GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

GBAGBO, HIS CUP IS NEARLY FULL.

GBAGBO, HIS CUP IS NEARLY FULL!Icheoku says Ivory Coast hold-over President Laurent Gbagbo won't be laughing for long very soon, as the threat of force is now more likely than not to come to fruition now that he has rebuffed all entreaties to surrender the presidency. The only regret is that Gbagbo is planning to commit mass suicide with a lot of Ivoriens, who will die for nothing trying to defend his indefensible claim to the presidency. Icheoku asks, where are those agents from Langley who served Nigerian MKO Abiola some "sweet" tea? They should infiltrate Gbagbo's kitchen staff and make him some milk-shake or hot cocoa and put him to sleep forever. That way the current political imbroglio in Ivory Coast would just disappear without the added cost of first destroying his rag-tag army before getting rid of him. Icheoku calls it the "Abiola Tea Solution"; and this is exactly what Dr. Democracy ordered to be administered on the Ivorien strongman Laurent Gbagbo. Just get rid of the scumbag, wanna be sit-tight leader and spare the blood of innocent Ivoriens. Another typical case of those whom the gods wants to kill he first make mad; and the world will soon know who laughs last.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

GBAGBO, NO MORE NEGOTIATIONS WITH A DICTATOR!

GBAGBO, NO MORE NEGOTIATIONS WITH A DICTATOR! 

"All dictators are alike and all dictators will not negotiate their departure — they are made to leave," - Guillaume Soro, Ivorien Prime Minster. Icheoku agrees that dictators are impervious to reason and therefore parties should end further attempt at persuading this wanna-be sit tight former president Laurent Gbagbo forthwith and set the machinery in motion to forcibly evict him out of the government house in Abidjan. There is really nothing to negotiate with a man who lost an election and has been told in unmistakable words that he is an illegitimate, hold-over president and must go. Icheoku asks where are the bombs as more delay gives Gbagbo impetus to dig in and presume he has something to defend

Monday, December 27, 2010

GBAGBO SCOFFS 'THREAT OF LEGITIMATE FORCE', ECOMOG HOSTILITIES NOW!

GBAGBO SCOFFS \ 

Icheoku says the hold-over president of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo must, should and have to go and without any negotiated pre-conditions whatsoever. To accommodate such will only succeed in bolstering and encouraging other sprouting Mwai Kibakis and Robert Mugabes of Africa to always reject the will of their people, the electorates and refuse to cede power when voted out. 

So far ECOWAS is following the Ivorien political impasse as is expected of any regional power bloc or pressure group and must now that the de-facto president Gbagbo has thumbed his nose on them, follow through with their threat of force. What is needed now is for their diplomats to lobby the United States of America and France for logistics and weapons to do the job that needs to be done and immediately. Gbagbo's threat of taking foreign nationals living in Ivory Coast hostage or expelling diplomatic staff is a no brainier and must not operate to attenuate the military option. 

This sit-tight wanna-be scumbag has been in power for 10 long years and Icheoku wonders what else he wants to prove therein in Abidjan; except as he shamelessly intoned there are other African leaders who have been in power for ages without legitimacy and you now see what is driving his obstinacy and refusal to yield power. He just wants to become another African henchman in the mold of Hosni Mubarak, Moummar Ghaddafi, Robert Mugabe and of late Mwai Kibaki. A highly noted Mafiaoso once said, never make a threat unless you are willing and capable of carrying it through; so ECOWAS chairman President Jonathan of Nigeria must now show cause to remind Gbagbo that if only Sadaam Hussein had listened to international entreaties to quit, may be he would be alive today and on an exile somewhere, living out his old age. But dictators everywhere always believe that somehow they will extricate themselves from any given woven yarn. 

Icheoku calls on ECOWAS to immediately fire some warning shots across the bow of former president Gbagbo today. Or does Gbagbo need a direct talking, unscripted Olusegun Obasanjo to be sent to him to drum the message right into his cranium before he can understand the seriousness and urgency of the time. Icheoku calls on ECOMOG and even the CIA to take this suicidal power-hungry maniac out now and not allow him take down Ivory Coast with him into the abyss! Gbagbo must go and now and unconditionally without any landing cushion or parachute!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

OLD MAN WINTER STRIKES EAST COAST.

