BABANGIDA 2011, OJUKWU'S ALLEGED ENDORSEMENT IS IMPRUDENT?

The Ikemba Nnewi and Dikedioranma of Igboland, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, recently played host to some Babangida's errand boys aka town-criers, who had paid him a visit under the aegis of a comatose New Nigeria Peoples Party led by one Major Agbo? According to the story, they came on behalf of Babangida to solicit Ojukwu's, and by extension, Igbos' support for Babangida's nefarious plan to foist himself again back on the Nigerian people as president in 2011? Sourced information claimed that Ojukwu bought into the poisoned candidacy of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and endorsed him for president?

Icheoku screams holy macro, unbelievable and surprise, surprise; and hereby denounces the alleged act of approval as a betrayal to everything Igbo, their fabled resilience and standing up for justice for all Nigerians! Such nod of approval to Babangida's candidacy by Ojukwu himself, sends a wrong message that what Babangida did was of no interest, concern or consequence for the Igbo people of Nigeria? Icheoku says not in our name! Such an endorsement is an affront to the general psyche of Nigerians who are yet to fully recover from the trauma that was June 12th 1993; as well as other concomitant atrocities of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida's regime; including the thousands of innocent Nigerian lives that were lost under his brigandage and direct supervision/approval.

Icheoku asks, what was Ojukwu thinking or smoking when he poured this heinous libation for Babangida; or has he not "strayed" enough from the course since his return from exile in 1982, when he pitched his tent with NPN instead of the NPP? Admitted he had then promised to take the Igbos back to the mainstream of Nigeria with his joining NPN; but his recent political antecedents, carrying the banner of APGA, suggests he is no longer mindful of the quest for a full integration? When the Igbos and other peoples of the defunct Biafra thought that Ojukwu's going to Abuja, cap in hand, to genuflect before his juniors, for his pension as a retired Nigerian army colonel was already enough insult on what they fought and died for; now comes the mother of all disappointments, the Ikemba's endorsement of the Nigerian worst reject, the most hated man alive in Nigeria, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida? Does Ojukwu, a once darling hero of the Igbos and the entire former Eastern region, still have any moral scruples left in him; or does he think that simply because Ojukwu says so, that makes it alright; and every Igbo man and woman should salute and bow out?

But to Babangida and all those unconscionable chorus-singers who throng around him, and who are goading him into a mistake of an unimaginable self-destructive gambit in 2011, Icheoku says, you are long lost at sea. If Babangida and his minders think that Ojukwu still speaks for the entire Igbo nation, then they have another thing coming. Ojukwu's credibility have since so watered down and eroded in Igbo-land, that of all five full Igbo States and their brother quasi-Igbo states of Delta and Rivers, Ojukwu could only manage to turn enough sympathizers as to win in only his native Anambra State out of thirty-five states in Nigeria? A formerly highly respected regional champion and hero of the people, have now so imploded as to become pigeon-holed into a mere one state's demi-god and henchman? Peradventure, Babangida gambled that because the former INEC's chairman and election manipulator, Maurice Iwu choose not to disgrace Ojukwu completely by awarding him Anambra State, that alone makes Ojukwu the man to go to with respect to Igbo support and votes? And because Babangida is too old, he still sees Ojukwu in the old-school eyes of the Biafran warlord but forgot that the area formerly known as Biafra have split into eleven states, many of which does not hear Ojukwu when he calls? Hopefully for his job, Ojukwu collected a sack-full of IBB's illicit stash; and since 2011 is just around the corner, we shall see how much Ojukwu's endorsement is really worth?

Babangida committed series of mortal sins which cannot be easily wished away, forgiven or forgotten; and not by any true and decent Nigerian alive or dead. How can any sane Nigerian hold a brief of forgiveness for this killer-monster and ask for 'Nigerians to lay to rest all their bitterness and hatred of former President Ibrahim Babangida, over his botched June 12 presidential elections'.

Unfortunately, these Babangida's apologists forgot to add to his June 12th atrocity, his terrorist bombing of Dele Giwa to smithereens; his vicious murder and acid-pouring on the body of Poet Mamman Vasta following a fathom coup; the disappearance of Gloria Okon; the death in a military coup of Thomas Sankara of Upper Volta; the 132 military officers that perished in a staged Ejigbo plane crash; the pains of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP); the refusal to retire late midget of Kano Sani Abacha when he forcibly stepped aside; the destruction of the society known as Nigeria through wanton corruption and the institutionalization of 419 criminality; the first devaluation of the Naira to accommodate his bureau-d-change currency changers, who helped launder his millions of dollars of illegal drug proceeds; his Zango Kataf massacre; the unceremonious retirement of Domkat Bali from the army; the murder of Gideon Orkar and group of other patriotic Nigerian military officers who wanted to remove the cancer that was then killing Nigeria as personified in Babangida; the criminal overthrow of second republic democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari in December 1983; the stab at the back-like overthrow of the government of Muhammadu Buhari in which he was the gates keeper, being the Minister of defence; - a case of a guardian robbing the fort? So for which of these crimes are Nigerians being asked to forgive Babangida of, or is Ojukwu now so forgetful not to understand that Nigerians still hurt from Babangida's hostage-taking of Nigeria and its associated brigandage and that also thousands of Igbo people lost their lives during the Abiola upheaval?

Just thinking about IBB makes Icheoku want to throw up; and we wonder what type of toxicity is whirling in the brains of all these Nigerians clamouring for his presidency in 2011? Call it personal if you want, but Icheoku refuses to accept that there is any sane Nigerian alive today who witnessed what transpired between 1983 to 1993 under Babangida's infamous military regime, who could sincerely fathom or entertain the idea of the absurdity of an IBB presidency in Nigeria again? To this shadowy Major Agbo who led his NNPP delegation to Ojukwu to solicit his/Igbo support on behalf of Babangida, Icheoku emphasises that there is a chasm between "taking responsibility" and "apologising" for a crime especially the crime of June 12th? And assuming for the sake of conversational deduction that both words have now become interchangeable in their meaning and purport, Icheoku asks, what about the other crimes of Babangida's regime or are they not egregious enough for him to also "take responsibility" for?

This selective "taking of responsibility" by Babangida for June 12th is primarily goal-driven and targeted; and we make bold to add, were it not for his ill-advised move to vie for the presidency in 2011, Babangida would not have ever cared to volunteer that he is taking responsibility for that criminality. Icheoku have never heard about this Major Agbo prior, but says it is good that no one knows him; otherwise what a nightmare it would have been thinking that a person you thought you know is nothing but a shriveling cockroach? Maybe he only rose to the rank of a "Major" in the army through the help of Babangida and now wants to show his appreciation; but sure this man or woman that is preached and sold the gospel of Babangida to Ojukwu, and who forced Icheoku's hands against a revered man, has no shame at all; his/her conscience is as dark as Hades. What a case of Judas IsCariot and the miserable 12 shekels of silver, that forced this human specimen to take upon himself such an inglorious and dishonorable errand trying to hawk a Babangida's candidacy that is dead on arrival?

