IS YOUR AQUARIUM BIG ENOUGH?

 Never knew that they could grow this big so Icheoku will start a new feeding regimen for our five pet goldfishes which have steadily grown from being fish-feeders to proportionate table-sizes, just few years of bringing them home from the pet store. Raphael Biagini reeled in this 30 pounder from a lake in southern France; but being a pleasure catch and release fishing outing, the golden one did not make it to anyone's dinner plate but is back in its abode packing more pounds. Now who still says there is no hiding place for the gold fish?

TP MAZEMBE ENGLEBERT FOOTBALL CLUB OF CONGO, STANDS TALL IN DEFEAT.

Icheoku watched the finals of FIFA Club World Cup championship played in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate, between Congolese Tout Puissant Mazembe Englebert (TPM) and Italian Internacional Milano (Inter Milan), and came out happy and proud of the Africans performance against Europe's best. Admitted they lost 3-0 to the Italian side but the two first goals could have beaten any other goalkeeper as placed; including the third goal which was also well played. 

Icheoku is particularly impressed at the heads-up performance put up by TPM faced with star-studded Inter Milan side, the current European champions; yet they played as if they were playing any other side without unnecessarily being intimidated or afraid of the big names on the Italian clubside. Such confidential performance is what every African needs in any given situation; but not shere timidity and cowardice faced with Europeans, Americans, Asians and other peoples of this world. The same level of courage is alos required of African political leaders as they deal with their counterparts the world over as they strive to get for African and Africans equal playing field in global issues. 

However some interesting points emerged out of this soccer encounter including a fascinating TPM's butt-hopping goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba, who celebrates every goal his side scored by butt-dancing while throwing his funky hairdo about. Also standing out of the pack and worth our particular mention is TPM's African Senegalese coach Lamine N'Diaye, who was a great sight to behold cheering and urging his side on as their number one fan in chief. That he is as dark as it comes out of Africa and indeed Senegal is rehashing the obvious; but Icheoku admires his calm mien under pressure and his white-toothy smile on the few occasions he shared it with the world. The road traveled to the finals by the Lumumbashi Congo based TPM to and in the Abu Dhabi was such as is required of champions - they real passed through crucibles of champions; beating CONMEBOL's Sports Club Internacional  of Brazil 2-0 in the semi finals; thus becoming the first African club side to progress to the finals of the championship, where they lost to Europe's finest FC Internazionale Milano. 

Icheoku congratulates the African side with an African coach for putting up quite a stellar and impressive performance at the FIFA Club World Cup in ABu Dhabi. It shows that African coaches are as good if not better than their European and Latin American counterparts and should  be encouraged by African Football Clubs to always do their best. Icheoku is an apostle of internal salvation for Africans such that they must start looking inwards for the solutions to their numerous problems instead of constantly looking overseas for solutions. Icheoku also congratulates Inter Milan on their victory lifting the FIFA Clubs World Cup gold trophy which now makes them in addition, the best of the best football clubside in the world. Concluding, Icheoku reiterates the governing principles behind TP Mazembe Englebert success which according to the narrative is their coach's insistence on hard-work, concentration and team-spirit. According to the coach, these three tenets of success are very important as "Hard work is good, because without that, talent is useless. And total concentration is good because, as without that, hard work is pointless and then team spirit, which makes each player play as if he is ready to die for the other out on the pitch.” Icheoku says, good, good and good. Congratulations TPM for doing Africans proud and showing to the world that soccer artistry can also be found in motherland. What's up with those hairdos; or is it the in-thing in Congo; and Icheoku also observed that no 'pigmy' made your team or have they all gone extinct?

RUSH LIMBAUGH, THE MAN WHO RUNS AMERICA, IS DESTROYING OBAMA'S PRESIDENCY?

Icheoku says the time is now for all those pretensions to be over and a rapprochement move made by the Obama administration to woo Rush Limbaugh. Destroying the destroyer is also an option should the former not work out fine; but not to do either is too costly a nonchalance that will bite big time later. Enough should be enough and let the truth be spoken that Rush Limbaugh has a listening audience that is steadily growing in every leaps and bounds; and these people listen to his radio show as a divine instruction to which they are beholden to, being "real Americans?"


