ABATI'S ODE TO JONATHAN, A RESPONSE.

"Yes, great minds like Abraham Lincoln, Mahtama Ghandi, Martin Luther King and Kwame Nkrumah made the world easier. Yet whatever they achieved was with plainness of approach, honesty and integrity. They were not attained with dourness and stupidity. They came out of a vibrant methodology and pragmatic visions. Jonathan lacks these qualities. Comparing the man Jonathan to these great minds is illusory and vain." - Dr Olusegun Fakoya

'AMERICANS, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM" - TAMERLAN TSARNAEV.

Icheoku says deceased Boston Marathon terrorist-bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev was indeed a demented soul crying out for help (acceptance) and for a long time too? He felt trapped, alone and lonely in a society that he considered predominantly, exclusively racist. Just listen to him rant about having no single American friend all the years he had lived in America and called it home; and that he "do not understand them;" and you see a picture of a disillusioned hermit, pining away in a "foreign alien land" and suffering from internal isolation. In his own words, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, speaking of his frustrations about life in America said:- "I don't have a single American friend; I don't understand them." (FYI:- Tamerlan is pictured in color left while his brother Dzhokar is afro-haired and in black and white) 

Icheoku queries if life in America for Tamerlan Tsarnaev was or became so unbearable, why did he not just pack up and leave, since no one was going to or would have stopped him from leaving the country? If life in America was so brutish and much more brutal than the life Tamerlan Tsarnaev had in Chechnya Russia wherefrom he migrated and sought asylum in the safety of America, why didn't he simply move back to his birth-homeland and enjoy the "bliss" there? If life was as inclement as this pitch-fork terrorist made it out to be, what stopped him from just moving away to any other country including Canada, Mexico or even Nigeria for crying out loud? But no; instead, he and his brother chose the path of infamy and exploded weapons of mass destruction at the Boston Marathon, killing several and maiming hundreds of innocent people including women and children; as well as causing property damage. What a pitiful guest this guy was to a caring city which took him in after he sought protection from the undertakers in his then motherland? What a dept of gratitude repaid, indeed?

Did these victims deserve the fate visited them by the Tsarnaev brothers? Did the city of Boston deserve to be targeted in this manner or any other way? A city which had provided these animals with a place of abode, education and means of livelihood all these years they lived in America? What about the untold psychological disturbia these munchkins hoisted on Marathon loving athletes the world-over who will henceforth have to deal with the enveloping effect of this unfortunate incident hounding them each time they put their lungs and sinews to the ultimate test in endurance? What about the American populace that was beginning to move on from the nightmare that was September 11? In short what about the world populace who are beginning to feel that the war on terrorism is achieving its objective of making the world relatively a safe place again? Icheoku says the answer to these questions are rather emphatic denunciation of the Tsarnaev brothers act and these guys deserve not to breath a day longer than is necessary to pass them through the crucible that is American justice; albeit the only surviving Dzhokar who must now be made to suffer the maximum penalty prescribed under our laws. Their act is despicable, inexplicable and uncalled for; and no REASON whatsoever justified or would justify or attempt to justify it. Such terrifying fear-hostage situation cannot, shall not, must not and will not be tolerated or accommodated in any civilized decent society that still values law and order like ours, period. 

What Icheoku does not get, did not get, refuses to get and would not even try getting or in any other event attempt fashioning an explanation to, is why the elder Tsarnaev felt so depressed and so isolated in America, yet still lived here? Why did he decide to, instead of moving to an "Eldorado" elsewhere, vent his raging anger and frustration on the society by inflicting so much pain and suffering before ending his own decrepitude miserable life? Why did the Tsarnaev brothers so tragically bomb innocent athletic men and women participating in the Boston City Marathon as well as their supporters, including little children? What made a frustrated Russian imbecile to co-opt his brother for this tragic journey of no return which once again inflicted indelible agonising pain on the American peoples' psyche? As a matter of factually speaking, Icheoku says the "whys" are not any longer important and/or are not necessarily as important as the assured punishment which the surviving Tsarnaev should and will receive, his elder brother having already met justice via law enforcement bullets. It is just crass wickedness and evil; and whatever be their motivation, Icheoku does not care to know or like President Jonathan of Nigeria would say, "don't give a damn" about it. They can instead, stuff it in their you know where.

Whatever be their grievances; however extensive the provocations; however widespread the aggravations, however egregious their misgivings were with the American society or her government, those victims were not directly or in any other way responsible for bringing it about and therefore did not deserve the hand dealt them by these Tsarnaev killers. The killed, maimed and wounded did not create nor continued to prop the system which supposedly isolated the Tsarnaevs and prevented them from completely assimilating into life in American society. Their paths never crossed nor did their eyeballs look the evil-eye at them. So assuming the Tsarnaevs had an axe to grind with the American society, why did they elder Tsarnaev not take his pent-up anger to the American peoples representatives: - the policy makers in Washington or Massachusetts State's Capitol or to Wall Street or even the Pentagon? Why non policy actors or implementers; people who probably are feeling what Tamerlan allegedly felt if not worse? Or because of the tin-man cowards they are, they rather chose a soft target to registered their malignant complaint?

May be if Tamerlan Tsarnaev had interacted more, watched more television or even porn, went to a baseball game or the NBA, gone to rock concerts, attended a barbeque or tailgated in an NFL game, participated in community organizing or any other all American pass-time, may be, just may be, he would have understood the Americans or at least tried? But instead the cowardly nymph embarked on meaningless vengeance and waylaid defenseless and innocent athletes, killing, maiming and injuring so many. Icheoku says if these terrorist-bomber brothers are not the lowest common denominator of the lows, the ground-zero of all shrivelling scumbags, the worst type of contriving maggots and most foul-smelling human excrement, then nothing else so qualifies. To death, shall the surviving Tsarnaev brother be put, in order to join his already dead brother in Hades. He deserves the worst kind of tortured death like a fire-roasting while alive, except that civilized behaviour would not allow that today. Dzhokar deserves to be severely punished for what he did in order to deter other would-be future terrorists, some of who are possibly already in our midst, lurking and lying in wait for the opportune time to take their cheap pot shot at Americans. 