Further Icheoku disagrees with Major Agbo that June 12th was a 'mistake'; and asserts that it was a deliberate and calculated callous act of wickedness, perpetrated by Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida to deny MKO Abiola his fairly won mandate; which forced Abiola to declare, "with a friend like IBB no one needs an enemy!" The same remorseless Babangida, few years ago, went to the Kano's graveside of Sani Abacha and paid him tribute as the best "head of State" Nigeria ever had? Icheoku says, may be for helping Babangida finish off Abiola and ensuring that Abiola's mandate never resurrected? The definition of "mistake" is some unintended or undesired result of an act, which June 12th definitely was not since it was fully calculated and deliberated upon. Major Agbo's sanctimonious preaching of forgiveness for Babangida is also fraught with deceit since Babangida never adverted his mind to forgiveness nor asked for one by saying he is truly sorry for his sin of June 12th annulment as well as the many other infra-digs of his regime? Talk about asking for forgiveness in HELL, long after a person had assumed room temperature; possibly this Major Agbo is not a christain otherwise he would have been acquainted with the teachings regarding when and how to ask for forgiveness? In answer to Major Agbo's posed question on what Babangida could do to assuage Nigerians ill-feelings towards him, Icheoku says, let Babangida jump off a cliff or bridge; or at least, withdraw himself from the 2011 presidential race. Babangida should help Nigerians to heal by getting out of the Nigerian political scene forever and for good; he is an eyesore and a constant reminder of the evil that he represents.

The Igbos of South East Nigeria, the new minority of Nigeria politics, cannot and have refused to get their acts together politically, because of some people who supposedly are in their leadership positions? Imagine a whole Ojukwu endorsing Babangida for president despite the facts on the ground that makes such an endorsement an untouchable and avoidable poison pill? The other time, it was the South East governors who were caught on the wrong side of the divide following the power tussle that ensued between former vice/acting president Jonathan and the Yar'Adua cabal? Prior to that, PDP's chairman Vincent Ogbulafor guffawed that the presidency remains in the north in 2011 without first checking with or consulting the then acting president to feel him out on his plans or any possible game-changer? That Igbos went through five senate presidents within four years until Ken Nnamani stopped the banana-peel syndrome bears no better testament either as to their political astuteness? For the first time in the history of a representative government in Nigeria, a major tribe like the Igbo, occupies neither the presidency, vice presidency, senate presidency nor the speaker of the house? Inexplicable! In the political gamesmanship of Nigeria, Igbos have been found grossly wanted and deficient; and unless they do something serious to tidy up their losse ends and really fast, every other zone in Nigeria might possibly taste the presidency before them; assuming they are ever considered for such opportunity? But who in his widest imagination in Igboland could ever imagine, a few short years ago, that the south-south minority will first preside over Nigeria before the South East?

Icheoku reiterates that June 12th and all atrocities committed by Babangida is not just the exclusive concern or injury to one certain section or zone in Nigeria, but that of every freedom and democracy loving Nigerian. Whatever war that will be waged or is now being waged or prosecuted to honor that sacred mandate by stopping Babangida in 2011, should also include and find the Igbos within the fore-front of the battle. June 12th is not a wrong against only Abiola or the Yoruba South-west nor is Dele Giwa's murder only an Iru-Ekpen's mortal violation, but these as well as other crimes of Babangida were wrought on the collective psyche of all Nigerians and so must retribution be championed by all Nigerians. Also Babangida's disrespect for a duly constituted Justice Oputa panel of inquiry is not just an affront on the erudite justice but on every Nigerian; and so also was the missing $12billion dollars a general commonwealth fund of Nigerians including the Igbo South East.

Concluding, Icheoku tasks the Igbos to politically wise up before it is too late and end its perpetual genuflecting tendencies to anything out of northern Nigeria, including Babangida. The civil war was since over four decades ago and according to the verdict of reconciliation, there was no victor, no vanquished? The Igbos should become more assertive as full bona fide members of the Nigerian society and forcefully demand to be taken seriously by other components of the Nigerian federation. If the Igbos are waiting for anyone to just hand them power or the presidency without any meaningful serious agitation, then they will have to wait for too long if not forever; as power is never given freely but taken by whatever means necessary. The Yorubas south-west were heard during Abiola's unrest and Obasanjo became president for eight long years; the south south Niger Delta did it with militancy and Jonathan is now a full fledged president.

The truth of the matter is that Babangida is evil and anyone supporting or endorsing him, or seen to be doing either or both, could as well pass for a mini-evil giving comfort to the enemy! Such support and/or endorsement is an unconscionable act, mindful of the blood, tears and sorrow Babangida rained on Nigerians!. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu has not denied that he endorsed Babangida and witnesses bear testimony to this perfidy; hence our condemnation of the said endorsement as blatant, reckless and capable of alienating the Igbos further from other good people of Nigeria, especially among the Yoruba south west. Igbos cannot afford to be seen as the group that glossed over Babangida's crimes and is cavorting with a murderer. Icheoku says to the Igbos, never again shall they allow themselves to be caught like a deer in the headlight, on the wrong side of the intriguing political permutations in Nigeria. Their apparent support for the moribund IBB's very insulting 2011 presidential ambition with this Ojukwu's endorsement is not a healthy political move; and smacks of political naivety. Nigerians will not have a Babangida's presidency in 2011 or any other time; and the sooner the Igbos realize this and jettison off IBB's unworthy political boat, the better.

ICHEOKU, JONATHAN PICKS NAMADI AS VEEPEE!

The Nigerian President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck has again caved in to the Nigeria Governors Forum by appointing their nominee, Kaduna State Governor Mohammed Namadi Sambo, as the new vice president? President Goodluck has by this appointment dissed his political godfather Obasanjo, his presidential advisory committee chairman Danjuma, the David Mark led Senate, the Bankole House of Representatives and instead deferred to the almighty and powerful governors' forum! Icheoku says, when it walks and quacks like a duck, it might as well be and now Nigerians know who really is calling the shot at Aso Rock. All for a back-boneless President by default of death, Jonathan Goodluck. Anyway, congratulations Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo; and let governance begin!

LOVE IS NOT A CONVENIENT ENTERPRISE?

Loving friendship is not a convenient venture; it requires a lot of sacrifice and pain. Jesus Christ died upon the cross not because it was easy but because he had to do it for his love of mankind. So when a friend tells you it is not convenient, ask yourself whether it is worth it? If a friend cannot take some pain for you, or suffer some inconvenience on your behalf, then such friendship is suspect and should be reviewed or jettisoned. True friendship involves some level of pain and suffering in addition to the other superficials of wining and dining which some novitiates solely mistake for love?