As a result, all the diatribe he lobs against President Barack Obama and the Democrats is getting across to millions of his listening Americans, who are rapidly taking in his message and incensed that the president is destroying their America. The presidency should either take Rush Limbaugh frontally head-on or send an emissary of peace to broker a truce between both parties; and former President H. Bush Sr or even the junior 'W' will suffice as an affective go-between to at least reach out to the mega-phone and let him tone down his rhetoric or at least be a little fair with his attacks on the president. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California did it once, he reached out to Rush over a cigar and Rush took him out of his cross-hairs. President Barack Obama should therefore invite Rush to the White House over cigars and implore him to tone down his anti-Obama message.


The current posture and attempt to pretend or act as if Rush Limbaugh is just an ordinary distraction or nuisance is foolery as millions are listening to this man's message and millions more are enlisting daily and being swayed. A man who commands the air-waves and delivers his punches where and when it matters most should not be taken lightly by any of his opponents including the opponent-in-chief, President Barack Obama. Icheoku tunes in periodically to the Rush Limbaugh's 'Excellence-In-Broadcasting (EIB) show out of curiosity and somewhat interest; and could easily have been persuaded to jump on the bandwagon but we have some independent head on our shoulders. To say that Rush Limbaugh is effective in delivering his punches is least gratuitous and simplistic; the man is a talker extra-ordinary and very effective in effortlessly swaying opinions; admitted some of his positions are somewhat ultra-right winged.


But the problem with President Obama and the bashing of his administration by Rush Limbaugh is that so many of Rush listeners have no time or the mental acuity to do some independent research on some of his positions to either validate or thump them. These Dido-heads, millions of them, are simply satisfied with any position of their idol; all that they require is that Rush said so. So once Rush Limbaugh says anything on any issue or about a person, so it is and shall remain with these lock-step adherents; and the loser are those people not in Rush Limbaugh's good books including President Barack Obama. The irony of the gamesmanship is that even the Tea Party Republicans, RINO Republicans as well as Conservative Republicans are all afraid and scared-stiff of the acerbic mouth of Rush Limbaugh and easily fall in tow rather than attract his ire. The result is that even members of the Congress are easily intimidated by Rush Limbaugh as they tread softly in order not to make Rush mad at them as well as millions of his followers; who form most of their voting bloc in their various constituencies.


This in essence makes it utterly difficult for bipartisanship or for anything to go on amidst such polarizing figure as Rush Limbaugh and the debate over the Tax-cut bill is of great significance. But unlike so many other Americans who think that by just tuning off Rush the problem will go away, Icheoku says all that is required is for the president or one of his minders to sacrifice three hours in one week-day and listen through Rush Limbaugh's show and they will be convinced on the great damage he is doing to their boss, President Barack Obama. One day, Icheoku counted thirty times Rush negatively mentioned President Obama within the first 60 minutes of his 180 minutes show; and they were all tailored to deride the president or accuse him of destroying "their" America or in someway, belittle or diminish his presidency with such words as "man-child president" or "Obama does not love America" etc. Icheoku wonders how someone who does not love America will be toiling day and night and all other times in between, trying to solve the numerous problems Americans are facing including an itinerant unemployment situation which has so far defied the stimulus package and every thing thrown at it.


Perception is everything and regardless of what the president is doing to fix what is broken, once Americans feel or are convinced that he is not doing enough or everything that could be done to help them; that is what usually sticks. This is the fork on the road for President Barack Hussein Obama and his administration as all their efforts to solve problems are being portrayed by Rush Limbaugh as their attempt at destroying America and this is the message getting across the news cycle. Third Reich's Goebbels was right when he intoned that propaganda and publicity are the best instruments of warfare; and unfortunately Rush Limbaugh is so far winning this particular battle as Americans are increasingly becoming despondent about the president and his presidency.


