ISRAELI-PALESTINE UNENDING PEACE PROCESS NUDGES AHEAD!

"We cannot and will not impose a solution. Only you can make the decisions necessary to reach an agreement and secure a peaceful future for the Israeli and Palestinian people." - Madam Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Icheoku says well apportioned summation; and it is now left for both parties to truly desire to make a success out of this latest effort at a peace treaty.

While Icheoku watched the leadership of both Israel and Palestine make their opening remarks, one thing particularly caught our attention - the reference by Bibi Netanyahu to the Bible and its account of Jews and Arabs shared heritage. According to Netanyahu, Isaac and Ishmail, Jewish and Arab sires respectively, came together when the moment called and joined hands to bury their father Abraham at Hebron. Netanyahu used the biblical reference to show that both Israel and Palestine can still rise up to the occasion in the manner of their forebears and together bring about a desired outcome. Icheoku thinks that Netanyahu sincerely spoke from the heart and is ready to make peace this time. We encourage and support his desire to deliver some tangible result this time and urge the Palestines not to be unduly obstinate or too rigid with some of their positions as would ordinarily thwart this effort, not this time.

However, Israel must be prepared to play the lead role here as well as swallow some very painful and difficult pills necessary to get to the destination of peace; and must be ready to make those needed concessions even if unilaterally. They are the more rational, more invested and the people who stand to lose more should the Middle East unravel again; and so must be prepared to stoop down to accommodate whatever BS that may be thrown their way by all the Arab nations who are the puppet masters pulling the Palestine 'say no to peace' strings. Israel should Just secure the peace treaty and then like every nation on earth, can enforce their security later as no one will question their right to use any means necessary to protect their citizens and territory from any foreign aggression. As for Jerusalem, it was nice watching Netanyahu admit to the historical and biblical fact that both Jews and Arabs descended from one man, Abraham; therefore it defeats every logic then the Israel attempt to go against the grain and try to exclude their brother, Palestines, from the family property.

The solution therefore is a meaningful division of Jerusalem between these two Isaac and Ishmail's descendants, who inherits the land and Jerusalem from Abraham through their respective fathers, Abraham's two sons - Isaac and Ishmail; case closed and the peace will thereafter endure forever! Icheoku wishes both parties goodluck as they resume their unending peace process; provided othet Arab nations will this time free Palestines from their shackles and permit it to honestly negotiate their peace terms with the Israelis.

DR. JACQUELYN KOTARAC'S DEATH INSIDE A CHIMNEY, CRAZY IN LOVE OR CRAZED OUT IN LOVE?

Love may be blind some people say, but to many other more reasonable minds, it sees with a 20-20 vision and sometimes with an additional eye. Love may be unconditional to some people, but to many other more rational human-beings, it is heavily conditional, front and back; the reason why there is pre-nuptial agreements. Love is also said to be always forgiving; but we beg to qualify it as not in all circumstances such as when it leads to the death of the offending spouse/partner in the hands of the unforgiving one.

But of all the things love may be, there is one thing love certainly is not - it is not idiotic or imbecilic. A Bakersfield California USA lady medical doctor who wanted to prove love wrong on this last count, just found out the hard-way as she suffocated in a chimney trying to catch her boyfriend pants-down in the act? Icheoku says if only the dead medical doctor had taken some breath, paused for a moment to convince herself that what you don't know does not hurt; instead of playing an infamous detective who barreled herself through a smoke chimney stark just to spring on a boyfriend who she was not even married to. What a control-freak this daughter of Eve was who would even think about such an invasion through the chimney; and you wonder why so many men have hung on to their bachelorhood for so long or better still became celibate or even turned gay. Unfortunately too, it appears that this medical doctor forgot the lessons she learnt in her Chemistry 101 class about carbon-monoxide and its killer-potentials; or did she not think or was not even thinking that her boyfriends chimney has capability of producing toxic carbon monoxide as well?

If a street-whore had done this, or even a less educated and/or little informed love-crazed woman, pursuing her boyfriend, not even her husband; may be Icheoku would begin to attempt an understanding that sometimes you have to be crazy to be in love? But for an M.D. - a 49 year old medical doctor with a somewhat thriving family practice, who was described by people who knew her as "a superb internist who often provided service and medication free of charge to her patients"; then Icheoku wonders out aloud how she passed her psychiatric evaluation before she obtained her medical licence? How can such an emotionally deprived woman be allowed to treat patients, if she did not possess the soundness of mind to distinguish between rationalism and stupidity as to jump into a working chimney with its attendant health hazards and/or carbon monoxide poisoning? Every attempt at finding some plausible ground to tilt the argument on the deceased medical doctors' side only succeeds in one thing only - condemning her for her irrationality and crazed out stupidity; since no reasonable person, especially one with her background would just jump off the cliff expecting that some magical hands somewhere will just reach out and save her sorry arse from a certain death. Even chimney rats and firemen who foray into chimneys treat is as a hazardous place and wear proper protective coverings to thwart the effect of carbon compounds found in abundance therein especially firewood-burning chimney like the one under advisement here.

According to the story, internist Jacquelyn Kotarac, M.D. fury as hell, rushed to her boyfriend, 58 year old William Moodie's house, following an argument or a tip-off (investigation is still continuing) to personally confront him over whatever their beef was. Sensing danger and tired of her constant bitching and for fear of his life, the boyfriend locked himself inside the house and refused to open the door to let her in. What did the incensed doctor do, she got a shovel and tried in vain to pry the door to the house open with it; but when her shovel measure did not yield the desired result of letting her hands get hold of her boyfriend inside the house, another dumb idea crept into her medical brains. She found a ladder and climbed to the roof of the house to the chimney; she removed the chimney cap and in she went, in a her very last ever bad decision in life. Her plan was to slid into the house through the fireplace, James Bond 007 or even CSI style, and land a surprise mother of all attacks on her boyfriend? It appears that she must have watched too many Hollywood make-belief stories and now Icheoku really understands why her boyfriend was running so far away from her in the first place and avoiding a confrontation by all means possible. However, her luck ran out as she suffocated inside the shoot before she could make a landfall in her boyfriend's fireplace and her now slumped body got wedged inside it. It is instructive to note that the victim-boyfriend who she was probably planning to assault had earlier given her the slip while she was trying to shovel the door open; as he escaped through a discreet exit not covered by her trespassed and 'murderous' home invasion.