ICHEOKU, PDP'S CHAIRMAN VINCENT OGBULAFOR DOCKED!

Indicted and still in office? Only in a PDP controlled Nigeria will such abnormally be possible; otherwise where is his moral authority to continue to provide leadership for the "largest party in Africa that will remain in power for 60 years?" Arraigned PDP chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, is a caricature of everything that is wrong with Nigeria and he particularly lost Icheoku's sympathy the day he made that foul declaration of his party's intent to hold power in Nigeria and for that long! He also made Icheoku mad when he prematurely spoke without thinking it through, that presidential powers shall vest with the north in 2011? So much for the clowns that are made to fly the banner for the Igbos at federal levels? Icheoku calls on Vincent Ogbulafor to resign his office immediately; as whatever favorable outcome that may result will be colored; already tainted by this indictment which suffices as a vote of no confidence! But does he have the honor and decency to take a bow?

PRESIDENT JONATHAN GOODLUCK GET OBASANJO CLOSER, CONGRATULATIONS!

The comedy called life throws up all manners of things to keep humanity guessing and quisling; and has now visited Nigeria with a President Umaru Musa YarAdua dead and buried, and Acting President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck sworn in and upgraded to a full fledged president and life goes on! Icheoku says, congratulations President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck.

Now, entrusted to steer the nation-ship of Nigeria to a safe anchoring through 2011, when hopefully, the baton of governance will pass to another president, the new president must endeavor not to unseasonably roil the heated polity any further, either by action or speech? He must try and glorify God's name by understanding that he did not run nor win any election to become president of Nigeria and that the destiny that put him on that coveted seat demands his complete humility in carrying every Nigeria along while discharging his duties of president. He must endeavor to maintain the fragile unity in Nigeria and ensure that the north especially Katsina State will not feel too victimized by the demise of their kinsman, the late president. From what many have so far seen of the actions of the president, especially his fair and balanced appointments, Icheoku believes that all he needs to do is just maintain his current trajectory including his cucumber-cool demeanor and it will be all 'Uhuru'. If time permits, power, security and roads as well as a transparent transition in 2011 will be more than enough achievements for his very short term of office, completing President Yar'Adua's term?

Icheoku advises the new president, as a cardinal rule number one, never to denigrate the deity of Otta, the man who made him? As has been shown with Yar'Adua's eventual fate, Olusegun Obasanjo is capable of also unmaking his made; and President Jonathan must be very mindful of this fact and that all those his newly constituted 'disciples' were no where around when Obasanjo adopted him as a political son and made him then a deputy governor of little known Bayelsa State? This is a very good example of a 'who made who' story of how Olusegun Obasanjo made President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he groomed from a deputy governor to governor to vice president and now to the president of Federal Republic of Nigeria? This fact must not be lost on the new president and this will be his only saving grace and enduring backbone while his government lasts. It is a fact of life that you cannot accept a gift from the devil and at the same time disparaging him or refusing his terms and conditions for the gift. It is also a trite rule that any devil's gift comes with a hefty price and recipients do not usually have the choice of accepting the gift while refusing or rejecting the some or any of the conditions? To worship God, it must be totally intoto; and likewise the devil who used to be God's second in command but was driven out of heaven upon an unsuccessful coup and now rules this world?

President Jonathan therefore, since he has accepted the gift of the presidency of Nigeria from the Otta deity, must as of necessity and in order to survive and thrive, OBEY him without any reservation! There should be no gainsaying or second-guessing or wish-washy feelings about it; like the proverbial 'okoro' aphorism goes, "the okoro plant does not ever grow taller than the planter" since the planter reserves the right to bend it anyway it wants in order to pluck it; including breaking it if it proves stubborn. So President Jonathan must not allow his new position to get the better half of him but must be aware that he does not really have a choice under the circumstance, irrespective of the time-worn out "town-crier's" advise he may be currently receiving from his newly found Jonathan's friends and advisers? President Jonathan must not make the same mistake as late President Yar'Adua, who fell captive to the cabals who then estranged him and took him away from the protective shield of his master and godfather Obasanjo; and they over-exposed his underbelly, killing him in the process?

Godfathers anywhere in the world are never messed with; they are respected, obeyed and not questioned. Their stake for such unquestioned loyalty is to make sure that no harm comes the way of their godson/daughter and they can go to the ends of the earth and do whatever it takes to ensure they suffer no loss of face or humiliation in their assumed role. Yar'Adua made that mistake of going up against his godfather and it cost him dearly - his office and life! If only Yar'Adua had listened to his mother, a wise woman who had journeyed to Otta to thank Obasanjo for making her son president and entreated him to protect him, Icheoku says, may be President Umaru Yar'Adua may still be alive today? But then, there would have been no President Jonathan now until possibly 2015, which again shows how humanity is being toyed with by cosmic powers? Icheoku hopes Jonathan learnt a big lesson in the tragedy of Yar'Adua and will not repeat the mistake of Yar'Adua by turning his back against the man who made him; and the only man who can truly protect him, politically, in the sharks-infested waters of Nigerian politics. Obasanjo made a pact with the devil - the Lucifer, and he has been blessed with enormous powers and abundant political manoeuvring abilities; which saw him bring a little known quantum university lecturer from a little state of Bayelsa and pushed him through the Nigerian political labyrinth to become the president of Nigeria within such a short time of political pupillage? A feat of great proportion which only an Obasanjo can pull off?

To survive and thrive, Icheoku implores the new president to ignore any contrary advise and bring Olusegun Obasanjo nearer and closer to his presidency. Peradventure, make Obasanjo the unofficial, omnibus adviser-plenipotentiary and have him be the gate-keeper of a Jonathan's presidency; as the man anyone seeking a beef with Jonathan must first beat before waging a war on the president. President Jonathan will have nothing to loss and all Obasanjo's protection, fear of and intimidation by, especially among those retired trouble-making army men from northern Nigeria, to gain. Admitted that Obasanjo is not the most likable of persons in Nigeria, but love him or hate him, Obasanjo is still the only true southern albatross which the north has, and the only man the north really respect or are afraid of, throughout southern Nigeria; which still holds true till today. To any recalcitrant northerner, Obasanjo is the word that quietens them; and the only one who they are really concerned with, regarding his thoughts on any given Nigerian question. So why not?

