm; 6pm-12midnight

Signed:-Chief (Dr) Austin Chuks-Orji Funeral Planning Committee

Space donated by:- www.Icheoku.com

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, AMERICA!

Today is the national 'Thanksgiving Day 2009' in the United States of America; Icheoku says, congratulations! As we savour all the basted golden-brown turkeys, alongside all the stuffing and associated drinks, please let us be grateful for what we have. It may not necessarily be all the gold in Fort Knox but a healthy life is worth celebrating too; it is more important than all the billions owned on a sick, death-bed.

A harvest festival celebrated mainly in Canada and the United States, Thanksgiving Day is a day we give thanks to God for all the bounties of our earth harvest, from his given richly endowed fertile land; and also express our gratitude for all other life's gifts and blessings.

Historically, the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 at Plymouth Plantation, one of the original thirteen colonies that later became the United States of America; and is in today's State of Massachusetts. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and the second Monday of October in Canada; and marked as a gathering of family and friends over dinner table to rejoice, make merry and be thankful for the blessings of the year ending.

The modern Thanksgiving feast began in the 1850s, when poet Sarah Josepha Hale, who wrote the poem “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” began a campaign for recognition of a national day of Thanksgiving. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared that the final Thursday in November would be a day of Thanksgiving and later in 1941, at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Congress declared it a national holiday.

It is also one of the most traveled holiday periods in America as family members travel from all over to be together for the festivities. As a tradition, the president usually pardons a turkey from the butcher's knife to mark the day; and this year, President Barack Obama pardoned a turkey named 'Courage'! Once again, happy 'turkey day' America!'

AGAINST SAME SEX MARRIAGE, TRY THIS FOR OPTION!

How about marrying your dog or cat or even a tree, may be an iroko, eucalyptus or oak tree? But in order not to be outdone in the battle of what constitutes an acceptable marriage partner, a Japanese man has gone entirely outside this world of humans to take a wife!

By his action, he has taken the craziness called marriage to another level; having made up his mind that homo-sapiens are troubled species and that he will not fall a prey therein? He journeyed to space and found a wife there, and married her; - he settled for a virtual wife?

Wonders shall never end; but what is marriage after-all if not a union or a yoke which an unhappy society forces down on its membership so that they will have everybody equally yoked in the stress and sadness of trying to live life through the eyes of another! But who have ever seen a comfortable Siamese twins; talk-less of expecting a utopia of a really happily married couple? Anyway, the mental anguish aside, here now is the real deal. Icheoku loves creative minds and this Japanese is a genius as he married without the concomitant bitching and bickering; and the middle of the night wake up lets talk tantrums?

The Japanese gamer known in the virtual world by his e-acronym, 'Sal9000' has tied the knots with a lady he met in cyber-space; - a fantasy wife! He was playing Nintendo DS dating sim 'Love Plus' game when he met and fell in love with a lady-character therein, Nene Anegasaki. He was love-struck by the virtual lady; and decided immediately that his heart has been struck by her proverbial cupid arrow and hence let the marital bliss begin. He proposed to her and bam, a marriage! The wedding ceremony was performed in front of family, friends, relatives and the media who were all very supportive and not judgmental about who their son and friend choose to fall in love and spend the rest of his life with. Icheoku asks, does this e-addict plan to ever consummate such a marriage or did he just want to extend the realm of marriageable partners? Was he deliberately making a statement to those anti same-sex marriage crusaders that everyone should be left to decide who his object of affection should be and permitted to marry same if he/she chooses to? But do you blame him for making such a daring move, somehow meant to raise wow, provoke conversation and possibly give the anti same-sex marriage theocrats a reason to say, "I told you so"; that once the genie is let out of the bottle and same sex people allowed to marry, that no one knows where the stretch of what someone can marry will reach or end.

Call it end times signs, weirdo or whatever you like; but marriage is marriage and anyone can and should be allowed to marry whoever or whatever he chooses is the best and least painful way to be killed! As either way, the stress of being permanently yoked with someone or a thing will quickly facilitate your ultimate exit from this world, like it or not. Crazy thoughts; can call it whatever you like, but Icheoku shoots from the hip. And to the newly wed Sal9000 and Nene Anegasaki, Icheoku says, happy married life of less bickering! Salut.

Now check out the YouTube video of the event, happy viewing:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsikPswAYUM

NIGERIAN NATIONAL LEGISLATURE, THE NUMERO-UNO QUESTION?

It is a trite rule of interpretation for purposes of adjudication that where there is no explicit constitutional provision or guiding law for the resolution of a subject in controversy or dispute, the custom and practice developed over the years in solving such matters, usually steps in to the rescue. This time honored and tested practice, repeatedly resolves disputes the world over but not in Nigeria, as the present case of legislative superiority between the Senate and the House of Representatives suggests. A national legislature, where an ego-driven disputation between a senate president and a speaker of the House have forestalled a would-be presidential budget address?

Icheoku asks, why should such a triviality as a presidential budget address venue, be allowed to constitute a behemoth issue of controversy by any serious country that has her national legislature really working for the peoples business of legislating? But in Nigeria what holds true in majority of other civilized and functioning countries is most always an anathema; and her politicians and leaders so called, having not been elected by the people in the first place, do not have an incentive to work for the people? They really do not care about Nigerians or anything else other than their bottomless pockets. This is what created the absurdity of disputing a presidential address venue to the extent that the address has to be called off; causing all the drama currently playing out in that African country. A country, so endemically corrupt and which although richly endowed with oil and other natural resources, have majority of her citizens living in abject poverty for the most part? Their legislators, instead of making laws to curb corruption and improve the lot of the masses, are busily engaged in self gloating battle for supremacy among themselves as to who is the leader of the pack, hence the numero uno question?

But where does such joint presidential address usually take place, one would ask and why not continue with the practice? What set-off the dispute and what made the formerly non-host to now demand for a change of venue? According to available information, the House of Representatives have been playing host to such joint presidential addresses over the last ten years since Nigeria returned to their now somewhat 'selected-democracy' type of governance? And previously during the second republic of President Shehu Shagari between 1979 to 1983, the practice was the same; - the senators always walking over to the House of Representatives chamber with the senate president presiding? Also during the currency of this present government of President Umaru Yar'Adua, such joint addresses in 2007 and 2008 were held at the House of Representatives chamber; so what suddenly changed to make the midget David Mark-led Senate change its mind and now demand a change of venue? Why did David Mark and his senators suddenly wake up now, feeling too big and superior, to once again embark on this somewhat annual pilgrimage to their sister chamber at the House of Representatives, to listen to the president read his budget address? Icheoku concludes, it appears that it is the Senate President David Mark and his senate that is playing the obstinate child, throwing tantrums and provoking the power struggle infesting the Nigerian legislatures! What a battle of supremacy, indeed! But why?