Since no one saw her go inside the chimney nor taught that such a senseless act was possible her dead body was not discovered until few days later when nature had already gone to work on the cadaver with manifest early stages of decay. Her body was discovered when a house-sitter, traced the source of a stench in the house to the area of the fireplace where she also noticed some fluids dripping down unto the fireplace mantel. She further investigated the shoot with a flashlight and noticed a body, which later turned out to be Dr. Jacquelyn Kotarac's, wedged about two feet above the top of the interior of the fireplace opening. Arriving Firefighters and rescue/recovery team extracted the body from the chimney which they took apart to access the body. Admitted she was reported missing when she failed to show up for work but no one ever adverted their mind on the possibility that the chimney will be the prime suspect in her disappearance; although her car remained parked within the vicinity of the boyfriend's house.

According to one sympathizer, "Dr. Jacquelyn had her issues — she had her demons"; and Icheoku concurs that only a possessed human-being in dire need of an exorcism could so irrationally tunnel herself into a chimney just to catch-up with a disagreeing boyfriend. One also wonders if it was a case of her trying desperately to force her love on a disinterested and forlorn boyfriend; she was afterall 49 years old and unmarried, and may be pushing the issue of marriage to a breaking point. It reminds Icheoku of a story of one guy who was hitting on a girl and when this girl was becoming so unyielding with her refusal of his love supplications, had this boy bark, "anyway whether or not you like it, if you do not want my love, I will force my love on you". So was this doctor forcing an issue and accidentally misjudged her action to go inside the chimney or was it a deliberate act of suicide for not getting the bargain of her affection? Hopefully the investigation will provide the answers or at least clues to these questions and until then, Icheoku says, what a way of love and its unending tales of drama, woes and sorrows. Although no amount of rationalizing can explain what this medical doctor did as it is beyond pale for a thinking human-being to play a chimney-ninja in this manner, not being a professional. But out of the ashes of a ruin usually comes some moral lesson, which in Doctor Jacquelyn Kotarac's case is that she was not a good study of a person being 'crazy in love' as contemplated by Beyonce Knowles; hers was rather a person crazed-out in love in a strange case of a love gone awry.

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELECHUKU JONATHAN PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION, DO NOT RUN IN 2011.

Icheoku's position may not be popular with the current trend in Nigeria now but at least it is not sycophantic nor masses-driven. It is a position founded on candor and rightness; and history will vindicate the just. Babangida had people (ABN) urging him during his murderous regime to stay on in 1993; midget of Kano Sani Abacha also had his own band of town-criers beating the drum of a life presidency; the deity of Otta Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo had his own third term apostles who wanted him to continue his inhumane autocratic stranglehold on Nigerians, so it is not surprising that some people are now displaying the same pedantic traits once again, goading President Jonathan to do what is wrong simply because he is in a position to do so and they stand to reap therefrom as potential beneficiaries of such infra-dig. Admitted these apologists seem to be in the majority now, but Icheoku says that sometimes the majority are sometimes wrong as was the case with the demand for the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ by the Jewish mob. But a smart person would always know when to check the excesses of these buccaneers and we urge President Goodluck Jonathan to be smart and rise up to the occasion and do what is right. Please President Jonathan say no to the temptation of the 2011 presidency. It is not the turn of the South-South yet to secure the presidency since the North ought to be allowed to serve out the remainder of their eight years term in the interest of fairness, equity and good conscience respecting an existing gentleman's agreement. But can Jonathan be trusted to overcome the sweet aromatic allure of power or is he going to push his proverbial goodluck beyond reasonableness; we shall soon find out.

ROMANIANS EXPULSION FROM FRANCE, A FRENCH-STYLED NAZISM COME ALIVE?

It is simply Orwellian to say the least, the French dispositive exclusion and selective deportation of the Romanian Diaspora in France. The guise of their nuisance or homelessness or even criminality is not persuasive enough since non of these people were ever tried and/or convicted by a court of law for their alleged crimes or social order infraction before the heartless order to exclude them from France. What happened to the legal tenet of innocent until proved guilty of the civilized world? We are talking about a member of the European Union unilaterally removing citizens of another fellow member country from its shores within the same European Union. Icheoku condemns the French arbitrariness in forcibly removing these group of Europeans from France - it is inhuman, un-European and capable of becoming the heat that will eventually melt the wax of the fragile European Union experiment.

Icheoku queries what is the cartoonish Sarkozy smoking when he suddenly woke up from its stupor to order the expulsion of the Roma gypsies out of France? Was the intermingling and co-habitation anywhere in Europe of every European not one of the cardinal objectives of bringing all the nations of Europe under the EU; or is Sarkozy adopting the Animal Farm principles that some animal are more equal than others? Is France Sarkozy saying by his action that Romanian gypsies are less European than their French counterparts and/or other nationalities from other European Union member states? It really does not bode well for the EU to standby and wacth its member France continue to carry out this selective deportation of the gypsies; including women and children who are in France in quest of a more meaningful existence in the spirit of one Europe of the European Union. For France Sarkozy to forcibly repatriate these gypsies Europeans back to Romanian to a certain fate of want and need, while the EU watches helplessly, shows that the European Union is a farce. Such action forces Icheoku to question whether the European Union is worth its charter if a member thereof could so shabbily treat citizens of the Union and in such uncaring and uncouth manner as the French Sarkozy just did with the Romanian gypsies.