Icheoku also calls on the new president to be magnanimous in his new office and not descend to the lowly position of trying to get back at Hadjiya Turai Yar'Adua for all her insulting tendencies and dispositions while the late president's health drama played out. Since God has himself resolved the Yar'Adua question, Icheoku says, President Jonathan should not glorify his traducers by going after Turai and her accomplices; admitted she ordinarily permanently burnt her bridges with Jonathan, but let Nigeria move on. Also any electoral reform or new elections plans without first disqualifying Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and denying him permission to run will be incomplete. Therefore IBB must be stopped and President Jonathan can help Nigerians do this by instigating a legislation that disqualifies all former presidents/heads of states from contesting any future elections in Nigeria. There are multiple ways to achieve this; and provided there is a will to stop Babangida, there will always be a way and means of achieving it.

Concluding, Icheoku says, imagine the political disaster it would have been had then Acting President Jonathan Goodluck acquiesced to the numerous protestations to force ailing President Yar'Adua out of Aso Rock or move the FEC to pass resolution 144 to impeach and remove him from office? The whole Northern Nigeria would have held Jonathan responsible for the demise of President Yar'Adua; but peradventure the better of his reasoning prevailed and nature took care of business for and on behalf of the Mr. Goodluck as usual. Now that President Yar'Adua has passed on peacefully without President Jonathan being roped into his demise, the later will have an easier smooth-sailing through Nigeria's troubled political waters. The "destiny child" of Nigeria, the man who became president without necessarily 'killing' anyone to get there, has shown that it all lies in the stars and those who have been destined to get somewhere in life will always rendezvous with such pre-ordained destination - Unoka and Okonkwo of 'Things Fall Apart' fame considered. Conversely, going up against the tide of one's destiny, irrespective of the invested resources, effort, time and energy will always come to naught; and man can only try to fathom the ways of cosmic energies that move the universe in certain ways and directions! Once again, congratulations Mr. President Jonathan Goodluck; and let your unfettered governance begin towards giving Nigerians, a Ghana-like election in 2011 or is that too much to ask of a president who has less than one year of term completion and cannot be expected to do so much in other fields?

PRESIDENT UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA, THE FINAL EPILOGUE!

A life eclipsed, the sun sets, the birds chirped their final goodbyes, the swan song played; and so it is that Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is no more! Snatched by the cold hands of death which has foreshadowed him for quite sometime now; sending him from one Germany hospital to Saudi Arabia's another and to some other hospitals in the world in search of a possible cure for his cocktail of illnesses? Doctors finally gave up all hopes and last November 2009, sent him home to die amongst his people. Icheoku notes that ironically, it is a thing of pride that the late Nigerian president did not die in a foreign hospital bed; like so many other Nigerian high-ups and officials who take pride in dying among 'not-so-caring' strangers in foreign hospitals in foreign lands. For this patriotic act, Icheoku commends him and his family for not suffering Nigeria the shame that their president died in a foreign hospital surrounded by strangers speaking strange tongues and acting funny?

Upon his return last November 2009, a blanket of secrecy was thrown over him by his ever domineering, overbearing and protective wife, Hadjiya Turai, who shrouded him from everyone including his mother and his former vice president; people who did not see him to even bid their final goodbyes? This enveloping secrecy web made it impossible for Nigerians to actually appreciate how long gone and debilitated their president was; until late Wednesday May 5, 2010 night, at about 9.00pm Nigeria local time, when he yielded his ghost and the vultures of death took it away to a land and place so far far away, never to return. Icheoku prays that President Umaru Yar'Adua will now finally gets the rest which has eluded him for quite sometime now; chiefly caused by the cabal which held him hostage as a pawn in their game of chess and used him, his name and his office to feather their nests. Icheoku did not know Mr. President very well; but suffice it to say he exuded some humility and meekness; admitted we strongly objected to his imposition on the people of Nigeria by the Otta deity, Olusegun Obasanjo. Like all mortals, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has now completed his own 360 degrees of the cosmic journey called life, and as he is interred and mourned by his family, friends and the Nigeria state, Icheoku says, lucky are those who die and their body were properly disposed, and mourned in death. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua falls within this lucky class of the departed and may his soul rest in peace, Amen!

But who is President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua; the man noted for absconding from his duties in Aso Rock office of the presidency of Nigeria and for over 100 long days, without handing power over to anyone including his vice president. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was hitherto, an unknown quantity in Nigeria national political terrain; and a very much discreet governor of Islamic Sharia Northern Nigeria State of Katsina, before Olusegun Obasanjo foisted him on Nigeria as president in May 29, 2007. But shortly after his inauguration his recurring ailments of emblematic kidney and enlarged heart returned with some what vengeance and kept him debilitated until yesterday, when all the life-support gadgets keeping him alive for several months now, suddenly had no life to support anymore as the president breathed his last. President Umaru Yar'Adua was 59 years old; a son of a former minister and brother to late Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, President Umaru Yar'Adua was born in Katsina in 1951. A major in chemistry with a master's degree in analytical chemistry, he taught class at the university before joining politics. He was elected governor of Katsina State in 1999 and for a second term in 2003; before his nomination by the ruling party PDP for the presidency and subsequent imposition on Nigerians, as Nigeria's president? President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was married to wife, Turai, with whom he had six children; he also had two children from a previous marriage or rather, a former paramour?

For the records, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was the first university-educated executive president of Nigeria since independence; discountenancing Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Nigeria's first ceremonial president, a Lincoln USA University graduand? It is also instructive to note that late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was the fifth Nigeria President/Head of State to die in office;Tafawa Balewa was killed in a 1966 army putsch, Aguiyi Ironsi was killed in counter-coup of July 1966, Muritala Mohammed was killed in 1976 Buka Suka Dimka led coup attempt, the midget of Kano Sani Abacha was poisoned in 1998 and now President Umaru Yar'Adua; the only one to die of natural causes of Churg Strauss Syndrome, by kidney problems, heart problems and acute pericarditis which was accelerated by an overbearing wife's selfish power intoxication, which made her keep him away from his other family members, friends, government officials as well as the Nigerian people. Turai maintained this false imprisonment of the president for more than 150 days until the cold steely hands of death plucked him away from her, his family and the Nigerian people. President Umaru Yar'Adua was also the first and the only president of Nigeria to ever publicly declare his assets.

Hopefully, one of his most memorable remarks, "Our collective goal is to deliver for our children a Nigeria better, stronger, more peaceful, more secure and more prosperous than we met it," will now serve as his hopeful and enduring legacy which Icheoku hopes, shall be lived out in those succeeding him in office? The intention is commendable and its implementation, a laudable cause. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua will be remembered by different people for so many different reasons:- to his wife, as a loving and caring husband; to his children, a doting father who rose to become president; to his people of Katsina State, a former governor and kinsman; to Islamic Sharia Northern Nigeria, a devout Islamic zealot who ushered in and laid the ground work for sharia laws in northern Nigeria; to his government officials, the get-along president that never barked out orders; and to the Nigerian people, an imposed president who earned the acronym, Mr. Go-Slow or Baba Slow for the very slow paced with which he approached governance. To Icheoku, we shall remember him as that collaborator who conspired or agreed to be used by Olusegun Obasanjo to effect the worst election outcome or 'selection' ever in Nigeria. The late president admitted this much after his swearing in when he opined that his election was flawed? We thought he would go a step further in calling for fresh elections, but he never did and his government was hounded by this credibility gap until he expired late Wednesday. Luckily death is a universal debt which every living thing owes and now, President Umaru Yar'Adua is debt-free. Icheoku wishes him glorious transition into eternity; and to his family, friends and Nigerians in general, the fortitude to bear the loss. May his Allah accept his soul in their paradise, adieu President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua!

