CAMERON'S PLANNED BAN OF SOCIAL MEDIA, ANTI-FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

Icheoku says it is very easy for anyone to remain an angel when no one ruffles his/her feathers. So also is it very easy to pontificate about freedoms and liberties for all when these rights have not been deployed in a way that is threatening and/or inimical to your own very existence. The British government of Prime Minister David Cameron has proved with its latest plan to ban or restrict the use of social media that these professed rights and freedoms are rather ephemeral and subjective to the whims of those who govern? The thought alone suffices and Icheoku does not need to see it implemented to conclude that there is a dictatorship in all of us, especially our supposed leaders if not for a vigilant society that resist such absolute maximums and are on constant lookout for such.


That the supposedly bastion of freedom and democracy, the United Kingdom, is toying with the idea of banning social media including Tweeter, Facebook, My Space etc because they were used to organize people during the latest London riots, is a very serious matter indeed and a cause for concern among every freedom-loving peoples of the world. It is equally quite interesting to see the often-shifting nature of human-beings, depending on whose ox is gored and who is at the receiving end, as the same David Cameron, not too long ago, praised the same social media when they successfully brought down some Middle Eastern and Arab governments as the new-age weapon of choice for organizing societal revolutions? But now that the same revolution is trying to spread to Her Majesty's kingdom with the help of these social media, David Cameron will not have any of that; instead he is planning to ban these purveyors and keep the British people in the dark and away from organizing themselves rather than tackle the underlying factor which triggered the disturbances and fix what is broken within the British society.


Imagine the ever sanctimonious Brits and a Prime Minister Cameron who is now considering banning or rather curtailing peoples right to assemble, communicate and interact? Listen to the Prime Minister, "We are working with the police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services ..........." and Icheoku wonders whether these rights and freedoms are suddenly now subjective and dependent on what is convenient to the government of Prime Minister David Cameron rather than inalienable fundamental rights, not subject to anyone or any government's whims and caprices? Icheoku says were the former the case, then Iranian, Libyan, Syrian as well as the deposed Egyptian and Tunisian governments would have had reasonable grounds not to allow the assemblage and communications amongst their own citizens to disturb and in some cases dislocate their governments? Icheoku maintains that freedom should not be flexibly made dependent on the government's comfort level but at all times exercised fully without any let or hindrance; and therefore condemns the planned ban of social media in Britain because it is being used to organize uncomfortable riots? Banning the British people from communicating through social media is undemocratic infringement on their rights and freedom of speech as well as assembly and expression. 


The British government and its security apparatchik should find other less restrictive ways to checkmate the abuse of these social media by the few, other than completely banning their use just because some supposed trouble-makers might deploy them wrongly to cause havoc? But first, they should endeavor to solve the fundamental root-cause of these disturbances -  the ever widening social and economic inequalities that are the bedrock of these upheavals. Instead of looking at or addressing the symptoms which manifest as riots, the government should attack the disease of festering inequalities that is eating deep into the fabric of the British society. Put in another more simplistic way, one cannot just decide to ban cars just because some people used cars to go on robbery or kill some people. The proper thing or best approach possible is to simply isolate the particular case and deal with it as an individual case but never to punish the whole people collectively for the misdeeds of a few. Icheoku once again, reiterates that neither British Prime Minister David Cameron or any other leader in the Western world or the entire world for that matter should be allowed to turn himself into a dictator, censoring what people can say or do including their right of association or assembly. The planned ban of Tweeter, Facebook, MySpace and other social media is wrong for being over-broad, anti-freedom and undemocratic; therefore the decision or plan must not see the daylight in the interest of what Britain represents to the world - a bastion of freedom!

A STATE BURIAL FOR A COMEDIAN, A GOVERNMENT WITHOUT PRIORITIES?

Once again Icheoku is forced to join issues with the Enugu State government of Sullivan Chime for its lack of serious focus on what the states priorities should and ought to be. The last time it was the government's decision to spend the peoples over 200 million Naira on a jamboree of some "legislative skill-acquisition" in one named foreign country? Now the same rudderless and vision-impaired government of Sullivan Chime has rushed to lay claim of ownership of the dead body of a man who is not even from Enugu State and prodigiously wants to give it a befitting state burial - an honor exclusively reserved for departed statesmen/women who distinguished themselves in service for the home-state while they lived.  

Icheoku asks, what has a comedian done to deserve such an honor and more specifically put, what has this particular comedian, Samuel Loco Efe, done for Enugu State to be entitled to such a high honor of a state burial? It will be recalled that the same government of Sullivan Chime was coy in giving the late sage and founder of Enugu State, Chief CC Onoh, a full state's burial and in the aftermath of his death, was rather busy locking up in police cells one of the late Aninefungwu's blood son? Icheoku truly wonders what manner of a man is this Sullivan Chime that will be so distracted from Enugu State's core businesses as to want and desire to spend the state's meagre resources according a state burial to a man less deserving of the high honor. Sam Loco was a comedian and a good one for that matter; but there ends the eulogy, period. First of all, Sam Loco was not without a known identifiable state of origin and kinsmen - he is a Bini man and the Binis reserve the right to choose where and how to bury their son. Until they otherwise decline or the views of Oba Erediuwa sought and received that they do not want his cadaver, Icheoku says it is impetuous and puerile for the Sullivan Chime's government to rush to declare its interest to accord the comedian a state's burial, footed by Enugu states public fund. It also goes without notice that Enugu State is yet to implement the new miserly 18,000Naira minimum wage leading to the ongoing three day trial-strike by workers, yet the governor wants to spend the state's money running into millions of Naira, giving a state burial to a comedian who is not from Enugu State? 

Icheoku abhors the cheap publicity and showboating being sought by the Enugu State's governor Sullivan Chime with his declaration of intent to accord a "foreigner" and a comedian, a state's burial. Icheoku hereby condemns same as an outright misplacement of state's priorities by a government which ought to be saddled with solving the much pressing needs of the people of Enugu State rather than gallivanting on a publicity stunt of giving a state burial to an ordinary comedian whose presence or company the governor never shared, sought, desired or even acknowledged while he was still alive. Simply put, the proposed state burial by the Enugu State governor for a "foreigner" and a comedian is comical, opportunistic and imbecilic. Icheoku urges every son and daughter of Enugu State to speak out and condemn this madness and even resist the planned appropriation of Enugu States resources to bury a man from Benin Kingdom in Enugu State; moreso when Edo State governor has not said they cannot afford to bury their son or that the body cannot be brought back to Edo State for a Bini burial. 

The intention of Governor Sullivan Chime becomes even more pathetic when one remembers that the same government of Sullivan Chime has not proactively participated in the footing of the medical bills of Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu nor did it accord a state burial to the recently buried Supreme Court Justice Aniagolu from Enugu State. Chief Ojukwu is as Enugu as any Enugu man can be - he was a former governor of Eastern Nigeria with Enugu as capital, he is an inlaw of Enugu State married to Enugu States own beauty queen, he resides in Enugu and above all fought to protect and preserve the dignity of Enugu and surrounding areas from the then marauders of Nigeria. Governor Sullivan Chime considers Chief Ojukwu's current medical needs an Anambra State's private concern but is ready to splash on a state's burial for comedian Sam Loco? When Lomaji Ugorji died, what did the governor do or is Icheoku simply going mad trying to rationalize this development that Enugu State government plans to accord Sam Loco a state's burial? Icheoku does not understand the motivation of the governor and refuses to understand it as there is nothing there to understand to justify such reckless and puerile plans to bury a comedian and a Bini man in Enugu State and worst all, accord him a state's burial reserved for proven statesmen and women from Enugu State. 

