ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SENT TO PRISON, FOR CORRUPTION.

Icheoku says this is a hallmark of a functioning democratic country where everyone and anyone is under the law, irrespective of societal ranking, power, privilege, connection, authority or even wealth. Such a display of across the board application of the law, puts everyone on notice that no matter who you are, if you do the crime, you will do the time and therefore effectively checkmates people from behaving illegally. Icheoku says what an effective deterrent to have in any society that really calls itself functional. By this no respecter of person rule of law display, Israel has once again demonstrated the way forward in the fight against corruption. But conversely in Nigeria, the duo of Africa's most corrupt individuals, Ibrahim Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjo, for example, are still freely slouching in their ill gotten loot of state and parading themselves as statesmen; and you wonder what manner of a people inhabit the geography called Nigeria that celebrate such ignominy and ignoble men? 

Icheoku hopes that someday, a king who does not know Joseph will rise up and call for the rendering of account in that country - a country that has enough tar over its image that it has the singular dishonor of being the black man's shame. Icheoku dreams that a Nigerian government that does not know corruption and which meaningfully frowns at corrupt practices will one day take the stage and hold people to account for their stewardship, regardless. But with this Jonathan, the fight against corruption has become a paradise lost; a promise broken, a hope mired in unfulfillment, an expectation dashed, a dream shattered and turned into a nightmare. Like his promised breath of fresh air that has since turned stale and putrid, the war against corruption has fizzled out, has become moribund and in its place is now a mega corruption industry that has festered and morphed into a monstrosity. Icheoku says Jonathan squandered much of the goodwill and positive tailwind that heralded his coming to power and now bemused Nigerians are asking themselves what happened, what did they bargain for while communally exhibiting a commensurate buyer's remorse? Icheoku says with Jonathan, it is much of the same and at best a lip service approach to tackling corruption. Imagine a government that is supposedly tackling corruption, conferred a national honor on someone as despicable as Sani Abacha, whose only achievement was his involvement in three military coups as an agent of destabilisation and who finally stole the country blind as its head of state? So Icheoku asks Jonathan, to please tell the bewildered world, particularly Nigerians, what paradigm was used in selecting such an honoree? 

Ehud Olmert, 68 years old former Israeli Prime Minister and once Mayor of Jerusalem is gone to prison on account of his stewardship while in office - he was accused and convicted of taking bribe. Icheoku recalls that the then Prime Minister was forced him out of office by this bribery scandal, which led to his prosecution and finally culminated to this conviction. Ehud Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison and in addition, ordered to pay one million shekels ($290,000) in restitution. Ehud Olmert was found guilty of accepting bribes totalling 560,000-shekel ($161,000), while then Mayor of Jerusalem, to facilitate the city's Holyland residential project development. Icheoku notes that this is a "mere" $160,000 dollars compared to the $180million dollars Halliburton bribery scandal under Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo and co which has since been swept under the rug; and you asks yourself, in a country that has serious plans for its future or which is seriously fighting corruption? 

Describing corruption as "a noxious and contagious affliction", the sentencing judge, Judge David Rozen, said "a public servant who accepts bribes is akin to a traitor who betrays the fatherland and such defendants deserve a severe punishment that will send a message that corruption is not welcome." Icheoku wonders why such judges as Judge David Rozen do not emerge in Nigeria where too many such "traitors" rather find succour in compromised judges and are often shielded from prosecution by powers that be? Continuing his berating of Ehud Olmert and co, Judge Rozen said "the defendants acted in a closed space, hidden from the public eyes; but the putrescence they produced did not stay confined to that space. Olmert took advantage of his position and accepted bribes. He reached the pinnacle of power as Prime Minister and from there he descended into the abyss of a criminal, now convicted of criminal offenses. 

Making his feeling about Ehud Olmert's conviction known, President Shimon Peres, said "this is a legal process that takes place in democratic countries. I don't have a role in the legal system, and it is clean from personal influences." Icheoku regrets that such remarks are not seen uttered by Nigeria's presidents when their friends get entangled by the law. Instead, they not only butt into the judicial process but also personally influences its outcome, with threats to undo such judges that want to aspire to be Nigeria's Judge David Rozen. Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid added "it is an important day in which the legal system showed that no man is above the law" but in Nigeria, the well connected are rather sitting on the head of the law, farting and breathing down on it. The prosecutor, Yonatan Tadmor, surmised Ehud Olmert conviction as follows:- "the defendant is not a symbol, the fact that the defendant served in the highest position does not serve as immunity for him in the face of punishment as for all people. Rather it is and should be the opposite.” Icheoku laments that such is not the case in Nigeria where the attainment of certain positions ensures perpetual immunity from the law and prosecution. Recall also that this is not the first time an Israeli top official is sent away for infra-dignities of office - former President Moshe Katsav is still serving prison term for rape and other sexual offenses. Icheoku says how could corruption thrive in such an environment that holds its highest public official and office holders accountable; but you look at Nigeria and it is a polar opposite. Icheoku says if corruption is, in the words of Eliad Shraga, an attorney and corruption crusader,  "a strategic existential threat to Israel," why not Nigeria? I am Icheoku and I approve this message. 

NIGERIAN DIASPORANS, BEWARE!

Icheoku cannot but laugh his head off at this parity of what those dependants back home  in motherland possibly do with all those hard earned money usually remitted via Western Union or MoneyGram? So the next time you receive that "EMERGENCY" SOS midnight call from motherland, please find a way to cross check the story before dipping into that your 'piggy-bank' to satisfy their request. Stories abound of relatives abusing the magnanimity of Diasporans, frivolously spending remitted money as if it is going out of print and oblivious of the hardship involved in earning it. Most Diasporans have either been a victim or know who has and if this abuse is checked, then this cartoon would have achieved what it is meant to achieve - AWARENESS. All the best.

'NO ONE UNDERSTANDS WOMEN' - THE STERLING (CNN) INTERVIEW.

Icheoku had written previously that Clippers' Donald Sterling was venting his anger specifically on Magic Johnson when he slipped leading to the current deluge that is threatening to sweep him away from his baby of over thirty five years - the LA Clippers. Icheoku asks who wouldn't be; which hot-blooded man would not be incensed that a girlfriend you are lavishing millions of dollars on, maintaining her, buying her whatever her heart delights including diamonds, designer clothes, louboutini shoes, choice exotic cars such as lamborghini, ferrari, etc was messing around with another man even if suspectedly? Added to that, that other man happens to be Magic Johnson, who is HIV positive and who according to Donald Sterling, has "AIDS?" So query, could it be that Donald Sterling was deathly afraid that his paramour Steviano, could contract HIV/AIDS from Magic Johnson and turn around and infect him? Is it possible that this multi billionaire owner of LA Clippers, although old, does not want to die yet and if, not through HIV/AIDS complications?  Icheoku is not holding water for Donald Sterling, but does that man or any other reasonable man in his circumstance reserve the right to be scared that his girlfriend is messing around with a known carrier of the virus? Your guess is as good as mine, admitted in the heat of passion, he went over-broad hence the resulting lynching. 