The worst situation anyone can find himself/herself in life is to have people who could careless about him/her or what the person stands for; and the last November midterm election showed that the President have seemingly lost his power of conviction; chiefly due to Rush Limbaugh's saturating the airwaves with his anti-Obama message. A word is enough for the wise and there should be no shame or ego interference in this matter. If the president wants to succeed and be seen to succeed, he must reach out and make peace with the man who runs America with half his brains tied to his back, Rush Limbaugh, before it is too late with Obama becoming a one-term president. The drubbing of Democrats last November really put the fear of Rush Limbaugh into some people's minds - that Democrats lost with such a wide margin despite their best efforts to wrench the country back from its near abyss. Rush Limbaugh is vile and his message so petulant and vitriolic that only the victim who feels the sting can explain its pain; and this time they are chiefly directed at the person of President Barack Obama who must do something to turn the tide or stand to pay a hefty prize if he chose to ignore it and do nothing. Concluding, Icheoku says the proposition is admittedly a tough one but still doable; and Obama should make a move now or have his presidency destroyed by Rush Limbaugh!

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CURTAILS SPEECH IN NIGERIA, AN EMERGING DICTATORSHIP?

 The other time he disrupted the meeting of Igbo Elders and Leaders of thought in Owerri; then followed it up with the disruption of Buhari's campaign in Bayelsa. Now the same opportunist who wants to usurp what does not rightfully belong to him wants also to muzzle Nigerians and stop them from exercising their freedom of speech.

President Goodluck Jonathan warned Nigerians to 'mind their utterances' but failed to understand that 'truth' is a complete defense to defamation; and that it was leaking WikiLeaks that took off the emperor's clothes for Nigerians to see his political-nakedness. But now he is behaving like a petty dictator handing down instructions on what to say and what not to say; thereby limiting and curtailing speech. In his ever reactionary-manner, he is now trying to punish Nigerians for learning that he is not "a fit and proper person' to lead the nation. But hey, Icheoku says if this south-south agitator thinks he can succeed where others failed and silence Nigerians which the joint resident-evils Obasanjo, Buhari, Babangida and Abacha could not achieve, then he has another thing coming. 

This is democracy dividend in action in Nigeria - freedom of speech; and the last time Icheoku checked, the thieving national assembly have not purged the freedom of expression clause from the constitution. So to hell with Jonathan's attempt to gag Nigerians with a threat that “Government will not take this lightly." As every one knows, history has shown that Nigerians are not easily intimidated and if anyone is presently taking Nigeria for a ride, it is Jonathan who is unnecessarily over-heating the polity by trying to appropriate the presidency in 2011 when it is not his zone's turn yet. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Icheoku says to you, quit hollering as your threat does not mean anything to Nigerians who have seen worst case-scenarios in the past and outlived such evil persons. So make it easy for everyone, just get out of the 2011 race in order to restore some sanity to the contest. Let the truth be told, the North should be allowed to complete their term as 2011 is not South-south's turn, get it Mister Loudmouth.

ANTHONY ENAHORO IS DEAD!

The once chairman and face of NADECO, a group which gave the midget of Kano Sani Abacha hell and forced him into a killing frenzy of innocent Nigerians; the man reputed to have moved the motion for Nigeria's independence, Anthony Eromosele Enahoro is dead.

A foremost politician, statesman and fearless advocate for democracy, partly tainted by his participation in the criminal starvation of the people of Biafra, including pregnant women, infants and children during the civil war conducted by the genocidal Yakubu Gowon led federal government of Nigeria, died an unhappy and unfulfilled man. His dreams of a viable Nigeria where minority rights are recognized by the majority, where citizens rights are respected, where there is equal opportunity for all and where things are so well ordered that security, power, good roads, employment and a buoyant economy moves like a well-oiled machine eluded him.


Icheoku is convinced that Anthony Eromosele Enahoro passed on also regretting his role in the sabotage of the Biafran effort, just like General Alani Akirinade similarly regretted his participation in aborting the Biafran dream. But the judgment is mine says the Lord and Icheoku wishes Pa Enahoro a speedy trial before the Almighty for his sins of commission and omission while he held sway in Nigeria. Enahoro was 87years old and died of old age related natural causes, although he had a debilitating stroke that left him in comatose few weeks ago from which he never recovered. Enahoro was survived by his family and friends; Nigeria will miss his virile 'force-majure' contribution and participation in Nigeria politics. Adieu Enahoro!

RICHARD HOLBROOKE, US DIPLOMAT EXTRAORDINARY, DEAD AT 69.