However, now serving as a devil's advocate, Icheoku asks why did the Tsarnaev brothers attempt to do the impossible - "understand the Americans?" In response to terrorist-bomber Tamerlan's awe at not understanding Americans, Icheoku says no one does and not even Americans themselves understand themselves. If anyone is in doubt, take a look at the Congress and Senate where elected officials seem to be in perpetual fight over their lack of understanding of one another and what it is actually that the American people sent them to Washington to do and want from their law makers. America is a complex, highly developed and educated society with unbridled penchant for always asking why? It is a society that is very calculating and always asks, what is the trade off? It is a very impatient society with the know-how and a can-do spirit and ability and which often gets them frustrated when the world seems to be rather too slow to appreciate what is required of them. It is a highly motivated and patriotic society which rallies around anything and everything American, the internal jaw-jaws and frequent democratic disagreements not withstanding. Americans are also highly emotive society and reacts accordingly. They are sometimes easily pissed-off by indecisive dillydallying and stupidity of others. To Americans, impossible is not always a good answer as they can crawl around or punch through any problem for a resolution. To Americans, the saying where there is a will there is always a way is true religion. We also love life and can go to planet Mars to have a good piece of it.

Continuing, Icheoku says Americans are also very brave and courageous people who are not afraid to take on any one who makes them mad. They are not timid nor intimidated by anyone, not by Bin Laden, not by the Tsarnaevs and not even the DEVIL himself; afterall who can put fear in people inhabiting a God's own country? They are somewhat restless as they continuously seek to conquer challenges including terrestrial frontiers like Mars, developing new medicines to tackle diseases as well as rushing to the aid of other countries needing emergency assistance and disaster relief. They are a driven-people on high octane fuel and enmeshed in high-speed this, high speed that. This calls to mind one commercial which says "It is my money and I want it now!" When Americans want something, they want it now and this is what the rest of the world sometimes does not, like Tamerlan, understand about Americans - the urgency with which they troubleshoot issues. They are highly mobile and most Americans have moved about three times in their lifetime - relocating and calling different nooks of the country home at one time or the other. Icheoku was bitten by this bug and have moved severally too. Americans don't suffer fools lightly and usually cut through the chase. They will go to the end of the earth to rescue an American citizen in trouble as they take care of their own, especially if abroad. The law of the land is supreme and everyone is amenable to. Americans are time conscious and have zero tolerance for laxity; and could many atimes be hot-tempered. They owe their primary allegiance to America and to no other person, sovereign or country. But they are definitely not MEAN. America is and still remains the best country in the world compared to any other countries in planet earth, despite a menagerie of social problems prevalent therein including racism and intractable acute homelessness. 

Tamerlan and Dzhokar Tsarnaev, this is the America Icheoku knows and understands. This is the America Icheoku have known for several years and proudly calls HOME. The Tsarnaev brothers, may be if you had applied yourself more, tallied a little longer, asked the right questions, did the right things, mixed and mingled more, may be you would have understood Americans more and better and thus saved everyone the painful experience that was Boston City Marathon bombing. Like their uncle said, the Tsarnaev brothers "never acclimated to life in America" and Icheoku adds, so are many other millions of people in America who are living within their own ethnic communes and enclaves within the American society. This habit makes one to wonder if the society they left to come to America was that all good, why did they leave it in the first place or was it a case of a snail which can never get rid of its shell? Like many other things in life, coming to America is one thing and soaking it up is another and that is where the rub meets the pavement as to the choice people make here. Unfortunately this feeling of being a strangling stranger in a strangeland America, which was the choice exercised by the Tsarnaevs, ultimately led to their waterloo; but not before they visited mayhem on Marathon guests of the city of Boston.

What an irony of fate it is that a guy who once noted that "there are no values anymore" and worried that "people cannot control themselves anymore" seemed to have himself fallen through the cracks as neither "value" nor "control" manifested in this heinous act that was Boston Marathon bombing. Icheoku says that neither "value" nor "control" was Tamerlan's strongest suit; which begets yet another question - was Tamerlan another Pharisee of our time? Thence, Icheoku is forced to wonder, whether something terribly wrong suddenly snapped in him to herald such plummeting deacceleration. Regrettably, the answers to these questions will elude us forever as Tamerlan died with them, and without giving security operatives the opportunity to pry them out of his mouth.

BOSTON MARATHON BOMBERS,, HEADED TO NYC - BLOOMBERG?

"We don't know if we would have been able to stop the terrorists had they arrived here from Boston. We're just thankful that we didn't have to find out that answer." - Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York speaking on the Divine providence that stopped Boston Marathon bombers cold and prevented them from getting to New York to prosecute their terrorism act. 

Icheoku says well put together Mayor and in a case where lack of desired answer was a preferred option. 

However no one seems to acknowledge the hijacked guy, without whose cruel fate, those Boston Marathon bombers might still be on the run. Imagine a scenario where Boston operatives would have been looking for their suspects - "the dark-skinned" terrorists, while the real "fair-skinned" terrorists would be miles away in New York causing another mayhem. Thankfully a bad incident of a vehicle hijack led to the solving of such a heinous crime of no mean magnitude. As far as Icheoku is concerned, this guy is the real hero and deserves all the credits for solving the Boston Marathon crime and should get any and all available rewards thereto.

Also thanks to the technology of the IPhone and Mercedes' imbeded tracking devices which triangulated and honed operatives to the mad men of Russia from Dagestan Chechyna. The rest as they say, is now history and one lived in real time.

OSHIOMHOLE TAKES IT TO IGBINEDION.

“I want to send a warning to Chief Igbinedion that he should take it easy. He walks as if he is above the law. I want to put him on notice that if he continues with (his) elderly rascality, I will bring him to justice. He must never ever underestimate the fact that I have the will and I have the capacity to deploy that will. If he crosses the line, he will be cut to size. Elders must teach the younger ones to behave responsibly. If he misleads himself into believing that he has the birth right to continue to appropriate and privatise the resources of Edo State, he is living in a fool’s paradise.” - Adams Oshiomhole chastising Igbinedion.