If Adolf Hitler had a place to deport and ship off the millions of Jews in his Nazi Germany, may be he would not have embarked on the infamous course that led to the genocidal holocaust that wasted the lives of six million Jews; or in any event would not have waste his gas, manpower and other resources trying in vain, to incinerate and annihilate the Jews of this world. All he would have done was to arrest them in similar fashion as France's Sarkozy has done in respect of the Romanians who called France home, put them in steam ships and consign them to their certain fate of degradation in whatever land that was associated with them then. Contexed with the present and then the question, could Sarkozy have even thrown these gypsies into a gas chamber just to get rid of them like Adolf Hitler did with the Jews; and the readily answer would be, you bet; since it is the same disdain of a certain people that fueled both incidents. Icheoku says anything is possible for a man who could so lightly make a decision to send away women and children of Romanian descent just because he does not like the way their hairs or general appearance looked. But thankfully enough, today's watchful eyes of humanity will not permit a Sarkozy France to so incinerate the gypsies in a gas chamber; hence he settled for just throwing them out of France into the abject poverty and want chamber in Romania.

But try as anyone may to phantom an educated guess or put a handle on why Sarkozy's France should resort to such man's inhumanity to a fellow man, Icheoku could not but settle on the long existing man's dislike for his fellow man? The gist of what went down in Sarkozy's France is that humanity does not like each another - it hates one another and merely tolerate one another just because of civilization. Cannibalism, internecine feuds and wars, genocide, enslavement, forced labor, economic stagnation, unprovoked wars etc are such examples of man's hatred for each other that has been going on in this world and for a long time. So in a way Sarkozy's France just exhibited this age-long man's intolerance of each other with its forcible deportation of innocent European gypsies to Romania; a people who did not commit any crime but were merely running away from dire economic straits back in their native home-country to seek succour in France. But to their chagrin, France disappointed them as it turned them back to an assured hopelessness and abject poverty in Romania. France would have in the spirit of EU integrated them and allowed them to remain in France and provide them with minimum housing accommodation if their shanty-town tents were an eyesore; but instead they were bundled out of France, gestapo fashion, in the middle of the nights and the wee hours of the morning. Icheoku condemns this selective deportation of the Romanian gypsies and call on the European Union to do something about that; otherwise they should just come off the pretence of an integrated Europe or is Romanian gypsies not the type of Europeans in their contemplation when they embarked on the journey of unification or quasi-unification of Europe?

It was the Jewish community in 2002 - 2004, now it is the Romania gypsies; so who knows the next for whom the bells of expulsion would toll in intolerant Sarkozy's France? It may be North African descent Muslims or any other minority groupings; so it is very unwise for these presently unaffected people to just keep quiet and not speak up and out against the injustice being meted to the Romanian gypsies, preferring instead to just watch from the fringe. Professor Wole Soyinka of Nigeria once wrote that "the man dies in him who keeps silent in the face of tyranny" and so Icheoku urges every group of minorities in France to speak up condemning the fate which has befallen the Romanian gypsies as it might be their turn tomorrow to be on the receiving end of Sarkozy's France anti minorities measures. If the experimentation with the gypsies succeeds, Sarkozy's France might extend it to other minorities or even embark on a total purification of France project to get rid of non-French from France just in the manner Adolf Hitler attempted in Nazi Germany beginning with the Jews.

The argument of gypsies criminality is akin to the American far right Arizona legislators who embarked on their wild goose chase trying to legislate and de-legitimize Hispanic Americans as being responsible for all the crimes in Arizona. But such an umbrella lumping of a people of the same ethnic group together and hold them responsible for societal decadence is illogical and unintelligent since collective responsibility for crime is unjust. France Sarkozy is now guilty of the same thoughtless act which gave rise to Fuhrer Hitler and which American State of Arizona tried but failed with respect to their Hispanic population. Icheoku says it is simply idiotic and imbecilic for Sarkozy France to attempt to link every crime in France to immigrant Romanian gypsies, a people who just want to live as basically as nature meant humanity to live and not be disturbed. Scape-goating the gypsies is not right!

Icheoku says, may be France should really start this their anti-immigrant policies by first deporting their own President Nikolaus Sarkozy back to his native Hungary and then the whole de-naturalizing process can start in all honesty. When the world is trying to integrate into a one world order with Europe experimenting with one EU, some reactionaries in France led by their President Nikolaus Sarkozy is busy driving a sword into the fabrics holding the different peoples of France together with his selective deportation of Romanian gypsies out of France. Such targeted victimization of a people is not fair or is Sarkozy telling Icheoku there are no French people living illegally in other parts of the world, some of who may even be criminals; yet no other nation has embarked on such anti-people action as is currently being displayed by the French Sarkozy. Imagine not only is Sarkozy deporting these gypsies, but he is also dismantling their encampments including of those who are French citizens and has also proposed legislation that will make it more difficult for deported gypsies to ever return back to France. So what is this if not an anti-Romanians effort by Sarkozy to get rid of them in France and make France a Romanian gypsies free zone?

Icheoku reiterates the European Commission spokesman statement that “We are obviously, very concerned about any form of discrimination, our policies is always to promote full integration of the Roma population in Europe. Let me just remind that Roma people are just like any Europeans people, they are full European citizens, they have the right to free movement anywhere in the EU. These are the rights that they have and they need to be respected. And all member states need ensure that these rights are respected.” This is the meat of the deportation development in France and Sarkozy should explain to the world especially the EU his understanding of the EU charter or who the real European is as distinguished from the fake European; and also as between France and Romania which one is where in the European Union.

Imagine France requiring EU citizens of Romania descent to have work permit and prove they have the means to support themselves for them to live in European France, yet they make it extremely difficult for them to get these documents, resulting in their being forced to live "illegally" in Orwellian France which distinguishes on who real European is to benefit from EU free citizenship throughout Europe? If Sarkozy must maintain order and prefer for people not to riot and demonstrate, let him create equal opportunities for every French man irrespective of their skin colors or hair lengths; but to continue to discriminate against non-white French and expecting them not to react is akin to beating someone and expecting him not to cry or at least react. No country can legislate out criminality but a reasonable, more responsible leader embarks on policies meant to alleviate economic situations of their minorities and thereby draining the swamps which sustain such societal imperatives, since a hungry man must find a way to eat. Icheoku says it is just unethical and criminal for France Sarkozy to single out fellow European Romanian gypsies on the basis of their hippie-like long hairs and way of life and deny them rights granted to the rest of Europeans to live anywhere of their choosing in continental Europe.