ICHEOKU, PRESIDENT UMARU YAR'ADUA IS DEAD FINALLY?

At last, the secret Hadjia Turai Yar'Adua could not keep, the death of President Umaru Yar'Adua. The Nigeria President, who couldn't take the torture of Turai's house arrest anymore, kicked the bucket a few hours ago. Icheoku says, rest in peace Umaru; and like the preacher said, all is vanity - a lesson for all men and women of power the world over

THE PEOPLE OF NIGERIA vs. BABANGIDA, A 9 COUNTS CRIMINAL INDICTMENT?

What drives our fierce opposition to the planned run for the presidency of Nigeria by Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in 2011, one may ask? It is because of our moral, legal and political obligation to speak up and stand up against any and all evil; and Babangida is an embodiment of everything evil, satanic and demonic. Icheoku cannot in good conscience just sit aside and do nothing, and watch this beast of Minna assume power once again over the destiny of Nigerians as well as their commonwealth funds and resources.

Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is politically, totally and completely, damaged in perpetuity by his brutish antecedents and zero-tolerance for democratic opposition, that his present adventure is for lack of a better word, an affront and a foolery. The once maximum and absolute ruler of Nigeria and for eight long and ardious years, tortured, maimed and killed so many Nigerians that only moronic vampires from out of space and some deranged Nigerian retards, would wish for his second coming back to power.

Icheoku feels so offended by this Babangida's confrontational gesture and frontal attack on our general sensibilities that we wish him a sudden cardiac arrest and/or painful slow death. If we had our way, it would have been his late wife long ago who is mourning him and not the other way round? How dare this animal think that Nigeria is his for the asking; and that after the painful ordeal Nigerians went through under his draconian hand, especially the agonizing June 12th nightmare from which Nigeria has yet to fully recover, that he will be heralded into Aso Rock with pomp and pageantry? This really shows how contemptible Babangida holds Nigerians, indeed; to think that it is now ok to disturb our psyche once again, and that his mortal sins has since been forgiven, and so easily, one may say? It is either Babangida's brain is firing counter-clock wise or he has completely lost the control of his faculties; and has become so brain-damaged and permanently deranged that he thinks he can get away with the criminality of his eight years gestapo regime? Not this time, Nigerians are wiser and braver to tolerate or squeamishly turn tails not at his name's mention and not at his unsightly sightings?

For a little over-view, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida as a serving army man, actively participated in the coup that overthrew Nigeria's second republic democratically elected civilian government of President Alhaji Shehu Shagari in December 1983. Two years later in 1985, Babangida again overthrew the military government of Muhammadu Buhari which he had earlier helped to bring to power through the military coup de tat that overthrew Shagari. In 1993 Babangida again assaulted democracy and the people of Nigeria when he wickedly annulled the freest and fairest election ever held in Nigeria which saw MKO Abiola as president-elect of Nigeria; but for Babangida's unbridled capacity to do evil. Babangida was subsequently forced to flee the seat of power by unceasing and seething political protests; and hurriedly and shamelessly stepped aside from power in 1993. Now, 17 years later, he drunkenly desires to come back to power to continue his reign of terror, from where he had stopped in 1993? But if he thinks Nigerians will tolerate him this time, then he has another thing coming!

Icheoku says, an intention is one thing and then the actualization of such intention is another. Nigerians are vigilant and will be held responsible should Babangida ever find his way back to power again, inclusive 2011; whether by crook or otherwise by design and manipulation. Babangida's presidency in 2011 must not happen and cannot happen and will not happen; not under our watch and within the polity of a one united Nigeria. If he is the only candidate the entire north could find, then they must be prepared for a Nigeria without the south; otherwise they should retire from their head, the idea of a President Babangida ever governing a one united Nigeria again, never! Ordinarily, if not for the type of country Nigeria is, where corruption is the name of the game; with notoriously corrupt men and women holding sway in practically every turn and corner of Nigeria, a person with Babangida's awful past records, would not be still walking with swagger throughout the land a freeman; talk-less of adding insult to injury by now declaring his intention to run for president and to rule Nigerians again? Icheoku condemns this imprudent arrogance of his as very shameful and haranguing; and very damaging to the psyche of every rational Nigerian and says, it must be stopped by all and every means necessary. Babangida does not deserve the seat of power but the seat of an electric chair; or be tied down at the stake and shot by firing squad for all the atrocious ills he visited on Nigerians. This man has no brains and if he has any, it must be made of jello with no iota of grey matter inside it otherwise who is advising this latest bullcrap of a presidency?

It is in a step to stop Babangida from his fantastical dream of utopia and since the Nigeria government has so far refused and/or neglected to arrest Babangida and try him for all his crimes against the humanity in Nigeria; that Icheoku has taken it upon itself to indict Babangida in the court of public opinion, with a 9 counts felony criminal charges! Upon his conviction, which is assured, Babangida will be rendered unfit for the office of Nigeria's president since convicts cannot be president. Now, Icheoku says to Babangida, before you leap and throw your hat fully into the ring for the presidency, how do you plead to the following charges:-