 

He brokered the Dayton accord that made the 1995 Bosnia peace plan possible and until his death, was President Barack Obama's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan. The president eulogized him as "a true giant of American foreign policy." Mr. Holbrooke served under every Democratic president from John F. Kennedy in 1962 to Barack Obama in 2010. Richard was also once the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Richard fainted and was rushed to the hospital while meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the State Department on Friday, where examination revealed a ruptured artery (aorta); but he did not survive all best effort made to plumb it and died Monday December 13. Icheoku says his old weak heart could no longer take the punishment anymore of a grueling, stressful and pressure-cooker of intensive diplomacy between two defiant countries; and it sputtered to a full final halt. Still wondering why people are expected to retire at age 65? What a life of service Richard Holbrooke lived; and he served till the end and literally died on the job. Mr. Holbrooke was survived by his wife, Kati Marton, and two sons from an earlier marriage, David Holbrooke and Anthony Holbrooke. Icheoku wishes the family well and prays that Richard's soul rests in peace; Adieu DIck!

LUKE SCOTT, ANOTHER WHITE-MAN WHO PRESIDENT OBAMA LIVES IN HIS HEAD!

Icheoku says just when one is beginning to think that Rush Limbaugh is not winning more crazed-out converts and fast enough, here comes a dude from Baltimore Maryland who plays baseball with the city's Orioles joining the club of Obama Haters of America Incorporated. In a recent interview, without any justification or provocation whatsoever, this incompetent slugger left the base-ball and started slugging it out on President Barack Obama; ceaselessly dissing the president of the United States of America. The tobacco-chewing redneck baseball player, without any serious national reckoning, has now joined the cesspool of those white-men of American suffering from the disease known as OIMBS (Obama in my brain syndrome).

A sportsman whose job is to entertain fans should not unnecessarily dabble into the highly divisive pastime called politics as he may in doing so rile some of his fan base, made up of different people from differing backgrounds and varying political affiliations. The more troubling part of this hill-billy's diatribe on the person of America's first man, is that he cannot even speak good English which is his primary language; yet he had the gut to say stuff against the person of the president. Icheoku is also certain that this hating pale-skinned hermaphrodite does not have any proficiency for any other language either, including his native-Scot; but here he is rehashing a time-worn issue. Were baseball player Luke Scott paying enough attention or listening to the news he would have known that the matter of President Obama's place of birth has been extensively discussed and argued by the Tea Partying Republicans and had been conclusively exhausted, addressed and now long rested.

But when an issue or a subject-matter or even somebody permanently resides in someone's head, even the person's double vision translates to that object of fear. Without any directed prompting, this slugging dwarf veered into attacking the president's bio-data as if he owned the copy-right to the matter and hence can visit it whenever he pleases. And for Luke Scott to shamelessly put across that he loves to shed blood - of animals that is; now makes him a twin brother in animal killing of the Alaskan wild-life poacher, Sarah Palin. Icheoku says it might be a good idea for Tea Party Republicans to pair both of these people up in 2012 as their presidential/vice presidential candidates; what a ticket of "real Americans" animal killers the duo will be - their "slugger" and their "lady" against the "man who was not born in America". What a trouncing relief it shall be to have the man who was "not born in America," defeat both "real Americans" - the man and woman who wrap themselves in American flags?

A simple question from a reporter, "So how's Obama doing" was all it took to set off this grenade of a person, unearthing a combative racist who dove into the sewer in his attempt to knife the American president. Hear his response, "Obama ... hmm ... Obama does not represent America. Nor does he represent anything what our forefathers stood for. This country is basically built on an attitude. It's a way of life. It's not because you're born here. It's not that you're supposed to take from those who have and give to those who haven't." Yet this supposed Christian forgot the teachings of Christ to be your brother;s keeper? Continuing, Luke Scott said, "He was not born here. That's my belief. I was born here. If someone accuses me of not being born here, I can go — within 10 minutes — to my filing cabinet and I can pick up my real birth certificate and I can go, "See? Look! Here it is. Here it is." The man has dodged everything. He dodges questions, he doesn't answer anything. And why? Because he's hiding something. People who tell the truth, they're very easy to ... their actions prove it. Something as simple providing a birth certificate. Come on. If you're born here, there's plenty of documents. But you know what? There's no documentation of him. No legal documentation of him. There's been lie after lie after lie exposed, but people put it under the carpet. Hence, the problem we have in this country." And this Luke Scott forgot that in Hawaii "Certificate of Live Birth" is evidence of someone's being born in America; but what does he know except that he is a "real American?"

