THE OBAMA POWER MYTH, BEING IN POWER DOES NOT MEAN HAVING POWER?

Icheoku says still wondering why President Barack Obama, the first and probably the ever black president America would have, cannot do anything to fix black peoples problems in America, Africa and the world over including Haiti? Wonder no more because his is an example of a tragic-comedy of being in power but without having power. He is just but a number out of the many that constitute the jigsaw of American power structure; and in a democracy, his voice is but one and coupled to power of persuasion can only sway but a few. 

Also the United States Senate, another power repository, has 100 all white senators, none of whom is a colored person until very recently with then Senator Obama and currently Senator Booker of Newark New Jersey who is still the only minority senator in the US senate? They vote accordingly and they vote the interest they represent. So could someone please tell Icheoku why these all white senators should seriously concern themselves with "extra curricular" issues that does not advance white domination or which would water it down or threaten it. 

Power in America belongs to various entities including Wall Street, the business community, military/industrial complex, the congress and of course the security agencies. So to get any pendulum-swaying thing done, these various bodies must first be persuaded on it and even lobbied hard for them to sign off on it? Now because majority of them are virtually 100% white controlled, effecting any legislation that would favor minorities including black people often meets Kevlar bullet-proof resistance. So one does not need to be a  rocket scientist to figure out why the colored man in "their" White House is powerless in the face of all these numerous challenges facing black Americans.  To some folks, it is rather surprising that the president could not send in the cavalry to save them from the constant provocations by white people who seemingly are now doubling-down on minorities especially black people under his watch? Icheoku says it is not as if the president does not in his heart of hearts want and desire to do something about it in order to affect the status quo, but he cannot and does not have the ability to so do. 

Unfortunately the president is bound to that fate and any attempt by him to overreach himself might be forcibly resisted; and if it includes terminating his presidency in any way possible, so be it. After all this is America and in America, vested interests and dollar bills are the only two things that actually matter and propel everything. It therefore goes without saying that anyone in the White House must respect this gear that drives America; a fact that becomes even more imperative when that person is a "That One". This is the complexity of the now in America especially with regard to the disillusionment of many with  the Obama presidency. It also further drives the disappointment in the African American community, that their OWN person is in the White House and is not coming to their aid and rescue from all these white police officers who are constantly and frequently killing their children. When the high unemployment rate in their community, joblessness, dysfunctional homes, rapid-fire imprisonments and a skewed justice system, unfairly targeting blacks, as well as a laundry list of other things disproportionately affecting African Americans then their anger and disappointment at the president boils over. 

It is not as if these tipped scale just effervesced overnight, no, they have been there for ages and this is what stirred the joy and jubilation that initially accompanied President Obama's election, that at last a messiah has come to liberate them and lessen their burden. But as every black person in America is sadly finding out, it seems their lot was perhaps better under the previous order. At least there was no great expectation, hence no disappointment; as everybody knew what the deal was right off the bat. But when you have your own person in authority, expecting that he would do something to alleviate your hardship and he does not, disappoints you or fails to meet your expectation, then it become doubly troubling. This is the fate of blacks in America as well as the overall minorities under President Barack Obama's presidency. Their heightened expectations and raised hopes were not only not met, but were dashed; and regrettably, they may never recover from their damaged psyche to start believing in fairness of America again. 

Icheoku understands the power game in America and knows the great limitations of President Barack Obama. As a result, instead of joining the lynch mob, Icheoku sympathizes with the man who is hanging in that limbo and perhaps praying he safely completes his term in office. Icheoku does not particularly blame him for failing to do much and/or for literally doing nothing for the black community of America. Desiring an outcome is one thing and being allowed to 'mission accomplish' it, is another; and Icheoku honesty believe that the later was the president's hamstrung not the former. Good intentions that were frustrated was a major part of it and on hindsight, possibly he is regretting ever running for the office when he could not use it to reposition things and/or making promises that he did not know then they would not allow him to fulfill. 