This singling out of Romanians residing in France for a forcible exclusion from France, both countries members of the EU seriously questions the merit or lack thereof of the European Union charter of free movement and right of residency. It also shows France as an intolerant country and its president Sarkozy, who himself is not even a Frenchman technically speaking - afterall he is from Hungary, as incapable of having compassion for an already down on their luck nomadic gypsies of Romania. Icheoku says assuming Napoleon never allowed Sarkozy's father to migrate to France from the strangulated Hungary or even deported them back to Hungary upon their arrival as this Sarkozy has just done with the Romanian gypsies; where on earth would he Sarkozy have risen to become somebody today, talkless of the President of France. It is just a big pity that humanity are strangers to history, especially this President Nikolaus Sarkozy of France who seems to be suffering from the short-man syndrome which usually afflict people of his small stature, leading them to do crazy things just to stand out. Sarkozy was himself an immigrant Hungarian in France so how dare he deport and refuse other immigrant Romanian gypsies their right to live and possibly thrive in France or is it a case of let the bridge break off once I have crossed mentality? Anyway and for whatever reason France embarked on this inhumane forcible deportation of these Romanian gypsies, Icheoku says it is not fair, it is condemnable and it militates against the spirit of one Europe under the European Union charter. It left unanswered the sizzling question, where is the spirit of European oneness when a group of Europeans are singled out and sent out of an European country?

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN, PLEASE DO NOT GO AGAINST THE GODS

"President Goodluck Ebelechuku Jonathan please place national interest above personal interest and save Nigeria from dire crisis and bloodshed by sacrificing your interest to contest for the presidency in 2011. Unfortunately Nigerians do not learn from history and Jonathan is their current leader. Goodluck Jonathan should not push his good luck beyond its limits. Everything has a limit. He should not try God and he should not play God either. He is not Nigeria’s messiah; God will raise a messiah, a man with the heart of a lion, who will cleanse the land and make Nigeria a country Nigerians will be proud of, and we are getting there already.” - Primate Theophilus Olabayo. Icheoku says those who the God's want to kill he first make them deaf and dumb; and the Igbo of South East says the dog that its god is about to kill does not smell feces anymore. So it is with President Jonathan who like all men who have tasted power is racing uncontrollably with Nigeria's destiny to Armageddon with his current desire to cling to power against all odds. President Jonathan, please inform yourself wisely and very carefully that your decision to go against the currents of a thundering waters does not bode well for Nigeria's unity and as its head, you will be entirely responsible for whatever calamitous fallout that may result from your listening to professional sycophantic political jobbers of Nigeria who will not tell you the truth or advise you correctly but will only mouth what they deem will be pleasing to your ears. Power is very ephemeral and only the greedy allows himself to be swept away by its current. If any confrontation results, the South West as usual will turn tails, the South East will be very reluctant to give their support and will wait on the sidelines as your South South will have yourselves alone to confront a ravaging North which will surely open its desert boarders for mercenary soldiers from Niger, Chad, Sudan, Egypt and all those other Islamic zealots out there who will brand it a jihad and then you go figure! It is a crime of conversion to appropriate the presidency in 2011; since admitted it came under your rightfully came entrustment for the remainder of the late Yar'Adua first term but not more. Please do not be Macbeth, wait for your turn!

GOVERNOR THEODORE ORJI, PARTY-HOPPER EXTRA-ORDINAIRE OF NIGERIA!

Icheoku says the Alusi Okija worshipper Theodore Orji of Abia has again prostituted himself to another party. It will be recalled that the governor was "elected" while in detention and without ever mounting the soapbox, by his former boss and political godfather Orji Uzor Kalu on the platform of the now defunct PPA. They fell out, two pirates fighting over the distribution of their loot of state; and the governor jumped ship and landed in the APGA. Now just a few short stint in the APGA and before the ink with which his membership of the APGA was recorded could even dry up, the deity worshipper and party-hopper extra-ordinaire of Nigeria has again abandoned his new party and catapulted himself back into the PDP. Icheoku says with such men of no faith or conviction, whose political harlotry is becoming ridiculous, there is really no hope for Nigeria as these breed of politicians represented in the person of Theodore Orji are just there for what they can get. A man without core does not make Icheoku's day, so we are going to pivot from Orji and consign our effort at some more productive and meaning venture.

ABIOLA BETRAYED NIGERIANS, SOLD OUT ON JUNE 12TH FOR $800 MILLION?

Icheoku says, unbelievable; but if it is true that Babangida has evidence, both photographic and video, that MKO Abiola traded off the Nigerian peoples' mandate of June 12th for a block payment of eight hundred million dollars in full settlement thereof, then Abiola should, post-humus, be chastised for not consulting with Nigerians before he betrayed the sacred mandate, which he held in trust for them. Icheoku therefore calls on Babangida to immediately make an absolution and publicly disclose all and/or any of such evidence which he may have implicating MKO Abiola with complicity in the June 12 debacle; since this will provide him with the quickest exit from the haranguing by Nigerians for his infamous June 12th annulment. We also learnt that some top heavy sons and daughters of Oduduwa as well as some of their custodians of their heritage were also privy to this incriminating informational evidence which led some of them to scream 'holly-molly" during a 1993 meeting with Babangida, in awe urging IBB to, "Jail him, kill him, he is a thief, he is a foolish son of Yoruba land”. IBB, Icheoku calls on you to produce and tender the claimed recorded tapes to Nigerians and use it as the magical trump card to jump-start your sputtering campaign! If it is true that MKO Abiola sold out on June 12th, then Abiola should have "E" for Esau added to his initials.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN, A DOCTOR WITHOUT PHILOSOPHY? - an article by Salisu Suleiman

I am a strong believer in the virtues of education and its unparalleled capacity to broaden minds, create opportunities and leverage social and economic barriers. I am also of the firm conviction that anyone who genuinely passed through the four walls of a university has an enhanced capacity for a logical and analytic approach to problem solving, better social skills and ability to communicate ideas.