COUNT 1. - That you, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, while sitting as Nigeria's military head of state, surreptitiously took Nigeria into the membership of an Islamic organisation, Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC); fully aware that Nigeria is a secular republic and without consulting the then Supreme Military Council or Nigeria's council of heads of states or other opinion leaders to know what they think about Nigeria's membership of such a religious organisation. And without any care or regard about its ramifications; and that such unilateral and arbitrary decision was capable of igniting religious war among the different religiosity and organisations in Nigeria; and thus capable of ending the entity known as Nigeria? Babangida how do you plead to count 1, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 2. - That you Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, while in the same office as above, authorized and sponsored the coup of Blaire Campore that killed Captain Thomas Sankara of Upper Volta and supported this your fellow coupist, Blaire Campore, to take power and he is still sitting in the president's office till today. Babangida how do you plead to count 2, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 3. - That you Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, as Nigeria's military head of state, amassed inexplicably stupendous wealth, which source you are yet to explain to Nigerians; thereby transforming yourself from an ordinary army man with an almajiri background to today's multi-billionaire crook in dollars and pounds Sterling. Babangida how do you plead, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 4. - That you, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida institutionalized corruption in Nigeria and allowed 419 operators to thrive; with some notorious Surulere Lagos based kingpins moving about in your government approved mobile-police convoys; one of who reputedly barked orders to Inspector General of police and his deputies and underlings? Further that you boisterously touted your (settlement) ability to corrupt Nigerians, when you declared that but for late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, every other Nigerian has a price? Babangida how do you plead, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 5. - That you, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida flagrantly disrespected the Nigerian constitution and laws by ignoring and/or refusing to honor a judicial invitation to appear before a duly constituted Justice Oputa judicial panel of inquiry to testify. By this you undeservedly placed yourself above the law and diminished the notion that the law is supreme and supersedes every body within its jurisdictional reach. Babangida how do you plead to count 5, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 6. - That you, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, failed and/or refused to retire Sani Abacha when you stepped aside and hence vicariously and negligently, responsible for all the misadventure in government of the midget of Kano Sani Abacha; including his murders of Pa Rewane, Kudirat Abiola, Ken Saro-Wiwa, etc and his blatant looting of the nation's treasury. That you Babangida went to Abacha's grave-site in Kano and poured encomiums on him as your idea of a "good" leader, will serve as aggravating circumstance upon your conviction. Babangida how do you plead to count 6, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 7. - That you Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida failed and/or refused to account for the $12 billion dollars Iraq war oil windfall which accrued to Nigeria; and till today had stonewalled every inquiry therein to. This your action, lays credence to the suspicion that you appropriated and embezzled same; which in a way explains the source of your untold wealth, being a poor wretched almajiri-background army man, neither a trust-fund child nor a lottery winner. Babangida how do you plead to count 7, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 8. - That you Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida or agents acting with your express authorization and/or tacit approval, murdered Dele Giwa, Mamma Vasta, Gloria Okon, Gideon Orkar and co, 132 military officers at the Ejigbo engineered plane crash, and all those students/protesters that your security goons killed under your watch; including the hundreds of thousands who perished during June 12th crisis. Babangida how do you plead to count 8, guilty or not guilty?

COUNT 9. - That you Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida annulled the freest and fairest election in Nigeria and till date, has not explained to Nigerians why annulling June 12th was necessary or publicly apologized for that infamy by saying you are sorry for that shameless and sinful act of infamy. Babangida how do you plead to count 9, guilty or not guilty?

Icheoku just realized that Babangida is not even in court to take his plea; as the scofflaw he is, who had in the past ignored a duly constituted Justice Oputa panel of inquiry; he has once again skipped court? Therefore, since these charges require no further and additional proof because they were perpetrated before millions of Nigerians who bear silent witnesses to these crimes; we shall proceed to try him in his absence. Babangida is hereby convicted on all charges. Icheoku's verdict, BABANGIDA IS GUILTY AS CHARGED!

Babangida, who is wanted by the people of Nigeria to answer for all his crimes against them, but who is being protected by the government of Nigeria, which have so far refused to prosecute him for all the crimes he committed while in power, is now a convicted felon. A convicted felon cannot be president since he is so disqualified. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is also not a democrat and still cavorts with military men who brought about unconstitutional changes of governments in Africa; his most recent hailing of Captain of Guinea's coup that toppled an elected and still existing government considered?

If the Sharia Islamic northern Nigeria wants Babangida as their president, so be it, they can have him as president of Sharia Islamic Arewa (Northern Nigeria) Republic? If the South-East with their conquered-people's mentality caves in and would accept his leadership of them, they too can have their president Babangida of the South-East? But these blocs alone does not constitute the entire Nigeria, as the South-West Yoruba, the home of the sons and daughters of Oduduwa, shall not have Babangida as president and will not watch it come to pass once they are still part of Nigeria. So it is either a Babangida's presidency will not happen or he will settle for a presidency of a fractured Nigeria and certainly without the Yoruba South-West.

Having indicted Babangida on behalf of the hundreds of millions of hapless Nigerians, his trial and conviction presumed; a guilty verdict on all counts is returned. This automatically disqualifies him and makes him ineligible to contest for any election; an unfit and improper person cannot seek the office of the president of Nigeria. If Babangida contests our verdict, let him appeal or ask for a de-novo trial and take a fresh plea and watch himself convicted again. If he is found guilty again, a prison sentence can be waived provided he publicly apologises to Nigerians for his transgressions; and say he is contrite and totally sorry for the path to nowhere in which he led Nigerians for eight agonizing years. Babangida is such a callous beast that were Icheoku to have its way, will be given a lethal dose of some potassium chloride cocktail; and this remains our position with regard to the Babangida saga in Nigeria until formal charges are brought against him by the government and prosecuted for his past offences. Babangida committed mortal sins against Nigerians, Nigeria, Africa and the entire black race! Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is evil and evil thrives when good men fail to do something; therefore we have risen to disqualified him from running for the office of the president or any other office in Nigeria, being a convicted felon, and for the remainder of his natural miserable life! Away with Babangida, there is no chance for him in 2011 or any other time until Hell freezes over!

NY TIMES SQUARE TERRORIST, GOT SO CLOSE BUT FOR PROVIDENCE?

Once again mother luck intervened and saved America from another terrorist induced disaster, from a likely home-grown domestic terrorist, whose bomb laden truck packed in Times Square New York, was timely found and diffused before it could wreck havoc in the Big Apple's foremost landscape. Icheoku condemns unequivocally this brazen act of terror on American soil, New York, and pray that the animal that thought and executed this madness will be caught and very soon to face the full weight of the law?

It was only last December 25, 2009 as Americans prepared to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ that the other scraggy-arsed Nigerian diaper-bomber, made a futile attempt to ignite his underwear-laden bomb to blow away a Delta Airline plane with many American vacationing citizens. The Nigerian terrorist diaper-bomber had consummated his terrorist act when he completed his terrorist-training in Yemen, planned the bombing run, wore his diaper-bomb and boarded an American bound plane and was descending into an American City of Detroit when he ignited his payload. As luck would have it, a passenger caught him and subdued him before he could cause further damage. The rest as they say is now history.

Now less than four months into that Christmas day attempted nightmare over Detroit, another terrorist has breached our security and planted a bomb-laden Nissan Pathfinder Sports Utility Vehicle in New York's Times Square? As with the Christmas day diaper-bomber, this Times Square SUV bomber had completed the terrorist act, planned it, built his bomb and drove the bomb-laden truck from wherever warehouse he/they put their contraption together (Jack Bauer's 24 highly instructive) and into Time-Square. He triggered the timing detonation mechanism and abandoned the truck before a New York City police-officer was alerted of some smoke coming from a packed truck and the bomb was diffused. The rest is now also history as his manhunt begins in all earnesty; mother-luck again was once again on the side of the good guys and saved us from another calamitous terrorist mayhem in New York City. What a double tragedy it would have been had this lunatic terrorist killer succeeded in unleashing his terror on New York, coming less than a decade after the September 11, 2000 World Trade Center, just four miles away.

