JONAH UKADIKE ESQ, AN OBITUARY.

It is with sadness but gratitude to God for a meritorious life well spent that UNEC LAW Class of 1989 announces with regret the passing away of one of their own, Senior Magistrate Jonah Uchenna Ukadike. 

Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Jonah Uchenna Ukadike, who rose to become a Senior Magistrate in Imo State judiciary was a course mate in University of Nigeria Enugu Campus Law Class of 1989. He died on September 24 2011 after a brief illness, aged 48 . 

His Worship Jonah Ukadike was survived by wife and children as well as many classmates. May his magisterial soul now rest in peace; hopefully he has ascended up there to preside over some time-sensitive very important cases, not just for anyone but Jonah, the reason the On High had to recall him this early in life. We mourn his loss and treasure his memory; he was a good classmate indeed - ever jovial and ready to render a helping hand or head as the case may be.

Signed

UNEC LAW'89

SUICIDAL IRAN INVITES ATTACK, MAY THEIR WISH BE COMMANDED.

To the boastful Iranian Revolutionary Guard Senior Commander Amir-Ali Hadjizadeh, Icheoku admonishes you to beware of what you wish for. Soon and pretty very soon, your wish might come through and it is going to be devastatingly so convulsing that you will not know what hit you. Instead of toning down the rhetoric as a necessary baby-steps towards creating enabling environment for a more peaceful resolution of their nuclear weapons pursuit generated world tension, the Islamic Republic is adding more insult to injury by pouring gasoline on a flaming fire. As the world fidgets and fiddles on what to do about Iranian's atomic weapons, Iran is yet again escalating and exacerbating the situation; and mouthing off acerbic threats in defiance of world opinion.

Now they have threatened to drop "a nuclear or dirty bomb on Israel;" otherwise what other weaponized 'energy source is capable of consigning a country to the dustbin of history?" In the mullah's very own words, he said, "Our (Iran) greatest wish is that they (Israel) commit such a mistake (attack Iranian nuclear weapons sites). For some time now there has been a hidden energy we hope to expend to consign the enemies of Islam forever to the dustbin of history." Who this threat is meant for and directed at is without doubt, the Jewish State of Israel and it technically qualifies as a formal declaration of war. Therefore, no person or country should blame Israel if they took this direct threat to obliterate them literally and go on the offensive this moment to preempt Iran's threatened annihilation. Israel reserves the right to defend their right to exist and actual existence; and also to preemptively guard against being turned into a powdery desert. The best defense is an intrusive offense and if not now, when?

EGYPTIAN MOHAMMED ELBARADEI, WHERE IS HE NOW?

As Egyptian Arab Spring revolutionaries, who drove Hosni Mubarak out of power last February, suddenly realizes that they traded a dog for a monkey; and that between Mubarak and the military they still have a four-legged animal running the affairs of Egypt, Icheoku asks where is Mohammed ElBaradei NOW? 

Icheoku remembers watching on television as the former IAEA boss marched alongside other revolutionaries, denouncing Mubarak and emphatically criticising Mubarak's September 2011 offer of a handover. Icheoku also recalls how Mohammed ElBaradei as well as many other Egyptians complained that Mubarak's September date handover was rather too far and before that time, so many democracy-struck Egyptians might die longing for democracy? They demanded to have their democracy and have it they must, NOW(then). 

Suddenly the September promised date raced by; came and went yet Egyptians have neither democracy nor an elected government. Instead the military that sired Mubarak, strictly speaking his catering primary constituency for all intent and purpose, are still firmly entrenched in Cairo and running things. It would appear that suddenly Egyptians had an epiphany and realized that Mubarak may still be very much around and could also possibly be calling the shots behind the curtain of his incapacitation? They would have none of that, so once again they trooped to Tahir Square to demand that the army help them finish and complete their revolution by stepping aside and allowing a free election to elect the government.

The army, not used to civilians telling them what to do, sent twenty four protesters to their early graves as a warning shot across the bow that resistance is futile. The world watched and is still watching to see what becomes of Egypt's answer to democracy. Icheoku is also wondering whether Mohammed ElBaradei and his cohorts are now suffering some buyer beware remorse and on hindsight, regretting why they did not take Mubarak on his September offer to cede power to a democratic government? May be, by now, Egypt's transition would have been three months long completed and leading the way of democratic transitions in the Arab world.

ENOUGH OF IRANIAN PROVOCATIVE FIERY RHETORIC, LET THE SHOWDOWN BEGIN.

Icheoku is sick-tired of hearing Teheran's incessant threats of an apocalyptic reprisal, raining thunder and brimstone on its enemies, should there be any attack of their nuclear facilities. It is about time therefore the world or even Israel, acting alone or in conjunction with the US and its willing European partners, called their bluff by attacking those known nuclear facilities scattered throughout the Islamic Republic. If the attack causes the heavens to fall, so be it. If the attack causes the entire Persian Gulf and/or the Middle East to all go up in flames, it shall not be the end of the world. If the attack conversely causes the world to implode on itself, then let civilization as we know it come to an end; but stop, the world must, of Iran's nuclear weapons pursuit. 

Of all the things Tehran could be doing with their scientific expertise and/or abundant human and material resources, the only thing attractive to them is the pursuit of the science of splitting of atoms; and you wonder why such prioritization if there is no urgent maniacal fervor and determination by the mullahs therein to fast-forward their end-time?  Icheoku says this with confidence that a lunatic miscalculation by Tehran to drop the bomb anywhere including Israel will elicit an earth-quaking response that will render the geographical entity known as Iran, a once existed country. It will be so devastating a destruction that Persia will become a nuclear winter-land and you wonder whether those in leadership authority in Tehran are well seized of this fact of consequence as they, by necessary implication, progressively pursue their own destruction with their nuclear weapons pursuit? What the heck one would ask, do those mullahs in Tehran think they are doing, continuously thumbing their nose on the entire world and trying to bluff their way to the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction. Icheoku is emphatic that the time to give Tehran concrete deadline is now and bombs should start raining down from the skies over Tehran and/or Natanz at the expiration of such firm deadline. 

