BABANGIDA IS EVERYTHING DEFICIENT, SO REJECT HIS SECOND COMING NIGERIANS!

"If Nigeria has not excelled hopelessly in several dubious departments no newspaper or magazine worth its salt in Nigeria will allow its front page to be used to celebrate a man that ruined and destroyed Nigeria, a man deficit in honour, deficit in character, deficit in integrity, a man without shame, a man who cannot be trusted." - Joe Igbokwe. Icheoku concurs and states that Nigerians will have no excuse to give should the accident of a Babangida's second coming ever come to fruition!

PROFESSOR WOLE SOYINKA'S PARTY, DISTRACTIVE AND NOT NECESSARY!

Icheoku is a fan and a great admirer of the Nobel Laureate and Capone-de-tut of cultism in Nigeria. For his great courage when faced with danger; for his bravery when the cat must be belled; for his literary success which earned him the much coveted Nobel prize for Literature and for his outspokenness when every other person around develops a feat of dumbness out of fear and/or intimidation, Icheoku salutes him.

From his storming of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria with a pistol in the 60's to demand some positives; to his "The Man Died" literary classicus; harpooning 'those who keep silence in the face of tyranny'; to his actually doing what he preaches by living the words through his countless fearless direct actions and criticism of Nigeria's ruthless ruling class; the man popularly referred to as 'Kongi' has won millions of admirers throughout the different geographies of Nigeria, Africa and the entire world. Icheoku is an unabashed smitten fan and we make no apologies publicly voicing this out. His advocacy of progressive change as a way to improve the lot of the masses resounds with so many followers and admirers as well as aspiring Soyinkas of this world, and Icheoku begs to be counted among this genre of humanity and we always listen whenever he spoke and try to follow his command. But we beg to differ here and politely state that the gracefully aging walking literature lost some of us with his latest adventure into partisan politics of his latest pet-project of a political party. Please Professor Oluwole Soyinka, Icheoku asks why and why now?

If the self-confessed Ifa-worshipper is looking for a body of people he could call his own, Icheoku believes his Pyrates Confraternity aka National Association of Seadogs fits the template. If Wole is looking for followers, Icheoku confesses we are part of his burgeoning followers included in the millions of other humanities all over the world who see in him a true hero. If Wole is looking for fame, Icheoku is satisfied that not many Africans are more recognisable the world over than Soyinka. So the million-dollar question is, what is driving the engine of this his latest dabbling into partisan politics? If it is for power, Icheoku begs to tell the esteemed Professor the home-truth that many revolutionaries the world over only get to power through direct action of an uprising or revolt or coup-de-tat; they just have to grab power as no one ever freely bequeaths them with power, knowing the length and extent they will deploy the weaponry of power to affect needed changes and advance their philosophy. So now, Professor Wole Soyinka, kindly tell Icheoku and the listening world what actually informed your decision to float a political party; instead of remaining on the fence as you have creditably done all these years and influencing opinion from the outside or at worst joining an existing party.

But now with the Lion becoming partisan, any further criticism or advise he might give to other political parties especially the ruling PDP will be treated as an antic of a partisan hack seeking some political relevance or undue advantage! No party or any of its operatives will candidly listen or seek advise henceforth from Wole due to partisan bickering and animosity; things that could have been avoided had it not been for this misinformed decision to venture into partisan-land. Further Icheoku opines that Professor Wole Soyinka's party is already tainted at birth with his association and founding father-ship and ownership of the Seadogs Fraternity; and some of us and millions of others who may have allegiances elsewhere can only see it through the lens of fraternal competition and rivalry. Simply stated, Icheoku regrets that a Wole Soyinka's political party is not what doctor-fix Nigeria or its politics ordered at this time; and the sooner he realizes it and makes a u-turn the better for all of our continued general harmonious co-habitation under the Wole Soyinka conscience of the nation leadership umbrella.

If Icheoku may ask, what does Soyinka tell thousands of pyrates who are already members of other political parties in Nigeria and some of who hold elected executive positions as well as appointed ones; and if Icheoku recalls correctly, at least two governors (one in Middle belt and the other in South-west) are known members of the pyrates confraternity? Is Wole forcing them to turn against their Capon as apostates if they fail to join his infant-party or abandon their current ship in national parties to join the new ship-ahoy, with eye-masks and red bandannas? If also Soyinka's days as the Federal Road Safety Corps Marshal General is any antecedental parameter to judge his new party, then Icheoku volunteers an opinion as how his new political party will be constituted - any intending party official or candidate must first show his badge of honor and swear allegiance to the bones and sickle? In other words, the new party will be a transfiguration of the National Association of Seadogs and this is a kind of a house where some of us cannot find a home; and will instead remain nomads.

These are some of the grounds constituting our pedestal of opposition and which in turn founds our spurning of Wole's new party as another attempt at raising parochial fraternization into political mainstream and relevance. Icheoku rejects this subliminal Seadoggy attempt at hoodwinking gullible Nigerians under the guise of a progressive political tent, completely and totally. Our advise for the world-famous scholar is to please retract his steps from this his so called political party project to no where; and remain the revolving epicenter mainframe of activism in Nigeria which he is - a rallying point for all of good-intentioned peoples of Nigeria with real burning desire to see some progressive positive changes take root in our dear fatherland irrespective of our respective fraternities or other otherwise disagreeable association-ships. Professor Oluwole Soyinka should please remain the 'conscience of the Nigeria state', which unfortunately only he currently occupies since the demise of Gani Fawehinmi, Ebam Eda Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Beko Ransome Kuti, Tai Solarin just to name a few.