It has been reasoned that part of the intractable leadership deficit in Nigeria may be because we have been consistently saddled with leaders with undistinguished academic credentials. So it was with great expectations that we watched the inauguration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as the first university educated executive president of the country.

It is hardly worth repeating that those expectations were crushed by what turned out to be the most lethargic, provincial and uninspiring government in Nigeria. When Yar’Adua was inaugurated in 2007, there was hope that his academic credentials, exposure and broadmindedness imbibed in university would transmit into better decision making, policy implementation and good governance.

Of course that never happened. It may be argued that without the debilitating and ultimately terminal illness Yar’Adua, might have been a different president. That, unfortunately, is something we will never find out. But as fate would have it, Yar’Adua’s successor, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is one notch ahead on the academic scale - he is a doctorate degree holder. Jonathan had another chance to prove that Yar’Adua was a fluke and that academic qualifications do have a bearing on constructive governance.

After spending about the same time as Gen. Murtala Mohammed spent in office,

President Jonathan is yet to make any meaningful landmark. The president is relatively young and has no known illnesses. I definitely expected him to bring some semblance of exposure, self-confidence, charisma and creativity in the conduct of governance. That has not happened. And with his preoccupation with remaining in office beyond 2011, it never may.

Even if the president has no constructive ideas, he should at least communicate with us intelligently. As a former university lecturer, public speaking should not be a challenge. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, PhD, must have defended his graduate and doctoral theses before internal and external examiners and would have presented seminar papers, participated in symposia and other activities associated with teaching and learning.

So how come public speaking is such a difficult task for him?

Apart from the absence of a clear vision since assuming office, why has it proved so difficult for the president to speak with any conviction, even when reading from prepared texts? Assuming for any reason that he failed to communicate effectively with his students as a teacher, what about his days as a civil servant? Granted, this species are trained to be inconspicuous and granted, the work of bureaucrats in these climes require little or no intellectual input beyond the metronomic repetition of chores, he must have carried out public functions to have risen to the directorate cadre.

But notwithstanding how he got his doctorate degree and the kind of academic or bureaucrat he was, the moment he joined politics and emerged as a deputy governor, it is inconceivable that no effort was made to burnish Jonathan’s dour demeanour, diction and delivery. It may be that that behind the facade is an astute and sharp mind. I used to believe that until Jonathan began to eye the presidency.

I have no quarrel with Jonathan’s ambition, just the way he has gone about it and the charlatans he has assembled to actualise it. Gen. Murtala only spent six months in office, but at the time he was assassinated, his approval ratings (had anyone cared to measure) would have been over 90 percent. If Jonathan had the depth expected of a PhD, he should have borrowed a leaf from history and embarked on a highly populist agenda to sell his ambition.

A good starting point would have been demystifying Nigeria’s recurrent nightmare, Olusegun Obasanjo; probing the missing trillions from our coffers; cutting the bloated pay of the peacocks at the National Assembly, or taking the corruption bull by the horns. Instead, he is consorting with the likes of Tony Anenih, Ibrahim Mantu, Jerry Gana, Jonathan Zwingina and other politicians with extremely dubious moral credentials. Bode George will probably join them as soon as he is released.

With his laboured, ponderous and pusillanimous approach to governance and the tortured route he has chosen to pursue his ambition, Jonathan may be a doctor, but he certainly has no philosophy.

PDP, AFRICAN'S BIGGEST PARTY ABOUT TO SHRINK TO A SECTIONAL PARTY?

The PDP is gradually morphing into SNPP - Southern Nigerians Peoples Party? The board of trustees chairman of PDP Olusegun Obasanjo is a southerner; the chairman of PDP Nwodo is also a southerner and now President Goodluck Jonathan, another southerner, is trying to muscle himself into office as president in 2011? So, what about those northerners or are they not competent enough to hold any one of these key offices of the PDP? Icheoku says, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it might as well be a duck; so we call on President Jonathan to immediately redress this imbalance by not running in 2011, before the largest party in Africa implodes into a sectional party for Southern Nigerians only. Regional politician Obafemi Awolowo is long gone and Jonathan should not become another Awolowo as Nigerians do not want such sectionalists anymore, nor ever did. Let the north be fully represented in the PDP, give them back the presidency - the presidency is still theirs and should remain so in 2011. Equity and good conscience as well as honor in respecting agreements demand that too!

Please Mr. President, as you inch closer to your decision 2010 concerning the 2011 Nigeria's presidential election, Icheoku wants you to be courageous and stand firm against all those sycophants goading you to go against your party's standing rules and in the general interest of Nigeria. Please shun those sycophants' advice and avoid the temptation to covet what does not rightly belong to you. You presently hold the presidency of Nigeria in trust for and on behalf of northern Nigeria; and honor demands that you hand same back to them come 2011. They are the rightful beneficiary of the mandate which you currently hold on their behalf as a trustee and never as a beneficiary yourself. So it is imperative that you hand same back to them in the interest of justice, equity and fair play in 2011. Always remember that honorable men respect and keep agreements whether it is a gentleman's agreement or a written formal contract. Moreso, there is no way in hell that the south could fairly hold the PDP's board of trustees chairman, the party's Chairman and also the Presidency all at the same time at the exclusion of the entire North? Opportunity calls for you to transform yourself into a great statesman who shunned power for the interest of the party and the nation as well. The presidency will always be there and since you are relatively young, there is enough time for a come back later in the future; but not before 2011

SENATOR JOHN McCAIN PURCHASES SENATE SEAT FOR $20 MILLION?

Senator John Sidney McCain of Arizona, the septuagenarian wanna-be president and once presidential candidate of the Republican Party, who suffered a humiliating defeat in the hand of "THAT ONE", the then Senator presidential candidate and now President of the United States of America, Barack Obama; vowed this time, never again!