World peace is imperative and is at stake here. Admitted it is a general goal of all mankind but sometimes some people need to be coerced, even if forcefully, to get that into their zealotry skull and if it means by using deadly force, so be it. Listen to Iranian spiritual leader mouth-off on a possible confrontation with the West:- "Our enemies, particularly the Zionist regime of Israel, America and its allies, should know that any kind of threat and attack or even thinking about any military action will be firmly responded to. The Revolutionary Guards and army and our nation will answer attacks with strong slaps and iron fists." What is Tehran defending or are they merely boastful of a threat they are incapable of exerting? Icheoku says the world should take them on the strength of their boast and acquiesce that they have developed the capacity to walk their talk; hence rise up in unison to say to Tehran, no to your nuclear weapons pursuit disguised as energy purposes. According to former United States Secretary of State, no one should wait to see mushroom cloud somewhere in its territory before proactively preventing such a scenario. Iranian threat is real and they are actively pursuing weapon-capacity to bring it about; so what else is the world waiting for before swooping down hard on them to stop them from wrecking the threatened havoc, especially on the State of Israel? 

The fact that Iran does not recognize or acknowledge the existence of the Israel is a cause for serious concern and in the event they acquire the means to bring to fruition such an avowed fanatical hateful desire to see the Jewish State wiped off the map, they would suicidally do it without blinking an eyelid. Icheoku says the world must therefore not wait and watch helplessly as Iran acquires the means of carrying out their stated objective of destroying an existing State of Israel. It would be better to peremptorily deny Iran such capacity now, through an attack of their known nuclear sites; than to watch in askance as they terrorize the world with their newly acquired weapon of mass destruction later. A possible detonation of such annihilating weapons of mass destruction by Iran over Israel is a high probability; admitted it is maddening to contemplate. Icheoku says that volatile region of the world, already pulsating with so many time-bomb situations, could use less of such an extra nuclear-Iran triggered code-red tension. 

It requires gutsy political decision to put a stop on this recalling decimal of repeat threats out of Tehran. It is about time the rubber met the road with stopping Iran's quest for nuclear weaponry. Let the back and forth tirade come to a head and with it a final solution to whatever constitutes Iranian nuclear threat to the world especially Israel and the Middle-East/Persian Gulf. 

Icheoku have watched with seething anger as both the Iranian Spiritual Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, continuously taunt the United States of America as well as Israel and daring them to attack Iran if they can. Whether this is a ploy to coerce some response from the West, Icheoku does not know; but suffice it to say that Iran with its current disposition towards the State of Israel should not and must not be allowed to go nuclear as they will drop the bomb somewhere as soon as they acquire same. They run their mouths as if they are not rational and nuclear bombs in the hands of such religion-driven zealots are not a bargain the world should make or be ready to accept or accommodate. Whatever be the cost in the short run, it would be much cheaper than its long term cost of having to perpetually cajole and plead with a nuclear armed Iran not to detonate such weapon over Israel or any other place. If it means oil price momentarily rising above $200 per barrel or the near annihilation of mankind through a resulting devastating third world war, so be it. That way the economies of the world still in doldrums, will receive a much needed steroid-shot in the arm to help it bounce back fast; as mankind takes time to rebuild its destroyed infrastructure and restock its depleted reserves. So a third world war, triggered by attempt to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapon capability, might be the silver bullet the world needs to fire-up the sauntering world economy.

Icheoku have weighed many possible scenario in the event of shooting hostilities between Iran and the West over its nuclear weapons match and came to the conclusion that although it might stretch resources, it might cost a lot in blood and treasure, especially with a possible Russia and China taking sides with Tehran, but eventually,  Iran will be defeated and shamed. Moreover Russia and China cannot afford to antagonize old friendships by directly fighting a shooting war against the West in defense of Iranian's nuclear weapon. Both countries are more interested in economic benefits for their countries and as happened with the Arab Spring, they would take a passive none confrontational position in the event their voicing of concern was not enough to deter an American led attack of nuclear-weapons bound Iran. In that circumstance, all that is foreseeable is a none-governmental indirect weapons and possibly mercenaries flow into Iran to help it prosecute its self-imposed war. Icheoku wonders how an Iran which could not convincingly defeat Iraq in their wars of the eighties could now make a mince meat of an American led assault on its nuclear facilities? The possibility of such a Persian victory is utopia at best; so with such a favored outcome but nasty scenario as a guide, Icheoku says the recalcitrant Iranian situation calls for a military confrontation - let the showdown to stop Iran's match to acquisition of nuclear weaponry start and start NOW!

NIGERIANS MUST DISCARD OLD THINKING - BOLA TINUBU

"Mandatory rotation of elective positions in Nigeria is an affront to democracy and places us further down the road of selection rather than election. It exalts mediocrity and access over talent and worth. This type of mind-set is what had fed the anachronistic and false distinction between indigenes and settlers that has cost so many lives, destroyed so many communities and marred our national identity.  We must apply the constitutional guarantees in this kind of situation. If we must deploy tanks and armed soldiers for peace, we have already lost something. 

After the civil war, the military sought to re-fashion Nigeria in its own centralist image. They thought the way to manage the country’s diversity was to bury it under the suffocating control of an all-powerful centre. By imposing a unitary state on a naturally federal society, the military sought to substitute a chaotic diversity with imposed uniformity, which they thought was necessary to promote order and development. Unfortunately, all the supposedly democratic dispensations since the civil war have substantially mirrored the over-centralised and unduly bureaucratic military political cultures. The consequence of this rigid model retards pluralism rather than advancing it. The Nigerian state thus presents the baffling paradox of appearing at once so powerful when protecting the narrow interests of the elite, yet so fragile in providing the barest services of a modern nation to the bulk of the populace. 