Icheoku asks, what happened to all the much touted security condone and networks which supposedly envelope our country's big cities, when such a sinister SUV could be sneaked under our noses into Times Square; admitted that many of such attempts, both the announced and the unannounced, were probably thwarted in the past? But like they say within security circles, we have to always get it right all the time and there is no chance for error or to be wrong, not for once, not anytime? Regrettably, this animal choose to sneak his deadly cargo into Times Square while the country and the White House was grappling with the oil spill in the gulf of Mexico?

What a double whammy it would have been for our President Barack Obama who is yet to take a real break from work for quite some time now, due to so many issue converging at the same time and urgently pleading for his attention. The fact that the Republican Party of "NO" is unappreciative of his effort and not helping matters with their partisan zealotry and criticism of the president must be giving the president some hiccups too? Being a tourist season and in one of the tourists mecca of the world, Times Square, compounded the matter much more as probable causalities and destruction would have damped the spirit of New Yorkers and forced many people to stay away; similar to the experience the city had immediately after 9/11. But as God would have it, the hateful beast is an uneducated amateur who thought every fertilizer is a bomb grade fertilizer; and lacking in proficiency with electronics, his contraption instead of gradually timing itself out to detonation, started exhuming smoke? Who says God has forsaken America, the God's only own country, considering that there is no other better place on earth for God to call home?

Gladly we have some of the finest forensic experts in the world and Icheoku strongly believes it will be a matter of days before this Timothy McVeigh of Times Square is ensnared and brought to justice. Most likely he left a lot of clues and tale-tail signs including finger prints and trails; from the vehicle which did not "completely obliterate" as he had expected, to chemical signature of the fertilizer, receipts of purchase of those gas tanks, timing devices etc which would all assist lead investigators to the suspect? The vehicle in particular has paper works through the DMV and a chain of custody of its ownership and possession could easily be traced back to whoever drove that SUV into Times Square. Possibly this domestic terrorist would be found dead of suicide with a gunshot wound to his head; but find him, the agents would and within a very short time.

Who is not tired of these urchins who think their problem is such that the whole world has to stand still until they are solved; blowing and attempting to blow up people and things? Icheoku definitely is; likewise many other decent people of the world, and we urge us all to remain vigilance as these marauders are not taking any break from seeking out ways to harm us all. Please does anyone really know what it is that drives such hate in these spineless cowards that fuels their disdain for humanity and modernity that they would rather blow them to pieces? Blowing up Times Square is not a crime against only America as it serves as a convergence for all the peoples of the world that someone from the perpetrator's city or country of origin was possibly milling around Times Square at the time he abandoned his deadly cargo within that vicinity and could have been hurt or even killed?

Anyone who is tired of living, should just go jump off; but please spare the rest of the fun-loving world their transferred misery by trying to take lives which they did not create. No justification whatseover is enough to cause such grand-scale destruction and these repeated attempts to taint President Obama's security credentials will not work. These imbeciles are trying in vain to bring about a circumstance which will appear as if those securing our safety under the Obama administration are not up to their game. Enough terrorists, domestic, Middle Eastern and others, whatever be your grievances; just give President Barack Obama time to sought things out and resolve whatever it is that fuels such your hatred for a peaceful and happy humanity! Until then, Icheoku says, maybe parking in and around the vicinities of Times Square should be outlawed to deny such murderous urchin and his likes the real estate to plant their terror SUVs in the future.

NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT IS VERY DANGEROUS, SAYS EL RUFAI?

The former minister of the Federal Capital territory Abuja under Olusegun Obasanjo's regime, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has told the BBC that Nigeria governments injects opponents with HIV and Hepatitis C virus?

When prodded further, El-Rufai affirmed that it has happened before! Icheoku is not in a position to emphatically deny, dispute, dismiss or confirm this allegation; but El-Rufai having been in the corridors of power may have spoken with an insider's experience.

However, Icheoku expects the Nigerian government to sue El-Rufai for him to either substantiate and prove his claim or for libeling it. Failure to do either will amount to a tacit admission and what a feather to add to its already soiled and not so clement repertoire?

THE SACK OF IWU, A CAPITULATION BY ACTING PRESIDENT JONATHAN?

Icheoku regrets that Nigeria's Acting President Jonathan Goodluck went against all grains of his thought to still fire INEC's Professor Maurice Iwu, despite expressing confidences in him and stating publicly that the ex-chairman is capable of conducting credible elections in Nigeria; and that he was not the problem militating against elections in Nigeria?

Just for the records, Icheoku is not holding fort for Maurice Iwu nor are we on his retainer-ship, but in order to hold Jonathan's feet to the fire regarding a commitment which he earlier made to himself and in front of world cameras. Query, if Professor Maurice Iwu was not the problem and is capable of conducting free and fair elections, why then did the acting president go along with those crusaders calling for the head of the ex-chairman of INEC and had it axed? The answer seems to be to placate the United States of America which desired that singular outcome, since what America wants America gets? Meanwhile the electoral officer/s that gave America Gore v. Bush 2000 is still in office and so also is the American Supreme Court that validated such anomaly?

Yet a man who did his best under the most excruciating of circumstances, successfully wresting power from an unyielding and power-drunk Olusegun Obasanjo; and effectively transferred political baton from one democratic government to another, the first time it was ever achieved in Nigeria has been axed? Icheoku asks, has anyone in America called for the trial of the deity of Otta, Olusegun Obasanjo for the mayhem that was his eight years in office? Has anyone in America or elsewhere castigated Obasanjo for micro-managing the subject-matter INEC's election result, that has now completely destroyed Iwu's career and profile? It is Obasanjo who wielded the big stick behind Iwu's head and forced him to produce or rather read out an already collated election results, which were arrived at ever before the first ballot was cast into the ballot box? But no, Maurice Iwu is a sacrificial lamb and under the bus was he thrown; now to be known as the worst election-umpire Nigeria has ever had.