According to one observer, "In the supremacy battle that these lawmakers are waging, Nigeria is the one loser. The two legislative houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives seem hell bent on asserting their superiority, each over the other and while all this is happening, important things remain undone." Icheoku agrees and adds, this is what happens when touts and retired khaki-boys populate a deliberative arm of the government; the result being the existing varying complexities, of a semi-illiterate senate president who wants to make up his academic and intellectual shortcoming with the use of his brute brash military-like intimidation. Unfortunately, on the other side of the divide is a young, energetic, ebullient, well read and well travelled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Oladimeji Bankole, who according to reports, is not impressed by the shenanigans of an aging senate president. The end result, a face-off of staggering magnitude now threatening Nigeria's fledgling nascent democracy!

So let us review some of what the Constitution provided concerning this two legislatures. According to Nigeria's 1999 Constitution, both legislatures were given equal powers to make laws for the good governance Nigeria; with specific powers conferred on the senate, by section 142 (2), 154 (1) (2), to confirm appointments as may be made by the President. Also, Section 65 (1) of the constitution provides the qualifying age for senators at 35 years, while that of the representatives is 30 years. Section 53 (1) of the Constitution confers the power to preside over joint sittings of the legislative arm on the Senate President and where he is not available, then on the Speaker. However the constitution did not specifically provide for venues of such joint sitting of both legislatures; but the practice for the past decade has held it in the House of Representatives which peradventure has or should now have become the norm. The House has a larger chamber and accommodates more people, 400 as against the senate's 250? It is also on record that throughout his eight years in office, former President Olusegun Obasanjo used the chamber of the House of Representatives to present his budgets; and President Umaru Yar'Adua have done the same this past two years of his presidency. Senators earn slightly more in salary and allowances than the members of the House of Representatives; the two houses are usually referred to as lower and upper house with members of the House always aspiring to make it to the senate but never the other way round? The senate has 109 members while the representatives have 360 members but both represent the same population in varying geographical spread.

But why can't these folks just get along, remembering that their primary business is legislating for the good of Nigeria and not who is superior to each other? According to one observer, when people don't take their job seriously, then they resort to needless squabbles; and their tendency to constantly squabble is indicative of their journey into power. In his words, "We should not be surprised that people who were not voted into power are behaving like this. With due respect to a few of them that might have been genuinely elected, but generally, the process that produced the National Assembly members was one that was controlled by brigands. We should not be surprised that we are seeing strong-arm tactics and hooliganism at the chambers." Icheoku adds, what else does anyone expect from such a congregation of thugs, ex military coup plotters, touts and illiterate contractors who physically and practically fought their ways into the national assembly? Their stock-in-trade, brute-force intimidation since they are incapable of civilized reasoning and also lack the capacity to understand any sane, decent and reasonable deliberative argument.

It is also very instructive to note that "street-fighting" has become the new order of practice among these strange bed-fellows who constitute the membership of the People (un)Democratic Party? If it is not one fighting between a minister and her/his junior minister over who is in control of the ministry or would award contracts therein, requiring a presidency intervention to spell out their specific assigned functions like kindergartners; it is such intractable internecine wars being witnessed today between thugs masquerading as national legislators, and over a mundane thing like the venue of a presidential address? Icheoku just hopes that it is not some forces that are using these legislators to get at their perceived stubborn President Umaru Yar'Adua and playing out their Machiavellian script against the interest of general democratic progression in Nigeria?

The House of Representatives have a superior argument in this debate of who hosts the presidential budget address; they have a bigger chamber that could accommodate both the Senate and Representatives conveniently and the existing subsisting practice is that they usually play the host. Icheoku does not understand the arrogance of the Senators who are insisting that the address this time should be held in their smaller chamber, with a proviso that any House members who do not find seats should stand for the period of the address. Icheoku admonishes, what an arrogant statement by a bunch of ego-tripping set of Nigerians who call themselves senators? Why stand when you can sit for a one and half hour address? Also what about an existing 10-year-old tradition of the House hosting such joint sessions. Unfortunately, as one commentator said, "Nigeria have a President who is in office but not in power;" hence could not muzzle or coral these recalcitrant legislators as his predecessor Olusegun Obasanjo was notoriously equipped with fearsome capability. President Umaru Yar'Adua being such a sickly weakling, is being rode like a whore by these brash and uncultured men at both legislative chambers. So much nostalgia for the Aremu of Otta?

Icheoku says, presenting the budget address separately and severally is not the answer as more issues needing both houses joint attention might come up during the life of this administration provoking the same imbroglio. Who will the president now meet first, which by necessary implication invariably becomes the first among the supposed equals? It is better the matter is conclusively resolved now or let the president delegate his minister of finance to do the briefing; but let him not set a precedent that will create more problems than the one it is intended to solve. What was the practice during the days of Obasanjo or is this another sign that the gang up against the sickly weakling from Katsina state is growing in reaps and bounds. We hope that the PDP shall remember these stubborn national legislators and sabotage their re-election efforts come 2011. They lack discipline! They need discipline and discipline has to be introduced in that so called largest rascal party of Africa, the PDP; which by extension will force these stubborn wildebeests of legislators into a line and follow party orders! Or does Vincent Ogbulafor lack the cohesive panache of the erstwhile chairman Ali-Must-Go or that of Mr Fix-It, Tony Anenih?

In the final analysis therefore, Icheoku says both chambers are co-equals and play complementary rather than subjective roles to one another. The venue of a presidential budget address should not have mattered; as convenience and the practice over the years would have been the preferred determinant and allowed to prevail. It is called precedent! However, if in the final analysis, it is determined that none of the chambers is higher than the order to lead the other in matters of conflict and provide direction; then there is really no need for the current wasteful duplicity of having two chambers of equal and unyielding status. Both chambers should therefore be annexed together and immediately; to save Nigerians the added cost of running another chamber which is just a clone of the other. It will save Nigeria much need financial resources being wasted on these self-serving maga-dogs; who have nothing to show for their relevance or the many years so far spent in the national legislature, pretending legislative competent authority? Enough of this wastage, maintaining two legislatures which have no real utility to Nigerians. Our verdict, Nigeria should do away with the bicameral legislature for dupliciation and revert to a unicameral legislation, period!

LORD LUGARD'S 'THE DUAL MANDATE', AN OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT?

A friend and an adviser to Icheoku.com posited, "considering the events of the past 4 decades in Nigeria, particularly the brazen display of "power without responsibility" at all levels of rulership, was Lord Lugard fairly accurate in his assessment of Nigerians in particular or has history proved him wrong?" He continued, "what a food for thought;" concluding that he thinks that "Lord Lugard has been largely vindicated by developments in Nigeria since his 1919 departure from Nigeria." He also wants to know what you think?

Icheoku says, we agree with our Ph.D adviser; and restates that Frederick John Dealty Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard aka Lord Lugard was right on the money with his read of the typical Nigerian leader! It is our understanding of his assessment of a Nigerian leader to be that person who just prides him/herself with having powers but not knowing the ends of power? He or she has total or absolute disregard for the end for which power is meant to serve. Put in another way, the power holder or usurper derides the people for whom the power should be used for their betterment; but instead use the power against them!