The governor's Senior Special Assistant on Media, Afam Okereke, must as a matter of urgency clarify his offensive statement  - either that he was quoted out of context or that he never said a thing like that at all. It is only a government that is groping in the dark in search of what and where to invest the state's resources that could be churning such thought; and please let someone tell Icheoku that every employable youth in Enugu State now has a job or that every rural area of the state now has electricity and/or motorable road or even safe drinking water; yet their governor is embarking on a cheap publicity hunt to spend scarce resources to bury a Bini man in Enugu State and accord him a state's burial? What a deranged decision; even those Nigerians domiciled in the Diaspora still get transported to their respective home states for burial, talkless of a man who was barely acknowledged by the same people now trying to profit some cheap publicity from Sam Loco's demise.  

Even the deceased himself, while still alive, personally acknowledged his state of origin and denied being Igbo when he said in an interview that "I am not even from the Igbo-speaking part of the South South. I am from Benin. So Icheoku wonders how Sam Loco's spirit will even be rested if his body is buried in a place he had denied being from just because a confused governor who fails to get his priorities right is trying to pull a fast one and forcibly assert ownership of a cadaver which belong elsewhere in far way ancient Bini Kingdom with no nexus or lineage to Igboland talkless of Enugu State? Stupid, Stupid, Stupid is such a decision and Stupider is the mind that first thought it out. Icheoku says NO to a state burial for comedian Sam Loco Efe in Enugu State; if Edo State wants to do that, it is definitely their prerogative but definitely not Enugu State. State of origin and not state of domicile nor even state of marriage is still the controlling state authority in Nigeria. Samuel 'Boy-Loco' Efeeimwonkiyeke aka Sam Loco Efe while alive explicitly made this much clear that he is from Benin, Edo State, Nigeria and therefore Icheoku emphatically says his dead body belongs to Edo State, period. Icheoku says at best, Enugu State government of Governor Sullivan Chime could pay for the cost of shipping his cadaver back to Bini Kingdom if it must unnecessarily waste the state's resources for an unworthy and unreasonable cause but nothing more, including the ill-thought out delusional state burial being planned.

OJUKWU, DO NOT MOURN IF AND WHEN HE FINALLY DIES?

Icheoku is truly pissed off at the lack of interest on Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu's healthcare needs and general welfare by the core Igbo peoples of Nigeria especially his immediate Nnewi, Anambra State community. Since his admission at the Ememer Green Ward, Royal Berkshire Hospital London last June 2010, stories have rented the airwaves, media and online world about the near despondent state the former warlord has been left in and without much coming from the so called his people for whose benefit he nearly lost everything, including his life? 

Ikemba Nnewi and Dikoedioranma of Igboland, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, deserves better, having sacrificed so much both in treasure and career to give or rather restore the dignity of the Igboman within the Nigerian community. A former Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian army and once General Officer Commanding a Nigerian Army Division, forsook everything including his seniority in the Nigerian army and put his life on the line in defense of his Igbo kindred facing the threat of imminent extermination within the Nigerian society. Icheoku says if the Ikemba is ordinary, he would have just tagged along to get along and would have reaped all the benefits his position, as a very senior Nigerian army officer, would have conferred on him within the Nigerian society. But he had a constitution not endowed most people and as the man he truly is, he stood up to say enough to the Nigerian madmen who were on a mission to completely wipe out the Igbo race. 

At the end of the three year civil war, which was forced on Biafra, Ojukwu in order to save his neck, self-banished himself from Nigeria into exile only to return several years later following a presidential pardon by then President Shehu Shagari. Like the three Rs which Yakubu Gowon dreamt of but which was never fully implemented by those Igbo-hating elements in Nigeria, Shagari's well thought-out gesture had its own opponents, who made it very difficult if not impossible for the Ikemba to truly ever reassert himself back in NIgeria - politically, financially and otherwise. As the resourceful man that he is, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu has successfully managed his fixed finances well enough to stay above board all these years since his return from exile. Unfortunately he has taken ill and is very sick in a London hospital; the least the Igbo people could do for him is to show some appreciation and gratitude for his sacrifices and rush to his aid. 

For those of us who live it or who have experienced life abroad, medical services is one heck of a drain-pipe for anyone's personal finances - the reason why there are so many medical-bills induced bankruptsies in the Western world. Admitted that there exist medical insurances to buy into to protect one from going under water in health emergency or crisis situations, but think about what happens in situations where someone does not have medical insurance or it has expired when he took ill? Ojukwu lives in Nigeria and most likely does not have any overseas medical insurance and by necessary implication is being billed directly, personally, as a medical tourist. This is not a position anyone wants to be found in and it does not matter how rich an individual is. When the exchange rate of the Naira to most useful foreign currencies like the Dollar or British pounds Sterling is factored in, and at an average hospital overnight stay of plus or minus $12,000 per night, it is not a laughing matter for anyone to remain hospitalized for as long as Ojukwu has so far. This averaged $12,000 nightly charges is excluding any specialized visits by consultants and sometimes totally excludes every other hospital services other than a bed and pillow as well as some other miscellaneous services including a nursing attendant. 

Someone known to Icheoku did not have medical insurance when he recently got into an accident and broke his arm. He stayed overnight in the hospital for observation after his fractured arm was set in a cast (POP) and was given some pain killers. Two weeks later, the mailman came and delivered him a bill from the hospital - a total of $76,000 for medical services rendered? One of the itemized bills read $600 for bandages and another $1250 for gauze and so on. Needless to say that out-patient removal of an appendix will take one down $12,000 and now the real picture of Ojukwu's hospitalization begins to crystallize. So assuming Ojukwu's hospitalization bill is about $12,000 per night and at the exchange rate of 150 Naira to a dollar (250Naira to a Pound Sterling) that will set him off 1.8 million Naira every 24 hours? Icheoku asks, does Ojukwu have this kind of money to spend on his health needs and the answer is as good as your guess; and assuming for the purposes of argument, he has it, should he be allowed to spend himself into bankruptcy or homelessness? 

A man of Ojukwu's standing ordinarily deserves to have his medical care needs at the present time declared catastrophic, with the Federal Government of Nigeria stepping in to take full responsibility for its offset. But here is a man declared enemy of the state by Nigeria's power that be and not withstanding his State pardon, is still being resisted, chastised and loathed by many of those who wished him and Biafra, ill. So at such a fork on the road, it is expected that the very Eastern Nigeria region he fought to protect from a threatened genocidal apocalypse, should step in to fill the void and by extension, assure this war hero that his efforts were not in vain and that there are appreciated. So far to the best of icheoku's knowledge, only Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State has done something to assist Ojukwu with his medical bills and hospitalization; but whether it is enough, Icheoku is not in a position to affirmatively so conclude. So out of five core Igbo States and four other states that constituted the former Eastern Nigeria region or Biafra, only one showed up and you ask yourself, what happened to the rest? 