Also if it will interest Wole to note, similar parties formed by these now deceased patriots never took flight and he does not have any special magic wand with which he plans to outdo these guys in order to make his new party soar. Men of this genre are not natural partisans and therefore there is no point really for Wole Soyinka to be trying out such a new trick; especially at his advanced old age of 76; except it is just a statement made for some silly distractions? Partisan politics is not for genuine rebels with desirable causes, as it entails a lot of wheeling and dealing which at the end of the day only suffocates the genuine intentions that were primarily set out to be achieved or addressed. Political parties are traps for conformity and political-speaks and Icheoku does not want our dear Wole to become conscripted into one particular partisan ideology that will muscle his activism and make him yoked to political correctness and thereby isolating many otherwise would be followers, whose idea of a political party and political ideologies might be in conflict with the new party's.

Gani tried it but his party could not take wings outside his immediate family and beneficiaries; Fela tried it with MOP and it only thrived within the walls of his shrines at Moshalashi and Pepple Street; so why now try to end up a local champion when as a roaring lion, your range is currently the entire Nigerian landscape. Wole, you have nothing more to prove at age 76 and your resume is the envy of so many of your contemporaries as well as generations before and after yours; so what is the big deal now with a political party? If you must partake of the political parties poisoned chalice, please join an existing political party or accept an appointment to serve in any capacity within the present context of a Nigeria distressed; but please for Jove's sake do not embark on this inglorious journey to no where. Not only is the timing very late, but you do not have the necessary political clout to harvest serious people outside your Seadogs fraternity to join unto your political train and this is the largest albatross hanging on your shoulder against any meaningful and serious politicking in Nigeria.

Once again, Icheoku reiterates that revolutionaries everywhere are never elected into office and the only way they can taste power is through a direct action such as forcefully taking over government! Therefore on a final note, what is the use, trying floating a political party whose end is already predictable and practically determinate; unless it is just another junket for additional relevance in Nigeria? But you do not need additional limelight any more as you have more than enough already. So now tell us why you are digressing from your preordained independent position since Icheoku is not buying your explanation that your Democratic Front for People Federation, DFPF, is a forum for progressives to rally together to dethrone the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP. First it is not true that all progressives shall find a home in the party and second the set out mission objective is unattainable and at best, a wishful thinking of an utopia. Until then and why even bother; please just reverse course, maintain your previous enviable position as every-one's generalissimo and conscience of the nation; and please avoid the crap partisanship of a political party!

SIX ENUGU STATE NIGERIA LAWMAKERS LINKED TO N4 BILLION DRUG BURST?

Icheoku says, if the alleged involvement of six Enugu State lawmakers in drug-trafficking and importation of 450 kilos of cocaine into Nigeria is true, we demand a full and complete investigation, disclosure of the identities of these people, including their communities and political party affiliations. We also demand that the full weight of the law be brought on them as law makers who should know better not to break the law. It is regrettable the grave length some of these unscrupulous and supposed "honorable" men and women will go just to remain in power. That these politicians need money to prosecute elections, does not grant them impunity to do just anything to get that money; and at all cost and any means whatsoever; including breaking the law on Nigeria's drug trafficking. What a bad example to set by people tasked with law making in Governor Sullivan Chime's Enugu State Nigeria? It is a shame!

The EFCC and the Nigerian authorities must therefore make an example out of these six (dis)honorable individuals by punishing them sufficiently. Also their political party/ies should suspend and disqualify them from running for any future elective offices on their party platforms for showing a bad example of how not to be legislators. Icheoku notes with regrets that this is the second time Enugu State lawmakers are making ignoble headlines and this particular illicit drug pushing by six of their lawmakers is not only criminal but unbecoming of any law makers anywhere, who by their present action, have now become law breakers instead. Enough should be enough; we demand that these 'six legislative drug traffickers' be suspended from the House immediately and made to face the full weight of the law. They must not be allowed to tarnish the image of Enugu State, the Igbo-man and Nigerians in general; and must therefore be severely punished to set example and as a recompense

'KING' GADDAFI OF AFRICA WITH HIS LESSER CHIEFS?

Something is definitely wrong with this picture where all the charlatans of Africa are assembled and posing with Libya's 'King' Gaddafi of Africa. Worst still all the depots of Africa are in the front row while those presidents that really matter in Africa are no where to be found; except for the fedora-hat President Jonathan of Nigeria who maintained a near inconspicuous second row position far left. Egyptians' Hosni Mubrak is no where to be seen and so is South Africa's Jacob Zuma the other two African countries in addition to Nigeria of any real net worth and value in Africa; and you wonder what Mugabe and Yoweri brings to the table in Africa that they should share the coveted front row position with King Gaddafi of Africa?

AS TONY HAYWARD FINALLY GETS HIS LIFE BACK, WHAT ABOUT THE PELICAN?

Reports has it that the wimpy cry-baby CEO and President of British Petroleum, Mr. Tony Hayward, whose company BP caused the worst environmental disaster with their apocalyptic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is finally going to get his wish - he is going to get his life back! Mr. Tony Hayward is quitting his job as the CEO and President of BP.

Icheoku says, at least Mr Tony Hayward has that choice and opportunity to just walk away from the messy spongy-orange fossil gooey substance, which have overrun the gulf courtesy of his BP. Unfortunately the pelicans as well as numerous other sea animals in the gulf of Mexico do not have that elitist choice; and so also are those several thousands of men and women of the Gulf States whose sole means of livelihood is dependent on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico truamatised by the BP's oil spill.

Icheoku does not begrudge Mr Tony Hayward the right to exercise his contractual option 'to get his life back' in matters as this; but only says that BP should not have granted him an exit at this time. BP should have delayed his resignation until he has fixed what was broken under his watch in the Gulf of Mexico.

To allow him to just take a walk at this critical time in BP's history is to encourage lame passing of the buck; as he should not be CEO and President just when the going is smooth but also now that BP has some serious mess to clean up at the gulf. By letting Tony Hayward to walk away shows that BP is elitist and does not really care about the 'little guys' whose lives have been choked off, at least momentarily, by BP's reckless and negligence oil exploration in the gulf. Icheoku asks, why now BP; or have you guys not insulted and tasked our patience enough with your numerous gaffes and half-measures ever since that spill from hell brought to the surface your incompetence in dealing with a hole in the earth 5000feet below the sea level.

