ABUJA TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK, DEFEATS PURPOSE OF RELOCATING CAPITAL OUT OF LAGOS?

One of the principal reasons adduced by the promoters of Abuja, a new Federal capital city, was to de-congest Lagos and establish a new capital city that will be more sanely and orderly. 

Unfortunately it seems that their dream have been aborted as the new capital city, Abuja, instead of just remaining merely the envisaged political capital of Nigeria with elected government officials, bureaucrats, their support staff and very restricted number of the general public, has turned into another mega city, with all manner of people and businesses struggling for the use of the infantile limited amenities and infrastructures currently available therein. One of such over-burden infrastructure are the narrow roads of Abuja (Icheoku used narrow roads in context to what a capital city really deserves) which are now heavily burdened with all sorts of vehicular contraptions. Regrettably, the authorities in Abuja do not seem to be alarmed enough to do something very drastic to address the emerging problem with the urgency and seriousness it deserves and before it reaches the stifling condition that forced the move out of Lagos to Abuja in the first place. 

Pictured above is the cataclysmic essence of daily-life for so many who call Abuja home - a picture which told the wonderful story of a typical day for so many Abujaites. The picture was taken at a time and/or moment when the military jackboots descended on an Abuja road to frisk out Boko Haram and their bombs from the hundreds of thousands who ply that Abuja road? One wonders what type of military would carry out such "stop and search" security operation without first taking into account that such traffic nightmare scenario was a great possibility in the city? Further, seeking out Boko Haram and their bomb amidst this madhouse is akin to locating a needle in a haystack. 

But in Nigeria, leadership is somewhat completely detached from the lead aloof; hence the usual rowdy and disorderly manner of doing things; including constructing roads without taking into account the exploding number of road-users or causing such great inconvenience to attempt nabbing some Boko Haram members and one wonders if those terrorists wear a tattoo on their foreheads? Icheoku laments that Abuja is gradually losing its pristine allure and speedily metamorphosing into another Lagos with its horrendous traffic. It would seem that by relocating to Abuja, the Nigerian government sold a monkey and bought a dog as a trade but forgot that it still has a four-legged creature in its house. A city in gridlock is a city in chains and every effort should be made by the necessary authorities to put some wider lanes or even ten-lane freeways in and out of the city of Abuja; for it to remain attractive and competitive. What a nightmare on Abuja road!

"ISLAMIC BANKING IN NIGERIA IS CONSTITUTIONAL" - IMAM SANUSI

"Wallahi tallahi, dis thing acall-am Islamic Banking dey for we constitution!" Defending his jihadist obstinate march towards islamizing banking in Nigeria, the governor or rather Chief Imam of Cebtral Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has vowed to wage a jihad if that is what it will take to islamize banking in Nigeria. Speaking to other Muslim zealots in Sharia State Kano, Nigeria, Imam Sanusi said, "The whole concept of Islamic Banking System was introduced in the country through Banks and other Financial Institution act of 1991 that allows the operations of Non Interest Banking services in Nigeria." 

Icheoku says it is rather very easy to find a provision to back up whatever idiocy any fundamentalist is propagating or wants to spread - be it those supposed Christian fanatics and zealots who will always find a quotation in the bible to back up some of their most fraught  proposition or position. Icheoku asks Imam Sanusi, what about money laundering, afterall it could be conducted without interest or a minimal interest charging Christian banking; or better still an Atheist or Idol banking for crying out loud? Since his argument for pursuing his Islamic banking is the constitution, Icheoku asks, would Jihadist Sanusi similarly pursue  the establishment of other denominational banking with the same vigor as he is currently deploying towards establishing a conflicting Islamic banking in a secular Nigerian society that already operates a world-wide banking system that is flawless? If such other religion-driven parochial banking applies for license, would Imam Sanusi who is methodically liquidating some southern Christian controlled and run banks enthusiastically approve their licenses? 