Now regarding the other issue he commented on - that blacks do not help blacks in America? Icheoku believes that Donald Sterling is not very far from the truth as many successful black people's first order of business is to move very far away from black neighborhoods, take a white bimbo for wife or girlfriend in their attempt to get validation and start hanging around in golf courses and some country clubs when their white connection facilitates it? Their thinking is that if they can make it, why not you. Icheoku once ran into Spike Lee and P Diddy's assistant respectively, and on broaching the idea of the need to push more black people into law through specific foundations/funding, to possibly find some replacement Johnnie Cochrans, the way they pivoted from the issue and took off was rather surprising. Icheoku also knows of Danny Glover's brother in San Francisco who is just merely "getting by" and you wonder why his rich movie mogul brother has not lifted him up? Also when Oprah Winfrey was asked why she did not consider Chicago inner city for her school which she established in South Africa, her answer was equally telling? Needless to add that so many inner cities in America has it worse than even Somalia for crying out loud; so you now know where the vibe of Donald Sterling is coming from? 

The fact of the matter is that there are things successful black Americans can do better if they are seriously desiring equalisation of the playing field for blacks in America - build and lift their COMMUNITY.  But instead, they hang around with white folks, their fellow successful blacks and most times turn their backs on the inner cities that produced them; except where there is camera, lights and actions and you see them smiling while handing out stuff to folks. Icheoku says this is not the way to do things right. Just listen to Donald Sterling tell the whole listening world how the Jews pull themselves up and out of poverty and uninformed people will turn around to complain that the Jews own everything in America. According to Donald Sterling, successful Jews pull funds together to give interest-free loans and grants to their fellow upcoming and starter Jews to enable them make something out of their lives and become somebody in the society. Icheoku once met a Jewish lawyer in Florida who went to law school free - tuition, room and board, courtesy of some Jewish trust fund. But folks, they would rather they are the only ones up there and you are down there, once the white man approves of them? Imagine the same Donald Sterling now being pummeled and called names was twice given an award by NAACP for his generosity towards African American inner cities and community in general; and suddenly, blacks cannot understand that a man can burn his top gasket out of jealousy? Admitted that Donald is now a somewhat pariah because of the face-value of what he said, but sometimes truth can come from imbeciles. Icheoku agrees that successful black Americans can do more to help other folks get up. 

Lastly Donald rehashed that the time worn out lamentations of many a man that "he thought he understood women, but not any more?" Icheoku admonishes that he should have asked himself what really made a thirty one year old Los Angeles gold digger find him interesting at eighty one years old - 50 years age differential? Simply put, she was doing all the licking and swallowing for the Benjamins ONLY and she got them in truckload-bundles. In short, Donald Sterling was the only job Ms Steviano had and she did very alright for crying out loud. Continuing, Icheoku says anyone who wants to understand women might as well first check himself into a lunatic asylum for trying to do that which is impossible. The way to go is, if you want to swim downstream, you don't first want to understand whether the water will change course or suddenly create rapids or curves and turns down the course, you just jump in and go with the flow. Also Jack Nicholson in "As Good as it Gets" surmised women thus, 'just take away reason and accountability" and you get a woman defined. If only Donald Sterling was a fan. Finally, as one uncle use to say, "any man who money or woman does not kill will live a long life". Icheoku says if only Donald Sterling had listened to his inner self or at least his old "disused" wife and not try to outdo Playboy Hugh Hefner, may be all these crocodile tears and 'Clintonisque' apology would not have been necessary. But boy was Anderson Cooper 360 good, making this man sing like a canary bird. Icheoku says this interview is by far the best Mr Cooper has gotten in recent times.

RALPH UWECHUE, REST IN PEACE.

ORJI UZOR KALU URGES NDIGBO ON, SHOWS THE WAY FORWARD.

“We are embarked on a big and noble dream borne out of the necessities of our history and the imperatives of our justice, equity and fair play. While our history is a proud, large, and significant imprint in Nigeria, the reality of our contemporary existence has been rendered small by the politics of the Nigerian republic. This time calls for self-assertion and Igbo people must rise and answer the challenges with one voice." - Orji Uzor Kalu, speaking on the imperativeness of a united Igbo front to take on the Nigeria project. 

Icheoku agrees into-to with Orji Uzor Kalu and has said it before and will again says it that in Orji Uzor Kalu lies the destiny of Igbo people of Nigeria in the Nigeria project. Igbo people must put aside their base restiveness and political disfunctionalities and follow the leadership being provided by this accomplished son of Igboland, the only Igbo man who other stakeholders of Nigeria from other tribes and zones truly respect and listen to. Peradventure this Orji Uzor Kalu's one time opportunity to lead the Igbos out of their political doldrums and into the promised land would be lost, but Icheoku strongly counsels against and laments that such golden opportunity rarely strikes twice. Icheoku loves the courage of Orji Uzor Kalu and prays he succeeds with the "Njiko Igbo" project whether in 2015 or any other future time. The way to go. Brave OUK.

CHIBOK ABDUCTION, BOKO HARAM OVERPLAYS ITS HAND.

Icheoku says the lunacy that is Northern Nigeria Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, has finally overreached itself by their brazen abduction of innocent school girls and threat to sell them. Now they will hear the collective response of an incensed world, which the group dared and taunted by both what they did and what they said. Like President GW once declared at Ground Zero, paraphrasing, Icheoku says to those kidnapped school girls of Chibok, "Nigerians hears you, Africans hears you, the whole world hears you and soon those who kidnapped you will hear the resolve of a collective world united against evil.' Icheoku believes that President Obama personally related to this outrage as he could see those kidnapped girls in Malia and Shasha and declared enough is enough, lets go smoke out these bastards out of Sambisa Forest. 

Icheoku says by kidnapping and threatening to auction off those girls, Boko Haram have murdered sleep and they shall sleep no more as the Americans have now, officially and fully, joined in the manhunt to find and destroy them. Judging from the United States of America's mission statement according to US Secretary of State John Kerry, these ulcerating anarchists that is wrecking untoward havoc inside Nigeria will soon meet their Waterloo. Against this atrocious group will be deployed one of the highest 'find and destroy' team known to man in the fight against global terrorism and it will cover land, sea (Lake Chad) and air around the Northeastern Nigeria hotbed. Icheoku emphasises that if only this sub-human specimens, known as Boko Haram, knows the awesome power that is now being amassed and coming after them, they would do what is in their best interest - surrender and accept negotiated prison terms in order to save their skins from a certain death by incineration from the skies. 