Facing an almost assured defeat in the hand of a freshman senatorial candidate J.D Hayworth; the old man McCain decided instead to haggle for the seat. He outbid ex-radio host and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, forking out a whopping twenty million dollars in the process for the right to vie for the Arizona senate seat against the Democrats in November 2010. It is also needless to say that in addition to his twenty million dollars Arizona senate seat purchase price, Senator John McCain made several pacts with the devil, renouncing all the good works which made him an endeared 'mavericky moderate' to many rational American political followers and independents alike.

It is also on record that McCain even denied ever being a maverick as well as ever stating that he is a maverick; which makes Icheoku to wonder the level of intelligence of an average Arizona Republican voter that bought this baloney of a kite, since it was not too long ago that the same McCain was taunting the "two mavericks on the presidential ticket of the republican Party - him and the hooter of Alaska Sarah Palin? But hey, a people deserve the type of leaders they get and so has Arizona Republicans refused to be properly informed or persuaded otherwise as they stuck with their old man and near-senile McCain; who as a bargain parted ways with twenty million dollars to misinform the primaries voters on his truncated record at Washington. But unlike Arizona, some states still have people who make use their brains to think for themselves; and irrespective of the money thrown therein to railroad a message across, they were still able to successfully lift the veils of the candidates to see who really gets their back. Florida is one such state as Florida's Senate Democrat Kendrick Meek defeated Jeff Greene and his $26 million war chest with Floridians saying, nope, we know the difference between night and day.

However, Icheoku gives it up for the soldier in John McCain who fought all the way to secure his Republican Party's primaries victory, in one of the biggest political battles of his life to retain his senate seat despite the onslaught of the crazed-out Tea Party fanatics. And with now assured fifth term senate run in Washington, John McCain has become undeniably an institutionalized Washington politician and should not be ever heard again, blaming Washington for failed policies, being an insider thereof. Further his primaries election victory, a precursor to his ultimate victory in November begs for the institution of term limits among Washington politicians to make room for new ideas from up and coming fresh minds. Just like the State of California and some other states locally have mandated term limit; and also since the presidency is subject to a two term eight years limit, Icheoku wonders why what is good for the goose should not be applied to the gander? Just extend the damn term limit to the national assembly to inject fresh blood and ideas; and like John McCain, Democratic Senator Patrick Leheay of Vemont won his party's primaries is also returning to Washington in November nearly guarranteed election, which he has called home since 1974.

But perhaps, at the cost of 20 million dollars, what really is the net gain of being a US Senator since no senator makes that kind of money or will ever hope to recoup such expenses; being not Nigerian senators who dip their hands in the pie at Abuja and take whatever they deemed fit does not help matters here either. So it might as well be for the right to membership of the most exclusive club in America - the 100 man senate of the United States of America; a bragging right of some sort may be! But at last our democracy has been hijacked by money bags who are trying so desperately to turn our democracy into a "moneytocracy" with the offices in the land going to the highest bidder who can out spend his opponent to push his version of his message on uncanny electorates; even where such messages are flip-flops on several past positions as John McCain just did in Arizona.

In McCain's victory speech he said, "I promise you, I take nothing for granted and will fight with every ounce of strength and conviction I possess to make the case for my continued service in the Senate." Icheoku says, but how much strength is left in a 76 year old man whose conviction is equal to no conviction at all? Anyway, congratulations Senator John McCain and all other candidates who won the right to fly their party's flag this November election.

TIGER WOODS, NOW OFFICIALLY DIVORCED!

“We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future.” With those words the formerly golf great Tiger Woods and his former wife, Elin Nordegren made it official, what the world has since known from day one of the Elin-induced car crash that their marriage was now over. Tiger Woods is now a free bird and those white bimbos can now have a free reign, without Elin or his marriage band to worry about?

Admitted that the philandering Tiger dipped into too many whore-holes; but Icheoku thought his pertinence was enough to persuade the bitch not to leave; but hey if you stand to make hundreds of millions of dollars from just walking away from a cheating husband, why not. The main issue with what Tiger Woods did is not that he was being an average Joe-man, who cheats on his wife; no, it is the mere fact of who he cheated with - cheap slotty white bimbos, whores of easy virtue and not with some ladies of substance. Icheoku does not sympathize with Tiger Woods downward spiral since he brought it upon himself; our only prayer now is that his only remaining comforter and companion, caddie Steve Williams will not also prove himself to be another good weather friend who will walk away from a hurting soul when he is needed most.

Now that Elin has finally proved herself to be an unforgiving daughter of Eve, forcing Icheoku to wonder out aloud whether the marriage injunction "till death do us apart" also provided for "until cheating do us apart;" what then becomes of TW. Icheoku had previously written an article calling on Tiger Woods to hang up his golf clubs for good, now let us see if this divorce will hasten it or better still improve his games; since he will now have less of his moribund marriage to Elin to think or worry about. Whatever happens or becomes of the once former golf superstar, his life after divorce following an orgy of romping with dozens of Delilahs, will never be the same again. Tiger Woods is a golf damaged goods and this divorce will only add insult to the injury; so it is about time he left the scene permanently and try reinventing himself, doing some charitable good works of mercy and making a serious effort at understanding who he really is - a blackman in America who should not have maritally crossed-over!

ANTI-IMMIGRATION SENTIMENTS, A WHITEMAN'S MORBID PHOBIA OF BEING OUTNUMBERED?

Icheoku makes bold to say that the fear being expressed by white people in America, manifested in their anti-immigration activism, is well founded and for a good reason. Power is profound and its holders do not easily give it up. Power is the only thing the White people of America still have wholesale and it seems to be evaporating before their eyes, gradually and continuously, that they are beginning to sustain real fear of the inevitability - what becomes of them in an American society without White-power?

From financial power to economic power to political power and industrial power, the White folks of America are totally and completely in charge; and they are unapologetic and unabashed in using it to other minority peoples chagrin. They loathe the thought and possibility of ever being forced by changing demographics to trade places with those people, who are currently at the receiving end of what they continuously have to dish out and who are not finding it funny at all. This possible future upside about-turn nightmarish scenario to them, is not worthy of contemplation and this founds their rabid reaction to any immigration policy or occurrence that will serve to water down their racial majority in America. The result, the rancid effort to resist any attempt at equalization of the population of America through immigration, whether through a meaningful reform or granting amnesty to people already here. This anti-party manifests in the sudden rise of anti-immigration push-back by the so called 'patriots of America' as represented in the Tea Party activists, the Arizona State's dabbling in a purely Federal legislative list immigration matters as well as the out of control Sheriff Joe Arpaio's corralling of human-beings in the deserts of Maricopa County Arizona.