Mr. Tony Hayward's exit will only complicate matters at this time as a new CEO and President might want to review and inaugurate a new approach to the cleaning effort at the gulf; causing further delays and more pains and suffering on the residents of the Gulf States. His unpardonable gaffes during this oil spill notwithstanding, Tony Hayward should have been compelled to restore the gulf of Mexico to its pristine state before he is allowed to go 'get his life back.'

What about the pelicans and other sea animals, the waters, beaches and the way of life of the Gulf of Mexico residents who were impacted by the atrocious mess of Tony Hayward's BP? According to one analyst, "a change in leadership will not change the mammoth tasks ahead of BP, from stopping the offshore oil gusher for good, to cleaning up the millions of gallons that have already leaked, to paying billions in claims — all while defending its stock price and repairing its battered reputation." Icheoku could not agree more that irrespective of the captain saddled with the messy BP's ship, the journey is still very far and unpredictable.

To some gulf residents, Tony Hayward's departure is a good riddance; and according to one commentator, "I just hope they replace him with somebody who understands the situation; from the beginning it was obvious this guy was not the leader needed in this crisis." Another said, "his departure doesn't matter, whatever happens with the corporate dudes is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is what they are going to do about this mess." Another said, Tony Hayward seems like a pretty self-absorbed person, so I'm not surprised to hear he would walk away in the middle of all this. If anything it will help. They need to get him out of the way and get this cleaned up." And lastly, U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, Democrat Louisiana added that BP's attitude about making things right is more important than who is running it.'

Icheoku says, hopefully the change of leadership at BP will help to repair and restore what was taken away by their spill and every other person and animal in the gulf can finally get their lives back like the outgoing Tony Hayward. But the most important lesson to be drawn from his exit is that when the president of the United States of American wants something he gets it; and so it was that Mr. Tony Hayward's exit is coming in the heels of President Barack Obama's retort that if he were calling the shot, Mr. Tony Hayward will not have a job any longer and the president's wish is finally coming to fruition. But does Tony Hayward deserve to be fired or forced to resign for the gusher of the gulf, Icheoku answers in the affirmative since as the CEO and President of BP, the buck stopped at his desk and someone ought to take the fall for the BP's mess in the gulf. Under the circumstances and judging the grand scale of the mess, Tony Hayward best fits the tab of that someone! So enjoy your retirement with your golden parachute, Mr. 'I want to get back my life' Tony Hayward.

It will be recalled that about three months ago, on April 20, 2010, an offshore drilling rig operated by BP exploded off the coast of State of Louisiana, killing 11 workers and setting off the hellish spill. Admitted that a temporary cap placed on the leaking hole about one week ago has succeeded in plugging the spill, but not before between 94 million to 184 million gallons had already leaked and fouled the turquoise waters of the Gulf.

FYI: - Mr. Tony Hayward, 53, joined BP in 1982 with a PhD in geology as a geologist; and currently makes 1.045 million pounds (US$1.6 million) a year in salary and about 2 million pounds (US$3.1 million) in performance bonuses plus other remuneration which totaled his take home in 2009 to more than 4 million pounds (US$6.1 million). Now you know or at least have an idea of the kind of golden parachute that will help Tony land in his retiement land; go figure!

THE WHITE CHILD OF NIGERIAN BLACK PARENTS MYSTERY, SOLVED?

Investigating doctors to this anomaly said, "white gene is to blame; and that this possibility looks most convincing as they were evidences that many Nigerians had interracial relationships with Caucasians." Icheoku says, now that Angela Ihegboro has been put on the spot by this report, it is about time she defended her honor against the alleged infidelity. Or has her sins found her and a small 'side-swap' done in the privacy of darkness now been illuminated by the morning sun? You tell Icheoku; but Mr Ben Ihegboro is one heck of a very nice and tolerant man as another unfortunate Nigerian man whose wife once gave birth to a Chinese-baby took a walk from his hospital visit and never looked back.

EAGLES FAILED COACH LARS LAGERBACK ABSCONDS!

The mediocre Swedish coach Lagerback who could not lead the Nigerian Eagles out of the preliminary rounds qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa has ran away. He was so haunted by his abysmal performance that he did not return to Nigeria but absconded from South Africa, abandoning his boys at Johannesburg and his personal effects in Abuja. Icheoku is happy that the coach advised himself accordingly, being a failed coach; but regrets that he beat the NFF to the game by choosing to fire himself instead of the odium of receiving the pink slip. Anyway, what a good riddance!

IGBO PEOPLE, MIRED IN AND HELD DOWN BY THEIR 'CRAB MENTALITY?'

No one could have said it better, or put it more succinctly and in a language very easily understandable, even by a layman? No one has ever articulated it more eloquently and scholarly until now? For as long as the attempt at decoding the albatross bogging down the Igbo people have lasted, no other mind has ever precisely zeroed it down to near science, placing a handle on the root-cause of the intractable problem. A royal father has now finally identified and named the Igboman's leg-iron, their "crab mentality!"

His Royal Highness Obi of Onitsha, Agbogidi Igwe Nnaemeka Anichebe has finally put a name to the monkey which is hanging around the neck of the Igbo people of this world. A monkey, which is militating against their real and actual collective progress, especially politically, within the Nigerian general society as well as their Igbo Diaspora. Icheoku adds, but instead of admitting this problem and finding a solution thereto, the Igbos have always tried to explain away this their lack of real brotherhood and cohesiveness/camaraderie as republicanism; and you ask yourself what is republican in a people that cannot galvanize and coalesce for a common purpose or help one another get somewhere meaningful? A people who selfishly make it all about the individual self or nothing; a somewhat 'if not me it must be no one else syndrome?'