Once again, Icheoku reiterates that Ojukwu's healthcare and social welfare needs is not the sole responsibility of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State but that of all other governors from that region, for which defense and protection led Ojukwu to take up arms against Nigeria. To do otherwise and pretend that it is none of their business will show these beneficiaries of that largess as ingrates or ignorant or both. Delineating it further, Icheoku says those core Igbo governors of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States should make the present Ojukwu's medical needs their collective responsibility on behalf of the Igbo nation. Icheoku says no true Igbo man or woman will object to even a budgetary allocation to an Ojukwu Healthcare Appeal Fund? In the alternative, each of these governors are respectively allocated over 600 million Naira each month as security votes and could sacrifice just a little portion of that huge money for the sake of our dear Ikemba. It is a good deed; it is a right thing to do. These governors could easily do this if only they believe in a good cause - just one percent or even ten percent of one month's allocation only and help a man without whom they possibly would all be speaking Hausa now and knocking their foreheads on the grounds in prayer? 

Icheoku believes that were these governors truly grateful for the sacrifice made by Ojukwu for and on behalf of the Igbo people in particular, and somewhat now interested in the welfare of Ojukwu in reciprocity, they could easily secure approval from their respective States House of Assembly for some financial gratuity towards Ojukwu's medical assistance fund and even stage an appeal fund for that purpose and ask fellow Nigerians to help them save Ojukwu. The Nigerian people are not cold-blooded and usually comes to their neighbor's help and these governors would have gladly assisted the good cause. Oha N'Eze Ndigbo, Aka Ikenga and such other Igbo organisations should conduct Ojukwu Get Well fundraising/appeal fund and invite all the "Akajiakus of Igboland" to come to the aid of Dikedioranma of Igboland. Particularly most worrisome in this Ojukwu health-saga is the near total indifference of Nnewi people to the health needs of their most prominent son - the Ikemba Nnewi; and Nnewi people are reputed for having very deep pockets and parades themselves as the richest community in Igbo land? Regrettably, Icheoku is not in a position to know the underlying village-politics in Nnewi that is forestalling their help and/or support of one of their own. 

Icheoku have written severally on the urgent need to assist a man of the people now in need of the peoples help and here once again call on the good people of Igbo-land to rush to Ikemba's help before he gives up the ghost, lonely, dejected and despaired. Icheoku warns that the spirit of the Ikemba will not take kindly to all those people making preparation to show up and own his funeral on the day he eventually kicks the bucket. Those showboating pretenders who are presently coy about helping out an Ojukwu in need, should not shed crocodile tears in the event Ojukwu finally succumbs to his current medical issues. In short they should not mourn Ojukwu! One Igbo musician Mike Ejegha's song says "honor me while I am still alive - Jam nma n'ndu"; so Icheoku pleads and calls on all those Igbo billionaires and politicians alike to show up now or forever keep their peace and never show up to read useless eulogies the day the Ikemba finally yields his ghost. 

The baddest news emanating from the current Ikemba's lonesome experience and near-abandonment in a London hospital is that it will operate as a chill on future patriots who may want to do good for the people. If Igbo people could so easily forget their Odumegwu Ojukwu as to literally abandon him to his own personal destiny at this hour of his most need, a hero who stood between them and their traducers - an otherwise assured annihilation within the Nigeria contraption, who thereafter would not be similarly forgotten at his or her hour of dire need. So instead of a common pursuit for the benefit of the people, such person/s in positions of authority would rather be genuflecting and selling-out to Igbo nemesis of Nigeria just to feather their personal nests for the rainy day, regardless whether their action is or would be detrimental to the Igbo people as a whole. Icheoku is therefore on bended knees pleading please, please, please Igbo people and your governors, come to the aid of the Ikemba and Dikedioranma of Igboland, the peoples war-hero before it is too late. Please let Igbo people help Ojukwu see more days and possibly a future where all that he stood for and fought for may eventually come to pass; or at least necessary changes made to the necessitating conditions that led to the confrontation and by extension improve the condition of the coalition of the unwilling nations which constitute Nigeria. Igbo people, Ojukwu needs some financial help to offset his medical bills and/or seek more and improved medical care, possibly in America. So come to his aid now before it is too late; otherwise do not mourn if and when he finally dies!

BRITISH REVOLUTION AFOOT, ARAB SPRING SPREADS TO HM'S KINGDOM?

Icheoku is just wondering whether the scourge of Arab Spring, which have held Arab leaders hostage for quite some time now, with many of them still trying to figure out how to survive, has finally spread to Britain? The anger of the youths in a society where the haves have more and the have-nots have less has finally boiled over and in its trail are left burning and burnt out buildings, cars, shops and in some cases, entrapped people being forced by raging flames to take a leap of faith from several stories high into the arms of waiting rescuers? Icheoku asks, is this the beginning of British revolution or what? 

The solution may be simple - the powers that be should meaningfully address the problem of joblessness and racism prevalent in down-trodden neighborhoods of Britain. Like the popular aphorism goes, whatever touches the nose affects the eyes; and since humanity are in it together, they must as a unit, figure out the way out of the woods of the economic malaise which is speedily enveloping almost every Western nation. The pretended calm and fake "everything is fine" facade is finally over and now the world has seen the rot that is festering within the bowels of an affluent Western society that treats her citizens differently based on the color of skin and area of residence? It tells a tale that all is not well with Britain; hence change is needed to correct the anomaly.

Icheoku asks, using the Arab Spring as a template, is it now okay to also demand that Prime Minister David Cameron and his ruling class of British elites as well as Her Majesty, respect the wish of the British people and step aside from office and allow real peoples democracy to take hold? Are there reforms that need to be made to forestall just happenstances in the future such as would create more jobs and more conducive environment for more opportunistic growth for all? What led to the disturbances and could they be corrected? These were some of the questions asked during the heat of the Arab Spring and so it is fair enough to extend same to the Brits now that similar societal protest is afoot in their land. 

Icheoku is asking these burning questions in view of the demand made on Arab and Middle Eastern leaders recently when their citizens rose up against the statusquo in the now fast spreading Arab Spring? Or better still could the London riots have been engineered from Tripoli - the promised war which Ghadaffi said he was going to take to Europe? While the authorities try to establish a handle to the riots and figure out what went awry, London is still burning. As London burns, probably so goes the 2012 London Olympics Games and Icheoku asks, is it still safe and okay to carry on with the world's meet in an insecure London?

MAJOR MUSTAPHA'S CONFESSION, TRUTH COULD COME FROM AN IMBECILE?

Icheoku says before Nigerians dismiss Major Hamza al-Mustapha's confessional on the murder of Chief MKO Abiola by the then Nigeria state as a none issue, they should first grasp the two major issues triggered by his confession and try investigating same:-

1. That Chief Moshood Kashimawo Oluwole Abiola was murdered by the Nigerian State and

2. That the his ethnic Yoruba people were complicit in his murder and/or the attempt at its cover up?

Icheoku says Nigerians should please not rush to throw away the baby with the bath water and instead actively investigate the allegation or rather confession of Major Hamza al - Mustapha. Major Mustapha was an insider in the government that detained Abiola and is possibly with real direct knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the death of Abiola. He was also part of the transition that saw the emergence of the succeeding government of Abubakar Abdulsalami and probably had an insight on what transpired, leading to Abiola's death and cannot possibly be bluffing with such a magnitude of heinous and grave allegation of accusing Abdulsalami with Abiola's murder. 