Anyway, Icheoku blames a lilly-livered President Jonathan that is too timid to call a man serving at his pleasure to order or better still fire the darn zealot and let heavens fall. Simply put, if these mullahs want a separate republic for their Islamic way of life, let them have it in their ten Islamic Northern Sharia States with Kano as their capital and possibly Imam Sanusi as the first executive president or whatever they call their head of state. Let their wish be granted and now so that Nigeria can finally get rid of the clog in its wheel of progress as so many Nigerians are tired of all these in-your-face attempts by these mullahs to convert the whole Nigeria into an Islamic Republic. Ten Sharia Northern Nigeria states and Imam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's Islamic Banking must not be allowed to sprout; especially in this period when their military wing - Boko Haram, is waging a non-stop blood letting war against the country. If they succeed, then it is over for the political entity known as secular Nigeria as they will start forcing every one to  recite the Koran at daggers-point failing which the victim risks being declared an A'runa that needs to be helped get out of this planet earth? 

President Jonathan, Icheoku says, it will be very shameful if this Islamic Banking system takes root in a secular Nigeria under your watch. Enough of being intimidated by and afraid of these fanatics; if they touch you, Nigeria goes down; so firm up and be a man with some steely back-bone! If they want trouble, let them get trouble. If they want war, let them bring it on; and unlike the Biafran war, which the whole world waged against the then Eastern region,  this time around will be drastically different. The world is now better educated on the religious/geo-politics of Nigeria and the West will find it unconscionable to support the mullahs of the Ten Sharia states of Northern Nigeria once again. Better still, let Nigeria consider the Sudan example as the silver bullet to end all frictions and let us resolve this problem once and for all - just get this thing over and now! Who the heck are these guys that they should continuously inundate a secular country with very parochial and retrogressive ideas that never moves the country forward. If a bank does not earn interest, how does it support its operations and take care of its overheads? Icheoku decries Imam Sanusi's Islamic Banking as crass nonsensical attempt to propagate Islamic religion and may all reasonable Nigerians rise in unison and say no to Islamic Banking in a secular Nigeria, period!

ANYIM PIUS ANYIM, 24 HOURS FITNESS TO THE RESCUE?

 Icheoku wonders whether the Secretary of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Anyim Pius Anyim, understands the need to keep fit and healthy? Maybe he needs to invite fitness gurus or the fellas at "24 hour Fitness" to establish a franchise in Aso Rock to help him get trim and lose those piglet eyes? What a beefed-up human being the SFG is but he could be better when all those excess pounds are gone; except that Nigerian "big men" do not work out after all the goat-heads (isi-ehu) and big stouts (odekus) that make their day!

THE BLOOD OF ANY NIGERIAN KILLED BY BOKO HARAM, ON PRESIDENT JONATHAN'S HEAD!

Icheoku says as long as President Goodluck Ebelesimin Jonathan refuses to fire the incompetent Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, that long shall any Nigerian killed by the intractable Islamic religious sect, Boko Haram, be squarely placed on his head. 

Icheoku has severally called for the removal of the IGP like any other incompetent person who had failed woefully to perform his duty should and ought to. The governors forum has similarly echoed the same call likewise so many other brave and courageous Nigerian of reckon. President Jonathan however refuses to get rid of this IG; instead he is asking for the Hafiz Ringim to be given more time within which to fix the problem. It is on record that the president did not give former IG Ogbonna Onovo "more time to fix the problem?" In the interim Nigerians are dying, being killed, slaughtered, assassinated and bombed to smithereens by a lawless Northern Nigeria Islamic terrorist group , Boko Haram, while the president is still buying time for his IGP and refusing or has refused to fire the man who could not man or guarantee security for Nigerians? 

It is indeed mind-boggling that IGP Hafiz Ringim still finds favor before the president as to still have his job, supposedly protecting Nigerians? Anyway, the solution is simple - just blame President Jonathan for any and all continuing death of Nigerians in the hands of the Al-Queida in Northern Nigeria menace called Boko Haram. Since the president has refused to fire the incompetent Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim and replace him with someone more knowledgeable and more competent to provide the much needed but presently elusive security Nigerians deserve and desire, Icheoku says the buck should effectively stop at his desk.

AREWA IS BOKO HARAM?

Arewa boasted that they will make Nigeria ungovernable should President Jonathan win the last presidential election. Boko Haram is now making Nigeria ungovernable for the president; therefore it is logical to infer that Arewa is Boko Haram and Boko Haram is Arewa. The only subtlety is that cowardly Arewa is hiding under the subterfuge of their alter ego, Boko Haram, to carry out their nefarious terrorist's threat. Icheoku had expected them to instead, bravery stand up for and own their terrorist mayhem in furtherance of their previous threat. So it would be a winning strategy for the government to declare every Arewa member, a member of Boko Haram and start picking them off, one after another and let Nigerians watch the scourge of Boko Haram end immediately. It is a simple solution - similar to the tactic Sani Abacha used to end NADECO or at least force them on the run for their lives, if if you get the drift.