The "We and Them" politics of America's right wing, the proverbial "true sons and daughters of America", those who "rightfully" own and belong to the land between a sea and shinning sea and who now wants to exclude every other aspiring American from the land are those fueling the rising tempo of 'immigrants leave our shores' near war-cry. When they use some expression such as "that one" to describe a presidential candidate who is now the president of America, President Barack Obama through their Senator John McCain or utter such words like, "We want to take our country back", one is forced to query from which stranger does these bunch of American lunatics want to take their country back? It is a trite rule of society property ownership that one can only take back property from someone who is not the rightful custodian or holder thereof; and judging from the terminology employed here, "our country" then their warped mindset becomes clearly more illuminated - they believe that President Obama is an illegal occupier of "their" White House?

The Indians are waiting for their pound of flesh with some blood from the white people for the cruel hand dealt them by the early arriving white forebears to this great nation. The Blacks are restlessly waiting for the day of reckoning to arrive when they shall place the white people on a defendant's witness box and ask them, why did you do it - slavery and economic stagnation and starvation? The Italians are waiting for the day justice will be dished out to the white people to recompense for the injustice they received in America; and so is the Irish whose construction labor were used practically without compensation. The Japanese are also waiting to ask white peoples of America what warranted their interment in concentration camps during world war 1 and so also are the Chinese smarting for the free conscripted railway labor that they provided to white Americans. Needless to add that the Mexicans are waiting anxiously to see whether their lands from California to Arizona to New Mexico to Nevada to Texas would be given back to them; hence the southern migration to see if they can through population take their lands back for a psychological victory? But the white people are not taking any of that and are fighting back with the Hispanics now having bulls-eye placed on their back and who knows who next the white man's bell shall toll after the present victims?

Icheoku says the heightened anti-immigration sentiments in the land as pushed forward by Arizona State's 1070 is symptomatic of White Americans' phobia of being outnumbered and losing it all. They are not going to keep quiet while the carpet of superiority of numbers is swept from underneath their feet and were Icheoku to be in their situation, will also be as vehement. But life is dynamic and humanity should expect and anticipate changes and adapt as it becomes imperative and necessary. A time it was in no distance past when native Indians roamed the land as the single majority tribe and race in north America. Christopher Columbus allegedly sailed west and 'discovered' a new found land, setting off the party of Mayflower and co, the original forebears of today's white Americans. But did the Indians vanish because they were overwhelmed by the new arrivees who practically killed most of them off to covet their lands? No, they adjusted into their reservations to await the day when things might change to positively affect their fortune. Did Mexico fold up because they lost California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and some parts of Texas to victorious America after the American-Mexican war? No, they adjusted to their new reality of having lost some territories to the superior fire-power of their northern big brother.

So Icheoku is saying that the inevitability shall some day come when the demographics of America shall change irretrievably and the fact that the white Americans are not procreating as fast like their Latin Americans counterpart is not helping their course at all. When that time comes, whatever remains or is left of the White American population shall by the same token of life, adjust accordingly and learn to live their new minority status in America that would probably be dominated by Hispanic Americans. The census bureau has already projected that magic year to be 2050; but hey, that day shall be a new day when the previously air-conditioned offices occupiers shall revert to their new role of pickers of lettuce and avocados in the hot fields of California and Texas. While the descendants of Cesar Chavez will then learn how to knot ties and be professional in the various skyscrapers of New York City and Los Angeles. What a trading of places that day shall be and America may afterall be better for it, a place where dreams really come true, provided of course they wake up to realize it fast before it turns into nightmare. It is not out of pure hatred or avarice that what is happening is happening in America's anti-immigration world, no, it is for survival and survival of the white race, period. Icheoku understands their fears except that it is founded on the selfish desire of one race to thrive over the others, who as far as they are concerned, can continue to languish in abject neglect and want.

But seriously speaking, who is really an illegal alien in America; or put in another way, who is really legal in America? A country founded by the original illegal aliens of Mayflower from England and Europe who breached the shores of native Indians and took over their territory; and now several generations later, these descendants of the same then law-breaking immigrants are now seeking to criminalize and de-legitimate other illegals, claiming that they are illegal aliens because they have no papers? Icheoku asks, but who gave those original Mayflower pilgrims papers or waived their visas; since it is on record that the native Indians were surprised to see white men on their ashore without any notice or permission from their chiefs; leading to the several internecine feuds and wars which ensued for control of territory and resources.

But hey, it is the irony of life that usually when some people enter a place, they want the gates to be shut out against the others coming behind them; but without considering the width and length of such gates. There was this case in Arizona where one Hispanic American claimed that his family has maintained a continuous existence on the same piece of land for over three hundred years, ever before the advent of the white man on their territory; and queried from who does he have to obtain papers to become legal on his own ancestral land? Isn't it a pity that a black kettle is calling a black pot black since historically speaking, every American is technically an illegal migrant! The solution, a meaningful immigration reform and enforcement of existing laws to close the loopholes of employers getting labor for peanuts from these so called illegals who mostly come here to work and support their families back home.

OBAMA IS A MUSLIM, OBAMA IS A MUSLIM; WHAT ABOUT HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT?

President Barrack Obama was heavily criticized during his election campaign for seating in Reverend Jeremiah Wright's church for over 20 years and now that he has spoken in support of the constitutional right of a religious group to build a center of worship, he has again become a Muslim? Icheoku says, conservative Republicans with an agenda are searching in vain for something to run on in the coming fall election. However, since when has being a Muslim become a criminal offence in America that Muslims are now being vilified in this rancid manner? The Kingdom of Morocco, a Muslim country was the first country to recognize an independent America with a treaty of friendship signed sometime in 1776. Muslims also allow their grounds to be drilled for oil, supplying America its unquenchable thirst for the fluid. Also how does these conservative Republicans anarchists explain the Bush Family constant parleying with Muslims House of Saud, and/or does this make President George Bush also a Muslim? We must all be careful not to ignite an inferno of hatred from a 1.1 billion strong people of Muslims faith. Enough of all these fiery rhetoric, America!