His Majesty spoke in a recent forum, organized to address the place of the Igboman especially its new 'minority status' in Nigeria and the way forward for them within the Nigeria political entity. According to His Majesty, the Igbo people of Nigeria are suffering political stagnation in Nigeria because of their "crab mentality!" This affliction affects the Igboman's mind and prevents him from making any meaningful dash for power in Nigeria and at the same time, unable to support, push or allow his fellow Igboman to do so. Elucidating further, the Igbo people are like crabs placed in a basket, which would not move out of the basket and will not in any case, allow any of them to get out but will collectively hold each other down; making all motion and no movement to somewhere or anywhere. This quandary they find themselves, a near anarchical restiveness makes them their own peoples' worst nightmare. This 'affliction' makes it impossible for any Igbo man to ever climb out of a metaphorical self dug-hole where they are confined and consigned to. While none of them gets anywhere outside the hole, they will not help, assist or support each other either. Instead, they prefer to hold each other stuck down-under, preferring instead for all of them to remain mired down in the hole rather than have one of them rise up and out of the hole as an alter ego.

Crabs in a
hole or basket ordinarily could easily escape confinement if only they would band together and develop a workable game-plan. They could make a crab-pyramid to help one another get up and get out of their hole; but no, they would not because crabs don't work together very well. Instead, they spend too much valuable time squabbling amongst themselves and arguing about petty things including nothingness. This is the sorry fate which has befallen and overtaken the Igbo people of the world; and until they resolve to shake the monkey off their back, it is going to remain a knee-jerk feeble approach with their political endeavors in Nigeria. Icheoku says, who says the Igbo people do not still have some fine minds amongst them, as exemplified by this custodian of their ancestral bequeath and inheritance, the Agbogidi.

Until now, opinions have been as diverse and varied as they are inarticulate, ranging from the mundane to the inexplicable; but suffice it to say that His Royal Highness finally got it right; - he nailed it right down to the Igbo problem. Call it unruly crowd mindset of the Igbo nation? Term it a motley-crowd mentality of the Igbo people? Call it obstructionist tendencies of the Igbos? Call it their 'I or no one else' syndrome? You are right and right you shall always be with whatever description you proffer, as long as it agrees with the sentiment that the Igbo people of Nigeria have a problem of not supporting one another, and a self-inflicted one for that matter. Is it petty, you bet it is. Is it selfish, oh yeah! Is it self-inflicted, yes; if not, tell Icheoku who from outside Igboland that is a greater enemy of the Igbo people other than themselves? A product of self hate, avarice, jealous, envy, restiveness, disunity, lack of cohesion and a dis-organised, disheveled, dishevelled, inarticulate, rambunctiousness, smart-alecs syndrome and a society where everyone thinks and sees himself as superior and all-knowing than the man next door.

The simple, short and concise answer to the Igbo 'un-supportive of one another' question, is that the Igbo people of this world, majority of who call Nigeria home, are yet to reach their epiphany in understanding that leadership position is a requirement for any given society both for cohesion and for strength. That in order for any society to thrive, they must have a recognized leadership to serve as a guiding light; and also at any given time, there can only be one such captain of a ship? But possibly due to their political immaturity and naivete, coupled with somewhat puerile dispositions, the Igbo people, despite their proclivity for smartness, are yet to fully realize the efficacy of this proven societal imperative of having a cognizable and identifiable engine to pull or push the rest of the society train of the Igbo nation to a destination of relevance. But nay, a riotous and frenzied motley of people they are; more aptly captured by William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar when he referenced the plebeian mob. Icheoku says, until the Igbo people realize this their very devastating shortcoming, it will always remain for them, a sorrowful undertaking, their attempt at reaching a meaningful destination of political relevance within the Nigeria society.

Icheoku affirms that at no time was this "crab-mentality" of the Igbo people of Nigeria displayed more flagrantly than during the 2009's PDP governorship primary in Anambra State, the supposed flag-staff state of Igboland? For just only one governorship position, 55 sons and daughters of Igboland threw their hats into the ring, forking out 5.5 million Naira respectively in application fees, the highest ever charged by a political party in Nigeria, just for the permission to contest for their party's flag-bearer for the governorship of a state? In the end, the 55 not-so-wise men and women lost the bid for the governorship seat and the eventual candidate the PDP's hierarchy foist on the party as its governorship candidate in the election, Chukwuma Soludo, woefully lost to the APGA candidate Peter Obi. It was not for lack of trying or funding or thuggery or rigging that PDP's Chukwuma Soludo lost; no, it was because a house divided amongst itself is bound to fall, and each 'disenfranchised' candidate worked assiduously to undermine the foist candidate of the party, deploying their 'crab-mentality' in the process. In the end, APGA's Peter Obi sailed back to the governorship mansion without much of a fight from the opposition; buttressing the crab mentality of the Igbo people wherein 55 crabs held each other down inside a governorship bowl, refusing and sabotaging any one of them from ever emerging out of the hole and/or winning the contest.

Also during the previous PDP's chairmanship that threw up the disgraced erstwhile chairman Vincent Ogbulafor, Icheoku recollects vividly that over 23 applicants of Igbo stock ran a contest of death for that office; forcing the powers that be in Nigeria, led by the governor's forum, to foist Ogbulafor on the party. He was later forced out by a guffaw of political misstatement which went against all permutations of the current power that be, then Acting President Jonathan and his South-South clan. The manner of Ogbulafor's exit once again portrayed the Igbo people negatively within the Nigerian society, as politically incapable, incompetent and too loquacious, which does not augur well for any meaningful political advancement of the race within the Nigeria polity. That Igbo people Jim Nwobodo and the late Chuba Okadigbo were similarly used by the institutionalized anti-Igbo elements of and in Nigeria in Jos, to frustrate Alex Ekwueme's presidential run in 1999, paving the way for Olusegun Obasanjo's final emergence, also bears testimony to this "crab-mentality" of the Igbo people.