Nigeria is run like a closely held private corporation with a revolving ownership.  While the leaders may change, one thing remains constant. Those who run the corporation, run it solely for their own benefit. A nation that does not respect pluralism and the diversity of its own people can never achieve her full potential. A disregard for pluralism means a disregard for the peculiarities of citizens. Any nation that operates with such herdsman mentality will only end up diminishing itself. To free ourselves of the old mental shackles, we must discard old thinking.  We cannot do this by talking as we have talked before. The problem is that we have not produced an alternative world view. People must think and act on something.  Before they leave the old, you must offer them the new, which is superior or more preferable. The nation that we model our government on has a saying, ‘from many, one’ to signify America’s unity.  We have distorted this fine saying in our own regard. Our motto has become ‘from many, even more. 

The progressives want to change the way we interact politically and economically to bring greater democracy and economic development.  The conservatives believe in the status quo, hence have gotten us into this hole. The progressives believe in the development of new ideas and its operationalisation. I believe when the progressives win power, they will be able to lift Nigeria out of the hole by turning our riotous diversity into cooperative pluralism. No more the lack of continuity in development planning which has seen different governments enunciate different and often confusing socio-economic policies." (Culled from speech delivered by Bola Tinubu at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State.)

TIRED OF LIVING A LIE, ASHTON KUTCHER WALKS AWAY FROM AUNTIE DEMI MOORE.

"Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail." - Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore's former boy-husband. Icheoku adds, but who said it ever works; except that society puts a facade to it while they pine away in hellish sorrow beneath. Just get a life and be man enough to say hell no to the "M" word. It never worked, does not work and will never work. 


Man was not born that way - to be monogamous for life and under the perpetual spell of a singing anopheles mosquito which never gets tired of buzzing. 


At last the scales have fallen off Ashton Kutcher's eyes and he saw he was hitching a ride of life with his sugar-mummy and not a real soul-mate within his age grade? Auntie Demi thought what men can do she can do better as she preyed on a younger male for a "husband". Just reminded that Demi's husband number two, Bruce Willis, recently took a girl half his age for a wife?

OBASANJO, HAPPY OVER WESTERN COUNTRIES ECONOMIC TROUBLE?

 Icheoku is at a lost that former Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo felt elated over the economic woes militating against many Western countries of Europe. The former Nigeria president speaking at his investiture as the First Grand Patron of Nigeria-China Business Council (NCBC) Lagos Nigeria recently, expressed gratitude to God for Western countries economic quagmire. According to Olusegun Obasanjo, “While Europe is wobbling and fumbling; thank God for that; America since 2008 has not come out of economic recession. I doubt if it will not affect Obama’s second tenure.” 

So Icheoku asks Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, what is it to be grateful that people are suffering and why he is rejoicing for the deep six most economies of the West are in or is he manifesting his notorious sadistic behavior, jubliating at other people's tribulation? Such expressed lack of empathy is rather unbecoming of a former president and an aspiring world's statesman and should be condemned. Icheoku therefore decries Mr Olusegun Obasanjo's remarks as being off the mark, having strayed off the reservation of diplomatic speaking. It is indeed very careless and reckless a statement to make.

OBAMA, SARKOZY AND CAMERON'S NATO, HOW ABOUT SYRIAN PEOPLE?

So many have died, so many are dying and so many will still die. Syrian people, being slaughtered by their own government; yet those pretender-keepers of world order, alleged protectors of world civilians, the police men of the world are looking the other way. Icheoku asks is it because Syria does not have oil and therefore nothing to plunder therein-after, that the lives of Syrian civilians, being wasted by Bashir Assad, is not worthy of protection by NATO and its principal promoters. 

The world was recently told that NATO had to intervene in Libya because Gaddafi was just about to massacre Libyan civilians? But in Syria, where the massacre is no longer merely preparatory but ongoing, Icheoku asks, why is NATO not similarly bombing the oppressive regime's army or declaring a no fly zone over Damascus or the entire Syrian real estate in order to protect the Syrian civilians? Icheoku does not know or pretend to understand such a blatant double-standard indifference when it comes to a people with oil and those others without that black gold as it appertains to Western definition of "protected and protectable" civilian population. May be it is about time the West simply came forth and shamelessly confess and admit to the world, that the actual underlying consideration for their interventions such as recently happened in Libya, is the covet of resources and in the case of Libya, their prized oil.  They should also admit that their mission-statement of protecting civilians or women and children is simply a subterfuge to make their mission look dignified and their effort appear noble; otherwise why their continuing passive indifference to the unfolding carnage in Syria. 

Or may be it is about time Turkey and other surrounding Arab/Muslim countries take the initiative themselves and intervene militarily in Syria. They should not wait as usual for the West to once again do their dirty job for them in Syria, only to be told later to take a hike as was the case in Iraq, Afghanistan and every other place they have spent their blood and treasure liberating the people only to find an ungrateful population mouthing off against "imperialists" occupying their lands? 

To the infamous butcher of Damascus, King Bashir Assad, Icheoku warns you to learn a lesson from history especially the recent history of Libya's Gaddafi, Egypt's Mubarak, Tunisia's Ben Ali and Iraq's Saddam Hussein that dictators never outlast their people. It also does not matter how many Syrians you slaughter or are forced to die under your despotism, a day shall come when they will certainly take their revenge. Hopefully you will wise up before it is too late; put a stop to the ongoing needless blood shed in Syria of Syrian civilians before the world watches a U-Tube or phone-camera of you begging for your dear life; followed with your lynching in the streets of Damascus like a dog. NATO and America, time to intervene in Syria is now; or at least encourage Turkey to take the lead. If Russia and China does not like it, let them take sides and if it results to a third world world, so be it as it is about time stuff are destroyed and in the process of rebuilding same, there will be jobs for the world to do and peradventure it will help fix the world economy. But what is it with dictators who don't know when it is to go or so deaf to hear the end is near or think that by killing their own people they are making the needed blood-offerings to remain in power? King Bashir Assad, Icheoku says please go away - just go and leave the Syrian people alone and in peace and NOW!