Icheoku says to Oshiomhole, we've got your back and if you cannot bring the Esama to justice, just take justice to him; either way he gets an assured  rendezvous with justice. Igbinedion is thus served and the notice is sufficient. Thank you Governor for standing up to the man who thinks and believes that everything, including the air people breathe in Bini as well as through out the entire Edo State, revolves around him. Way to go NLC president and hopefully someday president of Nigeria as Nigeria needs a real man, who is breathing fire, in Aso Rock to cut these hogs to size. It is about time someone manned up against all these perverts derailing Nigeria and continuously putting it on a perpetual all motion and no movement spin; which peradventure  benefits the few to the chagrin and detriment of the majority. Icheoku concurs.

CHINUA ACHEBE GOES HOME, MAY 23 2013.

The good with Professor Chinua Achebe will be interred with him on May 23, 2013 in his country home town of Ogidi, Anambra State, Nigeria. The world reknowned literally giant will be will be laid to rest with his ancestors after a sojourn on this earth that was well accomplished and fulfilled in so many ways; except that the country that was never recovered itself in his lifetime. Icheoku says this Nigeria's inability to become truly a nation possibly would be Achebe's biggest regret. Adieu Chinualumogu.

WHO BOMBED BOSTON MARATHON?

Who dunnit? Icheoku asks who is (are) the culprit/s that wrought havoc in the world-famous Boston Marathon? Who is the faceless depravity that took the innocence of Boston Marathon and ensured it will no longer be business as usual in the world's meet where the best of the best in endurance come to prove their mettle? A world-reknowned proven grounds for people with bigger and better-conditioned lungs as well as other physical attributes? Icheoku asks should the agencies be looking inward or outward in their task of unmasking the mass-murderer/s that wrecked the havoc that was last Monday's Boston Marathon? Are they home-grown terrorists or the usual suspects - Al Queida Inc? 

Icheoku is quite hopeful and confident that sooner than later this puzzle will be solved and like the leading investigator said, if it means going to the end of the earth and moving mountains to put a face on these scums, consider it done. The President equally emphasised that these terrorists will surely meet an assured rendezvous with American justice system and Icheoku adds, can't wait. Borrowing from the words of President GW Bush, 'those who wrecked Boston Marathon will soon hear from the rest of us'; as they not only attacked Boston but also attacked what makes America the stand-out country it is - simply the country before which there is none other all things considered. They made a go at our FREEDOM and our response is a big HELL NO, you ain't gonna succeed. These scavengers have murdered sleep and until they are arrested, tried and sent away to rot in Colorado maximum security prison, 300 feet below the grounds, they shall sleep no more! What a basal scoundrels these people are that took the life, among two others, of an eight year old boy who came with his family to watch a future he could later explore and possibly exploit. Needless the say that the boy's sister lost her leg in the attack as well as his mother who was badly injured too.

Now a BBC correspondent asked Representative Frank Barney of Massachusetts why and how it was possible that the bomber was able to infiltrate the condon and plant his deadly cargo at the locus in situ with the saturated police-presence therein without being detected? The Massachusetts' Representative, apparently peeved at the question, did not go on the excursion. Icheoku adds, that angle should also be investigated by the agencies trying to fathom an answer to the what, the why and the who of the bombing. This becomes imperative as the police claimed they made repeated security sweep along the route of the marathon with one last sweep just few minutes before the event started. Icheoku queries, why did they not see the IED package or was it planted after and if, by who or was the bomber possibly wearing a police uniform not to have be noticed? The other issue raised was President Obama stating that America will like to know why the Boston Marathon was bombed among other things. As far as Icheoku is concerned Mr. President, "The Why" is not that important as it is somewhat self-explanatory. It is anger, hatred and a despicable appetite by some mongrels to cause havoc, pain and suffering and thereby instill fear in the people of America and thereby scare them with terrorism, period. But the good news is that they failed and failed woefully. 

They thought that by bombing the Boston marathon and killing three innocent people as well as injuring hundred others that it was going to be a mission accomplished - that they win? Icheoku says to these dregs of the society that they are sore losers as Americans cannot be shaken into becoming a fearful jelly, not by the tin-man twerp that bombed the marathon. Osama Bin Laden tried it by killing over three thousand Americans; yet we did not lose our faith nor our resolve; instead we hunted him down and smoked him out in Abotabab and today he is sleeping with the fishes in the waters of the Arabian Sea. So to all skunks world-over who think that by bombing any place in America and taking the lives of Americans alongside that they are going to win, Icheoku says you better examine your head as your faculties possibly short-changed you; otherwise history would have educated you better that Americans do not run away from a job that needs to be done. From the Brits to the Mexicans/Spaniards to the Japs to Hitler to Saddam Hussein to Gaddafi to al-Quieda and the list goes on. It is same provocation and similar outcome - VICTORY. It may take a while but the end is always an assured certainty - America will triumph as good always thumps evil.

According to one commentator Boston is a city known for three things viz:- politics, sports and revenge; and the last is what they seek on the perpetrator of the Boston marathon bombing. Icheoku however begs to disagree with the revenge part on the case in point as Americans will simply be bringing the animal who did this to justice or better still taking justice to him or they depending on what calls first. It is a case of either Moses comes to the mountain or the Mountain will go to Moses but somehow Moses and Mountain's part MUST meet and greet. There is simply no way this dweed will get away with murder and mayhem; not as long as there is still air in our lungs and sinew in our arms. It simply is not going to happen. They have a certain fate and that fate is not palatable. To Bostonians, Icheoku says your pain is shared by us all - the freedom loving peoples of the world. Like the World Trade Centre 911 bombing which impacted every part of the world, Boston Marathon had representative runners and participants from virtually every part of the globe so the world will do whatever it takes to bring these animals to justice for poking their filthy finger in our eyes. Americans refused to be intimidated or terrorised by demented and cowardly sons of bitches; onward match forever is our collective destiny and it is our duty to protect our cherished freedom. Our sympathies to the bereaved and the injured. 