Their mantra and war-cry is always 'either me or no one else;' and if not me, let no one else get that trophy; forgetting that a leadership can be provided through and by the proxy of a brother or sister in power? Like the biblical King Solomon the Wise and the two women contesting ownership of a child, the Igbo people usually are more identified with the woman who insisted that the child be divided into two halves? The "crab-mentality" afflicting the Igbo people is not exclusive of homeland/motherland Igbos; no, it is ingrained in their DNA and continuously manifests everywhere and anywhere Igbos gather together including their Diaspora. Take your mind to the defunct World Igbo Congress; and so many other Igbo bodies that have attempted a flight only to become moribund shortly due to petty intra-Igbo crass struggle of who is who or the numero-uno? There is also the Igbo people addiction for taking chieftaincy titles, where everyone wants to be a chief with titles of "this 1 and that 1"; as nobody amongst them ever wants to be number 2 of whatever title they buy or take? There are sometimes, so many "this 1 and that 1" that you wonder when will the "this 2 and that 2" ever emerge or begin to take root?

That Igwe Nnaemeka Anachebe, Agbogidi of Onitsha, a main city of Igboland in Anambra State came up with this apposite allegory, clearly depicting the problem bedevilling the Igbo people of Nigeria, could not have been a better coincidence. Good enough he is one of the custodians of Igboland and on whose laps falls the duty and responsibility to fix what is broken and should endeavor or help to coral Igbo people into a pen of support and love for one another. As a correlative, Icheoku asks, is His Majesty going to lead the Igbo people, especially of his Anambra State stock, towards finding a meaningful solution to the problem which continuously stunt Igbo collective progress within the Nigeria society, especially her political advancement? Icheoku regrettably answers in the negative, as even such effort will be clobbered down by the fabled Igbo people's 'crab mentality' as many other traditional rulers might not even allow the Agbogidi to rise up amongst other crabs from their dug-hole? They would not allow him to take the credit of being the man who finally solved an intractable problem hindering Igbos collective progress; and the wheel of Igbo "crab-mentality" keeps on churning and churning ad infinitum!

Concluding, Icheoku quotes a south-south Niger Delta operative in the presidency at Aso Rock, Mr. Smart Eselemo, who in answer to a question on the looming presence of Niger Delta people in Abuja, said, "it was true that so many Ijaw prominent personalities have relocated from the Niger Delta to Abuja since Jonathan became acting President; they relocated not because of anything but because they want to assist in seeing that Jonathan succeeds. You know, Jonathan is the first minority in Nigeria to become a President under a civilian dispensation. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the minorities, especially those of us from the Niger Delta, to ensure that he succeeds.” Icheoku asks, can the Igbo people of Nigeria faced with a similar situation where one of them finds himself in such a position, ever rise up to the occasion in support of one of their own? Can the Igbo people of Nigeria instead of perpetually undermining each other learn from Mr. Eselemo that "our own" is better than nothing and that it must not always be me, me and me? Can the Igbo people of Nigeria and the world over, ever learn to support one another instead of continuously adopting the "pull him down" attitude, which has become very symptomatic of the Igbo people of the world. It is either them or nothing else and as always, would, if not them, make sure it is no one else; and you ask yourself, when will the Igbo epiphany take place. So long as the Igbo people remain mired in their own squalor, caused by an inherent "crab-mentality" of 'me or no one else,' they will continue to grope for a meaningful relevance within the Nigerian society and the Diaspora!

NIGERIAN COUPLE'S WHITE BABY, WHOSE CHILD IS IT ANYWAY?

A Nigerian couple living in London from Imo State, Ben and Angela Ihegboro recently welcomed a white skinned, blue eyed and blonde-haired baby into this world. Icheoku asks, who is the real father (baby-daddy) of this baby in view of the tragedy of Florida last few months where a Nigerian pharmacist found out that his 18 year old 'son' wasn't his afterall and killed his unfaithful wife as a consequence. Icheoku advises a DNA test to determine paternity before act of God is blamed for giving a black couple the strange gift of a white kid. Who knows the real father of a child but the mother?

SAMUEL OGBU NWOBODO OGBU, FIRED UP AND READY TO SERVE NKANU-LAND!

An accomplished family man, successful attorney and entrepreneur, who now wants to take up another challenge, fighting the cause of his Nkanu people! He wants to go to work for his people of Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency of Enugu State Nigeria as their next elected Federal Representative in Abuja!

To the people and constituents of Nkanu East and West Federal constituency of Enugu State Nigeria, his message is simple, - "you have been under-represented for so many years and now comes the man of the hour to fix what is broken and remedy what has been so badly damaged for these past many years." His name is Samuel Ogbu Nwobodo Ogbu, a native of Akpugo and he is your candidate for the Federal House of Representatives. Sam wants to serve you at the National Assembly as your next elected representative in 2011 and urge you to send him to Abuja to go and put his training and experience to your beneficial use; and bring home for you the bacon which have so far eluded your constituency all these past years of inadequate representation!

Icheoku was invited to a fundraiser and introduction of candidate held in Bay Area of Northern California USA a few weeks ago by 'Friends of Sam for House of Representatives. During our chit-chat with the candidate, he revealed a man with a steely resolve; possessed of a burning desire to help his Nkanu East and West people reinvent themselves. He wants to empower them to restore their dignity, by reasserting their voice once again in Enugu State and Nigeria politics. He strongly and reasonably believes that since the last time his late father represented the area at the then Anambra State House of Assembly, that the constituency have never been so adequately served again by the subsequent crop of charlatans who were in it primarily for themselves. He however plans to put a stop to this under-representation and bring back selfless service to the people, reminiscent of the old days of his father, as their next elected House of Representative member. For Sam, the days of seating out the party while on the fence and criticizing what is going wrong is over and any one who wants to drive the car must now do so from the inside. Sam believes his world experience as a successful USA-based attorney as well as international businessman will help him successfully navigate the corridors of the National Assembly towards bringing back home for his people of Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency their fair share of democracy dividends.