OSCAR RAMIRO ORTEGA-HERNANDEZ, AMERICAN OSAMA WANTS TO KILL OBAMA?

 Icheoku says the crux of this attempted assassination is that this loony was able to fire and strike the White House without being stopped by the proverbial Secret Service. There are so many what ifs involved in this case - what if the president was struck? What if the Obama girls were playing in the lawn and came in the line of fire? What if it is the First Lady or even their family dog that was struck by the volley of bullets? 

Icheoku is quite surprised that someone could fire nine rounds of bullets at the White House with two striking its window and the Secret Service were unable to catch or even shoot him to death before he escaped all the way to Western Pennsylvania; where he was finally arrested in a hotel room. Anyway thank God he did not succeed with his evil machination to do harm on the president.  Surprisingly, Oscar Ramiro Ortega Hernandez is a Hispanic and not a typical white right-wing racist redneck, the people usually associated with pulling such madness off. Icheoku wonders if he is an illegal or here legally? Hopefully he would rot in prison.

FELA IN SAN FRANCISCO.

"Fela!" explores the idea that "you have as much freedom as you are willing to pay for;" - that was one of the things in my mind that separates him from most rock musicians. Everyone is disgruntled with the status-quo, but there are very few people who will go to the mat like he did, wrongheadedly or not." - BIll T. Jones, Producer, "Fela, the musical" is now playing at Curran Theater, Geary Street, San Francisco, California through December.

DOMINGO EZIRIKE, A TAXICAB DRIVER MURDERED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

Icheoku says regrettably the gist of this unwarranted wastage of a human-life was lost on virtually all that reported on the case. What is more important here and which should have been the newsworthy item is not that a man was killed driving a taxicab and over 75 cents disputation. No, the crux of the matter is that a breadwinner, husband, father, son and brother of some people was killed on duty, doing his job from which he puts food on the table for his family of a wife and three young girls as well as other dependent relatives, clothes on their backs and roof over their heads. Icheoku admonishes the world to stop seeing Late Mr Domingo Ezirike as a Nigerian taxicab driver who was killed over 75 cents; but to remember him as the father, brother and husband he was doing an honest job for an honest wage. At least he represents those 99% of Nigerians living in the US who are not engaged in fraudulent activities and for this, he should be mourned and missed. 

Driving taxicab is a JOB; admitted that many people with PhD, law degrees, computer science degrees, banking degrees, teaching credentials, medical degrees as well as other advanced humanities degrees, who found themselves driving taxicab in the United States would rather be doing something else. These people did not wish that driving taxicabs were their first job. It is called situational condition and in America so many people are so conditional where you have to survive first before thinking about preferences. As an American would tell you, you gotta do what you gotta do. Would the late Mr Ezirike wished he had a 9 to 5 job on Wall Street pulling in high six figures every year, you bet; would the late taxicab driver Domingo wished he was a legislative assistant to a congressman in DC wearing shirt and tie to an air-conditioned office each day, probably yes; would the late Mr. Domingo Ezirike wished he was employed in one of the Prince William's county municipalities, pushing the pen or keying away on a keypad, yes; but in America the realities are different from the fabled and so many immigrants end up doing what they would not ordinarily settle for in their homelands including the risky driving of taxicabs.  Literally stranded in America, they have to do what they have to do to survive as running back home to their motherland is not an option, some being already in debt and the northern star of their families in whom so many hopes are vested. Moreso many of such immigrants are raised not to be dependent and too steeped in dignity to settle for government handouts, they would rather pick leaves off the lawns for a living. 

Yes, Icheoku is proud that 40 yr old Nigerian cab driver, Domingo Ezirike, was shot and killed in the line of duty, doing a legitimate job and not as a bank robber holding up one community bank in DC or a liquor store on the northeast corner. There is dignity in labor and provided it is legitimate, there should be no shame in that, no matter how lowly or menial that might be. Also the alleged disputation over 75 cents might seem paltry, but that is on a hindsight; moreso a cabbie who tolls all the roads trying to makes ends meet knows that such change adds up. Icheoku says late Domingo never knew he had a runaway from the Youth Correction services in his cab otherwise he would have waved him on without more and the murder suspect was not carrying a badge of infamy on his head announcing that he was going to kill the cab driver if he demands for his complete fare to be paid. Not even the police who stopped his cab and spoke to him about his unfastened seat-belt knew that they were speaking to a dead man driving a taxicab; or that the youthful passenger in the back seat of his cab was carrying a concealed weapon with which he would kill him within a short period of time. Should we now blame the police for not profiling a black male in a taxicab that night in DC by ordering him out for a stop and frisk which would have revealed the concealed weapon and perhaps prevented the commission of murder? 

Icheoku says people tend to see the 75 cents as so trifle, but they should not be carried away by the seeming littleness of the amount in question; but should see the underlying principle that Mr Domingo Ezirike probably did not want to allow a strung-out on crack nigger-head to reap him off his hard earned money. It comes with the territory and drop by drop a bucket is filled; so he was not ready to be intimidated into losing some money by a troubled youth who saw him as that African here to serve them. Icheoku says let the 75 cents not becloud what really took place here and only if this would make the the bereaved family to share up a bit that their son, husband, father and brother did not die a shameful death but was a victim of a gun-ho society and a troubled youth who did not know any better. A dear friend of mine was similarly shot in a DC area of Oxon Hill sometime ago delivering pizza, by two juveniles who were declared minors and ineligible to stand trial for the crime. Although it was painful, but he died trying to earn his living wages and there is no shame in doing an honest work whatsoever. Take heart Domingo Ezirike's family. 