For some period now, these murderous bandits have roamed the land that is Northeastern Nigeria with impunity, taunting both the government at Abuja as well as its security agencies to do something about them if they don't like the havoc they are causing within the polity. Overburdened by lack of adequate manpower and meaningful 21st century fighting technology, the military in Nigeria was practically running on empty trying to contain these malodorous imbeciles. The result was a Boko Haram that was morphing like a hydra-headed monster - cut one of its limb here today and tomorrow another part of it rears its head elsewhere. They literally ran amok, running circles around Nigerian government and in short making a mockery of whatever intelligence gathering capabilities the Nigerian security agencies might otherwise pride themselves to have. They were everywhere and struck everywhere; and caused much anxiety among a jittery Nigerian public who looked at their hapless government but in vain for help. Simply put, Boko Haram took the country hostage and left wanton blood letting in their trails. 

Unfortunately, given that the Nigerian armed forces have no sophistry in aerial combat and/or advanced surveillance capabilities using modern technology, these Boko Haram urchins easily floated in and out of their Sambisa Forest to carry out operations without consequences. Boko Haram found solace and comfort in their "impregnable" Sambisa Forest designated operational headquarters, from where they play hide and seek with the Nigerian state; and thus mocking the government with incessant signature attacks on her citizens and their properties without being apprehended. Icheoku laments that if only the Nigerian military have eye in the sky surveillance capabilities, hi-tec listening device capabilities, agent orange, as well as the all powerful killer from the sky - DRONES, this nuisance called Boko Haram would have since been decisively dealt with. With every successful strike these bloody maggots called Boko Haram got more emboldened and with it came this feeling of invincibility. It was followed by sloppiness, recklessness and carelessness which led them to miscalculate make the biggest mistake of their life - abduction and threatened sale of innocent young school girls. This outrage has provoked the world into action and led by America who have the ability and experience, have come to help Nigeria stop this Boko Haram madness. 

Icheoku asks who kidnaps young school girls and threatens to sell them in this day and age when human trafficking is occupying world's focus and is greatly frowned at as a despicable inhumanity? Icheoku asks who threatens western education and in furtherance of the threat go about burning down schools teaching Western education and killing and kidnapping pupils of Western education? As far as icheoku is concerned, if Boko Haram had stopped at bombing police headquarters, United Nations office, churches and markets and killing Nigerian people in the process, the searchlight of the world would still not have been turned on them. It would still have remained dimmed in their direction as the world seem to have other more pressing issues to deal with than worry about a few hundred or thousands of black Africans being killed by a domestic terrorist organisation Boko Haram? The world led by America never gave Boko Haram the attention it deserves as a global terrorist organisation but dismissively treated it as some domestic disgruntled Northern Nigerian youths fighting injustice of marginalisation? 

Eventually the world has now been forced, because of this latest abduction, to take a closer at the activities of Boko Haram to rightly see it for what it is - a terror network capable of threatening the world if unchecked. So outraged that young school girls were kidnapped and now their kidnappers are threatening to auction them off like cattle, it is now operation rescue them and also stop these murdering thugs forthwith. Icheoku says what a mixed blessing that it finally took the kidnapping of some few girls to pull the world into helping Nigerians live free of these Boko Haram menace. Anyone who still doubts the power of Feminism in this world would now agree that their power is fearsome and awesome especially when their issues are implicated. Therefore it is a fair deduction to make that Boko Haram literally struck out when they attacked issues dear to feminism - women's freedom and their education? As a result, an incensed female force went into an overdrive, lobbying for immediate action against Boko Haram for daring to reverse the progress of many years. Organised, these women pushed buttons and before you know it President of the United States was delivering a rebuke against Boko Haram and emphasising the danger posed to humanity by such primitive, skewed ideology-driven terrorists. Icheoku says, with utmost deference, that Boko Haram has been maiming and killing innocent Nigerians, burning churches, schools, businesses and destroying their properties for more than ten years now while the world looked the other way. So what changed now is that the wrong group was touched by them and suddenly the world is awoken to help put a stop to the Boko Haram arrant nonsense. But it is all good as better late than never is always to be preferred. 

Icheoku had commented a few days ago on a 'Time and Life Journal's' photo-article, querying the usefulness of the "Bringbackourgirls" campaign against the government of Nigeria for not doing enough to rescue those abducted girls of Chibok? But with unfolding developments thus far, Icheoku now agrees that in so far as these protests helped in sensitizing, mobilizing and galvanizing world opinion against Boko Haram, these protests were therefore indeed worthy and commendable. Admitted that the release or rescue of these abducted girls is frontal to these campaigners, but the other more desirable outcome of their effort is the elevating of the Boko Haram issue from its hitherto domestic confinement into a global interest issue. Now Nigerians can only wait and watch as Boko Haram is forced by superior powers to forever rest in peace or rather in pieces. 

The Americans' track records fighting evil the world over speaks volume and Boko Haram is just another evil that need to be taken care of. Further, Northeastern Nigeria's Sambisa Forest will not provide much resistance penetrating than the Vietnamese jungle which 'Agent Orange' helped take care of its foliage. So with the Sambisa Forest denuded, it will be much easier for those GIs playing with joysticks in Florida to see even ants crawling on the grounds of what used to be a Sambisa Forest. Find and destroy Boko Haram is a mission that will be accomplished and Icheoku has full faith in the Americans getting the job done. They did it not too long ago when Osama Bin Laden was tracked, killed and his body taken away from an uncooperative country and without their knowledge. Now they will be operating inside Nigeria with full cooperation of an overwhelmed, humbled and nearly humiliated government and its security and military personnel. Will it be a cakewalk, nope; BUT the job will get done. America is a great and very strong country; and despite some shortcoming especially race relations, the people are good people whom other peoples' problem are often taken over as theirs and once again they are stepping in to help solve Nigeria's Boko Haram problem. Icheoku is optimistic that with the acceptance of the US offer to help by the Jonathan's government, soon, relief, reprieve and succour will come to Nigerians. 

At last, common sense has prevailed over unearned and unmerited egomaniac pride of being an African giant that is too big to admit its limitations and too proud to ask for assistance and seek help. Icheoku admonishes that even the strongest always knows when to accept some help and says it would have been foolhardy for Nigeria to continue to wallow in its handicapped confrontation of Boko Haram while pretending that they got the Boko Haram situation. Icheoku says Orji Uzor Kalu, Abubakar Atiku, Muhammadu Buhari, Bola Tinubu and all those Nigerians who encouraged seeking foreign assistance over Boko Haram were on point and are commended for pushing the initiative. The acceptance of the US offer is also a rebuke and rejection of the unsolicited advice of the once lovable Ghana's Jerry Rawlings, whose well publicised hobnobs with Nigeria's ignoble and despicable corrupt fellows, have seriously questioned his credentials as an anti-corruption crusader. Icheoku says Jerry Rawlings' recent recant and denial of his prescription of the Ghana treatment as a panacea for Nigeria mired in corruption, shocked many of his hitherto fans including Icheoku. 