A former chairman of Security and Intelligence committee of Governor Sullivan Chime transition committee, Sam stated categorically that the PDP in Enugu State has no factions and that the party is led solely by Governor Sullivan Chime with Honorable Chief Vita Abba as its chairman; both of whom he expressed unalloyed support and loyalty to. He equally said that Governor Sullivan Chime by his own assessment has earned the right to a second term based on what he has been able to accomplish during his first term; principal among which is creating an all inclusive and cordial ideas-based enabling political environment where people of ideas are now attracted to get involved in politics of and in Enugu State.

His cardinal objective when elected will be to pursue a 'State of Origin Act' legislation where the paramount and determinate factor in any Nigerian's state of origin should be the state of birth of that person as opposed to the present state of ancestry which hinders full integration in Nigeria. According to him, it does not make any sense for example that a third generation Igbo person residing in Sokoto whose father and grandfather were born in Sokoto will still be identified and treated as an Igbo man after such generational period sojourning in Hausa-land. Or an Ijebu-Igbo man who has called Enugu home for over half a century and still being treated as a Yoruba man alongside his Igbo-fluent children? Or that Fulani man who shepard his cattle to Aba before independence and settled there ever since with his new inlaws who are Igbos? Also he will fight for the establishment of an 'Employment Development Agency' to help streamline matters of employment and lack thereof in Nigeria. Attorney Samuel Ogbu Nwobodo Ogbu believes that technical qualifications in Nigeria should be standardized similar to the days of 'British City and Guilds' such that carpenters, plumbers, electricians and such other trades and artisans could have one qualifying certification to ensure uniformity of competence and skill. This would in turn ensure a steady pool of well qualified artisans and tradesmen which in turn will boost confidence of foreign investors that their technical needs for pedestrian-manpower could be supplied should they decide on investing in Nigeria; and as a consequence entice them to so invest. For Sam, things in Nigeria could always be done better in order to improve, hence his decision to go home and lead the effort from the inside. It is his believe that to change something, one has to get involved in the change effort and not just be finger-pointing.

On Freedom of Information Act, Sam says, pass it now; as he has personally seen its beneficial use as a practicing attorney in the USA. On Babangida intended run for president, Sam is of the opinion that he is a Nigerian and since nothing expressly precluded him from running for any office, he can run for the office; but whether he will win is another question? On President Goodluck Jonathan's prospective run for president in 2011, Sam said he is not aware of it officially; but likewise any other Nigerian, he too is eminently qualified to run as well. He promised to declare his assets but does not ascribe to Madam EFCC's Farida Waziri call for the Chinese treatment of corrupt Nigerian public officials; but encourages a systematic approach through the legal framework in place in tackling the corruption. On legislators' constituency fund, Sam said it was wrong for such legislators to privatize such public money and that they should account for projects on which they spent such allocations. On kidnapping, he said it is a function of societal decay and the bi-product of the high unemployment in Nigeria; but nothing justifies such criminality.

On his vision for his people of Nkanu East and West Federal constituency, Candidate Samuel Ogbu Nwobodo Ogbu said he wants to be an agent of change for all the people of the constituency and for once make the people feel a real representation, provided by a man with experience, integrity, honor and a sense to make a difference in reaching out to the communities therein with various forms of real democratic dividends. For him, he is not going there for self but is hunched with a legacy of a selfless father-politician, whose populism he wants to emulate and possibly surpass and shall provide a shoulder for all-in-need in Nkanu West and East to rest upon. Sam plans also to forgo his periodic monetary allocation in lieu of job allocations and positions for his people of Nkanu East and West federal constituency. Continuing, he said that he will be the vehicle through which the constituency will be heard loud and clear in Enugu State and Nigeria political scene. His will provide an all hands representation for the entire 28 wards/towns that make up the constituency and in his theme of bringing hope to the hopeless, he plans to provide gainful employment and/or training for at least five persons in each of the 28 wards during his first term in office. His explanation on how he will accomplish these job creation was quite satisfactory and having so far created over 80 jobs in his private capacity tells a lot on the experience he is bringing to the project when elected.

Sam does not believe in handouts or giving people clippers as their empowerment tools as some candidates do, notwithstanding that such beneficiaries do not even know how to cut hairs? He promised to efficiently apply his constituency funds and receipts to directly empower the people properly to not only give them fish but also teach them how to catch fish for themselves. Sam believes in a lasting empowerment that will long outlive and outlast his term of office; and having done that before, he plans to reenact same again; but now on a grander scale, spreading it throughout the 28 wards of Nkanu East and West Federal constituency. For Sam, there is a great difference between being wealthy and being great and he will rather be great by seeing his effort translate and transform several peoples lives from hopelessness to hopefulness in Nkanu East and West constituency, starting with the initial forty people he plans to start-off his job-creation initiative with, upon being sworn-into office.

Sam also promised to establish a fully staffed and functioning constituency office in his constituency where his people can be in touch with their representative and also hold periodic courts akin to America's town-hall meetings. Simply summarized, if Nkanu East and West federal Constituency is tired of the status-quo and looking for a progressive change, Attorney and businessman Samuel Ogbu Nwobodo Ogbu is the change, the agent of change and a catalyst of change which the constituency has been waiting for. To the people of Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency, Sam says, wipe your tears of sorrow and hopelessness as it is a new day in Nkanuland; when effective representation will mount the saddle.