FYI:- Mr Dominogo Ezirike was gunned down at 4300 Ponds Street, Northeast DC on October 22, 2011 at approximately 3.35am following a fare-drop originating from Morgan Boulevard metro station in Landover Maryland. The deceased cabbie was on a night shift which probably was drawing to an end judging by the time and may have been on his last fare run when 20-year-old Rashad Terrell Slye, a troubled youth and escapee from DC youth corrections services, shot and killed him. A ride of $27.75 which was paid short 75 cents resulting to argument, followed by robbery and then the murder. For those Monday night quarterbacks who are now arguing that a mere 75 cents is not worth loosing a life for, Icheoku asks them to name just that thing that is worth loosing a life for? Are they telling Icheoku that had Mr Ezirike known that it would cost him his life, that he would have argued with that crazy youth? 

The guy was probably hustling for a Christmas visit to Nigeria and would literally kill for every dime, so do you blame him for demanding that the suspect paid his full fare? And when he gets to Nigeria his family will not allow him to rest because he is coming from America and should solve all their financial problems; assuming armed robbers and kidnappers did not get to him first? But like a popular Igbo aphorism goes, people will not because there is killing at the war front refuse to go to war - it comes with the territory so soldier on boys must. Hopefully a good lawyer will get some money for the family, suing DC for damages caused by an escapee from their Youth Correctional facility and possibly the taxicab company for failure to provide a safe work environment?  

But in America, workers of every kind and manner get killed on their jobs - from lawyers as evidenced in the San Francisco law office massacre of some years ago, to cement plant killing as recently happened in San Jose California, to the proverbial going postal as a result of recurring post office workers killing co-workers. Even in hospitals, staffs have periodically lost their minds resulting in the killing of co workers, talkless of the military where a PhD military psychologist some few years ago lost his mind and killed several soldiers he was supposed to be counselling. So hazards of the jobs is not peculiar to certain trades or profession only, but comes handy whenever a nutcase losses his center and goes on a rampage. Nigerians are not the only nationality that drive cabs in America as Russians, Afghans, Pakistanis, Indians, Brazilians, Nepalese, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Somalians, Chechnyans, Eritrea as well as so many other immigrants world-over drive cabs in America. Most of these people are professionals from their home countries who could not stand the typical politics of America's job places, assuming someone cared enough to hire them in the first place. Some of these nationalities are just too proud a people to play the kissing-ass game that is required to get along in typical job environment in America; hence they would rather be their own independent contractors, risking their necks, driving cabs to pay for Uncle Sam's accommodation. 

So as we mourn the loss of Mr Domingo Ezirike, the story should not be that a Nigerian cab driver was killed in DC over 75cents; rather it should be that a hardworking immigrant Nigerian, who was doing his job as a taxi driver, was gunned down by a troubled youth who was supposed to be under the custody of Washington DC Youth Correctional Facility which failed both the deceased and the suspect. There rests the case and that is the story of Domingo Ezirike, period. Icheoku says may his soul rest in peace.

"AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN" - HERMAN CAIN REPLIES DETRACTORS.

"As far as these accusations causing me to back off and maybe withdraw from this presidential primary race? Ain't gonna happen."With this terse statement, Republican Party's presidential candidate wanna-be, Herman Cain, soldiers on and this is exactly what Icheoku canvassed yesterday on the position he should take. 

So what if Cain groped Sharon Bialek after splashing such mouth-watering indulgence on her - an expensive hotel suite, a fine dinner at an Italian restaurant and some fine bottles of very expensive red wines? Assuming they even had sex, which under the circumstance was most probable, so what? Both were consenting adults, at least as far as their secret rendezvous in Washington DC was concerned, and what the heck if Ms Bialek later had an after-thought or better still was offered a spot on a television reality show for her story. Icheoku says and still maintains that fourteen years was just too long for an allegedly violated woman, of seemingly easy virtue, to be heard to complain that what she directly sought and got was against her will. Icheoku ain't buying this crap and so should you!

SIASIA PUNTS BLAME, FAILS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

Icheoku says an arrogant and annoyingly defensive Samson Siasia, just made matters worst by failing and refusing to acknowledge that his obstinacy and nothing else cost him his job. By stubbornly refusing to forgive and forget and call up Nigeria's currently most tested and most reliable goalkeeper numero uno, Vincent Enyeama for such a crucial match, despite numerous pleas to do so, Siasia set himself up for his final disembowelment. He should therefore not blame anyone else but himself for that failure of judgement which cost him his job.

Icheoku says had Siasia listened to the pleas of the so many Nigerians who beseeched him to forgive and recalled goalkeeper Enyeama and Nigeria still failed to qualify anyway, he would have been cut some slacks. He would still have his job today as pressure would have been mounted on NFF, on his behalf, to give him some more time as the head coach. But an egotistic Siasia felt he is rather too big to listen to Nigerians' supplications to let bygone be bygone and stuck to his gun. Moreso Enyeama had since apologized for whatever Siasia deemed he did wrong. But as far as Icheoku is concerned, speaking out against a below-par travel arrangement is not such an insubordination as would warrant benching of Nigeria's best and finest, especially in such a crucial match. Nigerians waited and hoped and even prayed that Siasia will not give them the rope with which to hang his sorry neck by qualifying without Enyeama. Unfortunately, he delivered the rope already noosed, and there ended his head-coaching stint with papa-eagles.

Now he is hopping from pillar to post looking for who to blame and seriously trying to apportion blame where none existed. This Samson Siasia has just made Icheoku mad by the whiny way he is bemoaning his sack by the NFF. This Samson Siasia have lost our respect and admiration by not being sportsman enough to accept full responsibility for his intransigence that led to Nigeria's ouster from the Nation's Cup competition, so that Nigerians can begin to forget his mediocre stint as Eagles head-coach. Samson Siasia, Icheoku says to you, get yourself together, get over your sack and get it into your tiny skull that you brought your damnation unto yourself. You should please stop looking elsewhere for a person or persons to scapegoat for your downfall.