Icheoku also heard that the true reason why Attorney General Bola Ige was assassinated was his quest to investigate the circumstances surrounding Abiola's death as well as other unsolved murders in Nigeria. So the question is are Nigerians going to dismiss Mustapha's allegation and sweep same under the carpet or are they going to demand that all that were complicit in his murder be brought to justice or better still demand to know why the man they elected president was so brutally killed in custody?

DOG IS MANS BEST FRIEND, YOU'RE RIGHT?

 Icheoku says feed me, bath me, walk me, buy me toys and treats, podicure me, take me to hospital when sick, groom me every other two weeks, dress me up like a cartoon character with doggie-shoes that do not let me be dog as I cannot walk or scratch the earth on them, patiently wait as I sniff the earth and chew on some stuff, do not make me replace that sofa or shoe that I chewed on and finally pick my poop whenever I choose to ease my bowels and you got a friend, more loyal and more loving than that your glassy-eyed friend. 

Provided you do not spade me and will not always have me on a leech; you got a friend who will take your bullet and put his hands in a blade just to protect you, regardless of what Bruno Mars may otherwise think? Also, once in a while I will wag my "tail-feather" in appreciation of all that I get for nothing while I say privately, look at this foolish human? This is the life of a dog and its owner - a selfless service in return for a selfless undiluted love. Icheoku asks, if dogs are not completely dependent on their owners and can ordinarily fend for themselves like cats if need be, would they be this loyal as to earn the title "man's best friend? All dog lovers this one is for you, let me know what you think? 

For a little experiment on love, treat that your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, partner or even friend with all the love and attention you show to your little four-legged creature, without expecting anything in return or bitching about what you have done for him or her, and you got yourself a loving life partner to die for. It is reality check, so when next time one says "dog is man's friend," ask yourself why not and if all that you are expected to do is just wag your tail, lick up body-parts sometimes and just tag along, why not; and why would a dog not be fiercely loyal to its owner; afterall it cannot do much if left alone by itself. Icheoku believes dogs are the smarter ones in any relationship between a dog and a dog owner or what do you think?

ABIOLA'S STATE MURDER, YORUBA PEOPLE ACCEPTED HIS BLOOD MONEY IN LIEU?

Intriguing! Intriguing! Intriguing! Icheoku says this is greater than a bombshell and would pass for a nuclear detonation of the Nagasaki and Hiroshima magnitude. Abhorable indeed if it is true, the allegation by Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to former military dictator General Sani Abacha, that the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria took blood money of the murdered Chief Moshood Kolawole Abiola from the then Nigerian government headed by General Abdulsalam Abubakar and then sold out on the June 12th mandate?

Icheoku says this scandal is greater than America's Watergate and demands an immediate and exhaustive investigation geared towards bringing to book, all the culprits involved and those who are otherwise implicated in the murder of a Nigeria's president-elect and philanthropist extra-ordinaire, Chief MKO Abiola - a fully detribalized Nigerian with a very benevolent large heart. What makes this allegation more horrendously riveting is the assertion by Mustapha that he has the conspiracy to murder Abiola and the actual murder of Abiola recorded on a videotape? Icheoku hereby demands that Mustapha make this tape or tapes public or in the alternative, copies of them available to CNN, Al-Jazera, Nigeria-tilted on-line websites for security purposes before those implicated henchmen of Nigeria secures the tapes by all means necessary including torturing his mother and family to death to make him yield those incriminating tapes. Going to the Attorney General of Nigeria with the evidence, as would be the case in more civilized and functional State-hoods, is a waste of time as the AG might dismiss it in the same manner as he dismissed Ibrahim Babangida's Iraqi Oil Windfall papers. 

However, it is possible that Mustapha is bluffing by alleging the existence of some non-existent tapes; so the government of Nigeria owes it to the world to clear its name in this complicity by insisting that those tapes be made public or at least, let Mustapha recant or withdraws his damaging accusation that Chief MKO Abiola was murdered by the Nigeria State. Pressure should be mounted on Mustafa and if it means in exchange for his freedom that those tapes be made public. Icheoku does not see any reason why a government that is willing to negotiate and is negotiating with Boko Haram Islamic terrorist cannot strike a deal with its prisoner Mustapha, in order to solve a murder of the magnitude that was Abiola's killing while in the custody of the Nigerian government. A government continuing in the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, as the baton of governance which Abdulsalam Abubakar handed over to Olusegun Obasanjo was in turn handed down to President Goodluck Jonathan; who stands now to answer for the alleged atrocity of the government of Nigeria that allegedly murdered Chief MKO Abiola. 

So Icheoku asks, who knows what and who did what? Who ordered the hit on Abiola and who carried it out? Was Jerry 'Boy" Useni in the know or was he an accomplice to murder of both Abiola and Abacha? Who played what role? What does Mustapha's video tape contain - giving him the benefit of doubt that he spoke the truth and was not bluffing when he alleged that he has some tapes? Did he secure the tapes in a bank vault or are they in a safe deposit box somewhere outside the country or with his lawyers? Times like this, make many honest Nigerians nostalgic about the late Gani Fawehinmi and Icheoku wishes he was still around to assert himself on this allegation. Who else outside Abdulsalam Abubakar, who ordered the payment of the hush blood money to the Yorubas over the murder of a Nigeria's president elect, Chief MKO Abiola, knows what went down or instigated and hatched the heinous plot? 

As Icheoku read the account of this criminality, the spine shuddered and the hand trembled that the Nigeria State could so coldly terminate the life of a man, so endeared in the hearts of millions of Nigerians and in this cavalier manner; and was impetuous enough to pay bribe to the Yorubas to buy their silence and keep them quiet? The then government of Nigeria forgot too quickly that Abiola was only Yoruba by birth and that the whole Nigeria was his home and constituency; that the mandate that Abiola had was held in a sacred trust on behalf of millions of Nigerians who overwhelmingly voted for him regardless of the fact that his was a full Islamic ticket - himself and his vice presidential candidate who are both Muslims; and that he did not represent just the Yoruba people? They also forgot that Abiola was literally speaking the most Nigerian of any Nigerian man or woman and that he was widely loved both for his philantrophy and for his taking wives from practically every conceivable place in Nigeria. Chief MKO Abiola was in short, a brother and inlaw to all Nigerians; yet his blood money was paid only to and accepted by the Yoruba people?.

According to Al-Mustapha, the sums of $200 million, £75 million and N200 million were respectively withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria on the orders of then Head of State army man Abdulsalam Abibakar and was used to appease and buy out the Yoruba people and their agitation for June 12th effectively terminating the quest about what happened to the prospective president of Nigeria? Icheoku says this is a very damning allegation and if true, these Yoruba leaders should be ashamed of themselves for betraying and selling out one of their own and just for some millions of colored and printed papers? Judas Iscariot at least committed suicide to appease the pangs of similar betrayal of our Lord Jesus Christ and Icheoku expects nothing less from these Yoruba leaders; admitted they would claim that they did not pawn Abiola up but only collected some money following his death? To this school of thought, Icheoku says blood money is blood money and it does not matter when it was collected whether pre-killing or post-killing since the objective and purpose remains the same - to make responsibility for the murder just go away. 