Under Sam, the days of half measures will forever be gone in Nkanuland once elected; and just as it takes one person to start a market, he plans to to be that single person to start the onward march to real progressive change in Nkanuland particularly in Nkanu East and West Federal constituency. His experience in America has taught him that people can do better if driven and he plans to be on the saddle, helping to drive his people towards realizing their various and respective dreams. Candidate Sam is of the opinion that the single most militating factor in his constituency is that over the years less qualified and under-motivated people have been representing the area and this will end as soon as he is elected; as he will chart a new course and direction for the people of Nkanu East and West constituency. Sam promised to forever change the course and face of politics in Nkanuland if and when elected as the next Federal Representative in 2011. On who is sponsoring his election, Sam said in addition to what he has squirrelled away over the years as a practicing USA based attorney and entrepreneur, he hopes that friends and people who see the vision he is bringing to the table will come to the table and help him to realize it.

In summary, Icheoku says to the people of Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency of Enugu State, this is the man you have been waiting for! In Attorney/Entrepreneur Samuel Ogbu Nwobodo Ogbu you have found what you have been looking for in a Representative. His articulated vision and passion is unparalleled and he is very real grass-root new generation politician. Having listened to him make his case on the need to have actual and real representation for Nkanu East and West Federal constituency coupled with his international exposure, pedigree and degree of preparedness, Icheoku affirms that Nkanu East and West couldn't have asked for any more qualified and better candidate to fight their cause in Abuja than Sam. So Nkanu East and West Federal constituency, this is your chance to get it right; opportunity knocks on your door and open you should. Samuel Ogbu Nwobodo Ogbu is your candidate, the right candidate and the very candidate doctor-politics ordered for your constituency! Take him; accept him, vote for him and send him to Abuja in 2011 as your next Representative in the Federal House of Representatives!

SHIRLEY SHERROD'S COMMENT, RACISTS?

"I didn't give him the full force of what I could do. I did enough. ... So I took him to a white lawyer. ... I figured if I would take him to one of them, his own kind would take care of him." - Shirley Sherrod, former director at USDA. Icheoku agrees that this comment is racist and further avers that racism is an ongoing thing in America with practically everyone guilty of the sin. It is only when stumbles and misspeaks of this kind surfaces that people begin to pretend everything has been honky dory prior. Who is not a racist including you, me and everyone who would rather take care of one of his/her kind first before reaching out to the 'others'. Our Lord Jesus Christ foresaw this when he said "all have sinned and fallen short of glory' and 'he who is without sin should throw the first stone'.The solution is that we should be talking more about our differences towards finding more galvanizing common grounds for our lasting cohesion instead of the existing 'don't ask, don't tell' disposition. To pretend otherwise that there is no racism in America is akin to pretending that President Barack Hussein Obama is white. Shirley Sherrod was caught off guard and she got what she deserved by being fired. As a public official, she should have known better on how to play the 'tag-along to get-along' silent game. The racial connotation here includes 'not doing alI she could have done' and 'taking him to one of his own kind'. Her futile explanation of 'in context' falls flat; and that not withstanding, she should have simply known better.

ANDREW BREITBART, THE VILLAIN WHO SET THE SHIRLEY SHERROD'S RACIAL FIRESTORM!

You are looking at the redneck racist race-baiter Andrew Breitbart, who sold the country a dummy and they bought that an innocent woman made a racist comment; resulting in the victimization of the woman who was merely educating the country on how to get over their prejudices. That makes this fat pig a pork!

IKE EKWEREMADU AND KIDNAPPING IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA?

Icheoku read with shock reports implicating and/or associating Nigeria's deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu with kidnapping in Enugu State? Icheoku also read another report of a denial of the alleged by the deputy senate president through his spokesperson. Whether Ike Ekweremadu is an innocent victim in the kidnapping saga or a godfather/benefactor of those kidnappers, providing them with necessary cover from his Abuja high office as deputy senate president, no one really knows; but sure, smoke usually follows a fire!

Some Nigerian politicians are so brutally selfish and self-centered that they are capable of just anything and everything under the sun including as in this case, kidnapping? For them as long as there is some political gain to be made and provided there is no adversarial impact on them and their families, the harmattan wind wild fire might as well assume a blaze of Hades velocity for all they care.

In this case of alleged Ekweremadu's involvement with kidnappers, there are so many 'known unknowns' and many things we think we know which we don't know; but the only certainty that presently exist is that there was an allegation and then a subsequent denial. As always, between the allegation and the denial lies the shed of grey, which usually houses the nest of the real story or put in another way, where the whole truth and nothing but the truth lies. Icheoku will however not second-guess anything at this time nor without any convincing evidence, wantonly brand anyone a suspect. We would air on the side of side of reasonable doubt and hope there is no smoking gun anywhere and elsewhere. But the scourge of kidnapping in the South East has become a terminal cancer and everyone with any Igbo blood flowing in his/her veins should see it as not deserving any flicker of life whatsoever. It is about time something drastic is collectively done to put these kidnappers out of business and for good! Enough of these ongoing blackmails and wanton shedding of blood of innocents in the South East and turning Igboland into inhabitable desolate 'wasteland?'

Now the question remains, what is the South East doing to curb and peter out the banditry of kidnapping which is turning the once proud land of our fathers into the new 'old Lebanon' of Nigeria? Where are the Igbo supposed leaders at this hour of great need to call these maga-dogs to order and at worst order their eradication from the land through self-help vigilantism, if that is what it takes to wrest our communities back from these band of marauding thugs. Icheoku asks, what is Ikemba Nnewi Odumegwu Ojukwu's position on this and whether he has spoken out condemning this malaise and ordering these beasts to beat it from his South East? What has Alex Ekwueme done or said about this hooliganism and has he reminded these animals the quantum of damage they are doing to the Igbo nation?