Icheoku says Luke Scott's outburst is a clear insight into the thinking of so many white American males, who do not believe that any person is good enough or better than them to lead or head anything in which they are involved. This is the cross President Barack Obama bears as he works tirelessly to find solutions to our country's numerous teething problems; including an unyielding unemployment. So for all intent and purpose, majority of the attacks on the president is not because his policies are horrendous or for lack of 'E' for effort on his part, but because his skin-color is not "normal" for an occupant of the White House; hence the left, right and center barrage of attacks directed at President Obama. Icheoku without laboring to be politically correct says the attacks on the president are mostly racist-tinged as evidenced by the latest Luke Scott idiotic and imbecilic outburst. But what does anyone expect from another misguided and disgruntled white man suffering from OIMBS, the shameless Luke Scott of Baltimore Orioles!

ERA OF STEALING ELECTIONS IN AFRICA IS OVER - JOHNNIE CARSON

According to the United States assistant secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, the United States will together with African Union resist any attempt by African sit-tight leaders to steal or manipulate election results. While speaking in the matter of the political impasse in Ivory Coast, Carson said "America thinks that the era of stealing African elections is over and this should be an example for all Africa that this can no longer be tolerated. Theft of elections should not be a part of the democratic process." Icheoku says better late than never and had this position come alive earlier, maybe Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Kibaki of Kenya would have been former presidents; but hey, at least it will stop others including President Jonathan of Nigeria should he attempt the expected in 2011

MADDOFF HANGS HIMSELF, THE WORTH OF LIFE?

 

Tired of carrying the burden of a tainted family name described by some as "toxic" and which meant fraud to the world, the eldest son of convicted jailbird Bernard Maddoff, Mark Maddoff, hung himself in his multi-million dollar SoHo Manhattan New York City condo. Mark who was 46 and a father of four, now becomes the latest casualty in the saga that sent his father to prison for 150 years for swindling thousands of their life savings. Mark was found hanging on a dog leash while his 2-year-old son slept nearby.The wife who has since jettisoned their last name was vacationing when she received a distressed text from husband Mark urging that someone check on their 2year son. The rest as they say is now history and Icheoku asks, what is life's real worth?

IBRAHIM BADAMOSI BABANGIDA, TOLD TO TAKE A HIKE

“IBB should learn to live with his changing political fortune and not further diminish himself by playing games which only political novices should play. If he wants to go to another party, he does not need to blackmail anyone to do so. He should just go. The PDP has taken a decision on zoning and rotation; IBB can either live with it or leave the party”. - Sully Abu, director media & Publicity Jonathan/Sambo campaign 2011.Icheoku says that is what happens to a person when he or she makes him/herself a rat, the cat disrespectfully snatches him/her up. So has Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida made himself so hated in Nigeria that his threat to leave the PDP if zoning was not respected, is taken as a welcome relief and has been brushed aside as a none issue

BILL CLINTON'S TAKE-OVER OF PODIUM, OBAMA'S ABDICATION OF OFFICE OR WHAT?

Icheoku says irrespective of the reason or the political mileage to be mined from the Bill Clinton's take-over of the White House podium today, President Barack Obama shouldn't have conceded that bully-pulpit to the former president. It appears to show that President Obama is no longer totally in charge and is no longer confidence enough that he deservedly earned the right to own that pulpit to himself and should not in any way seem to be uncomfortable owning it. The president is in addition to being the commander in chief also the communicator in chief of America and should not only do this job effectively and authoritatively, but also be seen to be doing it; so the weird idea that former President Bill Clinton should be brought to the high pedestal to help President Obama sell or attempt to sell a tax-break deal, considered to be an anti-thesis to all that he stood for through-out his presidential campaign as well as during the last November 2 midterm election, makes no sense at all. The derivative imperative is that President Obama could not communicate his position across to the American people and the master communicator former President Bill Clinton has to be called in to do the job. It portrays weakness, incompetence, inability, lack of confidence and above all it is uninspiring; and should never happen again.