MARGARET THATCHER, THE IRON LADY, IS NO MORE.

The lady who took being strong-willed to an entirely new level, especially amongst women; who gave women power an entirely new image; who shattered the long held notion that women are the weak sex; who redefined and personified competence, ability and capability in women; who truly gave an iconic face to the saying that what men can do, women can do better; who showed that if men are tough, women could be tougher; who brought Julius Caesar's Lady Macbeth character back to life; the woman whose steely resolve was so unparalleled and unmatched in modern history that it earned her the acronym 'Iron Lady,' is gone, gone forever and for good. Lady Margaret Hilda Thatcher, British Prime Minister from 1975 to 1990 and thus the longest British Prime Minister on record, has died. Thatcher was 87 years old; and died of complications from stroke and old age infirmities. Icheoku prays God to reward her according to her service on earth. Margaret Thatcher, please say hi to Ronald Reagan if you run into him in the world beyond. Adieu Maggie.

AMNESTY TO BOKO HARAM, JONATHAN IS A LISTENING PRESIDENT.

Icheoku takes umbrage at the motley of Nigerians who are attacking the decision of President "I don't give a damn" Jonathan Goodluck to grant amnesty to the Northern Nigerian Islamic terrorists Boko Haram as flip-floping and wobbly. No, it is not. It is rather a sign of strength as the ability to check oneself and restrain from doing that which one can easily do is the real test of strength. It is much unlike the complex of 'let me show you how devilish I am as I prove myself capable of inflicting the most pain and anguish' attitude of past leaders like Olusegun Obasanjo. 

By changing his earlier stand of "no amnesty to ghosts," to now considering the plea of Northern Nigerian traditional rulers and elders alike to grant amnesty to these terrorists, the president has exhibited a rare quality of most African leaders who are usually not attuned to listening to the voices of the people; but would always bull their way through no matter how repugnant, odious, faulty, unreasonable and irrational their decision is or might be. It is called being pragmatic and pragmatism is no vice nor a character flaw; it is a virtue and a real strength of character. It is being a statesman and someone proving himself capable of listening to the views of others. A good leader must always listen to the people he leads otherwise he courts for trouble as a discordant people is an unruly people and no leader wants to be so saddled. 

The president has once again, by agreeing to explore the issue of amnesty for these murderous thugs, demonstrated that he is indeed a true democrat who listens to the people and not a despotic tyrant with a "do or die" disposition of a military dictator like Olusegun Obasanjo. Icheoku sees nothing wrong with President Goodluck Jonathan exploring the amnesty option with these Northern Nigerian Islamic terrorists; afterall late President Umaru Yar'Adua successfully did same with the Niger Delta terrorists. It is called reciprocity at best and in the same manner Icheoku supported the president' clemency and pardon granted DSP Alameiseigha and others as being constitutionally empowered, so also is Icheoku stating that granting amnesty to Boko Haram is within the president's power and it is both politically and socially a sound and good policy. Politics is a give and take venture and if amnesty is the tool those Northern Nigeria traditional rulers and elders require to get the job of restoring security in their domain done, so be it - JUST GIVE IT TO THEM.

With amnesty granted, the onus has shifted and now squarely rests on the sureties and guarantors of these Northern Nigerian marauders, their traditional rulers and elders, to make sure that peace is restored in their enclave. Icheoku says by insisting and moving for a presidential amnesty for Boko Haram as a precursor to peace, these Northern Nigerian traditional rulers and elders, have literally bonded themselves to bring peace to Northern Nigeria. Icheoku says now that they have it, they henceforth owe it to both President Jonathan and the rest of Nigerians to ensure that no more bomb goes off in Northern Nigeria or any other part of Nigeria for that matter that Boko Haram may choose to ply their terrorism or export same to. They must bring their full weight and disposition to bear on these their wayward wards and reign in their blood-letting murderous activities so that Northern Nigeria especially, might breath a new lease of life. Anything short of this expectation will be discomforting and Nigerians will know then who is not keeping their part of the amnesty bargain. 

Peradventure, Northern Nigerian traditional rulers and elders alike now have an unwavering stake in the Boko Haram madness and it is their duty going forward to ensure that normalcy is restored in their part of the country. The government has done their part by yielding to their call for amnesty to these hooligans, so they must do their own part by doing the expected or better put, the required. By securing amnesty for these terrorists from the government, the Northern Nigerian traditional rulers and elders have, by necessary implication, undertaken to guarantee peace and ensure there is NO MORE BOMBS from Maiduguri to Birnin Kebbi to Suleja or even across and below the two rivers Niger and Benue down to Lagos. If any Nigerian is killed again, if any church is bombed again, if any place is blown up again or bomb making materials found stocked in another Bayelsa government owned property in Ijora or any other place; Icheoku says the Northern Nigerian traditional rulers and elders will have some explaining to do to Nigerians on why they failed or could not or did not keep their part of the bargain. Icheoku says grant Boko Haram amnesty, let peace reign and let the promised breath of fresh air now permeate the land. 

One other aside:- Senate President David Mark has of late become very taciturn with the insecurity in Nigeria, unlike his ever present condemnations during IGP Ogbonna Onovo's very brief six months stint as the top law enforement officer of Nigeria. Icheoku queries this unabashed and unapologetic Igbo-hater what has changed or has security been improved now compared to his ever public haranguing of then IGP Onovo for failing to solve all the problems of insecurity in Nigeria and within so short period in office? Anyway, it is midget David Mark, an Idoma and his hatred of Igbo people runs in their DNA ditto the gory dismembering fate meted out to returning Igbo refugees at Oturkpo during Biafra.

CHINUA ACHEBE, 'HE BROUGHT AFRICA TO THE WORLD" - NELSON MANDELA.