DOMINIQUE STRAUS KAHN "FREED", THE RICH WILL ALWAYS HAVE THEIR WAY!

Icheoku says nonsensical as the issue on trial is not the accusers immigration petition status or her other domestic activities or even her alleged questionable associations with detained petty drug peddlers. No, what is at stake here is an alleged criminal rape of a hotel janitor by a powerful and influential French millionaire and former IMF president Dominique Strauss Kahn. Therefore it is very irrational and unreasonable to say because the accuser have some questionable past that her present allegation of being raped by the French man is now suspect. Icheoku asks, even if she is herself a criminal, does that now make her loose her inalienable right not to be sexually violated by anyone including Dominique? 

The finding of fact that she lied about details on her application for asylum in the United States of America, including her unproven allegation that she had been previously raped in her native Guinea should not be any attenuating circumstance to the present allegation of rape; admitted it might weigh much on the credibility of her testimony at trial. Borrowing the words of accuser's attorney, Icheoku reechoes that the hotel maid could have made some mistakes in her past, but that does not and should not mean that she is not a rape victim.  However the lawyer seem to have added another twist to the previous account of what allegedly transpired between DSK and the hotel maid when contrary to the "polishing of the knob" which the victim earlier alleged, her lawyer now says that "Strauss-Kahn bruised her genitals". This greatly triggers her credibility question as her lawyer appears to suggests that there was indeed penetration of her vaginal walls while the victims account only alleged a forced blow job? Icheoku believes this mix-up is not similar to the understanding of what constitutes sex as President Bill Clinton once did when he said "I did not have sex with that woman Monica Lewinsky"; misunderstanding or misinterpreting sex to exclude blow job. Hopefully the mix-up would be resolved by lawyer and his client.

It is indeed regrettable that the prosecution came to this conclusion despite the facts of the matter as made available to the public - here was a DSK who initially denied that anything or contact of any nature took place until his semen was found where it was spitted on the carpet by the accuser; then he changed his story to being consensual; and now it is the prosecution that is helping DSK defend his case by stating that the accuser's veracity for truth is suspect? Icheoku says give me a break as this is yet another high-powered game being played by high-powered men with the help of very high-powered lawyers against a helpless Guinea immigrant from West Africa. Admitted that Icheoku had previously written that the accuser's story is weak and feeble at best, that it is not water-tight; our objection to the current "free on bail" status of Dominique is that such determination should not be based on the accuser's past conduct or lack of truthfulness; but on the strength of her present criminal allegation against the French Dominique Strauss Kahn. Any other explaining away or attempt to crucify the accuser because of her past conduct or penchant for untruthfulness as to deprive or deny her the right to a redress is unconscionable and smacks of great injustice. 

Icheoku maintains that it is not the place of the prosecution to do the case for the defense in this matter; and instead of the prosecution conducting "an extensive background investigation of the hotel housekeeper accusing DSK of sexual assault" which  "gave them pause", the prosecution should have spent its time investigating the background of the French man including his many sexual liaisons even in his native France. The very fact that the accused tried to escape justice by attempting to run away but was nabbed inside a ready to take off French plane back to Paris is by itself a weighty evidence of some wrongdoing. Also his initial flat denial of any wrongdoing including that no contact of any nature whatsoever took place between him and the hotel janitor should have been taken into account as well. Lastly the very fact that he was forced to later recant himself following the discovery of his semen, DNA evidence, should have been additional grounds to carry out "extensive background investigation" on Dominique Strauss Kahn for his untruthfulness but certainly not the other way round. 

How did the prosecution suddenly switch sides and now become an advocate for the accused, literally doing their case for them and conducting "extensive background check and investigation on the accuser"; instead of naturally going after a prospective criminal rapist who violated a hotel janitor's womanhood with absolute impunity? Or was it a case of a poor black African immigrant going up against the mighty and all powerful white Frenchman Dominique Strauss Kahn that should be placed where she belonged? Icheoku reiterates that an injustice to one is an injustice to all as we are convinced that this lenient "free on bail without preconditions" is a prelude to setting DSK free. The good news however is that every person shall die someday and if the biblical tales are true, then face judgement before the On High who has no prejudices against the poor or black or immigrant; and has no regard for a person's social or financial status. On that day, Icheoku wonders what DSK will say to his maker in defense of his alleged rape of a helpless hotel janitor? 