Samson Siasai, Icheoku admonishes you to please show some humility - be humble enough to acknowledge your horrible decision made through pettiness; then properly and sincerely apologize to Nigerians for that intentional act of sabotage of their football by not playing Vincent Enyeama in that crucial match where Nigeria was leading until the last few seconds to go. then and only then would your rehabilitation earnestly begin. But as long as you keep on running around like a possessed munchkin, looking for someone to blame and blaming everyone else but Siasia for that your abysmal failure, then that long shall Nigerians see you as that little arrogant and self-righteous raccoon who deserved all that was thrown at him by the NFF. Icheoku says, may be NFF should make you refund the contract money collected for your non-performance of the condition subsequent of your contract to qualify Nigeria for the Nations Cup. Since you were hired to do something and you failed to deliver same, shouldn't fairness compel you to cough up the consideration paid and received for a performance not rendered? By the way Samson Siasia, which "similar incident are you talking about that caused your downfall?" Icheoku reiterates that Samson Siasia is personally responsible for his downfall and on hindsight, must probably now be wondering why he strung out against recalling Vincent Enyeama. What a jerk.

INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE, CHINESE POLICE SEIZES MAN'S HAND AS EVIDENCE?

Icheoku says when you think you have heard it all here comes the incredible but true story of a Taiwanese man, visiting his girlfriend in China, whose arm was cut off by thieves just to make it easier for them to steal his gold Rolex watch and ring? As if that was not hairy enough, the Chinese police compounded his nightmare when they refused to allow the man exit China with his severed limb and insisted they will keep it as evidential exhibit of the crime? 

Icheoku says here you have a man who is now both suffering the trauma of loosing his hand and also of having his hand seized and separated from him by the Chinese police. What a double whammy of a life-changing experience and Icheoku hopes another story will not soon emerge that the confiscated hand have been eaten by rats or sold to people trading on human body parts? Icheoku understands why the man wanted to go home with his amputated hand, in order to have his complete body-parts in one place, so that upon his death he would be interred complete. Icheoku is similarly keeping a pulled tooth, well preserved, awaiting the last day when a complete and whole body will be returned to mother-earth.  

The 60 year old victim, Hu Chi-yang, pictured above lying in his hospital bed, was visiting his girlfriend in the Chinese city of Putian, south-east Fujian Province; when he became a story of a mugged man who lost his hand to Chinese muggers and also had his severed hand seized  by the Chinese police for evidence. It is also noteworthy that "emergency" does not exist in the dictionary of the Chinese police as they held-up treatment and surgery of the victim for about three hours in order to finish collecting their evidence and write their crime report? Now expect Icheoku to be on the next available flight to China, particularly Putian, Fujian Province and would you be my BFF on that flight? Lest Icheoku forgets, such violet crime is not restricted to China only as an American man holidaying in Italy was recently killed there by thieves on Mo-ped who robbed him of his Rolex wrist-watch before shoving him to the ground where he hit his head on the pavement and died.

"I CAN'T BEAR NETANYAHU, HE'S A LIAR" - SARKOZY.

"Everyone talks about everyone. Sometimes even good friends say things about each other, certainly in such competitive professions. So you have to consider the main things. Is Obama a friend of Israel? Is Sarkozy a friend of Israel? Is their policy a consistent policy of support for Israel? The answer to all of these questions is affirmative and, as far as I'm concerned, that is what's important." - Silvam Shalom. 

Icheoku agrees and adds, name calling has never killed anyone and so what if Bibi Netanyahu lied to push his Israeli peoples agenda forward; afterall their biblical patriarch Abraham lied about Sarah in order to protect his skin? It is called the good lie and every person once in a while engages in one just like the latest Herman Cain sex scandal denial of "I don't even know who this lady (Sharon Bialek) is;" - a page taken from Clinton's infamous in your face lie - "I did not have sex with that woman Monica Lewinsky."

ABORTION VOTE REJECTED, BAD ELECTION NIGHT FOR REPUBLICANS.

Icheoku says if the results of today's elections in both Ohio and Mississippi States are harbinger of the upcoming 2012 election, then there is no cause for alarm for President Obama and the Democrats as Americans have wised up and are now ready to take on the Republicans. It would appear that Americans are tired of the Republican deceit as well as their inclement anti-peoples policies that they are now ready to make statement with their ballot papers. It also does not matter what the Tea Party loonies think or do as this is not their 2010. 

Two highly controversial Republican backed propositions against labor and woman's right to choose, were voted down as anti-human and retrogressive effort by the Republicans to put Americans under unnecessary chain. In Ohio, Republican supported and financed anti-union Collective Bargaining Law was rejected by Ohioans who saw it as too overreaching. And in the Bible belt southern state of Mississippi, home of former senate majority leader Trent Lot, the voters there rejected a whack proposition to make fetus a human-being for the purposes of criminally punishing abortion. Their fable that fetus incapable of independent existence outside the womb is a living person for the purposes of protection under the law, which would have criminalized all abortions including in cases of rape, incest or breached pregnancy, is rather over-broad and preposterous. Proposition initiative 26 or the "Personhood Amendment Law" could have made abortion a death-penalty offense in Mississippi.  

"Icheoku says imagine a state as impoverished as Mississippi, where it is okay to put people to death, is spending scarce resources trying to criminalize and punish medical flushing out of blood clot? Who knows when they would have extended such a planned Talibanistic law to also guard against masturbation and/or the monthly menstrual cycle, which by necessary implication, could be interpreted as living persons; using the intended Mississippi's warped and peculiar standards/rules of interpretation? Icheoku commends both progressive votes by the people of Ohio and Mississippi states and urge them to follow the pattern in 2012 . It is a new and good day in America when voters in America start using their heads more often instead of their hearts, to vote right and vote correctly.