Icheoku says the man who stood up against the decadence and despondence that is Nigeria leadership, by twice rejecting their useless Honor or should Icheoku say "DisHonor" awards, Professor Chinualumogu Achebe is towering in death above his traducers, detractors and haters alike. Admitted he was already tall in life, his "Things Fall Apart" classicus having sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and translated in more than 57 languages; but the encomiums being poured for him now that he has transmuted is staggering indeed. Icheoku says to the man of words, whose personal letter to Icheoku more than 30years ago is still in our guarded possession, may your journey to the land beyond be smooth; may our ancestors welcome you with music and fanfare for your bravery in standing up to the despicable men of power in Nigeria and speaking up against injustice and deprivation in the land. Go well Prof.

CHINUA ACHEBE IS DEAD, ADIEU.

Icheoku mourns a true son of Igboland who happened on the Nigerian stage when Nigeria was not prepared for his kind. Regrettably the world renowned literary genius and scholar died, frustrated at the rot that is Nigeria and the unwillingness of the ruling class to fix an otherwise easy fixable problems in the broken country. Icheoku says sleep well Chinua and may the Almighty reward you according to your works and for at least trying in the midst or apathy, by speaking up against staggering decadence and conspired indifference. Professor Chiuna Achebe died in Boston Massachusetts USA, aged 82 and will be buried at his country of origin home in Ogidi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Icheoku says so long Chinualumogu, Adieu.

A SMILING POPE FOR A CHANGE THE WORLD CAN USE.

Icheoku asks when was the last time the world saw a really happy pope beaming with such an infectitious smile and cracking funny jokes? Hopefully this amiable jolly fella from Argentina will succeed in wooing many deserters back to the church of Rome from which they since left due to its drabness and holier than thou sanctimonious pretensions. Icheoku indeed likes what we are seeing so far of this new pontiff. Way to go Pope Francis.

HURRAY, THERE IS A NEW POPE FROM THE END OF THE EARTH.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, 76years, is the new Pope and he has taken the papal name Pope Francis. The new pope is the 266th pope in Catholic church's 2000 year history and said "I accept" to his election by 114 Cardinals, whom he later asked God to forgive for electing him to lead the Catholic church. In his first papal greeting to faithfuls gathered in St. Peter's Square to wait for the white cloud from the chimney, Pope Francis said "Brothers and sisters, good evening; you know that the work of the conclave is to give a bishop to Rome. It seems as if my brother cardinals went to find him from the end of the earth. Thank you for the welcome. Good night and have a good rest." Icheoku says what a well coined and well said statement relating to the geography of Argentina which is literally at the bottom of the earth?

The new Pope Francis is the first Latin American to be elected a pope. He is also the first non-European pope in 1,300 years of the Holy Sea and the first to ever take the name Pope Francis. The new Pope described as a Vatican outsider, is a man with long pastoral experience, not steeped in academic. Pope Francis is an Italian-Argentine Latin American which lead one Latin American commentator to say that the Europeans played a fast one on Latin America in choosing a Latino for pope. According to him, in choosing a Latin American pope, they chose "the most European of the Latinos."

Icheoku says whatever be the case, it is progress to see the occupancy of the papacy shift for once to an outsider Vatican, and technically outsider European; admitted that the pope sired from Italian European parents. The virus which started spreading when President Barack Obama was elected the first non traditional white American president has now spread and infected the Holy Sea too and behold, a non traditional non-European is now the Pope. This buttress the saying that if you live long enough, you will witness so many things and with this Icheoku says to Pope Francis, be a good shephard for the 1.2billion catholics and may God help you.

NAGGING KILLS, SO ZIP IT.

Study has established that nagging is the shortest and surest route traveled to bring a marriage to a crashing end. It is even considered deadlier than infidelity and adultery put together. So couples you now know - if you want to end it asap, just let that trap of yours run afoul without ceasing. Imagine how horrible nagging is that even the Bible agrees that  “it’s better to stay outside on the roof of your home than to live inside with a nagging wife.” 

Icheoku says wives please know that men hate to be bombarded with your missile, do not be female anopheles mosquito, learn to ZIP IT or at least after a while of his taking your torture or when it becomes apparently  very unbearable.

On the positive side, couples who render each other their listening ears enjoy marital bliss, using the Faiss principles of "give and take and compromise" as their guiding light. Icheoku says so couples chose today how you want your union to go and then do the needful to make it work and work well. Goodluck in that marriage with a pissed off and frustrated husband if you choose not to understand that men hate you more when you run that trap without ceasing.

WHEN LOVE GOES OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW, JUST WALK AWAY.

“Your relationship had come to an end with frequent disagreements and rows between the two of you. She formed a relationship with another man. You resented it and tried to warn him off with threats. She let you know that she no longer wanted to be with you and wanted to pursue a relationship with another man. You were most upset at that prospect. She sought friendship elsewhere, including in an affair with another man. You were understandably upset but let me be clear about this. Many men and women have to endure the discovery that the husband, wife or partner is no longer content with the relationship they have. Many are jealous or unhappy. But what the law cannot and will not permit is the use of violence, which is what you used. ' - Judge Andrew Gilbart QC sentencing a Nigerian man wife-killer, Shola Adebiyi, to 20years imprisonment for the murder of his baby-mama Esther Arogundade. 

Icheoku says once again was Shakespeare right that you cannot know a killer by merely looking at his or her face aka the mind's construction; otherwise who could have imagined this innocent looking teddy bear knifing the equally attractive lady thirteen times with a large kitchen butchers knife while she was moaning and groaning in pain of every thrust of that cold sharp steel into her sides? Just like the fountain of Julius Caesar which bled in six places from six conspirator's stab; except that here just one raving mad lunatic did the damage. Pitiful indeed; and there goes another Nigerian man who just killed his wife or paramour or baby-mama for no justifiable reason other than petty jealousy - a sign of inferiority complex and a man who cannot stand his own and needs the compliment of the woman to feel good about himself. Icheoku queries what the damsel was ever doing with such a loser in the first place?

JUST TWO WEEKS TO ENDTIME, ARE YOU READY?