Unfortunately though, Icheoku is sometimes wont to believe the bible story as may fable, otherwise why would Catholic priests, who should know better, rape and molest alter boys fully aware that they would face judgment on account of their stewardship here on earth as Christ ambassadors? Also how about the other numerous injustices pervading the earth, being perpetrated by supposedly men and women of God and some God-full nations? But borrowing the phraseology of former American Defense minister Donald Rumsfeld, Icheoku says that there are simply so many things we don't know about the nature of man; there are things we know that we do not know - the many known unknowns of this world. Icheoku empathises with the accuser for being unnecessarily harangued in this case because of her not too stellar past as we bemoan the lopsidedness of our justice system which tends to categorise people based on their net worth, the "we and them stuff" and sometimes race; despite the fact of its alleged blindness? Or is it possible that justice sometimes peeps through its blindfold whenever it chooses or is rather convenient for it to see the parties seeking its intervention in order to make up its mind on how to strike its sword? Just asking! 

If every other thing outside Dominique's bail condition are to remain as it is - his passport surrendered, his not going to leave the country and his sexual assault charges to remain; Icheoku asks, what then is the ground of removing his bail conditions? If the accuser's case is not such as would easily find the accused culpable, why only remove DSK's bail terms and not completely set him free with profuse apologies for being "wrongly" accused in the first place by a hopeless African immigrant hotel janitor? By extension of this line of thought, may be DSK should also be given back his gig at the IMF and apologized to by Madame Christine Lagarde for prematurely usurping his office just because he was wrongly accused of sexual impropriety by an ordinary African immigrant hotel maid? Based on the trajectory of the case, this is the natural thing to do except if Dominique Strauss Kahn is a victim of a global conspiracy and gang up which used a hotel maid to nail him and get rid of him both from French presidential politics as well as the IMF? 

What a world we live in that is both unfair and unjust and were Dominique Strauss Kahn a poor nigger, would the prosecution have acted so swiftly to discredit his accuser and allowed such a very lenient freedom to be granted? Those poor expendables; even where they are wrongfully murdered by the law enforcement agents those agents are too often found not guilty; and you wonder if keeping the nigger's population in check is an unspoken standing rule within some law enforcement departments. Anyway pardon the side digressions as Dominique is the object here and should have remained the sole issue; but the brain often wanders about.

UNIMAID CLOSURE, BOKO HARAM WINNING THE WAR OF TERROR?

Their bombs are still going off; Nigerians are still dying on the streets being blown away by these murderous Islamic thugs and street urchins; and now they seem to have scored a major victory with the forced indefinite closure of the 36 year old University of Maiduguri. Today, Boko Haram, which means "Western education is bad for you," would be toasting this closure as a victory in their plan to eradicate western education in Nigeria; which by necessary implication, has been given a direct boost by such thoughtless action of the government. The rush to close this university is cowardly and wrongful; as any government really worth its salt would rather beef up security in the university; at least to say to Boko Haram, no we cannot grant you, your wish by closing a Western-education impacting institution. But regrettably, just as Ibrahim Babangida recently said, it appears that President Jonathan does not think through his decisions before carrying them out and seems to have ordered this closure in his usual panic mode. Icheoku says to President Goodluck Ebelesimi Jonathan, do not aid the enemy or provide comfort to their psyche, reopen University of Maiduguri immediately and right NOW; just send a battalion there to beef up the security!

ANIMAL FARM STILL THRIVES, IS ALIVE AND WELL IN KENYA !

When one thinks that Nigerian Legislators are the real shake-down con-artists in Africa, bilking the country several millions of dollars in remunerations and allowances, here comes their Kenyan counterparts, racing to the top and making a serious claim to the title. Kenyan legislators, respectively, take home in just one week more than what an average Joe-Kenyan makes in an entire one year? It is true and this is not Ripley's believe it or not hoax; or any other make-believe story to rattle your intellect. 