SHARON BIALEK, HER INCREDIBLE AND INCREDULOUS PRESS CONFERENCE?

Icheoku without mincing words says that Ms Sharon Bialek, the alleged face and voice of Herman Cain's sexually harassed women, is incredible and her account of what allegedly transpired between her and the Republican Party presidential nominee wanna-be front-runner, Herman Cain, is rather incredulous. One needs to suspend disbelief and put on his unthinking hat to believe such a concocted story of an unwanted sexual move gone awry. There are simply too many issues that render her account of Herman Cain's alleged aggression highly improbable and if, it was with her full consent and lead-on. First let us consider her jovial demeanor at the press conference which is rather unusual for a woman suffering emotional distress on account of her privacy being violated in the manner described. Icheoku says any woman who really went through what she stated happened to her in the hands of Herman Cain would be seething in anger and even tear up with description of the minutia. But none was the case, a matter made worse sided by her attorney, Gloria Allred, who demeaned the alleged encounter as a "stimulus package?" Icheoku asks, where was her emotional grief if what she alleged truly took place as we did not see any?

Dissecting the alleged sexual encounter story, could somebody please explain to Icheoku why it took this woman fourteen long years to come forward; if what allegedly happened then was not consensual and she is not now being used as a tool to pull Herman Cain's campaign down and get him out of the way. If she felt so violated as stated, why did she not complain to the police then and have Herman Cain prosecuted for unwanted and unsolicited sexual offense and violation against her person? Icheoku is not so dumb as to buy into her reality-show styled explanation that she felt too embarrassed then to file charges? Icheoku asks, if it was too embarrassing then to come forward or file charges, why is it no longer embarrassing now, after fourteen long years had passed by, to come forward belatedly to make this accusation? What changed or like some commentator said, she appeared to be under some influence during the conference that impacted her demeanor? 

It is also instructive that this woman is a single mom and you wonder who the kid's father is and whether she had him outside wedlock or if there was a divorce, the reason for the divorce? Such traits are very important as they point to the character traits and veracity of the accuser, who Icheoku believes, is targeting television reality-shows, talk-show appearances and possibly looking at some money making opportunities in Hollywood with her after-thought allegations or for whatever the weight, her fourteen year old sexual encounter with Herman Cain

The second issue that bogs Icheoku watching Ms Sharon Bialek's press conference is her reading of a prepared and well scripted text of what she alleged happened, instead of just an off-the-cuff rattling out of the encounter since she is the person with direct personal knowledge and her recollection should not be an issue or so fuzzy as to put them down in ink before the press conference. Needless to add that she refused and did not take questions from the press corp gathered? Icheoku says if Ms Sharon Bialek was truthful and candid about the encounter, she wouldn't necessary need the assistance of a script to tell her story; so the very act of her reading from a lawyer's well choreographed script, fourteen years after the encounter tasks the veracity and truthfulness of the alleged. Who needs a written and vetted and possibly coached script to recall what happened to her body in the hands of sexual predator which they are ganging up to make Herman Cain? Just watch her demeanor throughout the press conference and you would see a woman who is not sure of what she was stating as happened; but who is just out to do a job to take Herman Cain out. Icheoku just wonders how much she was paid or promised for the theater displayed which disturbed millions of rational people's mind who were able to lift the veil and read between the lines. 

Following closely to her incredulity is the issue of the minute details of that encounter which she readily recollected, such as what she was wearing that night and the fact that Herman Cain's shirt was unbuttoned even remembering the colors of their clothes? Icheoku says I don't know about you, but I do not personally remember with exactitude, the clothes I had on just last Friday, talkless of fourteen years ago. But here is Ms Sharon Bialek telling the world the colors of the clothes they had on and you wonder if the color blue is recognizable at night? 

Then the question of how she first met and knew Herman Cain so well as to be invited for a meeting in Washington DC through the night that required her overnight stay? Why didn't she decline the offer of an expensive hotel suite provided courtesy of Herman Cain if she was not seriously thinking about a liaison with him that night by necessary implication of her accepting the pass being made with such a luxurious hotel accommodation? If a man who is not related to you either familial or professionally, pays for a very expensive hotel suite for you and you accept it, what message were you sending to him by such acceptance of his offer? That no, I will enjoy your hotel suite but there will be nothing for you? 

A defense would also excavate the possible reason there could be why Herman Cain needed to rush into the accuser's privates in a parked car in a parking lot, when they had the whole night to explore their crevices following a sumptuous fine dinner and wining in an Italian restuarant when there is an expensive hotel suite waiting their romantic arrival? Certain conducts involving dates and romance are not often vocalized but implied - an expensive hotel suite was offered by Herman Cain and she accepted same without any precondition or objection; even when according to her account, Herman Cain actively reminded her that he was the one who upgraded her tiny room to an expensive suite, she merely giggled her appreciation? Icheoku says if Ms Bialek was not looking forward to something that night with Herman Cain and thereby lead Herman Cain on or was not totally convinced on what the night with as progressing into, she would have raised an objection at the earliest time when the expensive hotel suite was offered to her. She would have at least informed Herman Cain upfront that she hopes the suite was in-gratis and not a quid pro quo gift offered for something in return. That she would only accept such an expensive hotel suite gift conditionally - on the condition that she does not give her body to him in return. But no, instead she played along just to get a job only to fourteen years later, have a change of mind? 