Icheoku marvels at the awesome power of mother-nature as nothing and nobody or authority controls what it does. This car was illegally parked in a no parking zone at her insistence and was supposed to be ticketed; but hey who will be the responsible party assuming the parking maid para-glides her way there to write up a parking ticket? Or is it a case of buried alive in a pack of powder?

Saturday, December 25, 2010

MERRY XMAS TO YOU, ICHEOKUANS!

MERRY XMAS TO YOU ICHEOKUANS!

Baby-Jesus in the manger the story goes and his birth is the reason we celebrate today. It is Christmas and so have yourself a merry happy Christmas. Icheoku loves you all fans and visitors!

Friday, December 24, 2010

CHIEF (DR) ALEXANDER EGEMASI EMEZIEM, KSM; DEATH OF A COMMUNITY'S GIANT!

CHIEF (DR) ALEXANDER EGEMASI EMEZIEM, KSM

The  family of Chief (Dr.) Alexander Egemasi Emeziem of Obibii-Nguru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria, announces with a heart-filled with sorrow but joy for a meritorious life well spent, the passing away of their dearly beloved father, husband, grand-father, father in-law, brother, uncle and patriarch of the Emeziem family, Chief (Dr.) Alexander Emeziem, Knight of Saint Mulumba. Chief Emeziem died in the United States of America of old age related infirmities, complicated by diabetes; he was 81 years old.

A noted second republic politician/businessman, Chief Emeziem was a commissioner under the late Governor Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe NPP government of then Imo State from 1979 to 1983; and variously held different portfolios as Commissioner in charge of Ministry of Public Utilities; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Development as well as Ministry of Establishment respectively

During his early days before venturing into politics, Chief Emeziem variously worked as a teacher, a banker, an oil industry executive and rose to become regional Manager for British Petroleum (BP) in Northern Nigeria region. He left BP and went into private business from where he joined politics. To his credit as a politician and commissioner were series of infrastructural developments including several regional water projects, rural electrification and the establishment of three independent power stations, including Izombe and Amaraku Power Stations in Imo State. He also facilitated the formation of Progress Bank of Nigeria PLC. When the military junta led by Muhammadu Buhari interrupted Nigeria's democracy in 1983, Chief Emeziem was one of the many politicians that were clamped down in detention by the junta which lasted for 22 months before he was released without any charges, having being found  clean as a wind driven snow by various military investigative tribunals which looked into various politicians stewardship. Thereafter he went back to business spreading into real estate acquisition and development, haulage and manufacturing. 

Chief Emeziem was a respected community leader in Nguru and environs, a benefactor, a philanthropist, a visionary, a church patron and above all a very meek and humble man; who in 2004 set up the 'Chief Alexander Emeziem Foundation' which gives educational grants and scholarships to indigent peoples of his area. Chief Alexander Emeziem will be sorely missed by his wife Chief (Mrs) Maria Emeziem and surviving children Charles, Kenneth, Vincent, Alexander, Anthony, Augustina and Florence; as well as his Nguru community, friends, beneficiaries and people who were lucky to have been touched by his most benevolent large heart. His life is a definition of a fruitful fulfilled life well lived; and he left an indelible footprint on the sand of time while his sojourn on this mother earth lasted. 


His long drawn burial proceedings commences in the United States of America on December 29, 2010 with a requiem high mass/viewing by 4.00pm at Cathedral of Christ the Light, Grand Lake Merit, 2121 Harrison Street Oakland, California 94612. It will be followed by the  celebration of his life/wake-keeping by the Nigerian community in Northern California and their friends by 6.00pm at Bayshore Pavilion, 2203 Mariner Square Loop, Alameda, California 94501. His remains will be flown back to Nigeria thereafter to continue the process of his transition to his ancestors; which will climax with his interment in the new year at his country home, on January 7, 2011. 

One mourner who described his loss as irreparable said that the late Chief Emeziem "was very religious and always one of the most trusted, enterprising and generous individuals around. His people of Nguru as well as their local community's Holy Trinity Catholic Church will greatly miss him". Icheoku says if to die is to continue to live in the hearts of those people who love you, then Chief Alexander Egemasi Emeziem is not dead but have merely transited to a higher plain, from where he will continue to overshadow his family, his people and countless number of well-wishers, mourners and beneficiaries with abundance good love and protection from On-High. Icheoku says, Adieu Chief!