Icheoku says this is a complete absurdity as only a none caring group of people could engage in who selfishly are milking the Kenyan State dry and without much to show for their time in parliament juxtaposed with the fat brigandage and looting which they are technically engaged in.  Worst still, these parliamentarians have so far refused or are refusing to pay their own fair share of income taxes on income received; such that out of 222 members only 2 are tax-compliant. According to the defense put up by these law makers in justification of their rather too high emoluments, their decision to pay themselves very high is to stem the temptations of corruption from creeping into parliament whereby parliamentarians may be vulnerable to easy compromise just to have enough money to meet body and soul's demand? As a result, they have to pay themselves like pirates in order to avoid being bought-over on every legislation. What a blackmail indeed?  Icheoku says this argument does not hold water as it is akin to a bank paying off an armed bank robber so that he would not rob them again? A corrupt person is a corrupt person and it does not matter the inducement provided to preclude his vulnerability, whenever the opportunity and time presents themselves for him to make extra bucks, he would always bite. It is the law of the fish - either out of hunger or curiosity, but they always get the bait inside their mouth? 

As if not bad enough, these law makers have elevated themselves above all Kenyans as they have refused to pay taxes too and it does not matter to these parliamentarians that even lowly street hustlers pay their own fair share of income taxes in Kenya? They make the law, so they reserve the legislative right to exclude themselves from such laws and its compliance or enforcement thereto?  In  a country where the average annual income is about $700 per year, these members of Parliament earn $9000 per month, yet they complain it is not enough? Are you still wondering now why the gap between the haves and the have-nots in Africa is so wide and the reason for the prevalence of dirt-poor people in the continent?  One of the most scornful argument these lawmakers put up was that they should not pay taxes since "they are traditionally expected to pass on some of their remuneration to their constituents in order for them to keep supporting them in every election? 

Now, is anyone still wondering the joke called democracy as being practiced in Africa where incumbents bribe voters to remain in power and new politicians and decent people are frustrated out of politics as they are denied every opportunity and attempt they make to break into governance. Poverty, poverty, poverty and for a few shillings these voters would sell their ballots and votes to people who but for their wealth and the crumbs that fall off their table, they would rather they did not represent them. These Kenyan mau-mau legislators even went to the extent of threatening to withhold state budget if their demands are not met? Icheoku says what a brigandage legislature at work in Kenya that will go to every and any extent to blackmail and shake down the people and government in Nairobi? And it does not help either to learn that one of these legislators, Harun John Mwau of Kilome DIstrict Kenya (pictured above), is a wanted drug baron; specifically so declared and wanted in the United States of America!

"THERE IS NO CORRUPT PERSON IN NIGERIA" - MOHAMMED ADOKE?

 

The former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Adoke SAN, has exonerated every past and present Nigerian leaders as not being corrupt but saintly; and not culpable in the various corrupt practices holding the country hostage. From Babangida to Obasanjo to Oladimeji Bankole to former governors, senators, bankers and other thieving public servants as well as future prospective criminals laying in wait to commit financial crimes against the people and state of Nigeria, all are without sin so says Mr Adoke? Mr. Adoke gave all of them a clean bill of health on corruption and you wonder whether it was a clever way of living the biblical injunction of he who is without sin should throw the first stone as the AG decided not to be otherwise holier than thou? 

Icheoku asks, if these people are truly not corrupt as the AG wants Nigeria to believe, then that very word "corrupt and/or corruption" must have lost its meaning or was wrongly defined in the dictionary; except of course Mr. Adoke has his own certain peculiarities. Icheoku asks, is anyone in Nigeria still wondering why successive governments and leaders try to out-steal their predecessors while in office - simply put, there is no consequences for their action!

GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH, NOT SO LUCKY THIS TIME.

 At last Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has had his dues paid to him on the matter of Blago against the Feds as a Chicago jury believed his prosecutorial account of the criminal conduct of Mr Hair, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in trying to sell President Obama former senatorial seat and convicted him on 17 of 20 counts brought against him. 

It should be recalled that Blago was previously tried on these charges; however double jeopardy exclusionary rule would not apply in this instance because the jury in the former trial deadlocked. Double jeopardy requires that a verdict or decision be reached, one way or the other, in the previous trial before a defendant could invoke it as exculpatory weapon in any subsequent retrials based on same facts and evidence. 

Icheoku ponders whether Mr Hair would be able to maintain his hair while in the big house or as a good business decision, possibly lease his mane out to Donald Trump while his vacation lasted? Just asking or rather suggesting since The Donald could use some of Blago's mane.