It is ridiculously unbelievable. According to her account, Herman Cain put his hand on her lap, then navigated it towards up her legs and into her vagina and one wonders why she did not stop Herman Cain cold at the onset of his expedition? Icheoku asks why did Ms Sharon Bialek wait until Herman Cain's fingers made contact with her clits, and not at the moment he made the initial contact with her body, before she complained? What was she wearing that night that gave Herman Cain such an easy access up her privates? Was she wearing a thong, panties, pantie-hose or was she butt-naked just to seduce a possible employer? Did she invite the encounter by overt flirtations and mannerisms which suggested a come-on; and would Herman Cain been dismissed as not a real man if he did not bite the bait? Did she slap Herman Cain for violating her privates or was she like the hotel maid in New York who merely changed her mind after a consensual sexual encounter with the Frenchman Dominique Strauss Kahn? Icheoku is not just buying into her story as there appear to be so many smoking mirrors that needs to be defogged for clarity. 

Icheoku wants to know did Herman Cain touch her suggestively, whispered some soothing love-monologues into her ear, first kissed her and she kissed him back leading him to believe that she is open about further exploration of her womanhood? Icheoku is loosing his mind trying to put a handle on this accuser's account of what happened as no reasonable man would so suddenly thrust his hand into a woman's vagina without first getting the green-light that it is okay to so do. Usually most sexual dalliances starts with smooth words, soft touches, kisses and then explorations; so why must this episode be starkly different? Who hired this woman to take out Herman Cain? 

Icheoku is not in anyway holding brief for Herman Cain or supporting his far-fetched presidential nomination effort; but let the wrongly accused be defended as Ms Sharon Bialek's story is rather too difficult to believe as is. We all know the power of the butt and how some lecherous women deploy same to get whatever they want including jobs, promotions and raises? If this woman was truly going to meet Herman Cain without a prior calculated plan of offering herself to him in order to get a job, why did she not travel with her boyfriend to meet him? Why did she go alone to Washington DC to meet a man who is not related to her in anyway and warranting her to spend the night? She accepted an upgraded hotel suite at the expensive Capitol Hilton in Washington DC, a dinner at an Italian restaurant that must have cost some pretty pennies, enough drinks to cure some jitters which may have been some fine bubbly champagne or other impressive red wine and then what did she expect thereafter? That the man, fully blooded, would just say see you tomorrow, Ciao Bellisima? 

Who is fooling who and who is really misleading the gullible Republican Party's primary electorates but a woman who is being used as a weapon of mass destruction to destroy Herman Cain's blossoming campaign; hired by people who now see Herman Cain as a threat to their agenda to get a white person into their White House in 2012? Hear this shameless and irrational woman state her story, "Instead of going into the office he suddenly reached over and put his hand on my leg, under my skirt and reached for my genitals; and thereafter brought my head towards his crotch?" Icheoku says anyone who have attempted sexual relationship in a car would vouch for the difficulty in having one's hand inside a vagina while at the same time pushing a woman's head unto the penis for a BJ while seating side by side with one another. Ask yourself, what would make Herman Cain to "suddenly reach over the woman's skirt" when he reasonably had the expectation to get some anyway through the night? This narrative sounds like a process that involved some time from hand on the leg to under skirt and then vagina; so the question remains why did Ms Sharon Bialek not stop Herman Cain's sexual advances when he first put his hand on her leg? 

And all Ms Sharon Bialek has to prove that what she is alleging took place are two signed documents, one by her former boyfriend and another by a friend businessman; and Icheoku wonders what their motives are in signing such a hearsay document of she said, without any more collaboration? It is also needless to add that they were not deposed contemporaneously following the incident or so soon immediately after it came to their knowledge. What an offensive nonsensical thrash.  It is also instructive that Herman Cain had dined and wined this particular woman on more than one occasion in the past eliciting the question, which able-bodied man would not interpret her mannerisms as a green-light to press on assuming that what was alleged took place? 

Icheoku asks, if according to her account she told Herman Cain that being intimate with him that night was not what she came for, why did she accept all the favors that are usually incidental prelude to having a sexual relationship such as an upgraded hotel suite, a fine dinner at an exotic Italian restaurant in addition to some expensive drinks? What were Ms Sharon Bialek's reasonable expectation as she burnt Herman Cain's bills that evening both in the expensive hotel suite as well as the Italian restaurant or did she mistook him for an eunuch and a father Christmas? In conclusion, Icheoku rebuts and rejects the claim that Sharon Bialek is the face and voice for women who had been sexually harassed by Herman Cain. She is but a hired cunt doing a hatchet job for whoever paid her for this theater that wants Herman Cain's campaign imploded. To Herman Cain, Icheoku urges you to  soldier on and never fall prey to this time-worn out tactic of getting one out through the backdoor. If they are good enough and feels good about their chances, let them allow Republican Party primary voters to decide who their presidential candidate shall be.  Please do not succumb to the modern-styled lynching being orchestrated by some party with interest who would not want to see a guaranteed black occupation of the White House in 2012 which your nomination will portend. They want to shut your campaign down but you must not let them; you must never surrender, you must never cower down by these useless belated allegations.  They are orchestrated and they are their words against yours, so?

Imagine Ms Sharon Bialek waited for fourteen years to confront Herman Cain at a Chicago Tea Party conference; where she wondered "if he had done the same type of thing to any other women?" Icheoku says what a lawyer crafted statement thrown in to prepare grounds for possible future lawsuit. If she ever wondered the thought as claimed, why did it take her fourteen years to do so and did she think Herman Cain was a sexless monk not to have made overtures to other women all these years, assuming he did not actually have his way with Ms Sharon Bialek that simmering mid-summer night in Washington DC? Icheoku asks Ms Sharon Bialek whether it was inappropriate to cut corners in order to get a job by directly reaching out to the NRA President Herman Cain, instead of just sending in your job application to the National Restaurant Association office as would any other job-seeking Jill-American without connections in high places in Washington DC or elsewhere? And to Ms Sharon Bialek, Icheoku asks you, what did you offer to Herman Cain in return for the favor of landing you a job, assuming you told the truth?