Where is Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu on this or is he waiting for another pitiful Vincent Ogbulafor's corruption scandal to erupt eliciting his removal from office for him to start running around and pontificating about a non existent "Igbo-ness"? Is Ebitu Ukiwe, Uche Chukwumerije, Jim Nwobodo, Ndubuisi Kalu, Allison Madueke, Ike Nwachukwu etc keeping silence and waiting for who to bell the cat? Why are all these Emperors Nero of Igbo-land singing, playing the fiddle and making merry while Rome of Igboland burns in an inferno of unprecedented ferocity? A time for providing real leadership in and for Igboland never called until this moment, and any supposed Igbo leader who fails to answer the call of fatherland should forever hold his peace and never once again, so parade him/herself. How could mother-hen be watching while the hawks continue to make a mince meat of her chicks, with unabashed sky-bombardments?

Recently, Edo (Benin) Kingdom got tired of such too many incidents of armed robbery and kidnapping and took the matter into their hands to solve it. They invoked a traditional panacea over their land, putting a diabolical curse on anyone directly or indirectly connected with the social malady. Low and behold, Benin Kingdom have enjoyed relative peace ever since and it was at the instance of their King, Omo N'Oba Erediuwa 1 that the Chief Priest Nosakhare Isekhure administered the curse. This forces Icheoku to ask, are there still 'Kings and/or Chiefs' left in Igbo land and what are they doing to help their subjects who are under an enveloping siege by a band of kidnappers? If Icheoku remembers correctly, there is this one all-over-the-place supposed Igbo Royal Highness and chairman/leader of all Igbo traditional rulers, HRH Eze Cletus Ikechukwu Ilomuanya, who sometime ago was engaged in a visceral battle with all the "Ezes of Ndi Igbo" of this world? It was then his self-assumed battle to stop anyone anywhere from assuming the ceremonious title of "Eze Igbo" be it in the north, west, south and even in the Diaspora?

This particular ruler was travelling to every kingdom, emirate and chiefdoms in Nigeria from the Emir of Kano to the Sultan of Sokoto to the Oba of Lagos to the Oba of Benin, practically begging them not to recognize any 'Eze Igbo' in their domain and to withdraw any such existing recognition from any Igbo man residing therein. Icheoku wrote an oped then, denouncing his effort as a waste of time and an evidence of a man with so much selfish ego and a desire to be the one and only 'Eze Igbo' in Nigeria? It is also important to point out that it did not matter then to this chief that these other 'Eze Igbo' in foreign lands have no real nexus to the Igbo South East and are not in any competition with him and his ilks; or in any other way a threat to their respective stools and/or kingdoms. But now that a real task militating against 'Ndi Igbo' has arisen, needing a real Igbo ruler/chief to rise up and go to war as in good old days, no one has seen the brake-lights of this traditional ruler nor heard his comment. Icheoku asks Chief Ilomuanya where are you and what is going on in Igboland; or are you afraid of also being kidnapped?

What use are these Igbo rulers/leaders when their women and children are living in bondage of the fear of kidnappers in their homeland if they cannot provide necessary leadership needed to run these bastards out of town? Where are the Igbo governors of the five South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo or are they like Ike Ekweremadu, also sleeping with the enemy and sympathetic to their cause; in order to later use them to scare away any possible opposition come 2011? Icheoku is ashamed that these urchins have been allowed for too long to turn Igboland, the once proud home of such greats as Zik, KO Mbadiwe, Dee Sam Mbakwe, Pius Okigbo etc into a practically no go area or at best a 'visit at your own risk' enclave and with such a great trepidation. When will this fog of darkness ever lift from dear motherland.

It is about time this menace is put to an end and we hereby unequivocally condemn kidnappings in the South East as it is not only criminal but also giving all Igbo man and woman one heck of a bad name. These imbeciles who have turned Igbo nation into an unlivable hell-hole should really be ashamed of themselves for being the lilly-livered cowards they are, who are only strong at home. What happened to the standard test of bravado of the yore when real men go to foreign lands to plunder and bring home their loot? What happened to taking bravery abroad to go wrest back from the 'Whiteman' what they took from the continent centuries ago and are still taking? What happened to taking mercenary jobs in Afghanistan, Iraq and other such hot-spots of the world where brave men go to prove their mettle? Why become mere frustrated 'kitchen-brave' scumbags throwing their birds-muscles at motherland, robbing and kidnapping hapless Igbo men and women who still hold forte and call Igboland home; when many with means have simply deserted the region, fled to other regions for safety. But who are these faceless urchins that cannot be stopped or is there no willingness on the part of the Igbo people to have this come to an end?

Finally, talking directly to these bandits, Icheoku says please for God's sake call off this madness before you cost IGP Ogbonna Onovo, the first Igbo Inspector General of Police, his job. As you may be aware, Nigerians are becoming very restive and are questioning if IGP Onovo is up to the task of policing Nigeria since he cannot even police his own South East region by getting rid of these kidnappers. So South East kidnappers, if you have any common sense, you should help IGP Onovo to succeed in his job and enable him serve out his term before he is prematurely removed for perceived 'incompetence' in failing to reign in kidnapping, a problem wrought by you, his kinsmen and women. Icheoku is also calling on every Igbo man and woman to rise up against this army of invaders and fight them off the land and with their last blood if necessary.

This metastasised cancer of kidnapping in the South East demands that all Igbo hands be turned into surgical-hands, united to excise it; with the governors providing the leadership effort before marshal law is declared, replacing them with milads, who could then take these states back from those lowlife kidnappers. Worst case scenario, give the Bakassi boys back their machetes and cutlasses and let the real brave man be left standing. Also whatever is left of the fractured MASSOB should consider this kidnapping as an affront on their fledgling 'statehood' or how else can they assure Igbo people that they will be capable of providing good governance when they cannot rout out these shitless kidnappers from their territory? The governors of the South East are hereby warned and put on notice, either they urgently lead the effort at purging the South East of these kidnappers or President Jonathan should declare a state of emergency and let military administrators put a stop to these arrant nonsense and give the Igbo people back their homeland, freed of kidnappers!