25 MORE NIGERIANS KILLED BY BOKO HARAM, STILL RINGIM NEEDS MORE TIME?

Icheoku is worried sick by the inability and incapacity of President Goodluck Jonathan in being more decisive in the matter of IGP Hafiz Ringim continued stay in office. The IG's glaring inability to match Boko Haram criminals fire for fire is rather very disturbing and more disturbing is the president's refusal to let him go. 

The same president did not waste any time in firing the former IG Ogbonna Onovo due to continuing insecurity despite programs that were afoot to permanently address them. But look who is now accusing Nigerian Governors Forum that demanded for IG Ringim to be sacked as being too hasty and advocating for some time to be given to Mr Ringim to in his own words, tidy up the mess?" Icheoku says if tidying up the mess is to allow the murderous BKs (Boko Harams) to run loose in the land, then his time is since up and now is time out time for the woefully failed IG.  

If it were MASSOB embarking on a peaceful procession, the IG would have raised a battalion of fully armed anti-riot policemen to go and wreck havoc on defenseless innocent citizens merely exercising their freedom of assembly and speech. But not these BK anarchists. Several weeks after they took their war of terror directly to the IG's doorsteps at the police headquarters, following his boast that Boko Haram would within two weeks be a thing of the past, those animals have struck yet again and in their trail left 25 Nigerians dead at Dala Alamderi Beer Gardens, Dala Ward, Maiduguri, Bornu State. Icheoku asks President Jonathan, hasn't the Inspector General of Police Ringim had enough or sufficient "time to tidy up the mess" in the land, but has failed in his mission? Is Mr President waiting for a much calamitous mayhem to be carried out by these Islamic murderers before he can kick the incompetent IG Ringim in his rear-end?  What manner of a president would be this passive while watching a country supposedly entrusted to his care go to hell in a hands basket and now another twenty-five Nigerians have also been murdered by these Islamic terrorists and icheoku hears someone advocating for some more time to be given to the IG to tidy up what? 

Icheoku says whatever private/secret oath (Alusi-Okija) that the president and the IG may have taken to protect each other's office is simply not worth the current sacrifice Nigerians are being forced to make daily both of their blood and treasure. It has reached to such a saturating point that at this stage, even both Mr President and the IG resigning their respective offices would be a welcome decision.  Both men quitting their jobs should be a preferred option to be considered than the current insecurity in the land which is bleeding Nigeria and gradually turning it into an unprofitable and unstable Islamic Republic. Mr President, Icheoku says the Nigerian Governors Forum are not being hasty in their call for you to fire the IGP; rather it is you Mr President who is wish-washy and very indecisive in matters of state security and governance. Once again, Icheoku hereby calls and demands that IGP Hafiz Ringim be fired for incompetence and his job let another take; or what further evidence is Mr President waiting to understand that Ringim is not equal to the task of policing Nigeria and Boko Haram in particular. Enough of this your cult-like tolerance of the incompetent Ringim as Nigerians are dying daily, being killed by the Islamic Boko Haram while Ringim stands and watches helplessly!

'TIME UP FOR BOKO HARAM' - PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

Icheoku says, now Aso Rock is included in the list of places Boko Haram will likely bomb as they do not take lightly to threats and uses preemptive action to upstage their perceived enemies. IG Ringim threatened them and they bombed his headquarters; the army has also called them cowards and Nigerians are waiting for Boko Haram to blow up the army headquarters in like manner? Now that President Jonathan has read them the riot act, Icheoku asks, will they blow up Aso Rock too?

What a pitiful Northern Nigeria Islamic terrorist group that so cowardly terrorizes Nigerians. Icheoku says it is about time this problem is solved decisively; we hope that President Jonathan is not just blowing his usual hot air, but is also resolved to back his words with action this time around. Regrettably though, Icheoku does not believe that the president has what it takes - the raw guts, needed to frontally take on this fanatical Islamic sect in like manner as was done with the Maitasine sect of the late eighties. The president appears too wish-washy and some times, too pandering and very indecisive to be sword-tip effective.

What a jerk these murderous mallams are that are spilling the blood of innocent Nigerians with impunity and shall Icheoku add that the failed Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim is still in office and only President Jonathan knows why! President Jonathan, please fire the darn IG Ringim now for his failure to follow through with his boast that the Boko Haram was going to be a thing of the past, several weeks ago! His office let another take as an incompetent IG does not deserve to remain in office, not one day longer not one day more!