Moreso, many Democrats who lost their mid term elections last November 2, 2010 possibly may not have lost their re-elections had this tax-break matter been brought up and rested prior to that election. Instead they were pigeon-holed into a "no tax-cut for the rich" position and mantra of the administration during their campaigns, which in a way cost them the election. Now less than one month after the disastrous mid-term elections, the Obama administration seem to have made a complete 180 degree somersault in its position with the infamous deal he struck with the republicans; which matter was not helped by the administrations exclusion of key Democrats as he negotiated his deal with those hostage-taking Republicans. Icheoku says it is impetous of the administration to expect Democrats to just swallow his deal with the Republicans hook, line and sinker without question or protestation; and accept same as the deal made in heaven. Icheoku wants President Barack Obama to remember who elected him into office and peradventure wherein lies his primary constituency and the people he should try to placate with his policy initiatives and decisions and not the Republicans who are bent on making him a one-term president.

So for the administration to so so soon after the disastrous mid-term election to simply cave in with its about-turn on the tax-cut question shows a White House that is deaf-toned and not apace with the political trajectory of Americans, especially the progressive left. Icheoku asks, why now President Obama? Why should you because of few hundred dollars to be saved in taxes by the middle class give away hundreds of thousands of dollars to the urbane-rich? The proper and correct thing to do is to let the entire tax-cut plan to expire if the Republicans will not go with the fair tax-cut plans alternative which would have seen the super-rich pay their fair-share; thereafter you can then use your executive powers to instruct the IRS on a huge tax-returns to middle-class American taxpayers who need the money most. If your executive powers does not extend to such disbursal, then some programs could be instituted geared towards putting some dollars back in the pockets of the middle class; instead of this peanuts for champaign deal reached with the Republicans.

Icheoku also rejects the Clintonistic argument that "there's never a perfect bipartisan bill in the eyes of a partisan, and that he really believe this will be a significant net-plus for the country" as not assuring enough. You correctly pointed out that the Republicans are hostage-takers and that was enough for the American people to figure out who their nemesis is and then device a plan of action to extricate themselves from their clutches. A few hundreds of dollars in lost revenue for the American people would have hurt but not unbearably so much, the long term income derivable from correctly and adequately taxing the rich considered. Icheoku is convinced that all the options were not exhausted before the throwing of the towel of your administration accepting the Republicans on their terms; and it is not giving us, your supporters the necessary confidence to continue to march in lockstep with you as you fight your political battles. Anyway, Icheoku have strong reservation that not all those people you surrounded yourself with actually have the best interest of your governing at heart, hence some anti-progressive left policy-initiatives coming out of your supposed White House.

Now back to your seeming abdication of office today; please dear President Obama, next time do not do it as that podium belongs to you exclusively for the remainder of your term of office. If there is something Bill Clinton or any other person wants to say to the American people on behalf of your administration, let them use other forums including press conferences, interviews, press releases as well as other available communicative apparatus but certainly not the White House press conference podium. Any appearance of weakness or not being fully in charge or in complete control of the government should be avoided by you at all times and by al and every means necessary. You know what the perception had always been - that you are a knee-jerk 'man-child' president who cannot stand-up to certain heavy issues on your own. A president of America should not be running to a daddy-figure each time he is at a cross-road with some difficult policy issues; not even the last President W ran to H each time he reached a fork on the road; and the last time Icheoku checked, Bill Clinton is not your daddy!

PRINCE CHARLES ATTACKED, A FUTURE KING BY HIS FUTURE SUBJECTS!

 

Icheoku says that is the stuff revolutions are made of, the attack in London by protesting students of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla. A Rolls-Royce limousine carrying them to an event was attacked and its rear window smashed; it was also splattered with paint. This was indeed a very close call on the Prince and his wife since the British mob could have easily got hold of them, taken them hostage for ransom or even killed their future King in waiting with such an ease. These students were protesting parliament's increase of tuition fees in UK college from £3,290 ($5,200) to £9,000 ($14,000) per year as being excessive. In the photograph above, an obviously spooked and startled Camilla seems to be in disbelief that 'the revolution has begun without a notice.