RSVP
Charles Emeziem - 510.385.5912
Kenneth Emeziem - 510.772.2822.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

GBAGBO'S REMOVAL, NIGERIA SHOULD ASSERT ITSELF!

Icheoku says an opportunity calls for President Jonathan of Nigeria to become an international statesman by leading the current effort to shove former President Gbagbo of Ivory Coast out of power. The defeated former president is boxed in and merely clinging to power; so any little push or threat of it is all that is required for this African wanna-be sit tight leader to turn tail and scurry from Abidjan. 

Therefore President Goodluck Jonathan should give the former Ivorien president an ultimatum - a maximum of two weeks to vacate the seat of power or have the Nigeria fighting machine sent his way to destroy his rag-tag army and capture him alive for trial at The Hague. If he is even killed in the process, good riddance! Hundreds of Ivorien people have already died as a result of his obstinacy and he could be held accountable for their loss as an enemy of democracy who would rather see Ivory Coast go down in flames than concede a lost election. President Jonathan should therefore re-assemble ECOMOG and with it set Ivory Coast free of this impending despot and thereafter reassert Nigeria as the regional power in West Africa. 

However, President Jonathan must first extract a binding promise from France, America and the United Nations to foot the tab of such international assignment, both in weapons and cost of the exercise; - remuneration and upkeep of soldiers as well as logistics of moving equipment and troops must be underwritten by these interest groups before Nigeria embarks on such nation saving mission to Abidjan. Icheoku is confident that former President Gbagbo, faced with a threat of Nigeria fighting forces and the prospect of becoming a war criminal will drop his claim to the Ivorien presidency like a hot-potato. President Jonathan, this one is for you and an opportunity never called this rosy!

WIKI LEAKS JULIAN ASSANGE, HIV POSITIVE?

WIKI LEAKS JULIAN ASSANGE, HIV POSITIVE? 
Icheoku asks how can a sexual liaison between two or more consenting adults possibly become an assault? This becomes imperative in view of the Swedish authorities impending charges against WikiLeaks Julian Assange, who claimed that both women-complainants are among the numerous women who in his own words, 'have been very generous with their bodies to him'. 


According to the story, his condom broke during one of the encounters resulting in the assault claim. Icheoku says the only way consensual sexual contact between two adults can become an assault is where the resulting sex was not that which was bargained for or consented to, like an HIV positive person not disclosing his status prior. Admitted that the fear of such infection suffices; but what could have founded such fear in the two women? Does it mean that WikiLeaks Julian Assange is HIV positive or suffering from some other sexually transmitted disease (STD) to trigger this sexual assault charges. Icheoku hopes Julian will make himself available to the Swedish authorities asap and clear his name as well as exonerate himself of these charges.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA GETS IT DONE, HE KEEPS HIS PROMISES!

With just a stroke of a presidential pen, the previously 'archaic and retrogressive' don't ask don't tell military policy finally came to an end. It ceases to be the law of the land and in its place is a new policy which could aptly be called "Ask N' Tell" policy; and now our brave men and women who happened to have different sexual preferences can now openly profess their love as they heroically face-down our enemies. President Barack Obama signed into law the legislation repealing the policy which the House of Representatives and the Senate had earlier voted for. Icheoku says, this president gets it and he gets it done! Well done Obama and thank you for equalizing the battle field for all its players. Fair minded and conscionable Americans shall never forget, as 2012 hurries into focus. It is been a wonderful two years of milestone accomplishments with you in the saddle of power. Icheoku says, have yourself a jolly merry XMAS Mister President.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

DIEGO FERNANDEZ CEVALLOS, FREED AFTER 7 MONTHS AND A KING'S RANSOM.