Icheoku says as for those "patriotic" Nigerians wary that America might have a hidden agenda for offering to help Nigeria, Icheoku says it does not matter. Icheoku says whatever it takes, even if it means momentarily surrendering or mortgaging Nigeria's sovereignty, and provided Nigeria is rid of these pestilent Boko Haram, it is a price worth every penny. Whatever America wants to know about Nigeria's military preparedness, they already know. Whatever America wants to know about Nigeria's military weapons stockpile, they already know since no military hardware moves from point A to point B in this world without such inventory being first vetted and literally signed off by the Americans for arms control purposes. Military mobilisation the world over is monitored and tracked by the Americans to know what is where and for the primary purpose of maintaining their military superiority. So nothing is being protected or worth protecting by Nigeria in stonewalling a willing America from rendering help over the Boko Haram issue.

In any other event, America does not consider Nigeria a threat to its interest and so does not see Nigeria adversarially. BUT in any event of an unlikely military showdown with Nigeria, it will be a walkover and whatever Nigeria have or may have will be laid to waste within days if not hours. Few years ago Saddam's Iraq and Afghanistan as well as Japan and Germany of old once felt the destructive shock and awe power of the God's own country, so who is Nigeria to constitute a headache? 

Concluding, Icheoku urges the Nigerian government to show its appreciation to the Americans by immediately handing over Sambisa Forest to them to build a permanent military base there in Northeastern Nigeria. A United States permanent base in Northeastern Nigeria will be beneficial to Nigerians as it will be tantamount to killing two birds with a stone. First Boko Haram and all such other crisis coming out of that part of Nigeria will become a thing of the past as the Americans will monitor and neutralize them before they could spread into Nigeria proper; and secondly, such a base will serve as a bulwark against future insurgence from that thorny part of Nigeria. When the jobs it would add to the local economy with people hired to work on the base is added, then the benefits is worth giving it a chance. Icheoku  says just give the Americans Sambisa Forest and have them police that region forever and for good so that Nigerians can live in peace once again. If it is deemed imperialism or colonialism, who cares or are Nigerians better of now under their so called self rule? 

CHIBOK GIRLS, BOKO HARAM OVERREACHES SELF?

 

To the kidnapped young school girls of Chibok, Icheoku says the world has heard your plight and is coming to your rescue, just hang in there. 

24 IS BACK AS JACK BAUER RETURNS - 5:5:14

Jack Bauer is back! In just five days, Keith Sutherland playing Jack Bauer, the man who saves the world will be back. As usual, he will be doing what he does best - charging hard after the bad guys and shielding us all from their evil machinations. Icheoku expects one heck of a hair-raising experience with the returned Twenty Four high octave action thriller, especially after the five year hiatus and therefore will tune in, would you? Hopefully, Jack Bauer will outdo himself this time around. We shall see!

POLYGAMY LEGALIZED IN KENYA, BRAVO?

Icheoku says finally the government of Kenya now has something to bargain with in the continuing strong-arming and pressuring by the West for Africans to accept homosexuality as a way of life and lifestyle? It is called trade or bargain or inducement and as far as Icheoku is concerned, it is a fair deal. The West will accept Africans' polygamy within their society and in return, Africans will accept West's gaydom and/or sodomy as a lifestyle in Africa? Why not if not; afterall each culture is peculiar and pertinent to the geographical civilization practising it and wishing to export it. So if Party West wants Party Africa to allow some alien and strange culture to be introduced in their midst, Party West MUST as a reciprocity, do the "needful" and also take home Party Africa's own peculiar culture? On this note therefore, Icheoku welcomes the signing into law by the government in Addis Ababa the ability of families to expand as they may deem fit. 

Polygamy is a culture indigenous to Africa and our great ancestors practiced this multi-wives based marriage for eons in harmony and successfully until the white-man came and put a knife in a thriving culture, condemned it as "primitive" and subsequently strong-armed its dissuasion and near-disappearance. Icheoku says there is really nothing wrong in a man taking as many wives as he could cater for and such practice has some benefits to it, the sense of entitlement, jealousy and possessiveness of the female specie notwithstanding? In the good olden years, our forebears used such extra hands in the farms for agricultural purposes and as a way to announce their "arrival" as having made it -  a measure of their wealth indicated in the many mouths one can feed or a statement as to what a great farmer he is. Presently, some argument could still be made other than agricultural in favor of polygamy and this includes to formally legalize what every Dick Tom and Harry in Africa knows that exists within the African society and even the wider world society - men having mistresses and sometimes children outside wedlock and/or their marriages. 

icheoku asks why not formalize this arrangement such that instead of these men sneaking around to meet their mistresses, they can bring them home, introduce them to their wife number one and then manage the relationship in a more conducive atmosphere? Further, demography has proved that there are now more women than men in the world, except in China where female fetal abortions had decimated the female population in their one child policy which sees families preferring male offspring to continue to propagate the family's name, and these leftover women are as much entitled to men too. In some countries, incessant wars have also taken a huge toll on male population thus leaving so many women without eligible suitors; and among African Americans, statistics now shows that the male population is under attack by violent deaths through guns and incarceration such that black American females now have to do with playing "attachments" - husband sharing or stealing some bedtime with other women's men? 

In Africa, the trend is the same leading to so many females not being able to find husbands. In India for example, there is such a dearth of marriageable males that eligible spinsters have to pay for such scarce commodity - they bribe men (pay men dowry) to marry them. icheoku says so instead of African females degenerating to such lows like in India, is it not better that men with means and who can support these extra women be allowed to take them into concubinage? Also, Africa is plagued by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and studies has shown that men are usually the vectors of this disease which they contract by sleeping around with sex workers and unfortunately bring it home to infect their innocent wives. So why not allow these men to bring some wholesome women home as wives instead and spread their love in a more safe way and thus help save their wives from this infection as well as other STDs? 

Moreso, polygamy will help strengthen the marriage bonds as the women instead of always nagging and fighting their husbands will now turn their attention into winning their affection; they will now have to compete among themselves as to who will win their husbands' heart? Sex as always is often the precursor of many marital problems and a man well satisfied cannot be any happier; and anyone in doubt should tune into any Animal Channel or National Geography Channel or Discovery Channel to see how the Lions in Serengeti Park maintain order, ditto all the other animals. Stories abound also how some wives deprive their husbands sex just to get at them; so with many women around and at his beck and call, wives will instead of wearing tight jeans to bed, will start shopping at Victoria Secret for the sexiest lingerie to woe and seduce their husbands. Nagging will also become a thing of the past as the husband's threat of a "time out" from the bed or rendering marital services will always force such a mouthy wife to zip it? Competition is good and that is what sustains capitalism, so why not introduce it into marriages and watch marital bliss resurrect. icheoku asks which wife will have time to start a quarrel or fight or tongue-lashing when she is aware that her "running-mate" is just within a doorstep away? 