Anyway, it is the way of the world and it is what it is; admitted that blacks are heavily disappointed that one of them could not and was unable to salvage or ameliorate their situation in America. But black  Americans will survive, they survived 400 years of slavery, they survived pre-Obama presidency and they will survive anything post-Obama presidency will throw at them. It will not matter either what the white people decides to further dump at them to make their lives more living hellish and as punishment that one of them dared occupy "their" White House and as deterrent for any future further attempt? It would only require perseverance and prayerful stoicism as well as strength to overcome the future without a "protector" in "them" White House. Icheoku says when the history and stock of President Obama's presidency is finally written and taken, it will be possibly summarized thus: "His, was an example of when being in power does not translate into and is not tantamount to having power and black Americans felt the impact roundly."

ORJI KALU Vs. ORJI UZOR KALU, A TESTAMENT AGAINST POLITICAL GOD-FATHERISM?

Icheoku says any observer of the Nigerian political landscape, particularly as it appertains to Abia State, would have noticed the cut-throat rivalry or rather intolerance of one another that is existing between the current state governor Orji Kalu and his erstwhile mentor and former governor of the same state Orji Uzor Kalu. This fact of consequence has so perturbed Icheoku that Icheoku wonders what in the hell is wrong with Igbo people that they cannot easily get along together with themselves? Their penchant for always wanting to be in the lead and never to be led; as well as their never submitting under the authority of one of them, especially one that knows better, is an issue of grave concern and a militating factor against their political progress in Nigeria. Icheoku asks Igbo people and their republicanism, to please tell Icheoku how far this their attitude has led them and how many leaders can a people have at the same time? 

Icheoku is writing this opinion piece because ever since the present governor was smuggled or "elected", straight from where he was locked up in jail to the government house in Umuahia, there is no love lost between him and the very man that supervised that feat. Well meaning Nigerians, including none biased Igbo people as well as Icheoku ask in bewildered amazement, what is this beef between the apparent mentor and his mentored, that cannot be settled? Whatever it is, does the present governor not ever advert his mind that without the former governor's help, that he would not have become the governor of Abia state? Further, that irrespective of how personally popular he might have been during that election,  that being physically in prison,  drastically and automatically constrained his chances of being elected governor? Yet he won and someone made it possible; but suddenly that facilitator is now the governor's worst enemy? This baffles many conscientious and objective observers of the politics of Abia State and they want an answer as well as a resolution of whatever it is that tore this people apart.

Why, Icheoku asks, cannot this governor let bygones be bygones and let all Abian PDP politicians move forward as a one united partisans? Plateau State Governor Jang just showed an example of how to carry all the people along by reconciling with all hitherto disenfranchised Plateau State PDP politicians, including former governor Dariye. Icheoku emphasizes that at least, Governor Orji Kalu should show some respect to his former mentor, Uzor Orji Kalu, and allow him some political space to operate in his Abia State. As his predecessor and the man who once held fort therein, it is a good political gesture and laudable magnanimity and by necessary implication, precedent setting. Governor Orji Kalu himself will soon become an ex-governor and Icheoku asks would he accept what he is presently dishing out to the man he succeeded from his successor? Icheoku says their latest dirty fight over the refusal of the governor to let the former governor go to the senate is otherwise avoidable, were the governor a thinking politician who craves a place in history.  The smack down which has forced the former governor to demand refund of his deposit and incidental fees for declaration of interest,  shows that their family feud has no end in sight and has only become more asinine. Icheoku condemns this unforgiven spirit of the governor and maintains that Orji Uzor Kalu has suffered enough political isolation in the hands of the man he helped become governor of Abia State from where he was in prison and deserves some reprieve. 

The only good lesson derivable from this Abia State impasse  is the utility or otherwise of sponsoring or endorsing anyone to any political office in Nigeria. As has been shown with the current governor of Abia State who later turned around to become his sponsor's worst nightmare, such is an effort in futility. A nemesis of some sort, who would readily brand such sponsor his worst enemy number one that must be politically crushed or caged, isolated, banished and emasculated completely. Icheoku strongly believes that on hindsight, Orju Uzor Kalu must be regretting his action, ever sponsoring a man who is in prison custody to the governorship of Abia State. That the same man was an Alusi Okija deity worshipper did not matter to Orji Uzor Kalu then, nor deterred his action to "elect" him as governor to occupy the government house in Umuahia? But hey, Icheoku has no dog in the fight and so could care less who Abians decided should governor them or how they went about arriving at that decision. What a hard, bitter lesson to learn, that sometimes your well intentioned action often turns out to be your worst nightmare. But illegality is illegality and if it begets illegality, so be it, who gives a damn? 