Icheoku wonders who constituted these Yoruba leaders that partook of Abiola's blood money in lieu of realizing June 12th in whatever capacity or symbolism? Did Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba of Lagos, Oba of Benin, Soun of Ogbomosho, Bola Tinubu, Olusegun Obasanjo, Segun Osoba, Adedibu and whoever still leads or serves as a Yoruba leader partake of this blood money? If yes, they should take ropes to Olumo Rocks and with nooses formed, yield their respective ghosts; and if no, they should forcefully demand an a full investigation into the allegation of Chief MKO Abiola's murder followed with a full page apology from Mustapha for slandering them, since accusing fingers are already pointing at them being the known and apparent Yoruba leaders then and still subsisting till date. They must force the hands of President Goodluck Jonathan to set up an investigative panel to liaise with detained Major Mustapha to disclose what the knows about how Chief MKO Abiola was murdered by the Nigeria state. If this could happen to Abiola it could happen to anybody and these Northern Nigeria Islamists have got some guts to just kill Abiola in such cavalier manner just as they did Igbo's Agunyi Ironsi and without consequences? 


Icheoku says times like this should put into the cooler the saying that "vengeance is mine says the lord" and let all that are complicit in the state-murder of MKO Abiola pay the price and NOW! What does Olusegun Obasanjo know, afterall he was president immediately following Abdulsalam Abubakar handing over in 1999? Was it part of the bargain for him to sweep everything under the rug and if, why did he sell short his Yoruba race by not being audacious enough to unmask Abiola's killers? If Northern Nigeria Islamists could demand and are getting the prosecution of those brave security officers who killed Boko Haram leaders, why would the killers of the world 's respected businessman Chief Moshood Kolawole Abiola not at least be outed and prosecuted? 


Icheoku's head is almost popping out of its cranial container as this allegation is analyzed and thoughts thereto put here in e-prints. Put in another way, it is both hair-raising and bone-chilling that a crime of this magnitude could take place in Nigeria and among Nigeria's higher ups and people are still keeping quiet about it? Where is Pastor Tunde Bakare on this? Although Professor Wole Soyinka is now retired but at least Icheoku expects him to issue a statement? Where is Femi Falana on this and is there going to be a request for information leading to Abiola's death and a verification of the Central bank records for the withdrawals of $200 million, 75 million pounds and 200 million Naira for collaborative evidence of the alleged. Where is Afenifere, Oha n'Eze Ndigbo, Arewa and other assemblies of Nigerians demanding an investigation into the state-murder of a man who they gave their mandate to be their president? Sometimes Nigerians' complacency is very unnerving and this is the bane of a society that still wallows in the magnitude of oppression that obtains therein where no one wants to sacrifice for the greater good of the society. Were Nigeria Syria or Libya, the revolution there would have petered off once the first shot rang out of the government army's tank or rifle as everybody scampers for safety as Fela put it, "Nobody wants to die" and you ask yourself what is a life in bondage really worth?


However Mustafa failed to disclose to Nigerians and the world at large how much blood money was paid to Kano State leaders and all other leaders of the Islamic Sharia North on Abacha's own head if truly Abacha was himself killed too and did not die of penile-vein embolism as a result of some ingested tainted-viagra? Or is Mustafa by this allegation, just trying to incite a revolution among Yoruba youth against their leaders for not only selling out on their cause but for keeping the millions of blood money to themselves by his selective amnesia regarding midget of Kano's own paid hush blood money? Fair disclosure demands that Mustapha makes full and complete disclosure of this alleged murders and also release the said tape/s now in order to force the hands of Nigeria government to act on the murders or at least secure them a world-wide ridicule and opprobrium for being a state that murders her citizens in cold blood including a president-elect? 


There is a lot of things gone and still going awry in Nigeria - a painted putrid sepulcher of a place that is oozing with morbidity and no one wants to do anything about it in order to fix it? Could someone please tell Icheoku that President Goodluck Jonathan is not one of the inside-men and part of the problems with Nigeria; otherwise where is his promised reform of the country? At least he could start by instituting a judicial panel to zealously pursue an Abiola's murder inquiry? He could start by asking the Imam of the Central bank of Nigeria Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to confirm or deny the alleged withdrawals made at the Central bank and should in addition summon Chukwuma Soludo to give his own insight as the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria who must have had a whiff about such large cache of cash moving out of the bank vaults. But before Icheoku forgets, let Nigeria not forget that Nigeria's former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige was similarly murdered by the State during Olusegun Obasanjo government, yet no investigation has been conclusively carried out till date to unearth his killers. If Bola Ige's killing was not carried out by the high and mighty State or at least with its tacit approval and support, how else could a serving Nigeria Attorney General and Minister of Justice be killed during dinner with his family and in his home, with the number of security officials guarding him that were supposed to provide him with round the clock security? It simply does not add up and defies every logic. Nigeria, a country standing and walking on its head and somebody says, it go better?

DR IBRAHIM DATTI AHMED, NIGERIA'S AYMAN AL ZAWAHIRI AND BIN LADEN'S SYMPATHIZER!

A hand that was "Sharia-nized" in an Islamic Republic - look at the blunt knife which sawed through the wrist for several minutes to sever the hand and without anesthesia or any pain killer being administered to the victim?  If the hand was chopped off, it would have come out clean without the jagged edges. Also in the picture is the relevant authorizing instrument, a copy of the (un)holy Koran which sanctioned such disproportionate  cruel and unusual punishment meted out to an adherent just for a petty theft or stealing offense? 

Icheoku says this type of medieval cruelty of man to a fellow man, a wanton callousness of the highest order, the most despicable type of inhuman treatment and maiming any person could ever receive is what those fanatical religious lunatics of Northern Nigerian want to make a statute of general application throughout a secular Nigeria? Icheoku would rather renounce and sever all ties whatsoever than suffer the trauma of living forever in the bondage of the possibility or even the prospect that stuff like this could happen to anybody whatsoever or somebody related or known to Icheoku? Any environment that finds such barbaric maiming of another human-being by either the state or individual or group of religious bigots or mullahs justifiable in any way whatsoever, does not deserve a place among the comity of civilized nations. Icheoku asks how can any religion or law proffer any reason to justify such hacking off of the human body parts in this present modern day and age? A petty thief whose hand or wrist is hacked off cannot even retrain to become a better citizen and Northern Nigeria still wonders why there are so many destitute in their region? How can such draconian Sharia law ever be allowed in Nigeria; and the fact that a medical doctor is one of those at the fore-front pushing it makes it more bone-chilling. Icheoku asks, is Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed truly a trained medical doctor in Western medicine or is he a herbalist/mullah. 

When the world is still dumbfounded and bamboozled,  trying to make sense of the Egyptian medical doctor Ayman Al Zawahiri's fascination for destroying lives as opposed to the life-saving disposition of members of his profession, here comes another medical doctor from  Northern Nigeria in his mold? A Sharia medical doctor who has turned rogue and instead of advancing and advocating life-saving measures, is now busily occupied vomiting venomous talks about Muslims exterminating non-Muslims of Nigeria? Icheoku does not know which medical doctor, seasoned by his professional calling to save lives, would instead be threatening the wastage of human lives - going to war to enforce a parochial Islamic banking system in a secular country? A man who should and ought to know better, is rather wrongly advising his less fortunate (almajiris) kiths and kins and tactically coercing them into causing more mayhem in Nigeria an as if they have not disturbed the polity enough? Hopefully Nigerians would oblige him this time, his desire for his branch of a very few imbecilic Muslims to leave the entity called Nigeria and go form their own independent Islamic or Sharia Republic.  Possibly this intractable and incessant Muslims induced and instigated religious strife in Nigeria could come to an end once and for all. However before this mallam brings to fruition what every decent and civilized Nigerian have been craving and praying for and for which Gideon Orkar sacrificed his youthful life, Icheoku would like to respond to his latest diatribe one by one and punch holes in them to show that either this Imam was lying or his recollections are tainted with falsity.