Now the other side of the argument, like every right that commands an obligation, ONLY men who can afford it should be allowed to multiply their wives. icheoku says this right to marry multiple wives should include an obligation to satisfactorily provide for them, especially wife number one as well as her children. Even an additional requirement should be incorporated into such marriages of forcing such intending polygamous husband to first get an approval from the older wife before embarking on his journey of finding multiple headaches or required to ask his wife, in a right of first refusal type arrangement, to just bring her sister over as in sororal polygyny. Further, such wife facing an impending husband-sharing should be allowed to have a male playmates if she so desires;  because her husband's added payload might be impacting his effective discharge of his marital obligation of conjugal services to her in which case the wife has a recourse to her playmate? It is called fairness and a little here and a little there is not asking for too much as this will be better than empowering the women to go for polyandry as obtains in  the Himalayan regions of Tibet or among Bari culture in Venezuela, where a woman can marry two brothers or two male friends just to keep it inside the family or within the friendship? Finally, any wife unable to accommodate such multiple-wives husband should be allowed to divorce the husband with fringe-benefit including alimony and support. 

Alternatively open marriage is advised where parties are at liberty to see other people privately; or they can become swingers where couples meet other couples just to burn off steam while exchanging each other's spouse; or polygyny where a husband can take other women BUT without marrying them formally? 

Concluding, Icheoku agrees with Kenyan Lawyer Judy Thongori that many African laws including Marriage Acts are long overdue for overhauls. According to her, these laws were made by colonial masters before these countries gained independence and without essentially capturing the value systems indigenous to Africans or they were purposely ignored and left out in order to stifle them or deliberately deemed them obsolete and primitive just to wipe the African civilization slate clean. icheoku maintains that Western monogamy is alien to Africa and it does not matter what feminists females would want anyone to believe otherwise. Also in America, some sects of Mitt Romney's Mormon church or cult still practices polygamy, so why not Africans particularly Kenyans? Icheoku says whatever happens with the Kenyan trail-blazing novelty law legalizing polygamy, it seems that a structured polygamy might be what the doctor ordered and will also prove an interesting culture worthy of revitalising in Africa. It might also down the road, become so attractive that some people might be tempted to retire to Addis Ababa after their sojourn. Simply put, the polygamy law is revolutionary and it is meant to solve so many marital problems including scarcity of eligible husband-materials. Way to go Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta.

DONALD STERLING HATES BLACK PEOPLE, SO?

America, America, my America, our America, BUT unfortunately, it is their America! A good country which would otherwise have been better and greater BUT FOR its racist tendencies. Icheoku says the mind-numbing thing about the unfolding scandal is as always the associated hullabaloo usually raised each time one of these racists White Americans is caught off guard and what they are thinking inside effervescences to the top. Yes it is true; and it is true also that many White Americans bottle up what Donald Sterling is being presently persecuted for voicing out; admitted inadvertently, since he did not know that his girlfriend was plotting to bring him down. (The villain and the Delilah, Ms. Stiviano showing her bangles, to his right pictured)

These white people hate people who do not look like them; they hate people they consider invaders of their space; they also hate the original owners of the land which they occupy and they even hate themselves for crying out loud. Therefore what is the big deal if the Los Angeles Clippers' owner Donald Sterling says he does not like black people? Icheoku says please show Icheoku that American White that truly and sincerely loves black people and then Icheoku would lead the procession to crucify Mr Sterling. It is not in their job places, it is not in their residential areas, it is not in their children's schools, it is not in their businesses and it is not in their own sphere. As far as their "love for black people" is concerned, provided you know your place and keep to yourself and your kind, we will tolerate your presence in our midst. However, BUT please do not touch our bimbos, do not take our jobs, do not move into our neighborhoods, do not drive expensive cars, do not come into Barney's and produce a credit card with some hefty credit worthiness inside it. 

'Just stay outside the gate and hold the plate and keep guard over us and our children and protect our properties and then we shall "LOVE" you,' seem to be the mantra of their famed affection for others. In short do not even attend our galas, concerts, opera, symphony and all such gathering that is "whites only" appropriate? Icheoku says this is the real America for you which no one acknowledges because if it is not spoken of, it does not exists. In America, even law enforcement is skewed against certain colors and the judiciary that is supposedly blind sees skin pigmentation as well as the depth of your pocket; yet Mr Sterling committed a very "heinous atrocity" for which he should be "hanged" simply because he said what he allegedly said? Icheoku is not holding water for this Donald, remember the other Donald, the Trump, once canvassed for an increase in White-Europeans migration to America instead of "OTHERS;" but suffice it to say that Mr Sterling's kind is not in short supply in America. Icheoku says that practically every black person living in America, especially black males, have experienced this "we don't like you people" attitude at one point, place or time; and it comes everywhere and takes different shapes, forms and occasions. 

From personal experience, this "we and them" divide runs deep in America and many a times these white people will put it to your face that they don't like you, regardless of the hurt. Icheoku once worked in a plant and one white co-worker menacingly said to my face that "I don't like you people and I hate you"; as a dutiful employee I took the matter to the supervisor who sarcastically dismissed the complaint saying that "I should not expect everyone to be liked by everyone?" Icheoku believes that were the parties involved to have been different, may be the supervisor would at least have investigated the incident. People have been called all manners of names; people have been fired from their jobs few months to their retirement to avoid pension? People have been asked to train their replacement or asked to work under a new hire? 

So racism comes in different shapes and sizes and one does not have to say what Sterling said to be a racist. Sometime, one will enter a shop to buy something and suddenly a store clerk leaves whatever he or she is doing to approach you with "Can I help you find something?" and you wonder why specifically you in view of the many other shoppers milling around in the store? Sometimes you will be searching for an apartment to move into and on responding to an advertised vacancy advertisement, the rental office will "politely" tell you the unit has been rented "few seconds" ago only to turn around and rent out the same unit to a preferred color-skinned the minute you dejectedly left the complex? Back in the day, Icheoku temp(ed) in an office with this Eastern European girl who could barely speak English but the office confirmed her and let me go before the probationary period. I ran into her subsequently and she told me the sad truth that she learnt the office do not like black people. In today's America, white people are still paid more than black people regardless of same qualification and experience and you wonder why Sterling is being persecuted? Women also get less for equal work and qualification?

Just recently George Zimmerman murdered a young black teenager solely because "he strayed in a neighborhood he should not be in?" The other time in Los Angeles, a police whistle blower was cornered and smoked to death in a house fire because he wanted to break the code of silence about racism in the LAPD? Even when they mercifully sometimes employs you, you are daily subjected to treatments that cannot be explained any other way other than that you are different? You are supposed to be seen at their pleasure BUT never to be heard until specifically spoken to and asked? Opinions are least tolerated because you are not paid for your opinion but to do the work assigned? Even among the usually generally discriminated gay community, only the WHITE GAY is a good gay; and stories abound how black gay guys would come into a gay bar and be looked over and not served and this is happening in San Francisco - the proverbial "most liberal" city in America? 

Blacks have been hog-tied to pick-up hitch and dragged through roads until completely dismembered, yes you heard icheoku right. Just few weeks ago, one white rancher said that blacks would have been better "still enslaved?" There is even an "offense" called DWB - driving while black, which practically forbids a black person from driving an expensive car as racist white police, like moths to the light, would so ticket you that you know what the deal is - driving a car outside your pay grade? You tune on television and all the faces therein reading teleprompters are all pale skinned and you wonder can't a back person read or don't they know how to read? 