Lastly, because humans do not necessarily learn from history or allow past experiences to guide their present action, the present crop of soon to be ex-governors are busy endorsing and sponsoring candidates to succeed them as well to other legislative offices of their states. Icheoku asks what is the guarantee that they will not similarly suffer the same fate which they are exposing their former mentors to; assuming what goes around still comes around?  Are these soon to be former governors not thinking that possibly their new political god-sons might someday suddenly grow up, following their inauguration, and begin to chastise them to the extent of even chasing them away from their states? But only time will tell the treachery hidden in the hearts of men. Icheoku and the elements "dey laugh" at the follies and foibles of man, as presented by these current lords of manor in these states, who presently see themselves as demo-gods, before whom every person in their state must bow and tremble. But one good thing with time and which time only does very well, is human humbling. Icheoku says sooner than later, it will be deja vu pay back time, with these now beloved political god-sons dealing the then former governors the same very back hands these governors are presently dealing their own predecessors. What indeed are we humans, that we are this daft, not to correctly imbibe history and apply it as our guiding compass to all our future actions? 

EVERYTHING IS GOING DOWN - BUHARI?

"Everything is going down in spite of all the money. What are they doing with the money. We must stop PDP from destroying this country. If we don’t get rid of the PDP, PDP will get rid of (us) Nigerians. We are fed up. Whatever your sentiments let us work together and rebuild this country.” - Muhammadu Buhari.

FERGUSON OFFICER WILSON'S NO INDICTMENT VERDICT, NOT SURPRISING?

Icheoku says Americans would have been rather surprised were the officer indicted than the no indictment verdict returned. After all this is America and we all know how little to nothing a value, the blackman commands before the eyes of these white people. So what if another one of these monkeys is killed; at least it is another good riddance of their nuisance value? Icheoku is emphatic that anyone who was so delusional to have anticipated  a different outcome from the nearly all white grand jury, does not appreciate the wide chasm that is racial animosity in America. These white people have been getting away with killing black people all the time and every time, so why would the killing of another one of them called Michael Brown make any difference now? 

Icheoku says white Americans know the grand game they are playing, trying to control black population by any and every means possible - those they cannot put in prison, they kill, and those left out of this two options, are left jobless and end up on the streets as useless homeless crackheads. It is the grand plan of the white people to contain and decimate black people, but unfortunately black Americans don't seem to get it, in order to re-strategize on how they would confront the increasing impetuousness of those recklessly killing them and without suffering any consequence whatsoever. Today, yet another white police officer shot and killed a twelve year old black boy playing with his toy pistol. According to the police-killer, his life was in danger, so he fired fatal shots at the twelve year old boy?  There was no report of the little boy being first asked to drop his weapon or to surrender or even him being tasered; but instead a deadly force was used and the little boy is no more. Afterall he is black and it does not matter if he was playing with his toy gun as he is already learning to be a tug and stop him early is a plausible argument, one may add?

Icheoku says it is a well orchestrated scheme and it is happening throughout the America - white police killing black people for no reason at all other than as mere pastime sport. Imagine an unarmed black man was shot by a racist white police officer, a grand jury made up of nine white people and only three black persons was impanelled by a white district attorney, whose father was killed by a blackman in the sixties and please let someone with brains and doing some addition, not ask Icheoku if vendetta played any role? Recall that a week before the jury reached a verdict, the streets of Ferguson was saturated with battle ready agents of the state with battle field armored vehicles and artillery and you ask yourself for what? So query, what prompted such a preemptive readiness if not that a predetermined outcome was being anticipated? The jury was initially hung on Friday but were forced to arrive at this verdict by Monday. But once again please do not ask Icheoku because Icheoku is not telling.  