We shall leave you now to read and judge for yourself the particular excerpt from his 1926 book "The Dual Mandate" at page 70, wherein he wrote:-

"In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable person. Lacking in self control, discipline, and foresight. Naturally courageous, and naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity, with little sense of veracity, fond of music and loving weapons as an oriental loves jewellery. His thoughts are concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future, or grief for the past. His mind is far nearer to the animal world than that of the European or Asiatic, and exhibits something of the animals’ placidity and want of desire to rise beyond the State he has reached. Through the ages the African appears to have evolved no organized religious creed, and though some tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more often to take the form of a vague dread of the supernatural. He lacks the power of organization, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business. He loves the display of power, but fails to realize its responsibility ......he will work hard with a less incentive than most races. He has the courage of the fighting animal, an instinct rather than a moral virtue...... In brief, the virtues and defects of this race-type are those of attractive children, whose confidence when it is won is given ungrudgingly as to an older and wiser superior and without envy.......Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and his lack of ability to visualize the future." - Lord Frederick John Dealty Lugard, The Dual Mandate, 1926 at page 70.

Now do you think that what this British colonialist Governor General of Nigeria, from 1914 to 1919, wrote somehow appertains to you or what you already know or thinks; or was about your distant ancestry or those of the present day, especially Nigerian leadership; or was it a jaundiced opinion of a colorless colonialist who saw nothing good in colonized Africans? We have highlighted what we consider the imperative statements therein and would proceed forth to agree with Lord Lugard that a typical Nigerian leader loves to display and flaunt his powers so much and with little or no regard for those concomitant responsibilities a person bestowed with such powers are usually saddled with? As far as he is concerned, the attitude is just give me the Bacon but how the pork was raised or its sustainability could wait for another day or better still, not my business? Also a typical Nigerian leader lacks vision and this is one principle reason why Nigeria is stagnated today. For example, Yakubu Gowon once said during the oil boom of 1973 that there was too much money that he does not know what to do with it? Icheoku says, if this genocidal Birom man from Plateau State, Yakubu Gowon, had vision, he would have invested heavily in infrastructure and industries; such that today, Nigeria will not be operating a "primitive economy" of total dependence on gas and oil like the Russians?

Further, that Nigerians lack self control needs no soothsayer to affirm; Nigerians spend awfully a lot and some of salaried workers are notorious for over-spending their paychecks with the popular phraseology "book me down" now an acceptable transactional statement in Nigerian trading posts? Some also practice pocket-banking where they put their income in their pockets and disburse it therefrom and within few days after receiving same and several weeks before the next one becomes due; hence the 'book-me-down' until the next pay day syndrome? Icheoku also agrees with Lord Lugard that Nigerians also are very fond of music and are full of personal vanity! They are sometimes seen taking out bank loans just for funeral ceremonies as chiefly obtains in Yoruba south western Nigeria or for taking chieftaincy titles as is a commonplace occurrence in the Igbo south east? We concur that Nigerians, like many Americans, believe in the "here and now;" and would rather engage in get rich overnight activities rather than pay necessary dues to get to where they desire? It is all about wanting it now! Nigerians sometimes also settle for what is available instead of waiting for what is desirable; provided some bills grease their palms! But luckily enough they are not alone in this work for less practices in the market place, as Latin Americans, Philippines and some eastern European countries even work for lesser remunerations?

Be that as it may, we must confess that we have not read the book or been privy to the rest of its content; our analysis was based on the excerpt which was sent to us. We therefore ask you to please pardon our position, if you feel it is rather too strong or that it rubs you on the wrong side of your sensibilities? So many other flag-draping commentators on the excerpt have called Lord Lugard out on his statements; but we are not that kind of unthinking air-heads plebeians, who would fanatically defend the flatulence of their fatherland because their father is involved. We stand on objective convictions and therefore, this our concurrence that Lord Lugard rightly assessed Nigerians then, whose DNA still run in the present day Nigerians; which explains the rot in motherland. What say you?

SANI ABACHA, THE ROGUE MIDGET OF KANO STATE AND A SON NAMED ABBA!

A snake never fails to beget a long thing and so it is that a thieving army general and a father begot a thieving wayward son. Like his notorious father, the midget of Kano State, Sani Abacha, his son Abba Abacha is now a confirmed crook and a rouge! His loot, $350 million dollars stolen from Nigerian coffers with the aid of his father and stashed away in bank vaults, in far away Luxembourg and the Bahamas.

Icheoku have always suspected that behind those dark sun-shades eye-goggles, which later became his trade-mark, lies a pair of weasel-eyes of a criminal military dictator, who found a lucrative hobby, looting Nigeria until a well orchestrated death caught up with him. Thanks to his nemesis in the form of two Indian escorts, who seduced their way into his love-nest; a hideout inside Aso Rock unbeknownst to his wife, the Lebanese born Maryam Abacha, matriarch of the Chagori construction family who bore him nine children. The two Delilahs offered him their luscious bodies, but first a dose of poisoned Viagra pills? Their lecherous rendezvous was interrupted midway with a gasping for air, fainting Sani Abacha; who, before the summoned Aso Rock medics could arrive, had gone into irreversible cardiac arrest and the rest is now history.

According to the late former Senator, NPN secretary and a Minister of Labor under Sani Abacha's regime, Uba Ahmed, Sani Abacha was killed by some foreign agents because of his unyielding stance and died moments after taking the laced pills? The same agents blackmailed Abdulsalam's succeeding regime into releasing their killer-agents, who were never formally arrested or charged or prosecuted for the death of a sitting Nigerian head of state? It would appear also that the Indian Ladies not only introduced those poisoned pills to Abacha, but they also turned him to the Indian passion of chemically lightening his skin complexion? This Michael Jackson changing-colors syndrome scheme was sold to Sani Abacha, who bought it hook, line and sinker and the result was immediate. It suggests that Abacha had been having his illicit liaison with these ladies long before the foreign vipers seized the opportunity and took him out. Take a good look at the two composite pictures top left and here right following, which shows two different shades of the same despicable midget of Kano State:- one is his natural Kano intensive sun black-arse skin and the other his Indian chemically-induced lightened skin complexion? A chemical peel-off which evaporated his melanin leaving his skin paler and sickly looking. Icheoku says, what a Michael Jackson of Kano State, Nigeria, this man was!