First, the Northern Nigeria enclave which produced this lunatic and fundamentalist doctor -death embarked on Sharia law without taking into consideration the wish of millions of non Muslim Nigerians nor had the decency of putting such a polity changing event forward for a national debate to test its acceptability. Icheoku is surprised that these mullahs in Northern Nigeria did not follow the same restrictive process with which they imposed Sharia law on their core ten Islamic States in the current Islamic banking system debacle. If it is Islamic banking system and they want it, so be it; provided its application is restricted to those Sharia States of Northern Nigeria but not throughout an entire secular Nigeria. It is also on record that the first thing Imam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi did upon getting to the Central Bank of Nigeria was to order the re-imposition of the Arabic writings on the Naira which had hitherto been removed to honor the secular nature of the polity. Icheoku asks, is this one plus one adding up at explaining their Islamic agenda or is Icheoku under the influence of some substance not to comprehend this subtle but steady steps taken towards a Nigeria Islamic Republic? Nigeria's membership of OIC is still alive and well; yet some naive Nigerians still doubt these mullahs's ultimate destination and objective? 


While researching this article, Icheoku ran into a press conference given by Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed where he said in answer to the Jos Islamic mayhem that "existing national policies are part of a grand design to frustrate the legitimate "desire of Muslims in Nigeria to democratically expand the scope of the application of the Shari'ah." So any intelligent person reading these lines carefully will come to terms with the fact that there is a proactive intent and on-ward march of Nigerian Muslims to spread their Islamic religion as well as Sharia law to other parts of Nigeria not currently under their spell. So when things like Arabic writing are reinstated on the Naira and now Islamic banking system is in tow, in addition to Nigeria's smuggled membership of OIC, then it necessary follows that these are not mere coincidences but a deliberate expansion of Islam in Nigeria. It therefore follows that the present threat of Northern Nigerian Muslims to go to war to protect Islamic banking is jihadistic in nature since Jihad is used as a weapon for the spread of Islam. The calculation is that by making Islamic Banking System national, Islam is being spread across the country.

Further, doctor Ibrahim Datti Ahmed claimed that "those wearing cassocks" disturbs the peace in Nigeria? Icheoku says what a baloney this man tried to sell to the world and Nigerians since whatever modicum or semblance of peace in Nigeria has historically been disturbed by Northern Nigeria Muslims. They did not want independence with the rest of Nigerians which caused the delay of Nigeria's independence from 1957 to 1960 as the East and West waited on the North to make up their mind? Also they led the counter-coup of July 1966 which eventually culminated to the three year civil war with then Eastern Nigeria, Biafra? They sabotaged or simply refused to implement the three Rs of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction following the war just to spite and provoke a "defeated" people further? Their military officers carried out all the coups in Nigeria from Muritala Mohammed, Mohammed Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha; yet someone somewhere is claiming to be Nigeria's peace ambassador? 


Maitasine Sect was of Northern Nigeria Muslims? Gideon Akaluka's head was foisted on a flag-pole by Northern Nigeria Muslims? 1983 Kano Riots was orchestrated by Northern Nigerian Muslims? Zango kataf massacre was ordered and carried out by Northern Nigerian Muslims? Jos riots and disturbances were Northern Nigerian Muslims instigated? Nomadic Cattle rearers who go about trampling upon Nigerian farmlands destroying crops and allowing their cattle to graze on peoples crops are Northern Nigerian Muslims? Currently Nigeria is facing the scourge of Boko Haram Muslim terrorism and Boko Haram is of Northern Nigerian Muslims? Icheoku asks Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed, all these premises considered, who is the real trouble-maker and peace disturber of Nigeria? Icheoku make bold to state that If any group of people or tribe or religion adherents in Nigeria are peaceful, they are certainly not these Northern Nigerian Muslims, except of course the word "peaceful" has lost its meaning or their own version of dictionary defines hellish as heavenly and vice versa.


Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed boasted that his Northern Nigerian Muslims are not cowards and would fight for their Islamic causes? However "doctor-mullah" failed to address the fact that Northern Nigerian Muslims have consistently employed others to do their dirty work on their behalf such as the Middle Belt men and women of Tiv, Junkun and Igbira who have fought their wars and lifted their heavy loads on behalf of the entire Northern Nigeria. Also that Northern Nigerian Muslims throw their boarders open to ferry in mercenaries and other Islamic fighters n from Niger, Chad and Sudan and sometimes the Middle East whenever their services are needed. So Icheoku asks who is not a coward that cannot do his fighting but conscript others to do them for them? Their engagement of European mercenaries during the Biafran war is also a well documented historical fact, so when Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed opens his mouth this wide, Icheoku cannot help but rebut his assertion since Nigerians know who the loafers and cowards of the country are; so Dr Ahmed need not to tell us. 

Further it is somewhat turning of the truth on its head for Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed to assert that anybody in Nigeria truly wants to live together with his Northern Nigerian Muslims; which forced the hands of Gideon Orkar to attempt incising them out from the country during his practically successful but mismanaged coup of 1986. icheoku reiterates here again and for the umpteenth time that Northern Nigeria Sharia Muslims of Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed's type are a pain in the behind of Nigerians and that nobody in Nigeria truly speaking, wants them within the entity called Nigeria and will gladly see them leave. So Icheoku agrees with Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed that "we don’t have to live together."

Look at a pot calling kettle black as Nigerians know who is been dictating to the rest of the country how they should live their lives. All the military dictators Nigeria ever had were all Northern Nigeria Muslims? The insertion of Arabic writings on the currency is a dictatorship as no one discussed it? Nigeria's forced OIC membership was a dictatorship's decision too as Babangida did not consult anybody when he handed Nigeria over to Saudi Arabia? Buhari's retroactive death-penalty for drug related offenses was a dictatorship and Buhari is a fanatical Northern Nigeria Muslim and probably an Imam? Northern Nigerian Muslims splintered Nigeria Law School into three component units to accommodate their mediocre performance while it  was centralized in Lagos and that decision was a dictatorship as no true Nigerian lawyer wanted it and those Northern Nigerian Muslims could care less of the benefit of synchronizing legal practice in Nigeria and the unity and friendship it fostered across the ethical divides? Sharia law was introduced in some parts of Nigeria without necessary consultation and it is a form of dictatorship too; yet these people are crying wolves? 

Icheoku says if anybody has ever had enough of another, it is other Nigerians who are since tired of these Northern Nigerian Muslims, who have been abusing the rest of Nigerians and it is about time it became enough. Why the sudden invocation of Nigerian law on the issue of Islamic Sharia Banking when these mullahs did not concern themselves with the legitimacy or otherwise of their introduction of Sharia law in some parts of Nigeria without first checking the constitutionality and legitimacy of operating two parallel legal systems in one country with the office of the Attorney General? It is a trite rule of law that he who claims equity must do equity but this is lost on these mallams who wants to be allowed to probate and reprobate on the same issue. 