PRESIDENT OBAMA EXPLAINS THE 'R' FOR REPUBLICANS - REVERSE!

'D' is for drive and 'R' is for reverse! America do we want to drive the car of our economy and country forward or take it right back into the ditch in reverse? There is no other better allegory to explain the stark differences between the Democrats (D) and the Republicans (R) than the car gear example. So as we face down the divisive Republicans this fall election, let us tell them to their face that they have nothing new to offer but the same failed policies of the past that wrought the situation under advisement. That we cannot afford their retrogressive experience any more and that we say 'No' to 'Reverse' and 'Yes' to 'Drive'. Icheoku says, thank you Mr. President for once again, bringing it down to the basics.

WYCLEF JEAN SHUT OUT OF HAITI'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?

Wyclef Jean's bid for Haitian presidency has been scuttled. Haiti's electoral commission denied him the opportunity to contest in the presidential election, stating that 'The Fugees' superstar was disqualified because "he has not lived in Haiti for the past five years as required." Icheoku interjects and asks whether living in Haiti for five years meant continuously living in Haiti or as many Diaspora do, maintaining a place of abode therein which is visited periodically?

Also why didn't the electoral commission invoke the doctrine of waiver and use to fix whatever five years residential snafu and hiccups Wyclef may have suffered? Waiver would have readily helped his cause, and help him qualify to run for office. If the commission wanted to solve this problem of five years residency; they would have granted a waiver; except that the entrenched powers in Port-au-Prince do not want any spoiler on the seat of power, so stop him now they vowed and just did.

But Wyclef did not loose anything in event of his disqualification; no, since he can still call up former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama anytime he wants; which Haiti and its people would have beneficially used to their advantage. But the authorities there will have no Wyclef to effect 'Change Haitians can believe in?' So the real biggest loser here is the masses of Haiti, who the international clout of Wyclef Jean would have helped draw attention to their plight and struggle for survival. What a missed great opportunity which the Haitians would have continuously mined for a very long time indeed. Once again, Icheoku reiterates that Haiti missed a golden opportunity at raising its international profile through their famous son, who found success in America.

Luckily too, Wyclef Jean's sojourn in America has robbed off on him very well;l as he accepted his fate calmly, urging his supporters to "remain calm and respond "peacefully and responsibly to the disappointment." According to his statement, "Though I disagree with the ruling, I respectfully accept the committee's final decision, and I urge my supporters to do the same." Icheoku says, the way to go Wyclef since politics without bitterness is the in-thing and do or die politics so ancient. The loser is Haiti and its people who missed a great opportunity to internationalize their country through a famous son of theirs who has met fame and fortune in America; and would have used that to the greatest benefit of Haiti.

REPUBLICANS, THE PARTY OF NO, SAYS NO AGAIN TO A RELIGIOUS CENTER?

Republicans do not like President Barack Obama because he is "That One" and wants him to fail at all cost so as to discredit him. This is the vehement position of the Party of No; as virulently championed by their spokesman in chief and titular head, the acidic Rush Limbaugh.

It is also on record that their membership in the national assembly have not voted in support of any of the president's initiatives to fix what was broken under the last Republican administration in our country. Without mincing words, Icheoku says their lock-step opposition to Obama is primarily because he is occupying "their" White House; which they profess daily, they cannot wait to take back from him? Icheoku says, only in their dreamy heads.

Republicans have also advocated shipping some certain skin-color Americans out of this country back to Africa in order to fix what they believe have broken socially in the country because of them? Icheoku says but these people were never asked to be brought here forcibly in dungeon steam boats; and would have preferred they were never separated from their kits and kins in Africa.

Republicans do not want gays and lesbians any where around America, because in their warped mind, these people are biological mistakes and lesser human-beings who do not deserve any co-habitation with the rest of their humanity? Icheoku asks but what becomes the fate of former Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter and Newt Gingrich's nice?

Republicans do not want Hispanics because they are "illegals" and taking their "jobs;" and want them all shipped out of this country across the boarder to the south? But no one is talking about other "illegals" from the boarder up north and across the pond from their motherland Europe.

Republicans do not want the poor and hungry in their midst because they are destitute, unwanted and undeserving of their modern society; and would rather they are all shipped off to somewhere desolate in tundra Alaska or possibly fed the sharks? Former Republican Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani experimented with the idea while mayor of New York.

Now the same Republicans are ready to even throw the Constitution under the bus just to push their racist bigotry agenda through as they once again, say no to First Amendment Freedom of religion! They do not want American Muslims to build a religious center of worship in Manhattan and possibly would prefer that all Muslims are shipped out of the country to the Middle East because, according to them, they are "terrorists?" Icheoku says, what a broad brush they are using for a people of faith of more than 1.1 billion people; while selectively choosing to forget that Timothy McVeigh was a White Christian; but we refuse to let his ignoble Oklahoma City bombing taint all White Christians of America.

Icheoku asks, but what about the Native Indians or haven't the Republicans figured out where they would rather ship them off to?

The real question that ought to be asked by every sane person in America is, why is it that these Conservative Republicans do not want any other person in this country; which even belonged to some other people according to historical facts. Put in another way, Icheoku says, what does these people really want that is propelling their current acerbic commentaries in the land? Icheoku says, they possibly want a whites-only puritan American society with a monolithic culture and outlook, with no "half-humans" or other unsightly "That Ones" to disturb their sight? That is the type of America these hate-filled Republicans advocates of divisiveness are clamoring for; but Icheoku says it is rather too late now as races and cultures have become so commingled that segregating them is no longer possible or feasible. All that is left now is for all of us to learn how to continue to tolerate and live with one another in love, peace and harmony; and together we can make America's future brighter and stronger.