Icheoku asks if the Mayans are right and presumably, correctly predicted the end of the world as we know it - December 21st, 2012 to be precise, are you ready to meet with your maker? There is nothing wrong with preparing for a journey as you can always unpack if aborted. So it will be foolhardy to dismiss the Mayans as high on opium leaves when they made their prediction and thus, a tall tale. Therefore, until the Ides of March had come and gone, it is never over and anyone in doubt should advert him/herself to the fortunes of Julius Caesar who on hindsight only wished he knew better. Anyway the parable of the ten virgins teaches us to be prepared 24/7, likewise the motto of the Boys Scout which says "Be prepared." The expectation of the worst is the beginning of success; so it will not hurt if mankind prepares for its final Armageddon on the said date. However if the 21st comes and goes with the sun still hanging up there in the sky, then the Yuletide will morph into a double celebration - one for surviving the end-time and of course its original purpose, the birth of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. Happy holidays fellas.

THANK YOU AMERICA, BIGOTRY AND HATRED DAZED!

Icheoku says thank you America for once again trumping rabid racism and rising up to do what was right and so deservedly testimonial. Without mincing words or in any way guilty of equivocation, Icheoku reiterates that President Barack Obama did enough in his first four years in office to earn a second term and therefore rightly got the nod for a second term. Congratulations to the America people for once again getting it right. Icheoku does not ride the skin-color train in our support for BO, never did and would not in the future do. Icheoku makes bold to say that were President Obama a failure in his first term or the option provided Americans by Mitt Romney's candidature better, Icheoku would have ditched the president without any hesitation whatsoever. But the president did enough during his first term to deserve another tenancy at the White House and Mitt Romney was simply a politically over-damaged goods which offered no meaningful alternative. Icheoku and millions of other Americans agree that President Barack Hussein Obama merited his reelection and that his four more years renewed contract with America was well earned. Therefore Icheoku gives thumbs up to President Barack Hussein Obama for effectively and decisively defending his first term in office and based on his stellar records that were both far reaching and revolutionary. Well-done O'Bama!

Icheoku says but for the "White-boy" status which provided the wind in the sail of Mitt Romney without practically any more attribute, the Mormon bishop from liberal state of Massachusetts candidacy was simply DOA (dead on arrival). So many damaging factors were simply too insurmountable for the Mitt and stood like the rock of Gibraltar between him and the White House. First, neither him nor any of his six boys (sons) served in the United States military in any capacity and therefore was a no-show in national security credentials check-off. Second he was literally a persona non grata in the four states he calls or identifies as homes - Massachusetts where he was governor, Michigan where he was born and where his father George was once a governor, New Hampshire where he still has and maintains a living home, ditto California where he incorporated a car-lift in his palatial home. Mitt Romney neither ran nor maintained a good presence in any of these four states  and he was handsomely beat in all four of them too. Furthermore the Mormons of Nevada roundly rejected him as a true Mormon and sources have it that he was once ex-communicated from the overall "cultic Mormon?" These people who are supposed to know him better refused to vouch for him and Americans are still wondering out aloud who is Mitt Romney till this day? 

Then the same candidate Mitt Romney was demolished by Senator John McCain during the Republican Party primaries in 2008 before McCain himself was in turn destroyed by President Barack Obama and you wonder if he got what it takes to win the presidency, why did he lose to McCain then? Further Mitt Romney's Mormon religion did not help matters either as millions of evangelical Christians including American Pastor Bill Graham until very close to the election, had branded Mormon a cult. Then Mitt Romney forgot that there is a reason why records are kept and that despite erasing and destroying all his computer files when he served as Governor of Massachusetts, that some of those records survived in other places. Then followed the Republican Party's scorch-earth primaries where he was tagged a "vulture capitalist" and such other revelations about him surfaced and stuck. Does Icheoku need to add that Mitt Romney's mouth "runneth over" and that he was suffering from diarrhea of the mouth the campaign leading to so many unforgivable misspeaks. Principal among these infamous words that oozed out of his mouth was that he is an "acute conservative" who shows no mercy? Then came his infamous video where he was chastising poor Americans - the 47%, whom he accused of being "TAKERS." This 47% video proved an atom bomb for his presidential ambition. And then his boisterous 'I will repeal OBAMACARE the first day in office while cleverly maintaining a selective amnesia that his then "ROMNEYCARE" or "Romney I don't care" or "Romney, I regret my Care" was a precursor of OBAMACARE and that the same advisers worked on both legislation. His so many flip-flopping on issues became so rampant that Americans began wondering if indeed this man was who he pretends or presents himself to be. 

A big red flag was raised when he refused to release his tax records on his over $250 million net-worth/earnings with millions of Americans wondering what was he hiding? He also hid money in overseas offshore accounts both in Cayman Islands and Switzerland and you wonder what is wrong with American banks in his eyes and whether such an investor in foreign companies was patriotic enough to be an American president? Then factor in the companies he kept including Donald Trump, Rush Limbaugh, Sheldon Adelson etc. Icheoku queries which right thinking presidential candidate would accept a public endorsement from the straggly-haired billionaire Donald Trump when the issue of his being a too wealthy out of touch multi-millionaire with offshore bank accounts was seriously bogging his campaign? The same lack of judgment by Mitt Romney made him tie down his dog Seamus on a car roof for a 12 hour vacation journey. The same penchant for non-nuanced judgment made him declare that American auto industry should go bankrupt? Ditto FEMA, Planned Parenthood etc which he promised to de-fund. Then came his selection of wacko-doodle Paul Ryan as his running mate and you wonder what the joker was in that decision; needless to say that his campaign never fully recovered following that uninformed and reckless pick of such an anti-people candidate. That Mitt Romney endorsed candidates who wanted to "legitimize" rape in America and refused to renounce or denounce them told so much story about where his Mormon heart truly was - that he too is an anti women candidate? 

This is a guy who was questioning why airplanes windows does not open and you wonder if he has mush for brains not to know the ramification or why airplanes have compressed air? Yet despite such guffaw, no one including Donald Trump, demanded to see his college transcripts? The rest they say is now history as the candidate who self-inflicted extensive injuries to himself failed to recover from the damage and his injuries followed him into and through the election and is likely to provide him company for the rest of his life. Icheoku says that Mitt Romney's candidacy has been irreparably damaged and the only option starring him in the face now is to retire and quit from active partisan politics for good. The educated and more civilized Americans chose wisely and rejected a fluke, a fake and a phony; who did not win any state as a matter of factily speaking but got only those states which naturally votes red and where people voted against Obama? Icheoku is emphatic that those red states did not vote for Romney; they only voted against "THAT ONE" who is occupying "their" White House and wanted him out by all and any means necessary. They do not like Mitt Romney either but were prepared to live with his presidency because his skin color is in sync with their idea of an American president but not otherwise as it appertains to Obama.