In America everything is somewhat, somehow, skewed for a predetermined outcome, including the legal system. A grand jury as opposed to a jury, for instance, is made up of mostly retired people who have the time to spare as they often have a life of twelve months. Now ask yourself who has the time to sit and sit for one year, if he or she has a job to go to or some bills needing some unearned dollar bills to pay? They are mostly retired white folks who have this bruised ego that they are fast losing their country to these strangers and feel duty-bound to help do something about it? Even sometimes when as a blackman you want to try and contribute to make some difference, they would stop you as they have a lot of inbuilt barriers to frustrate your good intentions. Today for example, Icheoku was voir dired out, for the umpteenth time, from sitting in a jury, despite the best effort to dutifully make oneself available. Once they notice some fire in you or that you have some thinking in your head or would fearlessly air your opinion and not fitting their "typical" blackman template, they would exclude you. They only want people they can intimidate into signing off on predetermined outcomes, it would seem? Their Uncle Toms are allowed some form of accommodation, provided they know their boundaries and do what they are told and speak only when spoken to. 

Icheoku says the only real fear with what is going on in America, regarding increasingly deteriorating race relations, is that these white people might, somewhere down the road, succeed in radicalizing these oppressed black people and then their real problem will begin. Presently, it is much easier to send in tomahawks and F-16s as well as drones over the skies of the Middle East to bomb the hell out of those terrorists Al Queidas, ISI, Hezbollah, Nassura Front and what have you; but imagine when these white people succeeds in turning these black people into terrorists in their midst and please someone tell Icheoku how they plan to contain them? It will amount to throwing a red carpet reception for the Middle East turmoil right here inside the heartland of America as over thirty million black people cannot be all shot, bombed or droned to death nor would they build enough prisons and prisons large enough to hold all of them. A hopeless life sometimes is not worth living and this helps drive terrorism; and please dear God do not let it come to this in America.

It is indeed quite unfortunate and heartrending what is going on in America across racial lines. The saddest part is that the colored man in "their" white House is powerless and cannot do anything against this exacerbating injustice and oppression. Icheoku opines that President Barack Obama is probably playing it safe himself walking a fine thin line, lest they would crash Airforce One and blame it on an accident. Ron Brown was similarly killed over Bosnia and an unseen mountain was blamed for it? Anyway, talk of being in power without having power and Icheoku pities this state of limbo, where you know that apparent injustice has been meted out to one of your people but yet you cannot do anything about it. 

Icheoku bemoans it is America and America has its dark underbelly. Rest in peace Michael Brown. Hopefully, and provided there is heaven and hell and a GOD, assuming they are not all tales geared at colonizing peoples' minds; on the last day, Officer Darren Wilson will face Michael Brown in judgment and say "I am sorry for unlawfully dispatching you before your time. I lied to cover it up, please forgive me and please help me ask God not to send me to the hottest part of hell." What a blatant provocation that an unarmed blackman was needlessly killed and a load of lies told to cover it up. Imagine the police officer testifying that Michael Brown struck him and you asks yourself which sane person in America gets near to an armed and dangerous trigger-ready police officer, talkless of striking the police officer? But hey, what does Icheoku or any other egg-head know about how race relations could improve in America under this kind of happenstances and growing circumstances. 

Who knows whether Malcolm X figured it out, admitted he was summarily executed to stifle his approach, that those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable. Icheoku says may be it is about time there is a direct confrontation as opposed to all these 'we shall overcome' marches that never gets the job done. Something gotta yield as it cannot remain this recycling motions all the time. Please let anyone who has a better solution to get us all out of this racial quagmire please share with Icheoku and the rest of Americans as we are all tired of this hamster on a wheel never ending sad stories. Enough of the killing, let there be peace and may these white people know that black people are people and not just disposable and expendable monkeys. The sad news is that black people have no where they can run or go to, as their roots in Africa have been completely obliterated with brainwashing and policies so tailored. So please white people what do you truly want black people to do in order for you to stop killing and hurting them? An answer would go a long way in helping the situation. Please white people stop killing US.

IGBOS ARE NOMADS - NWABUEZE OBI.