It would appear that kidnappers in Nigeria are afterall, still very amateurish, dirt-cheap and not daring enough compared with the kidnappers in Mexico. There a wealthy and powerful high profile lawyer and politician, an influential member of the president's party, a senator as well as a former presidential candidate was nabbed and held for seven long months until a king's ransom of $20 million was finally negotiated and paid for his release in what was described as the highest of the high profiles and most brazen kidnapping in Mexico's recent history. The fact that the negotiation lasted that long is a testament to the Mexicans trouncing their Nigerian counterpart in the mastery of the game and it safely ended without the shedding of blood. There was no shaking on their part; but a steady and surely footed bandits turning into ransom negotiators?
Diego Fernandez de Cevallos who was freed Monday, December 20, 2010 said that as far as the kidnappers are concerned, he being a man of faith, he has forgiven them; but as a citizen, he thinks the authorities in Mexico have some work to do to stem the tide. Icheoku says if it takes such a high profile case to awaken the Mexican authorities, may be those Nigerian kidnappers should target those high profile politicians in Abuja and elsewhere instead; and leave poor innocent and hardworking Nigerian women and children alone. A statement by Cevallos' kidnappers said that he is "corrupt and arrogant" and that his kidnapping was "a blow against the plutocracy and an act of reparation." Icheoku can understand the frustration of many hungry people in a highly corrupt country but does not in anyway support or approval of such criminality of kidnapping for ransom or any other untoward means to achieve a means or make a statement.
It would be recalled that the family of Cevallos during the negotiations for his released urged the Mexican authorities to "stay out of this process in order to help the negotiation." Icheoku says they probably understood the game better than the government, and what it takes to play to win and did not want any government meddling with the negotiations. Icheoku congratulates Cevallos for making it through the seven months his ordeal lasted and hopes he will write a book about his experience to assist other would-be kidnap victims live through it and survive to write or tell their own stories.

Monday, December 20, 2010

RODGERIO DAMASCENA, A BRAZILIAN, OUTDOES NIGERIAN IBRAHIM BABANGIDA!

RODGERIO DAMASCENA, A BRAZILIAN, OUTDOES NIGERIAN IBRAHIM BABANGIDA! 

When one thinks that Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida was out of his mind when he killed his best-man of his wedding, Mamman Vasta; here comes Rodgerio Damascena of Recife, Brazil who in addition to killing his bestman also killed his newly wed wife as well as himself. Icheoku says this world is full of crazed-out people and Nigerians might start treating their evil-genius as a case of a psychopath that needs help instead of the current derision with which he is treated by decent Nigerians. 

According to the story, the newly wed man announced to guests at the wedding reception that he had a surprise for them before he started shooting his victims with a gun he brought hidden to the wedding. What made him snap no one knows, but it is possible he was not prepared for the societal imprisonment that is marriage or he felt caged, trapped into what he cannot handle; ensnared by a scheming wife? Anyway, the rest as they say is now history; as Ibrahim Babangida now has a comrade in best-man's killing?

EQUALITY AT LAST, ASK N' TELL IS THE NEW POLICY!

Her wish as well as millions of other gay Americans, particularly servicemen and women, just came through as the Senate voted 65-31 to repeal the discriminatory 1993 "Don't ask don't tell" law. Now the policy has changed from "don't ask, don't tell" to "ask n' tell" and henceforth, all brave men and women who prefer same sex can now openly enlist and serve their country, freely as newly emancipated gay service men and women of America's military. Their shackles have been broken and the fog of unacceptability lifted from their shoulders with this legislation. According President Obama, "It is now time to close this chapter in our history. It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed' and Icheoku concurs. But whether the already dismissed 13, 500 homosexual service personnels would be allowed to re-enlist or return to the military is not known at this time; but one prays it is the case as what one does in the battle field should not be equated with his private moments or preferences. Icheoku congratulates the 55 Democrats, 2 Independents as well as 8 thoughtful Republicans who made the passage possible. Icheoku says to gay people of America, President Obama has now made you a firm believer and it shows what is possible when both parties work together in order to solve real problems. President Obama, this congratulations is for you for yet scoring another humongous victory with this repeal now added to your accomplishment in office. What a wonderful and beautiful Christmas present to give to the gay-world.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

IS YOUR AQUARIUM BIG ENOUGH?

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?

Saturday, December 18, 2010

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?


Friday, December 17, 2010

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!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CURTAILS SPEECH IN NIGERIA, AN EMERGING DICTATORSHIP?

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.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

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!