ARETHA FRANKLIN SLOWLY DYING, AS CANCER REFUSES TO "SHOW A LITTLE R.E.S.P.E.C.T."

 

Just as the dreaded "C" word claimed the life of Elizabeth Edwards, words got out that the self acclaimed queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, got it too; and the cancer is not taking any prisoner this time? Her cancer is of the pancreas for which she was recently operated upon but there is no word whether it has metastasized. Our heart goes out to the queen in her fight with cancer and we wish her all the best. Icheoku says, cancer should just take a break and leave humanity alone.

THERE IS NO VACANCY AT ASO ROCK - PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN?

 

"We know that there is the Adamu Ciroma consensus candidate. We also know that there is a Nigerian consensus candidate and for that reason, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock. I don't waste my words, but we should prepare not only for the primaries, but for the general election to elect Goodluck Jonathan as president and Namadi Sambo as vice president of Nigeria." - Tony Anenih. 

"It is evident that there is no vacancy in every state we have visited. This is because we trying to sell a national product (Jonathan) and not a local product." - Dahlatu Tafida. Icheoku says whether Pesident Jonathan is 'Nigeria's consensus candidate or a marketable national product' is irrelevant to the issue of the forthcoming general election 2011. The election has to first hold and the winner thereafter fill the vacancy that shall exist by then notwithstanding the wishes of Anenih and Tafida or even Jonathan. As the Ivory Coast example has shown majority of African leaders most always do not want to leave office voluntarily as they prefer to rather die in office than to concede power. Anyway something must give way come 2011 - either Jonathan defiantly runs against standing gentleman's agreement of the PDP which will help unify Nigeria in a way, provided those northern mallams accepts his victory; or Atiku is elected to satisfy those northern hegemony who do not want to let go of the cash-cow of Nigeria.

But to just foreclose the election by these arrogant utterances is anathema to the current effort by Nigerians and INEC's Jega to entrench elected democracy in Nigeria. But were Icheoku to advise President Jonathan, he should be smart enough to read the handwriting on the wall and wait for South-south turn when the presidency will be handed over to him on a platter. But mistaking the opportunity as God-sent will boomerang on the minorities of Nigeria and by extension affect the chances Igbo southeast might have securing an Igbo presidency of Nigeria in 2015. But is anyone looking at the big picture or just the myopic opportunity presented to Jonathan through Umaru Yar'Adua's demise. Lastly, Icheoku debunks both Anthony Anenih and Dahlatu Tafida for speaking above their pay-grade and hereby reinstate that Aso Rock shall be vacant by the scheduled election 2011 and insha allah, a northern shall be elected to fulfill and complete the northern term and thereafter Igbos will get their shot at the presidency come 2015.

$50,000 WAS TRANSPORT MONEY NOT BRIBE - TUNDE BAKARE OF SNG?

The $50,000 President Goodluck Jonathan's attempted bribery of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) saga is still making rounds. This time the facilitator of the SNG and the person who doubles as pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare, has debunked the bribery allegation. According to the holier than thou impostor, the $50,000 offered to the group for their 'understanding and support' by President Goodluck Jonathan was a 'transport money' which they rejected based on integrity', but certainly not bribe'! Icheoku asks Mr. Tunde Bakare which part of the globe does it cost $50,000 to travel to or was he planning to visit God in heaven to require such a huge sum of transport money? What a collaborator and accessory after the fact to bribery, this Tunde Bakare is; a pitiable and pitiful soul.

ELIZABETH EDWARDS, DIES BROKENHEARTED AND OF CANCER!

She was a typical southern loving wife, who adored to an almost worshipping state of her former husband of 31 years, former presidential aspirant and former Senator, John Edwards; until his lecherous ways took the light out of their blissful long marriage. John Edward disgracefully tried to deny an affair with a conniving marriage-wrecker mistress and video-grapher, Rielle Hunter, who was spread-eagling herself for the presidential aspirant while his ill-fated campaign for Democratic Party's presidential flag-bearer position lasted. Meanwhile this was as his loving wife was installmentally being wasted away by a debilitating terminal cancer of the breast which later metathesized; but she still stood by her man in defense of his honor and the marital vows of fidelity made to her? 