"We are nomadic. Over ninety percent of our investments are outside Igboland. If you go anywhere and do not see an Igbo man, then it is not habitable. If we can channel these gifts to have a united front, we can succeed." - Nwabueze Obi. Icheoku says provided Miyetti Allah cattle rearers will permit the sharing of that enviable position with the Igbos of Southeast Nigeria.

MARION BARRY, DEAD AT 78.

Icheoku says the man who served three terms as Mayor of Washington DC and nearly ended his political career in a drug controversy is dead. Former Washington DC mayor Marion Barry died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease aided by kidney disease and diabetes.  Marion Barry was 78 years old. 

Icheoku recalls that Marion Barry became known as the cocaine-snorting mayor of Washington DC following his burst in a hotel by the FBI, snorting the white stuff. He went to prison and came back to reestablish his political career but it floundered, although he later was elected as a councillor representing his district.  At last Marion Barry has conclusively, finally parted ways with his drug habit, now dead; as the dead can do no wrong nor break any law again, including illegal drug use. 

Icheoku says all his good works as mayor and political activist notwithstanding, Marion Barry would be remembered mostly, especially by his detractors, as the cocaine snorting mayor of Washington DC. Icheoku says rest in peace mayor and if you see the white substance up there, please look the other way. Adieu Barry!

BUHARI IS A DECEIT - UDUMEBRAYE

"Over the years, Buhari name has come to be erroneously associated with discipline, transparency and accountability. This reputation, as we all know, is based on propaganda. As head of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), Buhari, not only sanctioned and approved an arrangement which gave the Management of all the Agency projects (worth billions of naira) to only one consulting firm, made up of only Northerners, including the late Salihijo and loquacious Nasir el-Rufai. What came out of the billions? Where are the projects?" - Udumebraye

TAMBUWAL JUMPS FENCE, REMOVES HONOR IN HONORABLE?

"Today the Emir of Kano has humbly made peace with GEJ, visiting Aso Rock twice. To showcase how much Emir Sanusi has been belittled, even the APC Governor of Kano came out to tell the world that he sent and permitted (a whole) Emir of Kano's visit to make peace with GEJ. Can you imagine that? Same fate awaits Tambuwal as he has already been reduced to a fence-jumping FUGITIVE." - Chinedu Nwosu. 

Icheoku says like the removing of the range in Range Rover according to Little Kim, former Speaker of the Nigerian's House of Representatives, by this shameful act, has thus removed the honor in his honorable. Icheoku says fence jumping is an illegality as only those who are not lawfully entitled or eligible to be on a premises, resort to such flagrant violation of a secured premises, scaling the fence. Icheoku queries can a supposed law maker and speaker of the house, who supposedly is the chief law maker of the country, still claim title to such a cathedral, having so broken the law governing premises? Icheoku says Nigeria, we hail thee; and this is part of the group of the lawless people making laws for Nigeria? 

ELECTION 2015, WILL BE FIRE FOR FIRE - OSHIOMHOLE

"Any attempt to misuse the armed forces to rig election in 2015, it will be fire for fire. Only a coward die several times before his death. We will stand as soldiers of democracy. We will fight for our fatherland and victory shall come." - Adams Oshiomhole. Icheoku says with the manner these APC chieftains are piling up on President Jonathan and calling for the destruction of Nigeria in the event they are not handed power in 2015 calls for many soul searching. 

Query: why must these guys in APC think that they alone know how to ferment trouble or do they think they are scarring anyone by their continual boastful braggadocio to rain down mayhem on Nigeria come 2015? Why must a people bereft of any convincing ideas or superior and better political messaging, now resort to threatening the same people and country they want to preside over? What happened to marshaling a more compelling argument why Nigerians should rather vote for the APC instead of continuously threatening to visit mayhem on the country should the inevitable of their not getting power happen? 

Icheoku says the days of operation "we tie, do or die, my way or the highway" politics of reclamation is since over and the APC needs to get this. What Nigerians need and are  now practicing is politics of ideas and how to move the process and country forward; so may the superior idea triumph in 2015 rather than destructive forces. 