Mitt Romney's defeat had company as added to the also-defeated column, include the Republican Party as a brand; which has now morphed into a fully wacko anti non-white peoples party. A Republican Party which has been hijacked by Rush Limbaugh and his Tea Party hound dogs and is being asphyxiated by their far right extremist non compromising viewpoints. To say that these rabid hyenas have driven away all manners of moderation and reasonableness in the Republican party sounds cliched. Then came the shattering of the myth of Karl Rove with all the senate seats he went for lost and millions of Super Pac (GPS) money gambled away without any return on the investment. The Michelin tire-man Rush Limbaugh, whose toxic radio talk-show apparently has no influence, admitted he is delusional to the contrary, failed woefully trying to coral votes for the Mitt Romney. Icheoku somewhat believes that he is partly instrumental to Mitt Romney's loss as people associated the Mitt to this blow-hot talking robot. Needless to say that all past candidates Rush Limbaugh ever threw his support for lost their previous elections too including party primaries. Icheoku says it is about time the Republican Party unshackles itself from Rush Limbaugh's vice hold and fire him from being their "titular head if they want to reinvent themselves and become once more viable?" 

This election was also a defeat for angry old white American males who are stuck in the fifties America and who refuse to acknowledge that dynamism as an English word could still be found in the lexicon. Apparently America has since moved on and without them or rather left them behind and these people populate the heartland all the way to the deep dirty south. Icheoku says needless to add that in these Republican red states are found ten of America's poorest, stupidest, dumbest, least developed, least educated states and provide home to hillbillies and hicks of America, who are so far away removed from civilization with some of them still holding out on mountains and in caves in West Virginia and Kentucky like the Taliban of Afghanistan? So now tell Icheoku how a hillbilly holed up in the Appalachian mountains of West Virgin would know that in today's America, a Lesbian could and was elected a senator from the state of Wisconsin or that Whites are fast becoming a minority population in America? 

Also defeated and now captive of the election is the red pig Donald Trump, who is now seeing red and screaming blue murder that despite all his racist pranks and crown as birther-in-chief, that "THAT ONE" was chosen over his bigotry and hatred and emerged victorious in the election. So also is the cross-dressing and philandering former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani whose uninformed Benghazi pontifications left much to be desired. Boy, what a concoction these people must have suffered as a result of the election and their heads now whirling out off sync like a Kansas tornado? Icheoku must also mention these haters supreme pontiff generalissimo,  Senator Mitch McConnell, who was denied his wish to ensure that Obama was a one term president. Lets hope that he can now work with the president to get America's business going, now that his previously only obstructive reason - to deny the president a second term, has apparently by reason of the election become mute. Senator John McCain half-heartily supported Mitt Romney's campaign and therefore was technically defeated twice - one in 2008 and now; admitted that privately, he most likely cherished the fact of Mitt's defeat as it will tell so badly of him if the guy he defeated in 2008 Republican Primaries in turn defeated the guy who defeated him then in the presidential election.

So much for these losers, now enter other co-winners of Obama 2012 election victory:- Reclaiming the seat of late Senator Ted Kennedy by Elizabeth Warren was one such victory. Women retaining and securing their right to their body by defeating the Republican attempt to "legitimize" rape and force victims to carry such rape babies to fruition was another victory. Admitted that over three thousand abortions are performed in America each day; but hey it is their body and nothing could be worse than bringing an unwanted child to this world. So faced with the two imperatives, provided the uterus is flushed out at the early stages of gestation, Icheoku ascribes to the former rather than adding to the population problem by bringing forth another human to this world without any love. The election of the first Lesbian senator from Wisconsin, who defeated a former governor and former secretary of health in the process, was another victory. The American people defeating their Supreme Court's ill-informed decision in  Citizens United by rebuffing Sheldon Adelson of Sands Casino and the Koch brothers attempt to purchase this election through Karl Rove's GPS was also a victory. Both the decision and these gamblers were given a black-eye after they could not win even a seat nor unseat the president with over 100million down the drain in their failed attempt. The victory was also a thump over all those naysayers who had written off the president as unelectable the second time around,  including many democrats who distanced themselves from him with some of them refusing to be seen, identified with him or even attend the Democratic Party convention in Charlotte just not be, in their words, "stigmatized" by him? Now who laughs loudest? 

This election 2012 analysis would not be complete without specifically thanking certain people that played pivotal role in the success of Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Above all is God Almighty who decreed President Obama's reelection long before the ballots were cast. That Hurricane Sandy happened exactly when it did was not just a natural occurring coincidence, if you get Icheoku's drift. Like the economic crisis that sank Senator John McCain's 2008 quest for the White House, Hurricane Sandy intervened to stop the madness that was to be a Mitt Romney's nearly inevitable presidency as the On High knows what is best for her children and Mitt Romney's presidency was not one of them. Icheoku is convinced that if it would have taken turning President Barack Obama into a "white man" to enable him win a second term, God would have done so; but HE figured out that the hurricane would simply achieve the objective and so did not "Michael Jackson" the President to make his skin more acceptable to these skin-color voters. 

Icheoku is grateful to the American people for rejecting fantastical Mitt Romney and for sticking with what is real with their reelection of the president. Icheoku also appreciates President Bill Clinton for "giving up his voice in the service of his president." His effort as "Secretary of explaining stuff" paid off abundantly, especially among those baby-boomer white men in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida and for this his legacy endures. Hopefully Hillary Clinton will be elected in 2016 as the first American female president to take over the country when President Barack Hussein Obama second term ends. Icheoku says it will be hers to take then as the new coalition of real Americans including women, blacks, Latinos, Asians, young people and some reasonable white males have proved themselves as the winning team and will gladly throw their support to her, so why not? Icheoku's gratitude also goes to the Carter guy, President Jimmy Carter's grandson, James Carter IV, for that 47% video wherein Mitt Romney truly disclosed his disdain for almost half of American citizens. 