Now about eleven odd years after he was murdered, one of his protege-son, Abba Abacha, has been found guilty by a Geneva judge of being a member of a criminal organisation engaged in money laundering, especially of Nigeria's national treasury and the state's assets. According to the investigating judge, Yves Aeschlimann, such criminality cannot go unpunished; hence he ordered the seizure of the $350 million belonging to Abba Abacha which were lodged in bank vaults in Luxembourg and the Bahamas. The judge also imposed a suspended prison sentence on the mini-Abacha. It will be recalled that another one of his son, 28 year old Ibrahim Abacha, was roasted to his painful death in a plane crash in Kano in January 1996, courtesy of sabotage by an underground resistance group, the United Front for Nigeria's Liberation? This was meant to serve as a warning shot to a ravaging murderous beast Sani Abacha, but he hearkened not and instead went full throttle against his perceived enemies until the Indian girls arrived to pull off what no Nigerian dissident could hitherto accomplish?

Icheoku says, Abba Abacha is a good understudy of his father, a father who between 1993 and his murder in 1998, looted about $3 billion dollars from the coffers of Nigeria; being money which belonged to the Nigeria state and which this midget selfishly plundered for his family's private use? Sani Abacha, a despicable druggie whose notoriety was so widely spread, that a newspaper in far away United Stated of America dubbed him the 'beacon of brutality?' A taciturn pint-sized urchin, who hated daylight so much during his despotic stranglehold on Nigeria, that the few times he ever ventured outside his holed-in Aso Rock, his eyes were perfectly blanketed from the light with the aid of some over-sized dark goggles. He was also a reputed nocturnal bat, who only comes out when others are sleeping; and went to his office for whatever is left of the business of Nigeria only at dusk? He also never gave interviews nor spoke publicly about anything to any journalist or news media? It is also on record that due to his volatility, instability and unsuitability for any higher command, his military superiors had recommended way back in 1971 that he should never be promoted above the rank of a colonel. But the powers that be in Nigeria however ignored the ominous warning and Nigeria paid dearly and a hefty prize with his misadventure into power in Nigeria!

Sani Abacha notoriously participated in three coups in Nigeria and with Ibrahim Babangida and Muhammadu Buhari were responsible for the comatose state Nigeria is in today! Their respective lacklustre, destabilising usurpation of power in Nigeria messed up things so much that their effects are still lingering on and being seriously felt today, several years since the last of the Mahican, Sani Abacha was killed? His first tag-team coup with Babangida and Buhari was against Shehu Shagari which installed Buhari as head of state; his second coup was against Buhari which made way for Babangida; and then the third and last coup against Ernest Shonekan for himself to mount the saddle as head of state? He was also fingered as the man who harassed the daylight out of IBB and forced him to annul the June 12 1993 MKO Abiola election? He also jailed MKO Abiola, Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Yar'Adua, the elder brother of the present Nigeria president who was killed in prison on his orders. Ken Saro Wiwa was also killed by Abacha. He imprisoned so many labor officials, journalists, politicians bankers and human-rights activists. His instrument of cohesion was brute terror! In short, Sani Abacha was the first terrorist-in-chief ever known to Nigerians before the advent of Osama Bin Laden on September 11, 1999 who suddenly beclouded his notoriety. Sani Abacha's decrees put his despotic regime above and beyond every Nigeria's law courts reach and permitted his preventive detention project. He also shut down three major Nigerian newspapers for their editorial contents which he deemed not favorable? It was Sani Abacha who also desecrated the Sokoto Sultanate when he deposed and jailed the former sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, who is still exiled from the Sokoto Caliphate till date. Icheoku however commends this demystification of the Sultanate, which hitherto projected an untouchable status? Anyway back to the stinky resume`of the midget of Kano State, Mallam Sani Abacha!

Around March 1995, Sani Abacha killed 300 military officers and 40 civilians based on a trumped-up coup, which he alleged his regime had squelched? On October 1, 1995, 40 other Nigerians including Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Yar'Adua, who were also implicated in the phantom coup had their death convictions for treason reduced to life sentences. It was his 25 years to life term in prison that Olusegun Obasanjo was serving until providence presented itself and some foreign secret agents found a way to poison Sani Abacha; wherein Obasanjo was released from prison only to become himself the worst president Nigerians have ever had? Shehu Yar'Adua was less fortunate as Abacha's honchos got to him with their cyanide while Abacha was still alive and before any plea for mercy could be heard? It is also instructive that Ken Saro Wiwa was hanged by Sani Abacha in the same year 1995, precisely on November 10, 1995. Sani Abacha was also allegedly involved in drug-trafficking, which he probably learnt from his mentor Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida; a notorious drug-trafficker who had to kill one of his couriers, Grace Okon, whose death's investigation led to the parcel-bombing to death of journalist Dele Giwa which stopped cold his prying inquisitive eyes? Sani Abacha also broke up then outgoing American Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington's farewell party in Lagos, using the instrumentality of his Lagos State police terror-machine, under the supervison of a now Kirikiri inmate, then Commissioner of Police James Danbaba? Abacha's atrocious regime was so stifling and overwhelming that Icheoku wonders how any Nigerian ever survived such a hellish despotism!

In one commentator's description of the madness that was Sani Abacha's regime, he wrote, "General Sani Abacha ruled Nigeria with an iron fist for some five years. He banned all dissent. He arrested, tortured, imprisoned and when it suited his fancy, killed dissidents. Those he killed included pastors of souls, who as much as remotely condemned his inhumanity in their Sunday sermons. When Abacha died on June 6, 1998, there was popular rejoicing in the land, coming in some cases, from those who had prodded him on, to stay in power for life. His death was meaningful in a way. It changed the political landscape of Africa’s largest nation for good. His death meant that there would be a halt to the indiscriminate violation of human rights and the outright raping of the national psyche. Abacha does not live in the hearts of decent people. Nigerians and others, mourned him with dry cheeks." Icheoku says, what a well written piece of precise reference on the despicable, despotic midget of Kano State, Sani 'Madman' Abacha! May his soul never rest in peace!

Lastly, Nigerians should principally blame the evil-genius, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida for the curse of Sani Abacha! IBB had the time and opportunity to retire Abacha from the Nigerian army but instead choose to leave him behind as a defence minister in other to facilitate and bring about the agreed coup of 1993. Icheoku says, if IBB had retired Abacha when other military henchmen of his regime were let go during his, IBB's infamous stepping aside, how on earth would Nigerians have experienced the murderous nemesis called Sani Abacha? So Nigerians should be mad at the right target, Ibrahim Babangida for the evils of Sani Abacha! And as for his thieving son Abba Abacha, what can Icheoku tell you except that Nigeria is a country on a precipice, teeming with crooks and looters of the national treasury; - a country of who can out-loot the other. What a shame!

ERIC HOLDER, FACES DOWN THOSE DAMN 9/11 TERRORISTS!

It would appear that suddenly we are becoming too jittery for comfort in our own homeland, America; to the extent that we are now even dragging our feet in meting out justice to those terrorists who caused us great harm on 9/11. The reason, fear of possible reprisals from the same spineless cowards that brought down our twin towers on that fateful day. America, where art thou courage that just five caged and bounded terrorists would be causing this much concern amongst us? Who are these mother f**king terrorists to scare us away from prosecuting them where, when and how we may deem necessary? Icheoku says, these terrorists should not be allowed to influence or determine where and how our mode of justice will be meted out to them?