Anyway, it is the subterranean institutional racism that has replaced the noose-racism of the fifties and as long as no one voices it out, it is honky-dory. This is the transgression of Sterling and Icheoku maintains he did not do anything extraordinary or different from many other of his skin-type; a practice which is so seriously contaminating the American society that every other skin type including coconuts (brown skin and acting white or white inside) now discriminate against black people. Even some call-girls will sometimes refuse you service because "they don't do black people" and when you inquire why so, they will tell you because black people stinks and stains your p***y? 

What marvels Icheoku most with the headline story is the pretence by all especially the American media that Sterling was outlandish in his comment? Like Jesus admonished, "he who is without sin should throw the first stone" and these guys are throwing stones on Mr Sterling in their sinful robes. Once again, Icheoku restates that Sterling did not do what every other person that is white has never thought about or is thinking about presently. The fact of the matter is that Americans should honestly start discussing race relations in America instead of letting it simmer underneath and beneath the surface. Instead of pillorying Sterling for what he said, may be it should provide us with the starting block and platform to seriously acknowledge this America's underbelly with a view to finding a meaningful solution to it instead of "shipping them all back to Africa" as was suggested not too long ago as a panacea. What Sterling said is awful, but which white person hasn't thought about it in America and despite Sterling "employing black people" just like Spike Lee pointed out, it was not out of love but business-driven; and  just like during slavery where blacks work the plantations of these people, these black NBA players are just seen by Mr Donald Sterling as cash-cows that should be tolerated as long as their sinews can bring home the bacon. 

But playing the devil's advocate, reading between the lines of the ranting of Sterling, it would appear it was a jealous lover irate that his sugar-girlfriend is "personally and privately" admiring another man? So it appears the tirade was about Magic Johnson and not necessarily black people, although it came out as thus because Sterling was too proud to admit his pain to his girlfriend that he is jealous of her flirtations with Magic Johnson? Instead of calling Magic by name he chose to use "black people" for cover thinking that his girlfriend will get the message. But instead she goaded him on and you now see the power of a woman scorned and who is geared to bring a man down heavy and tumbling. Here now is Donald Sterling saying he is jealous that his girlfriend is being seen as associating with Magic Johnson:- "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to? I think the fact that you admire [Magic] -- I've known him well, and he should be admired," Sterling replies. "And I'm just saying that it's too bad you can't admire him privately. And during your ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE, your whole life, admire him -- bring him here, feed him, fuck him, I don't care. You can do anything. But don't put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games. OK?" Icheoku says America, oh America, our America, BUT their America!

NIGERIAN MAN KILLS WIFE IN THE USA, YET AGAIN?

Icheoku says when one thinks that the strange abnormality within the Nigerian community in the United States of America, which sees men killing their wives, is over, a story out of Houston Texas within Harris County, has it that another Nigerian man has ended his wife's life? An over-stressed Martin Ebegbodi (mugshot) decided to put an end to the "source" of his misery and shot and killed the woman who bore his children and whom she married in 2005, Isioma Ebegbodi nee Unokanjo (smiling and standing tall). 

Icheoku says many a Nigerian married men in the United States at one time or another had thought about it and the fact that many Nigerian married women have lost it in their quest to enjoy their newly minted FREEDOM is not helping BUT fuels this scourge. However, there is this sure thing called WALKING AWAY and no matter the issues involved, investments made that was not recouped or other countless missed opportunities, a simple walking out the door would save a lot of headache. 

So icheoku reiterates that no amount of a wife's indignities to a husband or insolence, insubordination, subjugation or conversion of husband into a glorified houseboy or even being made a Mr Mom is sufficient enough a provocation to take her life. If you can no longer take the dish from hell being dished out to you by your "wife", say enough and like Jack, walk on. The trade of a life behind bars or even the lethal injection is not a good bargain for ending the alleged calamity that supposedly befell you when you married that "your wife from hell." If you are afraid of being alone, remember that prison life is not a picnic and that it could spell LONELINESS with much bolder lines. It is not worth it. It is a pity and it is more pitiful that once again a Nigerian child or children who were not active participants to this malady have been rendered orphan(s) with dad killing mom and dad going away for a very very long long time. What a shame.

INDIAN ELECTION, WHAT WOULD JEGA DO?

Icheoku says to say that the ongoing elections in India is the biggest mass mobilization of humans on planet earth is akin to admitting that the night is dark. It is simply obvious that getting 800 million voters out of the over 850 million registered voters to cast their ballots, in an election phased into nine and spanning six weeks is one such mammoth effort. 

The Indian electoral commission it would seem have mastered the art of conducting elections so well that they do this with relative ease all things considered; spreading same through six weeks to efficiently use the much needed 10 million poll workers and security personnel needed to midwife such exercise and enabling them to concentrate their effort one phased election constituency or area at a time. These people man 930,000 polling stations and 2 million voting booths, using 3.6 million electronic voting machines and also ensure that not more than 1,500 Indians use one booth and that no voter have to go more than 1.2 miles to find his/her polling station. Then add the ballot boxes, ballot papers and indelible ink for thumb-inking and we are talking about a real exercise of monumental proportion. 

Icheoku therefore queries if India could pull this feat off despite their peculiarities including a very geographically challenged environment, some so inhospitable that one such voter has to have his ballots air-dropped to him, why then cannot Jega of Nigerian Electoral Commission with less than 65 million voters, give Nigerians a hitch-free beautiful election? Your guess is as good as Icheoku's but suffice it to say it is indeed lamentable. 

FYI:- other mind boggling facts about India. 
It is interesting to note that in this country of 1.3 billion human-beings that women pay men to marry them. That once a girl reaches the age of 24 without being married, her case is as good as foreclosed. In India, women outnumber men and because of this pregnant mothers now abort female fetuses in order to avoid paying dowry on their daughter to the very scarce men. India is a land of such complexities and so much poverty that Icheoku wonders why some Nigerians go there to die in the name of medical tourism. A country that is inundated by its own 700 million people living in poverty and you wonder what they have left for others - foreigners? India has only 37000 millionaires and a few billionaires and unlike in America where we are talking about the 1% rich, in India's it is  in the negative percentile. India, a country of predominantly Hindus has over 100 million Catholics as well as millions of other religions practitioners including Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhas, animists etc. India's most famous person is Mahatma Gandhi.

TURKEY APOLOGISES, WHEN WILL NIGERIA?

Icheoku says the government in Ankara today apologised for its nation's atrocious Othman war which led to genocide of the people of Armenia several decades ago. Prime Minister Erdogan apologised for that infamy which preceded his headship of the Turkey State and on behalf of the Turkish people and government. Icheoku commends Prime Minister Erdogan's magnanimity and realisation that it is never too late to apologise for a wrong wrought against another, especially by a country which he currently represents. 