Look who is talking about the need to be left alone when they never left anyone alone including Biafra when they wanted to leave the country and still butts in every body's business including Niger Delta that since want out of Nigeria? Who killed Ken Saro Wiwa instead of leaving him alone? Who has constantly been massacring Nigerians that reside in their territory? Which part of Nigeria has religious and political disturbances become the order of the day? Who abuses the rights of women with their old men marrying barely legal teenage girls? It is ridiculous the rush to comparison this mullah made with the example of England but chose to ignore that Muslims in England are not as crazy as those in Nigeria. That England Muslims are not as radicalized and of the Wahhabi sect as those Northern Nigerian Muslims; and above all that  they do not call the shots over there in Her Majesty's Kingdom and are supposed to be merely seen and not heard? That in England there is no Boko Haram and Muslims there do not hoist a human head on a flag pole or butcher innocent children while they slept in the middle of the night. It is just such a silly and stupid comparison to make that because England allows Islamic banking System, therefore Nigeria should. 

Another insane pronouncement of Dr Ahmed is that Northern Nigeria Muslims are the majority in Nigeria? Icheoku disagrees except if goats and cows are counted as humans otherwise let them allow a true headcount to take place in Nigeria to rebut this claim? These mullahs would not allow a thorough census to take place in Nigeria to determine once and for all that geographically speaking, it is not possible for arid regions to be more populated than rich arable regions. Finally Dr Ahmed accused Maiduguri Bornu JTF of “using an unbalanced force in its attempt to restore peace and order to Borno State." Icheoku says the same Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed kept mum when one of his Northern Nigerian Muslim advocated for the complete wiping off the map of Nigeria the Niger Delta, if that is what it will take to quell the then militancy and keep the oil flowing? Icheoku says who is now clearly under the influence but the so called Doctor Ibrahim Datti Ahmed, a nut case - dan kwaya original?

DEBT CEILING/TALKS, AMERICA HAVE A DEAL!

 At last the recalcitrant Tea Party Republicans have been herded into reaching a deal on the debt-ceiling - a nail-bitter moment with just forty-eight hours to the August 2nd deadline. Their Shepard in chief Speaker John Boehner telephoned Obama this evening (Sunday July 31st) to say the agreement had been struck. Icheoku says congratulation and let the borrowing begin; admitted no one knows how or when the borrowed money will be paid? But first we have to live now and lets worry about the repayment later!

TRIAL OF FIVE JTF MEMBERS, PRESIDENT JONATHAN PANDERING TO BOKO HARAM?

Icheoku regrets the lack of a resounding resolve on the part of Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan in dealing with the Boko Haram menace. Instead of allowing security operatives to decisively do their job in tackling those hoodlums, the president is knee-jerking and rather busy prosecuting five Joint Task Force members for actions taken in the field of battle against those Islamic terrorists. Icheoku says this genuflecting by the president in the face of continuing grave danger posed by Boko Haram terrorism will only affirm the impression already created in the minds of millions of Nigerians that a weakling is Nigeria's president. The president's wish-washy action is a mark of a confused and groping man who has no agenda or road-map on how to fix the broken and so many things are broken in today's Nigeria.

Icheoku says it is not a clever idea to throw Nigeria's security operatives under the bus just in order to curry favor from Boko Haram and make them stop killing and maiming innocent Nigerians with their bombs. We condemn the trial of the five JTF members as well as that of those police men involved in quelling the first Boko Haram uprising - they simply were doing their jobs and following commands. The president's position becomes more pathetic since the same President Jonathan who sanctioned this two ongoing trials of Nigeria security operatives as demanded by Boko Haram, also ordered that arrested Boko Haram members should not be tried for their crimes against Nigeria and her citizens but should instead be released in order to seek a political solution to the crisis? 

The mind gets even more queasy over President Jonathan's position because Boko Haram's stated objective and declared intention has nothing to do with political exclusivity or control or territorial integrity of any part of the country but that Islamism become the religion of general application throughout Nigeria. It is also instructive that so many Niger Delta brave youths gave their lives to secure President Jonathan his presidency, yet no one is trying those murderous Northerners who wasted so many lives quelling the militancy in Niger Delta; but Boko Haram's, in order to buy peace? Icheoku says peace of the grave yard is no peace at all and President Jonathan ought to understand this clearly. So Mr President, Icheoku asks you, what is really going on; are you still in charge of Nigeria and if so, which side are you on - terrorists or patriots?

WHO NOW SPEAKS FOR NIGERIAN (MUSLIMS) ALMAJIRIS AND MULLAHS?

 The Nigerian Supreme Council on Sharia has threatened that Muslim lunatics will go to war to impose sharia on Nigeria starting with their Islamic Banking System? The Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has on behalf of other less insane Nigerian Muslims, denounced the threat as uncalled for? Icheoku says this is a case of two conflicting authorities clashing on a policy statement and asks whose voice therefore represents the mullahs and almajiris of Northern Nigeria? It would appear that the Sharia Council supersedes the Islamic Affairs Council since the former is the sole source of laws for all Nigerian Muslims. Icheoku therefore call on non Muslims of Nigeria to be ready and vigilance, and regard the threat of JIHAD as real and a continuing policy of Northern Nigerian mullahs and almajiris and should not be caught napping. Like the boys scout, lets be prepared to take on these anti-progress pieces of humanity who would cut off someone's limb for petty stealing. They had their way with OIC and should NEVER be allowed to impose their banking system on the entire secular country, not this time. If they want it so badly, let them have it solely within their ten Sharia states enclave in the north.

DEBT CEILING/CUT TALKS, TWO GOATS ON A NARROW BRIDGE?

Icheoku says the protracted and unresolved bickering in Washington DC between the Democrats and the Republicans, about raising the United States debt ceiling as well as cutting the debt responsibly, reminds one of the proverbial two goats which met on a narrow bridge across a deep and fast moving water? The consequence of United States not meeting its debt obligations will be very far reaching as the economy of the world are hooked unto the United States economy like spokes to a bicycle hub and any disturbance on the hub affects every spoke. This should not be allowed to get to that point and now is the time for both sides to show their love for country.

It is all about political pandering to their respective bases that is preventing a common sense resolution of the sticking grounds, which could be reasonably resolved by each party making some hard sacrifices to accommodate one another. The President and the Democratic Party wants some cleverly worked tax increases on the very rich to help cushion the tiller while the Republican will have none of that but just straight cuts in services; leading to the point on the narrow bridge where each must make needed sacrifices to avoid a major economic catastrophe. Like the two goats, which in some legend both eventually fell into the river and drowned because none would yield its obstinate position; and in some other legend one of them became more sensible enough to lie low for the other one to cross first before proceeding, Icheoku says the later is a better option and both parties must and should act fast as if their house is on fire. 

This is not a case of winner takes it all, but a case of win some and lose some. If the fringed Tea Party hostage-takers of the Republican Party does not like it, too bad and same goes with those far left wing section of the Democratic Party. Now is for leadership of both parties to truly lead and not be distracted by the ravings of the Rush Limbaughs of America and the talking heads of the other side - people who are just there to cause trouble and create divisions as they smile to their banks with advertiser's money.