The president, Barack Obama, wants to close Guantanamo Bay Prison in Cuba and we must help him to succeed and to carry out his promised closure of that infamous prison. But before he could shutter the doors of Guantanamo for good, those 215 caustic inmates therein tucked away, must be relocated elsewhere to serve out their justice. This is why the trial of these terrorists is a good step and necessary to bring to fruition the president's intentions. It will decogest Guantanamo and file away into the penal systme, these terrorists as may be determined. So why not? Let the terrorists be tried in my bedroom for all I care! Icheoku therefore says, what does it matter where the terrorists are tried and why not in New York of all places, the principal victim-city of 9/11, which residents will now have a God-given opportunity to exact their somewhat long over-due revenge; it is pay back time for these terrorists and in their own coin New Yorkers will pay them! New York is the venue and no terrorist will select the prosecution venue. In Eric Holder's words, " the terrorist will not select the prosecution venue. I will select it, and I have!" Icheoku says it is the Attorney General prerogative to select a prosecution venue for these animals and he has selected New York, so New York is it, case closed and let the prosecution begin!

Our only fear is that defence attorneys might move the court for a change of venue because the suspects might not get a fair trial in New York. They might argue that because New York was hit on 9/11, hence principal victim, it will be impossible to find unbiased jurors to sit in judgment over their clients. Further, the lawyers might argue that New Yorkers are not 'jury of their peers,' of the terrorists since they are Arabs and not Americans? It is only such technicalities and legal gymnastics that might constitute the real spanner in the wheel of this effort to try these criminals in New York and not necessarily the locus! Icheoku asks, but where-else will the attorneys for these terrorists find their unbiased jurors in America, since we all were victimised by 9/11 and suffered such great loss on that day that we will make us to strangle Khalid if only we can get hold of him. Our position is that any other place on earth will definitely produce the same result as would Manhattan; except of course they want the trial moved to Kandahar, Afghanistan where the defence can impanel a jury of Taliban and A-queida, who are actually the real 'jury of their peers', to sit in judgment over their "heroic-kins?"

Otherwise what are the terrorists going to do for being tried in New York, which they will not do if their trial were anywhere else including in Guantanamo or even on planet Mars? So let us wean ourselves out of the distracting venue-question and troop out to watch and stare down on these animals who tried so hard to change our way of life on 9/11. Let us let them know that we are not afraid of them or their cronies or their terrorist acts, both past and future, if ever again. If terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed wants to spout tirades on America, no one can really stop him, but at least the judge can order him physically muzzled and gagged or bar pressmen and their cameras from covering the proceedings? He can also try the case in complete camera with strict instruction to the parties not to talk to the press during its duration. We believe that where there is a will there is always a way and that we shall cross the bridge when we get there. Icheoku says, Attorney General Eric Holder is right when he said, "judges can control any unruly defendants" and Khalid Sheik Mohammed would have no more of a platform to express his beliefs in Manhattan than he would have had at a military trial; so the judge can declare Khalid unruly and censure him completely. Afterall the right to try him in the United States article 3 court does not encompass right to run his foul mouth at America! Attorney General Eric Holder said he is not scared of Khalid and so why should us; after-all he urged us not to be scared of the coward Khalid otherwise he would have won by instilling fear in us? Eric Holder once again, proved why he is the 'rightest' man for the job as he clarified further that "We need not cower in the face of this enemy, our institutions are strong, our infrastructure is sturdy, our resolve is firm, and our people are ready."

If as we were made to understand, some Guantanamo 9/11 terrorists prisoners are too dangerous to be released or brought to trial; and that they will continue to be imprisoned indefinitely by the government, Icheoku wonders what they did above and beyond Kahlid Sheik Mohammed, the terrorist master-mind of 9/11? May be it is a state secret awaiting future declassification?

Attorney General Eric Holder was right when he acknowledged that in war one needs more than the military to win. According to him, "we are at war, and we will use every instrument of national power -- civilian, military, law enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic and others -- to win!' But to the disagreeing congressman from Arizona, Shadegg, Icheoku says, we are Americans and we cannot run out of town just because a terrorist might kidnap our daughters or office clerks; so get over your fear-mongering so that we can get the wheel of justice rolling on these terrorist now. Congressman Shadegg of Arizona should butt out of this matter and be quiet, and let New Yorkers worry about the trial and whatever fallout it may bring forth.

Pictured here are the five terrorists to be tried in downtown Manhattan. From left to right are Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi, a Saudi, allegedly helped the hijackers with money, Western clothing, traveler's checks and credit cards. Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, also known as Ammar Al-Baluchi, who was born in Pakistan and raised in Kuwait, allegedly helped nine of the hijackers travel to the United States and sent them $120,000 for expenses and flight training. Khalid SHeik Mohammed, a Pakistani is the alleged master-mind of 9/11; Waleed bin Attash, a Yemeni known as Khallad, allegedly ran an al-Qaida training camp in Logar, Afghanistan, where two of the 19 hijackers were trained; and Ramzi Binalshibh, a Yemeni, allegedly helped find flight schools for the hijackers, helped them enter the United States and assisted with financing the operation.

Finally, if these terrorists can brave it to come to midtown Manhattan to take out our twin towers why should we, especially New Yorkers, be 'too' afraid to bring them to justice in our New York, the crime locus in quo? Why would a victim be afraid to take his pound of flesh from the criminal when opportunity avails itself as with the slated trial? In the words of one senator, "they committed murder here in the United States, and we'll seek justice here in the United States!" It will be otherwise laughable and unimaginable for us to have become too 'chic-fied' in America that ordinary terrorist in chains and leg irons are the object of our fear. Say it ain't so America! Therefore, bring these five terrorists to Manhattan and serve them the justice which they denied 3000 Americans on 9/11. Icheoku concurs with and supports the Manhattan-trial move of Attorney General Eric Holder! Give Kahlid Sheik Mohammed and his crew of 9/11 conspirators a bloody nose:- try, convict and execute them in Times Square if possible and in broad daylight; but please spare us all these whining about fear of their prosecution in New York!

OBAMA BOWS, ENOUGH OF THE CONDESCENSION!

Icheoku says, enough! These bows are becoming too condescending for an American president and must be stopped! President Barack Obama should understand that he is no longer a Mr. Barack Obama but President Barack Obama, the president of the United States of America. As a result his acts are synonymous and analogous with that of America and vice versa; hence he must always factor in this duality or rather infusion of two personalities or entities in him now.