An ever trusting wife, she strongly rose in defence of her husband believing they were so much invested in one another for him to do what was being alleged and emphatic that her 'Dear John' can do no wrong with her emotional well-being. Boy was she very much disappointed and totally devastated as the contriving  John Edwards later swallowed his vomit and finally admitted to the alleged affair with his campaign video-grapher; admitting to a bamboozled world and dumbfounded Elizabeth that he had been guilty of marital infidelity and taken several chunks of the home-wrecker's forbidden apple. To say that the heart-wrenching news of her philandering husband did not help her with her battle with cancer is to say the least, both gratuitous and repetitious.  She was completely gutted from the inside out and the cancer which she has been battling gallantly for several years started gaining an upper hand; and her effort remained downhill primed until the sad news that was her final breath. 

Ecclesiastes 1:3 harps 'vanity of all vanities, all is vanity; and today the former attorney, wife of a senator, wife of a presidential aspirant, an author, a millionaire, mother and home-maker of a multi-million dollar family mansion who was the air in the lungs her husband breathed, is no more; dead at 61 of cancer and a broken-heart related complications. They had nothing much when they met and marked their first date at a McDonald's; but Elizabeth died well healed together with her former husband John. Icheoku says, but for her husband John Edwards cheating on her and fathering a child outside wedlock, may be Elizabeth would have lasted a little longer than the six-years preceding her today's death. She would have remained buoyed by the knowledge of an undying and undivided love and support of her husband in throwing at least few more days of punches at the invading cancer. But a distraught and emotionally ravaged woman faced with monstrosity of a terminal condition might have been praying silently for the good Lord to call her home sooner, to an eternal rest both from the cancer and from being constantly reminded by her brain that her husband John Edwards cheated on her and fathered a baby outside their marriage. Icheoku contends that ironically, Elizabeth would be happier in death; especially since her afflicting form of cancer was incurable and no amount of therapy could wash away the hurt-feeling caused by John's untamed animal, resident of his unzipped fly. 

Their marriage did not survive his cheating and both parties consented to a divorce; so Elizabeth Edwards died an unhappy, sick and in-pain divorcee, a cheated-on ex-wife. Icheoku says, may her hurting soul hurt no more and now rest in the Lord's peace; where no cheating husband can ever cause her any more sorrows or heart-thumping. To the mourner in chief John Edwards, Icheoku asks, how do you feel with your Elizabeth now gone forever; and knowing that she died partly of a broken-heart, caused by your amorous ways and an unforgiven adultery. Anyway, accept Icheoku's condolences. Elizabeth Edwards is survived by her three children Cate, Emma-Claire and Jack Edwards and also her estranged husband John Edwards. 

FYI:- President Obama's condolence message said of late Elizabeth Edwards, "In her life, Elizabeth Edwards knew tragedy and pain, many others would have turned inward; many others in the face of such adversity would have given up. But through all that she endured, Elizabeth revealed a kind of fortitude and grace that will long remain a source of inspiration. Our country has benefited from the voice she gave to the cause of building a society that lifts up all those left behind."  Also permit Icheoku to republish here as addendum, Elizabeth's own final goodbye message to the world upon learning that her final hour is near:- "The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered, we know that. And yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful."  So on both remarkable and well-appropriated commentaries, Icheoku wish to conclude our obituary on the late Elizabeth Edwards, adieu Madame Elizabeth Edwards!

DICK CHENEY'S INDICTMENT, NIGERIA MAKES EXPECTED ABOUT TURN!

 

“Yes, we are investigating the Halliburton bribery scandal and I told some foreign media so. But so far we have not uncovered any evidence of Dick Cheney’s complicity to warrant bringing charges. In fact, there is a remote chance that we will charge him.” - Femi Babafemi, EFCC spokesman. With those words, President Goodluck Jonathan's EFCC turned tail and tucked in between their legs, scurried away from its vomit. Icheoku says faced with American pressure and the threat not to support his 2011 opportunistic run for the presidency; and also realizing that there is no way in hell America will give up her former vice president to be tried in a banana republic third world country, President Jonathan made a sudden u-turn, a complete 180 degree about turn just to save face. Little ant dabbling in the game of giants; what a pity!