Icheoku's beef with Jonathan over the sack of Maurice Iwu is not with regard to his inherent authority to so do; but that there is no basis or grounds to sack him after the same Jonathan had earlier acknowledged that Iwu was not the problem and is capable of conducting free and fair elections. The question remains, why punish an innocent man; who is still qualified to lead INEC according to Jonathan's own estimation and under the circumstances? If Maurice Iwu was a partial election umpire and was fired for this malfeasance, what should then become the fate of all those beneficiaries of his manipulated election, including Jonathan Goodluck? It is just not fair to hate a thief and at the same time cavort his loot. If one hates a thief so much as to despise him, common logic and fairness demands that such a person should not appreciate the pillage of the thief's brigandage. But here is Acting President Jonathan Goodluck, a product of Maurice Iwu's alleged electoral malfeasance, pretending to be holier than thou in firing the same man whose warped election produced his government. Icheoku asks, if Jonathan Goodluck was so disturbed by the election conducted by Iwu, why did he not decline the then vice presidency or insisted that a fresh election be conducted after Obasanjo had handed over to them? If Iwu must be sacked for the election he conducted, what happens to the wise men of the Supreme Court who later held the elections valid? What also become the fate of Jonathan Goodluck and his fellow political beneficiaries or are they going to resign and apologize to Nigerians for being collaborators in an alleged Maurice Iwu's orchestrated election fraud?

Icheoku says, it is a cruel irony to hate the hen for laying eggs and yet, savoring such eggs? If one does not like something, let him/her please completely reject it and whatever it represents or brings to the table. But it does not make sense to hate something so much and still like some other thing about it or its product? It is akin to a stone-throwing protesting Middle-Eastern boy shouting "I hate America" and is wearing a Nike cap, a Jordan's tennis shoes, a Gap T-shirt and drinking Coca-Cola to quench his thirst? It is the same logic on its head wherein a woman is condemned for having adulterous affair while the married man she had it with is exonerated; and you ask yourself wherein was the consummation or completion of the illicit affair without a culpable party?

The sacking of Professor Maurice Iwu is done and there is no amount of brooding that will make undone what is already done, so Nigeria's elections must move on without him. However, Icheoku rejects this cherry-picking of culpability and the scape-goating of only Maurice Iwu, in a motley crowd of election riggers and manipulators including Acting President Jonathan Goodluck who was installed a vice president on the orders of Olusegun Obasanjo to Maurice Iwu's INEC. Maurice Iwu was not the only participant in the election malpractice and fairness would have seen everyone who benefited from such election fraud suffer some consequence or reprimand for their roles, including Olusegun Obasanjo himself, the master-mind of the outcome and who was pulling the strings of puppet Iwu. Like earlier noted, Icheoku does not hold the brief of Iwu, but that justice would have been had in what was an apparent capitulation of Nigeria's Acting President Jonathan Goodluck to an over-bearing American influence. Hopefully this Washington's arm-twisting will end with this firing of Iwu; but Icheoku is afraid that as we reported earlier this year, the Obama administration is going full-stream and head-on to make the second coming of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida a fait-accompli. But that is where the cookie will crumble as Nigerians will resist such selfish imposition with all they got, including protests, riots, work-stoppages and demonstrations.

Finally, the only good thing out of this Maurice Iwu's humiliating dismissal is that it sends a message to so many other would-be willing collaborators on how not to be shriveling servants of these brute politicians and army men who usually use and dump them after realising their objective. Professor Humphery Nwosu was similarly used by Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, but unlike Maurice Iwu, he produced a credible election result of MKO Abiola's June 12th, despite the dark-wish of Babangida for him not to carry through with the election and declare its results? This makes Professor Nwosu a more respectable election conductor within the Nigeria political forum.

It is with a heart filled with sympathy that Icheoku renders its verdict on Professor Maurice Iwu, whose reputation has permanently been damaged as an election manipulator; and the man who facilitated the emergence of rogue elements, a sick president, a senate populated by 419 operators and pedophiles, a house full of fraudsters, illiterates and marauders and questionable human-beings occupying governorship offices and other elected offices in Nigeria. This is a cross he will have to carry for the rest of his natural life and which Icheoku does not begrudge or envy him about. As we anxiously wait for the 'messiah' who will finally deliver Nigeria's elections from itself, and hand to Nigerians a gift of a Ghana-type election; we pray that IBB does not or is not allowed to run in 2011; and if he runs, is not voted for; and if voted for, is not elected; and if elected, is not allowed to serve!

BABANGIDA CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO LEAD NIGERIA AGAIN - an article by Hasfat Abiola.

I first heard about IBB‘s declaration of intent to run for the position of President of Nigeria while in Jakarta attending the World Movement for Democracy‘s 6th Assembly. Since then, many people on social networks like Facebook have been asking me to join one or other campaign opposing IBB‘s bid to run. So far, I haven‘t done so. Principally because I think all citizens in a democratic country have a right to seek any office in the land. Indeed, this principle was precisely what both my parents gave their lives to defend.

However, as a concerned Nigerian, I would like to register my reservations about his declaration. Nigeria is a long story of stalled potential. So rich in human and other resources, it should be the jewel on the continent‘s crown. Yet, here we are, divided across ethnic nations, religion and class, poorer now than we were at independence. The challenge of moving the country forward is daunting, indeed, and the single leadership currency that stands between failure and success is not past experience, nor capacity, but trust. Nigerian people must trust whoever steps forward to lead them. Unfortunately, trust is an elusive quality even in the best of times, emanating from an individual‘s ability to do what he or she says.

Considered in this manner, no other public figure suffers from a greater deficit of trust than IBB. We could speak about so many reasons for this deficit, but let us focus on one: June 12, 1993. On that day, millions of people lined up to cast their vote because they trusted their head of state who had organised the elections, who had promised to step aside for a democratic government based on the results. These millions saw the elections annulled, their votes set aside. Till today, IBB has given no credible explanation for failing to do what he said, for letting Nigerians down.

In 2011, Nigeria‘s next president will promise to meet the country‘s challenges. So much of his or her success will depend on the people believing what is said. After all, it is the people that must carry out the policies designed to realise his objectives. If they do not believe, they will subvert even the best of plans. Who believes someone who has a record of not doing what he says? Who believes someone who does not take responsibility for his own actions? Who will sacrifice current gratification because this same leader now promises that the future would be better, if we only wait? However much IBB may wish things to be different, under the shadow of his past actions, he will only be seen as a continuation of all that is wrong.

Should IBB wish to be taken seriously, before even conceiving a campaign, he should seek to close his credibility gap. ‘Maradona,‘ ‘evil genius,‘ and all these other epithets point to qualities of a liar, a dupe, a fraud. That persona may have been an asset in the context of a military dictatorship but in the quest for a leader that can move Nigeria forward, it is a liability. Whatever his camp may say, until this credibility gap is closed, average Nigerians listening to IBB will do so with a smirk, understanding that as he has not cleaned his hands, he need not be taken seriously. Ultimately, as the country marks its 50th anniversary, the next election gives Nigeria a chance to turn the corner. Since independence, our country and its peoples have endured one failed promise, one experience of inadequate leadership after another. Perhaps it is time that out of love for our one and only country we vote for a leader we can trust. This will not guarantee success. But without such a leader, failure is assured.

Hasfat Abiola is the daughter of murdered Chief MKO Abiola and the also slain Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.