For his youth and as an act of respect for his elders, being an African sire, it is ok to bow and even prostrate before elders, especially when such elders are people with authority or somewhat majestic divinity. The emperor of Japan and/or the King of Saudi Arabia are such men of authority with divinity and both men are old enough to be Barack Obama's grandfather. But that is not the gist here as Barack Obama transitioned from his 'ordinary' status to the apex of the world when he was sworn in as American 44th president last January 20, 2009. The implication being that a young king was crowned on that day and that he now sits atop every world leader by virtue of his office and hence must not stoop to bow before any of them or any other mortal on this earth; being conversely his 'subjects' strictly speaking!

President Barack Obama must realise that his actions reflects on the proud American people who do not want to be ever told what to do. Their history has been one of rebellion against constituted authorities and their freedom streak led to the founding of America as we know it today. It is American to be assertive; and we look people straight in their face to tell them how we really feel and this must be the basis of the presidency of Barack Obama - being a numero uno American! Therefore, bowing, genuflecting or prostrating and/or any other form of acknowledgment of a lower authority or class; and used to show allegiance and obeisances to the lord temporal who must be obeyed and not disrespected at the pain of unimaginable consequences must be avoided at all cost by any American president including President Barack Obama. America does not have a king who can do no wrong and sits on the highest pedestal, stool or throne in the palace, where he looks down on his subjects who kow-tow in line to pay their respect, bowing, prostrating and genuflecting in turn. Like the emperor of Japan or the Queen of England, an American president should not bow to anyone, not the Emperor and not to the King of Saudi Arabia! Their royal status is for their subjects' consumption and we are not their subjects, hence our own 'royalty', our president, should not submit himself to such a show of respect or subjugate gestured protocol to these men. Such sign of great respect and deference to 'superior-beings' should be showed by their subjects and Obama is not, not when he was an 'ordinary' citizen and not now when he is wearing the toga of American presidency. Call it arrogance if you want, but at least we have earned it as Americans.

President Barack Obama must shake off as fast as possible, some of his left-over African background vestiges, which is somewhat 'subservient' to men of power, authority and divinity, and assume the full toga of the office of the American presidency; which peradventure is still the presiding officer of the world including their leaders. Icheoku says at what point does enough really become enough? If he bows to King of Saudi Arabia and/or the Emperor of Japan, who knows if he will someday bow for the Queen of England or the Sultan of Sokoto or the King of Lesotho and the list of monarchs, kings and queens goes on. If he didn't or refuses to bow to other majesties of this world, including the self-acclaimed King of Africa Moumma Gaddafi, how will he explain his action? It would possibly start an antagonistic disposition towards him for being selective in his recognition of his lords temporal. This could in turn lead to the subjects of those lesser Majesties to start a revolt against their king or queen since their beloved Barack Obama does not recognise his/her legitimacy and supremacy otherwise why did he not bow for such king or queen? Admitted that some of us with some culture in our backgrounds, fully understand what Barack Obama did and why he did it; but majority of Americans, a bunch of un-apologetically republican people, cannot and do not fathom why their president should bow before another mortal in this world; and there lies the beef. President Barack Obama, Icheoku says, 'know ye that you are now the president of America and that what you do thence should reflect the norms of the majority of Americans and you should not be unmindful of their dos and don'ts.

It is a trite proposition that stooping down for a dwarf does not make one less taller; but not in this case where the whole world looks up to America for leadership and expect a manly-man at the helms of affairs! Therefore alongside majority of Americans, Icheoku says, we cannot continue to accept this your newly found act of bowing down before foreign royals and/or leaders. At worst, let your handlers discuss the issue of that aspect of protocol with the royals handlers ahead of any public engagement where cameras will probably record such gesture; and see how it could be privately and outside the camera's lenses be accommodated. Just like Nancy Reagan did when she bowed her head as she greeted Queen Elizabeth II behind closed doors, Icheoku says, just do it behind closed doors and away from camera lenses. If we don't see it it does not and will not bother us; but it disturbs our psyche so bad it hurts to publicly submit America to another country's leadership of royalty. Americans are not a subservient people, we do not play roles, not to anyone or to any authority. Our constitution is it, period!

Such public bow is very humiliating and offends Americans' sensibilities; hence should be shelved whenever in public. But at the privacy of whatever meeting you may be having with such royalty and outside camera lenses, if it pleases you to "lie down" before these royalties so be it; but the public spectacle of such subservient gesture as a bow is unacceptable to Americans. Others may bow, genuflect, curtsy or even prostrate as do the Yoruba of South West Nigeria, but Americans shake hands. In the words of one commentator, "If not to stand eye-to-eye with royalty, what else were 1776 and all that about?" Americans have purchased the right not to show these subjective gestures with their war of Independence in 1776 which freed them from the necessity of bending knees before certain 'special' human-beings of this world. Icheoku says, please President Barack Hussein Obama, no more bows!

NIGERIA 2011 ELECTION, IF ONLY PDP IS SMART ENOUGH?

Now that Mr. Fix-it has fixed it, both at the PDP and the High Court, and Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is the official PDP gubernatorial candidate for Anambra State, Icheoku says, may all Anambra PDP members now kow-tow and work for their candidate's success at the February 2010 polls. It is better to be counted in now than to wait on the sidelines or outside disgruntled, since the same forces that imposed him on the state will surely see him sworn in as the next governor of Anambra State?

Joining team-Soludo now is the only thing that makes sense under the circumstance; as any other thing is tantamount to becoming part of the losing side in the PDP or at worst, the PDP losing Anambra State to the opposition, which is highly improbable judging from what is being mustered to see Soludo through? As for us at Icheoku.com, whatever beef we had with the manner Soludo was foisted on the party in Anambra state is now rested, as we cannot continue to be seen as more catholic than the Pope or appear to cry more than the bereaved. The issue was PDP's and they have settled it their usual PDP fashion, case closed. Therefore Icheoku, on behalf of our staff and contributors, cease this opportunity to wish Professor Chukwuma Soludo well and a good outing come February 2010. Now we pivot to the intended discussion piece, - what PDP must and ought to do to maintain peace in Nigeria 2011 elections? If what went down in Anambra State this period is any indication of what awaits Nigeria in 2011, then there is trouble in the land; and Nigerians must run to the hills for their safety. Imagine 48 candidates picking up 5.25 million naira non refundable nomination forms for just one governorship nomination slot; which was followed by the sudden springing and imposition of one of them as the candidate on the rest of the other candidates, without due consultations or any convincing primaries? But that is the way of Nigerian politics where the cabals always have their way, irrespective of whether anyone likes it or not; otherwise who nominated President Umaru Yar'Adua or voted for him for the presidency yet he been in Aso Rock since May 2007?