HUMA ABEDIN, STANDING OR RATHER SITTING BY HER MAN?

 The also husband-tortured and husband-disappointed wife of former New York 9th district Congress man and frat-boy Anthony Weiner seems to have learnt effectively from her mistress Hillary Clinton on how not to abandon ship at its hour of listing? Huma Abedin appears to be hanging in there despite the odium and disgrace of being married to the phallus-flashing Mr Anthony Weiner. 

The woman whose husband was forced out of Congress because of his recent Frat-boy behavior, was sighted dinning with her disgraced husband at La Bottega in Chelsea's Maritime Hotel Manhattan, NYC; but they were more strangers than pals in their scripted act of being seen together having a normal life? But it appears that Mr Weiner has not learnt his lesson as he has refused to part ways with his smart phone that led to his downfall. In this picture, taken as they waited for for their meals, the disgraced former Congressman seems to be back in his game - "sextexting his manhood to another female porn star somewhere?" or at least checking something of such great interest that he could care less if his mad as hell wife was sitting next across to him? Icheoku says, may be this former Congressman needs to spend additional time at the rehab!

NEWT GINGRICH IS NOT THAT TYPE OF GUY.

"Yes, we make decisions as a couple, but in the end, I take full responsibility. And I think the program this morning was totally irresponsible, and personally reprehensible, and the kind of thing that makes it hard to get decent people to run for public office." - Newt Gingrich in defense of his wife, Calista accused of being the lightening rod which led to the mass resignation of his campaign staffers prelude to his ill-fated presidential nomination campaign impending fizzling out. Icheoku says, regrettably, Newt Gingrich is not that type of decent person envisaged in his statement as any human-being who could abandon his cancer-stricken wife on a hospital bed and elope with his mistress, Calista, who he later married, is anything but decent. Therefore the punishment fits the crime and Newt should quit whining and concentrate on securing his party's presidential nomination ticket!

SAME SEX MARRIAGE, NEW YORK LEADS THE WAY FOR CALIFORNIA!

 Way to go, Governor Andrew Cuomo on signing into law Homosexuals freedom to marry and now the not so straights of the society can also be tortured by the institution called marriage. What a pleasant gift for the "born this ways" of New York on the 2011 Pride Week. Lesbians,Gays, Bisexual and Transgenders all roads leads to NY as Governor Cuomo has shown the way on what California and Governor Jerry Brown ought to be doing - championing equality for all. Icheoku says marriage is a union and it does not matter with what or who anyone chooses to unite; just leave the people alone. They were born that way and it is not a choice! Congratulations LGBT of New York, let the party begin. Happy Pride Week 2011 New Yorks LGBT!

ISLAMIC BANKING IN A SECULAR SOCIETY, AN AFFRONT TO NON MUSLIMS!

 

Icheoku is highly alarmed by the decision of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's controlled Central Bank of Nigeria to venture into Islamic Banking, so called? What is the need one may ask, of setting up a parallel Islamic banking system in a country that is supposedly secular and already operating a world standardized banking policy; and at this time of great turmoil in the land with Boko Haram murderously trying to forcefully Islamize the whole Nigeria, with other disparate nationalities within the geographical entity vociferously agitating for separatism. It is crass stupidity except that this particular man is not stupid but had carefully chosen this very opportune time to impose his Islamic agenda and/or banking policy on Nigerians for maximum impact. 

Icheoku is convinced that this is yet another smart by half ploy by Northern Nigerian Islamists to impose their way of life on the rest of the country, and to them it does not matter whether or not other non Muslims Nigerians like it. The previous Arabic words on the Naira having been successfully removed therefrom, this Imam serving as governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, on behalf of his fellow Northern Nigeria Islamists, is now trying to smuggle Islamic influences on our monetary policies and on a grander scale. Icheoku queries, why have an Islamic parallel banking system when there is no Christian Banking system or one designed specifically for Atheists and other denominations, including non-denominational Nigerians. 