The candidate himself, President Obama, did not disappoint in the effort to reelect him as he quickly recovered from the first debate and was on fire throughout the campaign cycle culminating to his glorious reelection. His vice president Joey Biden is equally acknowledged for fighting vigorously in the reelection campaign, particularly for his "malarkey" and demolition of that extremist fundamentalist Paul Ryan during their one and only debate. A stellar debate performance which sounded a death kernel for the dreadful Paul Ryan's ambition, a man who for most part, reminds Icheoku of Julius Caesar's Cassius the conspirator. Then added the Hollywood and music greats led by George Clooney, Madonna, Springsteen, Jay-Z, Kate Perry, Tyler Perry for their tireless believe in the president. Two Republicans, Colin Powell is acknowledged for bravely standing up and taking a firm stand that Mitt Romney is not a viable alternative to the president and New York Mayor Bloomberg for his endorsement of the president. Oprah Winfrey was a no-show this time for most part - may be the rumored cat-fight between her and First Lady Michelle appears to hold some credibility? Team reelect President Barack Hussein Obama 2012 led by Jim Messina and the two Davids - Axelrod and Plouffe, and their support staff, are now the new go-to-men as far as electioneering politics is concerned in America; so move over Karl Rove Inc. Icheoku says these political strategists and tacticians are magicians for lack of any other better word to explain what they were able to pull off in this 2012 reelection of the president, despite the near-impossible and improbable circumstances they found themselves, especially with an economy that has defied almost every solution thrown in the midst. To these people Icheoku says thank you, thank you and thank you.

Icheoku admonishes the Denise Helms of Turlock California and all other racist Americans entertaining or sharing the thought that "may be President Obama will be assassinated this term" or who "wouldn't mind a bit if someone assassinated Obama," to please sheath their swords as they lick their wounds of last November 6th shellacking. However, Icheoku warns that in the event their evil wish or desire or plot ever comes to pass, America will burn and possibly shake to its foundations. Fortunately enough though, these racist purveyors of hate and mongers of bigotry in America, like the whoring daughter of Eve, Denise Helms, are in the minority as the majority who elected President Barack Hussein Obama last November, continue to pray and wish him well and no weapon fashioned by the anarchists would prosper where the God's anointed one is. These animals forgot that no one ever gets into power except it was ordained by God and while they pretend to read the bible, they simply forgot the story of David. Anyway, Icheoku calls on Denise Helms to go jump off. 

Unbeknownst to these maga-dogs, America has a new majority - the coalition of the real Americans, made up of 40% white people, 66% women, 99% black people, 76% Asian people, 89% Native Americans and 71% Latinos who called the bluff of those racist angry white people and told them to shove it by reelecting President Barack Obama for a second term. It is called democracy and the majority rules, period. Their only option now is to recognize the changed demography of America and be more accommodating of other skin colors in this nation of immigrants, irrespective of when any one's ancestors joined the Union or made it to the shores either through Mayflower from Europe, dinghy off Florida Keys from the Caribbeans and South America, as a stow in a shipping containers across the Pacific from Asia or as forced slaves in chains and shackles from Africa or across the desert boarders of Arizona and other southwestern states from Latin America as well as our northern boarder of Canada. Alternatively, let every body self-deport back to wherever they came from starting with the first people to breach the boarders back to Europe as no Indian ever gave those pilgrims visas or immigration papers to come here. But until then, we all must learn to live with each other and tolerate one another as one indivisible and equal American, driven with just one purpose in mind - to make our lives better and according to one aphorism, that which hungers a pregnant woman also hungers the man who impregnated her. 

No one came to America because he or she hates America, hence the need for sensible immigration reform to make those living under the shadow's lives more livable. Icheoku says it is rather very arrogant for some of these white people to think that just because their forebears first sailed to this shores on a ship, that excused the illegality of their violating Native Americans territorial space or makes them superior to those who later trekked through the southern deserts of Arizona to reach this shores or who cramped in a dingy and risked their lives on the south Atlantic waters to get here. Instead let us all join the president in recommitting ourselves to the American ideals of a land welcoming of immigrants; that there is no blue or red states of America but one United States of America. That we either swim together or we drown together and in unison declare that the process moves forward towards making America a better place and towards perfecting our union, In the president's own words, "The task of perfecting our union moves forward" and Icheoku concurs. Overall, the $6 billion total cost of this election 2012  was money well spent as it purchased a FORWARD looking America where progressive thoughts and ideas would rule supreme. Moreso it was money infused in the economy as the services provided were not outsourced; except that some of those Mitt Romney's posters, flyers and t-shirts probably were printed and manufactured in one of his plants in China or what do you expect from an out-sourcer in chief? Anyway, congratulations President Barack Hussein Obama on your reelection and may the Almighty continue to guide your every step during the next four years IJN, Amen.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FELLAS, SEE YOU IN 2013.

Icheoku is still in the euphoria that was November 6th, hence we have not collected ourselves enough into doing any meaningful piece before the year's end. Therefore we are going to end the year with this beautiful cartoon of President Barack Hussein Obama; truly restating positions that are or should have already been clear by now but for the benefit of those head-stuck-in-the-sand right wing Republicans and conservatives alike, who are strung out on a different narrative. 

The first time in 2008, they complained that it was because he was not truly defined and made known to Americans as the reason why he "sneaked" into "their" White House; now in 2012, would somebody or any of these humans please tell Icheoku what magic voodoo that ensured his second term? Anyway, those who want to sing will always find a song and for the others, sorry; as for Icheoku, we already have found a song and it goes thus "lets go dancing, lets go dancing, oh laa laa. Happy holidays visitors and friends alike. Thank you for keeping the fate with us this year and our pledge to you in the new year is that it is going to be much better. Salute.