From their biggest man Bola Tinubu who promised Nigerians  to "rig and roast", to a presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari's threat to  soak the land with the blood of those "dogs and baboons", to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi who has now similarly threatened anarchy with the establishment of a parallel government, to yet another presidential candidate Abubakar Atiku who has called upon Nigerians to rise up in arms against the government under the guise of defending themselves against Boko Haram, as if Nigeria is already a lawless state without state apparatus to deal with such criminality. Now their Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has also thrown his feather-weight behind the call to violence and you wonder if fermenting violence in 2015 has now become part of the agenda of the APC. 

But like the Americans say, if it quacks and walks like a duck, it might be a duck; so the APC should be held responsible for any violence that erupts during the 2015 election. It is now increasingly apparent that only the APC have a reason to cause violence in 2015 because they, like the biblical two women before King Solomon, are prepared to destroy that which they cannot get? Like with every desperado, they are nearing desperateness in their hunger, quest and pursuit of power in Nigeria and they are beginning to see its elusiveness and are now resorting to intimidation by threat of violence to try and coarse Nigerians? Otherwise why would anyone wish to destroy something he truly loves and cares for except the professed love is not genuine. 

Icheoku asks for general restraint and hereby calls for any remaining voice of reason in the APC, to please caution their people against making such inciting boastful and arrant threats. Icheoku is emphatic that no one is going to rig the election of 2015 and the APC knows this, but are merely trying in vain, to cause apprehension in the country and scare away would be voters from the polls. Further, no Nigerian blood deserves to be shed because of an election or struggle for vain power and any body who shades Nigerians' blood in 2015 will leave to regret it. Enough of all these bomb-throwing rhetoric by the APC chieftains and you wonder if their chieftains are this unguarded, what would their unleashed underlings do to innocent Nigerians? Icheoku says what these APC honchos are vomiting and preparing to do is indeed very  pitiful and condemnable.

UNITY IN TOGETHERNESS - JONATHAN

"Together in unity we overcame Ebola and in the process demonstrated the strength of the Nigerian spirit and together, united, we must maintain vigilance." - President Goodlukc Jonathan. Icheoku concurs and says a lot could be so achieved - TEAMWORK.

BILL COSBY'S SEXUAL MOLESTATION ACCUSATION, DOUBTFUL?

Icheoku says a 1982 'sexual assault' only coming to light in 2014, thirty two long years after, is not only doubtful but most likely improbable? Icheoku says either it did not happen at all, was consensual or the bitch, looking for some free media time, decided to retell a story with some embellishment?  Query, why would any person including the accuser, feeling so violently violated by a sexual act, keep mute about the assault, not contacting the police or at least telling it to her best friend; and then waited for memories to grow faint, to now tell her version of events that allegedly happened thirty two long years ago? 

Icheoku says it was in the same manner that Mike Tyson was 'wrongfully accused and convicted' for a consensual sex termed rape by a woman, who willingly sneaked into his hotel room in a see through lingerie by 2.00am in the night and afterwards changed her mind and retold the story of what happened as a rape? Icheoku asks what was Janice Dickinson doing on the bed of Bill Cosby's private Lake Tahoe suit anyway, wearing only pajamas, in the middle of the night and after being so wasted?  Moreso, she admitted that she was seeking help with her career improvement with the visit with Bill Cosby? Icheoku wondered whether she did not go there prepared to do whatever it took, including offering herself to Bill Cosby,  to get her career going again? 

Icheoku says women often think that their body is the best thing they can ever pony up to induce a man to do their bidding? So is anyone thinking with Icheoku in this direction that probably, Janice so freely pawned up her privates only to turn around, thirty two long years later, in an effort to get some free media, with her claim of sexual molestation?Anyway, if America is buying her hogwash, Icheoku certainly is not so beguiled. Icheoku's position is founded on so many historical experiences of wrong accusations and after the fact remorseful change of mind stories that unduly prejudiced an otherwise innocent accused person. Bill Cosby might also be another victim of this type of lynching of character based on made-up tales, fathoms and lies. 