But back to Anambra State, where one of the disenfranchised governorship candidates took the matter to the court in his futile attempt to stop Professor Soludo governorship crown? But unbeknownst to him, the Nigerian cabal have already signed-off on Soludo's candidacy and that is all that mattered; as their long arms have also since reached the courts and the rest is now history. The court dismissed the suit challenging Soludo's emergence as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, alleluia! The court not only dismissed the said suit, but went further and vacated its earlier order of October 23, 2009 in which it had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing Soludo as the Anambra State PDP governorship candidate. In his ruling, Justice Danlami Senchi said, the Abuja High court lacked jurisdiction over an Anambra State matter? Icheoku says, really and when did this honorable justice realise that? Once again, a proven testimony that what Anenih wants, Anenih gets; himself being one of the men of power in Nigeria whose reaches are beyond every imagination? He had previously promised the outcome of Andy Ubah at the court of appeals and it came to pass. Any Nigerian politician who pitches battle or choses to ignore this Edo State Anenih now turned Anambra State Anene because of Soludo, does so at his own peril. But it is not yet Uhuru in Anambra State or Nigeria or even for the PDP as we shall see if the much touted and hyped 'Soludo Solutions' will work miracle in Anambra State, post February 2010?

Icheoku says, if the PDP is smart they will win or rather hijack the upcoming 2011 elections in Nigeria convincingly and without unduely raising much eyebrows or unreasonably heightening tensions in Nigeria. What the PDP needs to do is to pretend to be fair in the states they take during the election; while respecting the right and pride of some of the doyens of the opposition' political parties and in their respective home states? The PDP must allow these opposition chiefftains to at least win a consolatory, complimentary state they can still proudly call their turfs. But the problem with Nigeria, greed might once again provide the proverbial banana peel, which might spell doom for Nigerian democracy? The problem in Nigerian politics as witnessed in 1983 NPN days, was the penchant by the ruling political party to try to suffocate the little opposition parties and usurp all elected offices in the land, without letting the opposition win any consolatory prize whatsoever. That was what suffered NPN greatly and which ultimately ended democracy in the second republic? The then NPN wanted it all in September 1983, when they "won" Nnamdi Azikwe home state of Anambra beyond every polls or imaginations; Obafemi Awolowo Oyo State and attempted same in Ondo State before Omoboriowo was chased out in a people's revolt that saw so many maimed and killed; PRP's Kano home state and somewhat in Kaduna? What happened thereafter is now mere historical facts as the opposition ganged up with their ear-shattering complaints which Buhari' and his gang of military marauders cashed in on and overthrew the Shagari government. Now, any analytical observer of the political development in Nigeria so far under the ruling PDP, will agree with Icheoku that the present PDP is headed in the same direction as did NPN in 1983; and as they dry their gun-powder towards achieving their puerile 60 years-in-power political game-plan, what faith awaits the opposition? Are they going to swallow them or kill them all off?

A political party with some good brains running things therein, would have deliberately conceded some states to the oppositions especially where vociferous ones exist; and queitly take others and still remain atop and in power? For example, in the South East, they can take three out of the five Igbo states; - leaving Anambra State for Ojukwu and Abia State for Orji Uzor-Kalu? In the South South, they can take it all i they so desires since there is no credible vocie of opposition therein? In the South West they can leave Lagos State for Bolaji Tinubu and take the rest? In North East, they could concede Adamawa State to Atiku's political bloc and appropriate the rest for themselves; and same goes for the North West except for Daura which they can leave for Buhari; they can usurp the entire North central for all anybody cares? In this way the PDP can still be in power and in control of 26 out of 36 states; and enjoying a spread that is truly reflective of all the geographical demarcations in Nigeria; and appearing truly reflective of the entire Nigeria making it a truly national political party. Unfortunately, this is not the case as the PDP is headed on the same road trabelled by the 1983 NPN, - a wrong road to perdition; and we pray that they realise their foolish enterprise early enough before they lose it all. Icheoku says, a vaunted 60 years uninterrupted hold unto power can only be realised in a peaceful political environment where the people feel that their voices are heard and respected. Icheoku says, the choice is the PDP's to make; but it sure seem that Nigerians will not let them get away unscathed the next time around there is another wholesale hijack of elections in Nigeria, especially come 2011? The PDP should also realise that there is no way in hell everybody in Nigeria will belong to the same political party; and therefore must allow opposition to thrive. Nigeria is afterall an amalgamation of different peoples of different nations with different backgrounds, thought and aspirations; therefore it is pendatic to expect all of them to melt into one political party with one ideology and philosophy.

Such thought is not only very stupid but the trappings of an unthinking mind; it is simply utopia! Therefore Icheoku calls on the PDP to let Nigerians disagree to agree, in a peaceful political atmosphere where there are more political parties serving as outlets, than just one; and where the PDP becomes mindful of her other competitions reflective of other political parties which by necessary implication will serve as a boost for democracy. It is all about choices and the PDP must not stifle this God's given right and which democracy protects. Icheoku says, this is the panacea which a smart PDP should endeavor to nurture in Nigeria and dispense same in 2011; in order for it to survive! Anything short of a peaceful and respectable accommodation of the opposition and in a meaningful way, will spell doom for the young fledgling democracy that is Nigeria, come 2011. No rational person or body or political party would want such a scenario? So be very mindful of the consequences of your actions and utterances, PDP!

NASIR EL RUFAI ADMITS, "YES, I WAS OBASANJO'S 'YES MAN!'

He was a member of the kitchen cabinet of one of Nigeria's most-derisive former President Matthew Okikiolakan Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo. He was one of his man-Fridays and a very trusted aide. For his unabashed loyalty to Olusegun Obasanjo, he was handsomely rewarded with the post of minister of the Abuja Federal Capital Territory. He was one of the up and coming Fulani boys from northern Nigeria? But it would appear that this mallam has made a sudden 180 degrees turn and now confesses that Olusegun Obasanjo single-handedly cursed Nigeria with the Greek gift of a President Umaru Yar'Adua! This is a big development because contrary to what was popular then that he was very powerful and very influential, this mallam has now come out to debunk all the hype and myth about his influence on Obasanjo; publicly stating that he was just an Obasanjo's "YES MAN!"

According to Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, "It was Obasanjo who single-handedly selected Umaru and presented him to us as his choice-candidate to succeed him. Nobody dare say anything against Umaru because you could be seen to be having an antagonistic interest, which was why we all kept quiet and said, 'Yes sir,' we will support him." Icheoku says, it is always a thing of joy and a source of comic relief for Nigerians, whenever their former men of power bemoans their lose in the power struggle that is Nigerian politics and comes out pontificating on their holiness in the whole sordid affair of power struggle? The former lord of the manor in Nigeria, a minister of the Federal Capital Territory and member of former President Olusegun Obasanjo's kitchen cabinet, the 'almighty' El-Rufai, now left out in the cold, is crying out loud, complaining to anyone that would listen how bad things have suddenly become in Nigeria? But what he is not telling those his listeners is the contribution he made to bring about the bad situation. Icheoku asks, how could any of these guys been rendering good professional service to a government, when they lacked the back-bone and strong moral conviction to objectively advise their boss in the best way out of a given situation? Why serve when you cannot serve conscientiously and objectively?