By this token, Icheoku asks when would the Nigerian State apologise for its genocidal war against the peoples of Biafra, especially for the thousands of Asaba Igbo people that were massacred at Ogbe-Asaba? Innocent war-weary Igbos that were assembled under the guise of welcoming some then Nigerian Federal Government delegation(army chiefs) led by Muritala Mohammed, who then ordered their summarily execution. Icheoku says that millions of other Biafrans especially women and children equally lost their lives in circumstances that were otherwise preventable and avoidable under that wicked war of vendetta waged by Gowon. So, Icheoku queries, would President Jonathan Goodluck, who currently represents the Nigerian State, in a similar fashion as Turkish Erdogan, apologise to the people of Biafra for that vengeful, wanton massacre of the people of Biafra using the forced insurrection as an excuse. Icheoku says it will be one heck of a good act of reconciliation should the man from Bayelsa with current abode in Aso Rock, find the courage to so do on behalf of the Nigerian State. Turkey did it, why not Nigeria?

NYANYA BOMB BLAST, THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM - BUHARI

Icheoku commends Muhammadu Buhari for standing up to be counted in the ongoing effort to find a common solution to neuter the virus that is Boko Haram in Nigeria. The army man was statesmanly in his address concerning the insecurity situation in the country and for this, Icheoku says the process of finally warming himself into the hearts and minds of Nigerians have begun. Hopefully the Katsina man will not derail or fo off message BUT will stay on course the current trajectory and continue to speak like a man whose heart is in one Nigeria and one who has tolerance for others who do not knock their foreheads to the ground in prayers. Well spoken Buhari. Now happy trails with the said Buhari statement below and then you decide:-

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"Sinister terror and hatred have again reached from the shadows to steal the lives of innocent Nigerians.  In Nyanya, 72 people were killed by a car bomb. Hundreds more were injured in the devastation. Their killings served no purpose except for those who exalt in evil. The bomb blast quickly came and went like the deadly thief it was; but we shall be left to endure the pain and loss from this terrible act for a long time to come.

What the nation lost is irreplaceable.  The number 72 seems like just another grim tally among the death statistics that have become all too common.  But what occurred is much more than that. We must really stop and take notice of where evil is attempting to drive us. The abduction of over one hundred schoolgirls is unacceptable, condemnable and saddens me greatly. We cannot allow these merchants of death to make us numb to the tragedy they manufacture.  Those who were killed were not merely numbers on a page. They were human beings, made of flesh and blood body and soul like all the rest of us. They were someone’s father or mother, brother or sister. They had parents; they were someone’s children. They were husbands or wives, neighbouring friends and colleagues. They had dreams and hopes. They were loved and loved others in return.

Now, life has been taken away and those who cared for them must bear a grief, no person should be asked to carry. These people committed no wrong. Their only crime was to be ordinary working class people seeking to eke out a livelihood and tend for themselves and their families. For this, they were killed. They represent the backbone of the working people. Not many of them lived an easy life. Most of them worked hard and longed for modest wages. They lifted themselves up every morning to earn their daily bread. They faced the many social and economic challenges and obstacles our society poses, yet they worked not to destroy but to make this a better place by bettering the lives of their family and loved ones.

These people lived anonymously and died the same way. We do not yet know their names. But, in a fundamental sense, we know who they were. They were part of us. They shared the same aspirations we all do. We seek an improved fate for our children and hope to leave them a better life. We want to work and live in dignity and respect.  We want a life of peace and harmony with our neighbours regardless of religion, ethnicity or background. We seek prosperity not poverty. We seek brotherly understanding, not strife. We seek peace, not bombs.

It was not just 72 people who were taken in this depraved assault.  Each of us lost something that day. Yet, despite the loss and suffering, we must not cower in fear, and let the purveyors of death believe they have scored a victory over us. Those who committed this act have declared war on all that is decent and good. They have declared war not against the state or even the government. They have declared war on Nigeria and all Nigerians because this murder took men and women, old and young, Christian and Muslim alike. In trying to scare, frighten and divide us, the evildoers committed injury to their own cause. For they have shown us that we all suffer inhumanity in the same way.

No matter our religion or place of birth, we all bleed and are wounded the same way by injustice. Decency runs through the teachings of each religion and ethnic group that comprise the people of Nigeria. We may have our differences, but the vast majority of Nigerians stand united against the appalling violence committed in Nyanya and other places. These acts have no place in Nigeria. Those who commit them have no place in our country.  The perpetrators may look like human beings. They may have limbs and faces, like the rest of us, but they are not like us. In killing innocent people, they have become inhuman. They live outside the scope of humanity. Their mother is carnage and their father is cruelty. They have declared war against the people of Nigeria. They have shown that they do not want to liberate the people. They want to kill them. Yet, with all the energy of their evil and ignorant hatred, they shall fail. The good people of Nigeria shall triumph.

Such a wicked mission shall not succeed. We have gone too far in our journey to nationhood and endured too much to allow these terrible acts to divert us.  Not only have these agents of death killed innocent people, they also abducted over 100 young women from their school. Why abduct schoolgirls? Whatever they plan, they should be ready to face the wrath of Nigerian people. They should release these young girls unharmed. Anything else would be an abominable crime.

We all must take close heed at this moment and recognise the severity of what is upon us. A small minority seeks to bring the nation to its knees through terror. Thus, we must stand tall and united. We can ill afford to allow their crimes to go unpunished. I call on the government to improve and redefine its strategy in the light of this expanding menace.  Clearly, its intelligence gathering needs to be improved so that it can break terrorist plots before they hatch.  Moreover, it needs to enact greater social and economic reforms in the blighted areas of the nation to win the hearts and minds of the people.  Give the youth a viable alternative and they will not be duped by the lure of extremist dogma. A major initiative with immediate and long-term strategies for mass employment should be introduced right away.  Nigeria must and will overcome this scourge, but it cannot do so merely by wishful thinking. We need wise and decisive strategy.

As for me and my party, we deplore and condemn these and all such attacks. Those who commit them must know that the nation stands four-square against them. While we are engaged in tight political competition against the ruling party, we shall not play politics on this issue so vital to our national survival and wellbeing.  We pledge ourselves to the unity and safety of this nation and shall do nothing to undermine national security.  We seek no political advantage from this calamity and wish the present administration success in fighting it.

We stand ready to help in any meaningful and productive way to fight this battle against evil.  We extend our hand and earnest offer of cooperation in this regard. Nigeria and Nigerians have suffered enough. Those who now lead the nation and those who would lead her must overlook political differences to find whatever ways we can cooperate to make this a safer, more secured nation for all.

Thank you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

APC SNUBS SECURITY MEETING, POLITICS OF BITTERNESS GONE TOO FAR?

Icheoku says this is not how to be an opposition party as the APC has instead now turned itself into a resistant party trying to bring down the PDP government by all means possible. How dare the APC governors shun a parley meant to rob minds together about the scourge militating against the entire country or do they have another country to go to should Nigeria implode? A good and rational opposition would have honored the invitation by the president - first, as a respect to the office and secondly, to hear him out; thereafter they can stage a walkout or state their own position on the way forward. But to so blatantly ignore and snob the president over a matter as foundational as the security of the country calls for a punitive measure by the president against the APC governors. These APC governors should remind themselves that those states they are governing are still integral part of Nigeria and under the Nigerian state. They do not therefore have unfettered powers to do as they please with those states' security needs as well as that of Nigeria in general. 