Enough of the stretch, President Obama and Speaker Boerner alone should go into a private meeting and together come to a compromise, which they should in turn force their respective sides to swallow in the interest of America's general economic good. Icheoku says any other thing to the contrary or trying to secure every member of their sides to agree on a workable solution is foolhardy and unattainable, judging from the super-charged political atmosphere pervading the country. Please show leadership, do something and if it means sacrificing your offices as a bargain so be it - just do it for the greater good. Your office is a privilege and not a right so please fall on the sword if that is what it requires to arrive at a resolution. Now is the time to do it as the whole world waits in trepidation as America equivocates with raising its debt ceiling as well as meeting its financial obligations.

MALLAM SANUSI HAS A HIDDEN AGENDA - EKWUNIFE

"If the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, does not have a hidden agenda with the planned introduction of Islamic Banking System in Nigeria at this particular time of great turmoil in the country, he should "change the name of the banking system from 'Islamic non-interest Banking system' to "Nigeria non-interest Banking system." - Honorable Uche Ekwunife.

Icheoku commends this Amazonian for truthfully speaking out at this time of great crossroad for a Nigeria in distress; and maintains that the Chief Imam of CBN and Sharia point-man in Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, definitely has a hidden agenda and it is a JIHAD against Nigerian unbelievers, geared towards complete Islamization of Nigeria.

Icheoku says Nigerians must not allow these fundamentalist mallams in the North to once again have their way with the Islamic Banking system just as they did with OIC. At best let them restrict it to their ten Sharia States enclave in the North and at worst let the Sudan solution be applied to Nigeria! But a parallel Islamic Banking System in a secular Nigeria is a no brainier and MUST not be allowed to see the daylight. If they want war let them get it; if they want separation so be it; but all non Muslims in Nigeria must rise up to stop these mullahs and their misguided assumption that they own Nigeria and can turn it over to Saudi Arabia as one of its emirates or an Islamic Republic of Nigeria at anytime just by saying so!

MUSLIMS DECLARE RELIGIOUS WAR IN NIGERIA?

“Islamic Banking has come to be and there is nothing those Christians can do about it and if we have to go to war on this, we’ll go to war. Let those wearing cassocks stop disturbing our peace. Being peaceful doesn’t mean we are cowards. We warn them to stop disturbing our peace if they want us to live together in Nigeria. Everybody can go his way; we don’t have to live together." - Ibrahim Datti Ahmad, president, Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria.

Icheoku says never has the intention of these Northern mullahs been expressly manifested than this latest outburst by this Islamic zealot, whose past utterances were enough to put him away were Nigeria a civilized law-abiding society with strong leadership. Icheoku hereby calls on Southern Nigerians as well as Christians of the Middle Belt to oblige this mullah his wish and part ways with them. If those mullahs want to go to war for an Islamic banking, instead of just confining it to their ten Sharia states enclave of Northern Nigeria where they already have their Sharia law in practice, then they deserve to be let go and freed of other Nigerians and allowed to established their Islamic Republic of Northern Nigeria. Let the Sudan experience take hold in Nigeria now before it is too late.

Icheoku says if this Sharia council does not have ulterior motive at Islamizing Nigeria or its attempt, then why seek the general application of their Jaiz banking system throughout Nigeria including Christian South when they could have just applied it in the same manner as they did their sharia law? Only that President Jonathan is not truly in charge, otherwise this nonsense would not still be dragging on till now. But the president has a linguine spine and the manner he usurped the presidency deprives him the authenticity and audacity with which to approach certain boiler-plate issues in Nigeria headlong.

One final advise, Christians and Southerners alike should prepare for the eventuality of a religious war in Nigeria soon as it is already knocking on their door-steps. Iran is shipping in weapons, Saudi is funneling cash and Sudanese Janjaweed are arriving in their droves to join the Boko Haram Northern army. It is going to be an apocalyptic nightmare and Icheoku prays it will not be the fifteen years time frame for disintegration of Nigeria come to fruition; otherwise why are these people threatening a full blown war just for a banking system? Now they are also asking for the Joint Task Force sent to maintain peace and root out Boko Haram to withdraw from Maiduguri when the same people encouraged Yar'Adua to completely annihilate Niger Delta if that is what it takes to ensure the steady flow of oil and by extension free money into their pockets? Icheoku asks, what changed?

AMY WINEHOUSE IS FINALLY MEDICALLY-DEAD!

It is true; yes it is true. She was long dead and gone with her ghostly skeleton still staggering around until now. The dead-woman walking has finally walked off the face of this earth and for good. It was no surprise at all as the end was practically anticipated as her only way out of the misery which her druggy-habit pigeonholed her into.


Crack is whack and no one survives it barring an all out near ruthless and zero tolerance intervention. If in doubt, ask American Brittany Spears, who herself was rescued by similar intervention and today she is a better woman. British pop singer Amy Winehouse, who had for a long time now and for all intents and practical purposes, since crossed-over to the land beyond, courtesy of hard drugs, has now finally assumed room temperature. Just another celebrity-victim of a society with very sycophantic hangers-on who only said yes to her wishes, whatever that may be? 

Remember Micheal Jackson; Ann Nicole Smith, DJ AM, Keith Ledger and a whole lot of other celebrities who literally speaking, killed themselves as they overdosed on some substances. Now the British version of our own dear Lady Gaga or was it the late crack-head who was being copied by Lady Gaga, has joined the litany of drug-killed celebrities of this world who unfortunately surrounded themselves with "Yes men and Yes women" who bowed at their every command. All they asked was how high their golden-egg laying goose wanted them to jump; so long as their paychecks kept on coming. 

Icheoku says all that was needed was for Miss Winehouse to be "Brittany Speared" into a straight and narrow path that leads to redemption; but a weakling coterie which she surrounded herself with did not have what it takes to approach a judge for an order of forcible rehabilitation and/or confinement as a danger to both herself and the society. It is also quite ironical that the singer who sang about "REHAB" in her 2006 "Back to Black" album could not find it worthy herself to dutifully check into a rehab and for a good course. She was of a Pharisee order of do what I say but not what I do? She was lonely and alone, cried loudly for attention by acting out in such outlandish manner but sadly enough, her cry for help ricocheted back from a sound-proof wall she was trapped inside as no one listened to her desperation leading to the tragic consequences of today. 

Drugs did not provide her the exit from her misery which she desperately sought, but instead has now sent her to her untimely grave. Amy Winehouse died of possibly drug-overdose and crack induced lung disease emphysema; admitted some sources said it appears she even had the virus? Like Micheal Jackson, Amy Winehouse died in her home before ambulances sent following a distress call could reach her Camden Square North London home. She was found culled up in a fetal position on her bed - may be she actually overdosed, who knows; but this remains Icheoku's position until an autopsy result declares otherwise? Amy Winehouse gone too soon.

Celebrity, fame and fortune together claims yet another victim who allowed them get into her head and she lost it. Quite unfortunate! If only she had listened to Whitney Huston's "Crack is Whack" words of wisdom and kicked the habit, may be - just may be, as there are still legion of other substances that if abused could still have proved lethal? But hey a crack-head does not know any better as their sense of reasoning had since gone out the window. Jewish Amy Winehouse was 27 years old - born in 1983 to a taxi-driver father Mitch Winehouse and pharmacist-mother Janis Whinehouse. Icheoku says what an advertorial for the bad effects of drugs! So long cracker!