Millions of Nigerians would like to know who the sponsors of this religious banking system are and why President Jonathan is still keeping quiet over such a highly sensitive case. Our suspicion is that it is the usual Islam propagating suspect, Saudi Arabia, that is behind this latest attempt by the Muslims of Northern Nigeria to force an Islamic Banking system on a country which is not an Islamic Republic. Were Icheoku President Jonathan, this arrant nonsense of a parallel Islamic banking system would not have see the daylight but nipped in the bud earlier. If Mallam Imam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi does not like it or says or thinks anything otherwise, just fire the SOB. Admitted he could still be fired for trivializing his office and using it to pursue a sectional and parochial Islamic religious agenda against the general interest of all Nigerians irrespective of their religious inclinations or lack thereof. 

President Jonathan should speak up now and call his Central Bank governor to order or strip him of the position for deviating from the course of what is normal for a secular country. If Islamic Banking was that so good, why did Somalia economy fail? Why is it not solely practiced in Islamic Pakistan, Indonesia. Iran as well as other Islamic republics. Icheoku concludes that the introduction of Islamic banking in Nigeria is ominous and would be used as a conduit for both money laundering operations for religious propaganda and manipulation of the Nigerian economy by the Middle East. 

Central Bank Governor of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, should resign now or be fired for playing religious politics with his office, mixing banking with religion. If Sanusi wants to become an Imam, so be it; but he must first resign his office as governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and desist from the control and management of Nigeria's secular financial system. But to continue to insult our general sensibilities, using the instrumentality of the state as governor of Central Bank to pursue a parochial Islamic agenda in Nigeria is highly unacceptable. His job is a regulator of Nigeria's fiscal and monetary policy but not an advocate or campaigner for Islamic causes including the establishment of an Islamic parallel monetary policy in a secular Nigeria. Icheoku calls on Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to just quit the office now as he has wandered off the reservation! 

DAZED AND CONFUSED, PRESIDENT JONATHAN SETS UP YET ANOTHER PANEL?

Apparently lost as to what to do about the intractable security breakdown in the country, the president groping in the dark, sets up yet another panel to "get to the root of the matter?" Icheoku says, for what and for what purpose is this latest panel when recommendations made by similar previous panels, have never been implemented or acted upon? 

There was the Jos crisis Panel, there was Abuja first-bombing panel, there was Niger Delta panel as well as so many other panels set up to "get to the root of the matters" under their respective advisement; but regrettably no action has been taken by the government in furtherance of these recommendations. Now another bomb has gone off in Abuja, at the very heart of the Nigerian Police service - their headquarters, and what action did the president take but to set yet another panel to "get to the root of the matter?" Icheoku says another exercise in futility by a president who is ill-prepared to lead a country as diverse and as complicated as Nigeria. A rudderless president, lacking in raw courage to do what is needed at this material time, sought refuge in setting up panels to once again "get to the root of the matter" that Icheoku ponders whether a destination of conclusive resolution would ever be in the sight of this president? 

Instead of wielding the big stick and breaking some shanks, particularly that of IGP Hafiz Ringim, over the embarrassing catastrophic security breach at the police headquarters, the uninspiring president is setting up another panel to "confirm whether or not Boko Haram is indeed a terrorist organisation and whether they are indeed behind the current anarchy spreading in the land?" Icheoku asks what is the use of this panel when the perpetrators are not in doubt since they have owned up to their atrocity. A decisive president would have instead, declared a full-throttled earth-scorch campaign against these lunatics and respond to their acts of war in kind. It is called reciprocity, period! But this knee-jerk half measures would be interpreted by Boko Haram as once did the other terrorists of Niger Delta as government unpreparedness to meet their challenge. 

At a time like this, admitted it is a very bitter and hard pill to swallow, an Olusegun Obasanjo presidency is seriously being missed; as that was all that would be needed for these Boko Haram scumbags to hike out of town into oblivion. Icheoku knows that no panel's recommendation in Nigeria ever sees the daylight and this current Boko Haram panel will not be otherwise. Mr President, instead of all these useless distracting panels you have formed the habit of setting up, is it not better for you to just throw in the towel if you suddenly found out that the office is not really the cake-walk you expected it to be? If the heavy-lifting is beyond your ability, just let another man try. What a rudderless, confused, lost in the wilderness and possibly very stiff-scared president, Nigeria is witnessing. A man who cannot even call the bluff of lobbyists and name his ministers, several months after his own inauguration. But why can't President Jonathan put a call to his godfather that never sleeps, OBJ, for some help - even if the Odi or Zaki Ibiam option?