Icheoku says ignoring such very important security meeting to help find solution to the Boko Haram scourge is rather politics gone crazy too far and is condemnable. The APC should as consequent thereof, pay a price and it has to be very consequential to deter similar future reoccurrence. May be for a start-dose, the president should withhold their federal revenue allocation until further notice as well as curtail some of their privileges such as international travels and other sundry things as would make them realize their foolhardiness. Icheoku recalls that Baba Iyabo once withheld Lagos State federal revenue allocation over then Governor Tinubu's stubborn refusal not to revert to previous number of local government areas in Lagos State, although Yar'Adua later released same. 

Opposition is good once sportsmanly; but when it goes too far as to suggest acute disdain and HATRED for the incumbent, then something is wrong and such should be condemned by all men and women of good judgment. There is watershed in politics and governing BUT unfortunately everything PDP as far as APC is concerned, is political. The meeting was not about Jonathan or the PDP but about a very urgent matter affecting the wellbeing of all Nigerians including those with membership of the APC, some of whom probably have fallen victim of the Boko Haram madness since it started. APC, Icheoku says, this is yet another ugly stain on your reputation as a party of rabble-rousers with no interest of Nigerians at heart; and this new tag was otherwise avoidable. Further it does not matter what their motive or protest-reason was; the fact of the matter is that they refused to honor an invitation to discuss ways to shore up the security needs of Nigerians and this by itself alone is sufficient to vitiate whatever grievances they might have that led to the boycott and therefore completely renders their boycott inexcusable. What a pity, what a black-eye; and it is indeed very regrettable the APC's decision not to attend such all important emergency meeting called for the security needs of all Nigerians.

NYANYA BOMBING, IS NIGERIA TARGETED BY THE WHITEMAN?

Icheoku says the unceasing attacks on Nigeria is seemingly multidimensional as added to the internal strife of Boko Haram is the concerted effort of the White people to not see Nigeria succeed, rise and become great? Before the Boko Haram uprising, no good news ever came out of Nigeria via them and with the advent of Boko Haram, all news out Nigeria has become Boko Haram-ed. Watching a BBC reporter comment on the latest Nyanya Bus Stop bomb blast,  Icheoku could but deduce the inert desire of some of these Western people to see Nigeria perpetually mired down in crisis such as the Boko Haram quagmire and thereby not have the opportunity to consolidate their gains and/or attain any glorious height. Hear him - 'despite the government's vaunted success over the Boko Haram crisis, the bomb blast inside Abuja Capital City of Nigeria shows that all is still not well with Nigeria as no one is safe both in Abuja and throughout Nigeria.' 

Icheoku says there is a subliminal message in this reporting, telegraphing to their people and would-be investors worldwide, who are foaming in the mouth over the new GDP database fuelled business prospects, that they should avoid Nigeria or go there at their own risk to lives and/or limbs. Query:-is the Nigerian Information Ministry doing enough or anything to counteract or at least contain such geared utra-negative publicity being piled up against the country?

But conversely, Icheoku asks who are Jonathan's advisers?  His NSA is a Northerner, his Defense Minister is a Northerner, his IGP of Police is a Northerner, his Internal Affairs Minister is a Northerner, his Chief of Defense Staff is a Northerner; his Attorney General is a Northerner, Boko Haram is a Northern establishment and their armed wing, and then it is the same Northerners who want him GONE? So it would appear that the same people who wants to see the back of Jonathan out of Aso Rock are the same people causing the Boko Haram mayhem and also are the same people HIRED to starve off the Boko Haram attacks? Now tell icheoku how SMART the arrangement is and why Boko Haram menace is ever going to peter to a stop under this arrangement? Just do the math and use your tongue to count your teeth and the puzzle of Boko Haram is solved, QED. 

IGP Onovo who was doing a good methodical job, identifying and harmonising the police force, when he was removed because he could not "end kidnappings quickly enough" barely six months into his stewardship, yet IGP Abubakar has been there longer and insecurity has gone through the roof? The then NSA Patrick Aziza was removed shortly into his term because Boko Haram was still setting off periodic bombings, yet Dasuki has been there longer and Boko Haram has gotten more daring? Ihejirika was nearly vanquishing Boko Haram when Jonathan was blackmailed into removing him as those Northerners labelled it a Biafran war revenge due to his successful campaign, now what is going on under the new COAS? Then to add insult to injury, Jonathan handed away the defense Ministry to a man who allegedly created and nurtured Boko Haram as a counter-balance force to the then Niger Delta terrorists, needless to add that the Defense Minister and the NSA are in-laws and you ask whatever happened to frowning at cronyism? Who knows what these officials discuss in private when they speak in their dialectic Fulani regarding the sleepless in Aso Rock Jonathan?

The other day Boko Haram struck right inside SSS headquarters, today it was Nyanya Motor Park, who knows whether they have established a contact point inside Aso Rock waiting for the right coordinates and signal before unleashing their regime`of terror? Icheoku prays that the nightmarish scenario of Rwanda which led to the genocidal civil war from which Hutus and Tutus are yet to recover will not replicate itself in Nigeria when a sitting president was shot out in the air and the country went up in smoke. Icheoku prays that this Armageddon will not occur in Nigeria as it will be the last tinder in the keg of gunpowder which cataclysmic explosion is better left for the imagination than witnessed. Nigeria should pray that nothing happens to Jonathan and it does not matter what, how or where - it will simply be unacceptable and inexplicable. Just imagine when Don Corleone in The Godfather was extracting assurances from other Capones regarding the safety of Michael who was returning back to New York from security-exile in Sicily, that even if thunder should strike and kill Michael enroute, they will be held responsible. Icheoku says that President Jonathan is no longer an Ijaw or Bayelsa or Niger Delta/South South issue, he has since morphed from that into a bigger and much heavier issue and these Northerners must bear this in mind while making their calculations.

Please Nigerians, especially the security operatives as well as leaders of thoughts, understand that there is only a country belonging to you and its implosion will leave everyone countryless at least for a while, regardless of the subsequent resolution, if ever. Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somali and Rwanda are still reeling under fractured politics which no observer would wish on his or her enemy country, so why precipitate this on the motherland? Icheoku says if ever a time called for all hands to be on deck to solve the insecurity problem of Boko Haram in the country, now is the time. This Boko Haram madness ought and should and must be stopped and NOW. Enough of the madness, now is no longer the time to see it as "their problem"('dem, dem problem' as Kwankwaso would put it) or that it is Jonathan's problem. This attitude by Nigerians especially the APC and others must stop and all hands must be gathered at the common ground to save or rather salvage the only country which truly belongs to the blackman. May God save us all.