Some of these former officials were the reason why the government they served did not survive or perform well, because they will not honestly and objectively profer advise but will always do it under color of political survival and not what is in the best interest of the country? These past leaders including Olusegun Obasanjo and the present Umaru Yar'Adua may have faired as bad because of the Nasir el-Rufai types, sycophants who surround them and who ususally do not give them the best advise possible? They only tell them what they wants to hear and that is it; irrespective of the wisdom of such counsel. Imagine, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo desires to hire Umaru Yar'Adua as Nigeria's president and all these guys could do and did was just salute and bow out? A unison chorused, master is always right? Why were they hired in the first place if all they do or did was just chorus the president's desires without analysing or discussing its broad ramnifications? Was their job description not to critically analyse any given situation and hand in their best assessment of it as to the way forward; and strongly recommend options for the president? So, Icheoku asks Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, why didn't he and his fellow inner circle of Olusegun Obasanjo's government critically analyse the choice of Umaru Yar'Adua, forensically checking his suitability, ability, eligibility and qualification to be Nigeria's president? But he did not do what was expected of his office as a close adviser to the then president, only to now, join other leeches on power to pile up on Olusegun Obasanjo for being that arrogant despotic leader, whose wish must always be obeyed and without any question? Really? Icheoku asks, but was Nasir el-Rufai a zombie operating in a zombie-land Nigeria under a zombies' company comfortable man, President Olusegun Obasanjo?

Now everyone is blaming only Olusegun Obasanjo for the ineptitude of the sickly Umaru Yar'Adua while many of his advisers who alongside midwived Umaru Yar'Adua's presidency like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is under the radar, staying blameless for the apology that is President Umaru Yar'Adua? Icheoku asks, could it be possible that when Olusegun Obasanjo nominated Umaru Yar'Adua as his preferred choice for the presidency of Nigeria that he was just looking up to his kitchen-cabinet to hold-out and give him a reason to ground such a nomination; and hoping honestly that one would be given him to enable him thrown aside the candidacy of Yar'Adua? Is it a plausible argument to make that this people, the Nasir el-Rufais of Nigeria, failed Obasanjo and by implication the Nigerian public for not candidly advising Obasanjo on the lack of merits of sickly Umaru Yar'Adua's candidacy? Is it possible that Olusegun Obasanjo is not solely responsible for the quagmire of President Umaru Yar'Adua's government that Nigeria is left to deal with now? It is Icheoku's position that Mallam El-Rufai is partly to blame for the nightmare Nigerians are being forced to live through since May 2007 with the unfortunate ridicule that is Umaru Yar'Adua's presidency?

Peradventure if Mallam El-Rufai had been candid with Olusegun Obasanjo and advised him honestly, maybe a different can-do man or woman would have been Nigeria's president and not the Mr Slow-man who spends most valuable time, battling a debilitating illness instead of governing. So what we are saying is that Nigerians should blame Nasir el-Rufai for some of the failures of Obasanjo's government, particularly the 'appointment' of Umaru Yar'Adua as president of Nigeria. President Umaru Yar'Adua was courtesy of the lack of advise from Obasanjo's supposed kitchen cabinet, which includes Mallam El-Rufai who failed and/or refused to give Obasanjo their honest take concerning his decision to impose Umaru Yar'Adua on Nigeria? Imagine Mr. El-Rufai now criticising President Umaru Yar’adua's government as a sleeping government; a government his silent sycophancy helped put in place? He is now blaming Olusegun Obsanjo for chosing Yar’adua to succeed him, when he could have but failed or refused to advise against it; or even resigned his appointment in protest if he felt so strongly against it? But instead, he chose to tag along just to get along; and his present warped logic is that "there was no how any of them could have opposed the choice of Yar’adua as president because nobody wanted to be seen to be opposing the president?" This guy is indeed a laughable specie of human evolution; so what if the president wanted to mortgage the entire Nigeria to say, Cameroon; Icheoku asks, would he have acquiesced just because 'no one want to be seen to oppose the president?' What is your value or worth then, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai?

Mallam Nasir el-Rufai is the stuff majority of Nigerian officials are made of and this is the single most agonising reason why Nigeria leaderships always fail to deliver. They lack competent advisers who would manage their objectives very well, honestly advising the president even at the pain of either being fired or forced to resign their office? Such people are the political jobbers "YES MEN" and are always recycled through various governments, so much so that one begins to wonder why the former government failed; and whether the new government wants to also fail since they also have the same faces on board? Mallam Gerry Gana is one example of a Nigerian that served over four governments and yet they all failed; with him being absolved? Icheoku asks, does it make any sense?

Mallam El-Rufai gave his ten-cents opinion in a recent Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) interview, wherein he also indicated that he will be returning to Nigeria at the end of this year but before Christmas, to in his own words, continue to carry on the fight from inside the belly of the beast, that is Nigeria. Icheoku only wishes to remind this now crusading former minister that his then served government of Olusegun Obasanjo killed Attorney General Bola Ige and nothing happened as a consequence thereof? So what is the guarantee that if he suddenly disappears upon his return to Nigeria that the heavens will cave in? A word is enough for this 'repentant' mallam, there is no bravery in the grave; and only a fool goes to court of reasoning with obtrusive and obstinate touts who parade themselves as leaders of Nigeria and expect a decent discuss. As he knows, those Nigeria leaders so called are not rational and will get him as soon as his feet touches Nigerian soil. This stage has now been set with the court ruling that he, Nasir el-Rufai has a case to answer! So upon his return, he will be arrested, no, abducted, tried or extra-judiciary killed and nothing will come out of it as he already knows, himeslf having been part of the problem of Nigeria; a member of government of power.

Icheoku advises Nasir el-Rufai to please wait a little longer to return to Nigeria, if he must; as the authorities there cannot wait to lay their hands on you and make a mince-meat example of you, after the recent embarrassing cat and mouse game which they lost to Nuhu Ribadu; during his condolence visit to the Gani Fawehinmi's family. The Nigerian security organisations are still smarting at the ridicule that was made of them by Nuhu Ribadu's breach of their porous security blanket and cannot wait for an opportunity to redeem their besmirched ego. Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, please do not be the sacrificial offal as you will surely pay for Nuhu Ribadu's insult should you venture into Nigeria under the present inclement political climate. Icheoku says, we do not think that the former minister is so naive to commit suicide by his visit and is rather being just vociferous because he lost out in the power struggle in Nigeria? Otherwise what spectacular thing did his Olusegun Obasanjo government do for Nigerians that they could be remembered for? The answer is nothing, nada, zilch! So, mallam please stay under the radar and stay out of Nigeria in order not to become a statistics among the many whose death has met an unyielding brickwall in their investigation. Ask yourself, is it worth it? Until we see him return to Nigeria to face his hound dogs, Icheoku says, Mallam EL-Rufai is just running-off his mouth and in any other event, we cannot wait to report his arrest, torture and possible murder once he steps his aboki-feet back in Nigeria. So, good-luck mallam!