Icheoku is not saying that nothing probably happened between Janice and Bill Cosby, but if, it was most likely consensual and at worst not freely given as in a but-for-career-opportunity manner, in a quid pro quo fashion. But who cares! Please Americans, let us permit these old fellas who have rightly earned their plumage to be able to fly into their sunset without all these needless effort at tarnishing their hard earned reputation and image or causing them undue stress and probably high blood pleasure. That is not to suggest that perverts and molesters should be shielded because of who they are but thirty two long years of silence of the accuser should somewhat provided some shield in this case, calls it a form of statutory bar if you like. Icheoku says to Janice and other haters, please leave the old man Cosby alone, let Bill Cosby be.

I AM COMMITTED TO PRINCIPLE OF NON VIOLENCE - JONATHAN

"In this election season, I appeal to all of you not to harm, maim or kill anyone and not to incite violence of any kind. We must never forget our common bond, one people, from the womb of Nigeria. Again I say, my ambition to serve you is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, I remain committed to this principle of non violence." - President Jonathan. 

Icheoku says if only Muhammadu Buhari will follow suit and forsake his planned killing of all those Nigerians he considers as "dogs and baboons" Nigerians will have a peaceful election. Muhammmadu Buhari should emulate the path of peace as laid by Jonathan by pledging similarly not to shed the blood of Nigerians  the dogs and baboons inclusive, just because of an elected office. Icheoku calls on Buhari to denounce his earlier threat to trigger a river of blood of Nigerians in case his unattainable, inordinate ambition falls through.

Icheoku says in 2015, Nigerians please reject Buhari. Say no to Buhari. Do not vote for Buhari. Vote for the other guy, not necessarily because you love him so much or that he has impressed you so much with mouth-gaping accomplishments; BUT simply because Buhari is not a tolerable option. Icheoku says Buhari is worse than EBOLA virus disease, would wreck Nigeria's march forward and therefore should be quarantined very far away and out of the vicinity of Aso Rock, forever and ever!

POWER PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS IN NIGERIA - OSHIOMHOLE

"As long as the PDP is in power, Nigerians would be out of power. As long as the PDP has power, Nigeria will never have power. Even as we speak in this stadium, this stadium is being powered by generator." Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole. 

SHEKAU ENDORSES BUHARI?

TAMBUWAL CHICKENS OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL RACE?

"Having consulted widely, taking into consideration the concerns of some elders of the party, I have decided to suspend my participation in the presidential contest for now. I have done so as a sacrifice for the the cohesion and unity of the APC. I am suspending my participation in the presidential race for now because I do not have any inordinate ambition to occupy any office. Nigeria is a country too great to sacrifice on the altar of partisan politics and personal ambition. What any one becomes in life is exclusively in the hands of God. Only God gives power to whoever he pleases." - Aminu Tambuwal, former PDP Speaker House of Representatives.

Icheoku says with those words the man touted as the anointed one from the House of Fodio just did a u-turn on his supporters and chickened out of the APC presidential candidate's race. Icheoku says when Nigerians were beginning to seriously take a second look at the man from Sokoto as a potential presidential candidate of the APC and possibly president of Nigeria, the man disappointed them, developed cold feet and ran away. , turned tail and scurried away. Icheoku says Aminu Tambuwal understood  that if you cannot stand the heat, get the hell out of the kitchen and so did the needful. Unfortunately, Tambuwal could not even last one full week into his foray, before he found out how scorching a heat, running for the highest office in the land is? Icheoku says it would appear that Tambuwal, cognizant of Atiku and Buhari's almost desperate ambition to become president, somewhat threw subtle jabs at both men when he said he does not have 'inordinate ambition to occupy any office' and that Nigeria should not be sacrificed because of any personal ambition. He also threw one at his APC party when he admonished that no partisan politics should operate to dismember Nigeria.

Icheoku had doubts whether Aminu Tambuwal, assuming he secures the APC ticket, could possibly win in a general election because of his inexperience, paucity of funds and other ancillary factors and reasons. However Icheoku did not know that Tambuwal does not have fire in his stomach to play in the big league; as his panic and scamper under a little pressure from the camp of Muhammadu Buhari now establishes? took flight? Icheoku queries how a man who could not stand his party's 'ordinary' primary battle, ever planned to prosecute a general presidential election and/or go on to rule a complex society like Nigeria? Anyway, a good riddance, his exit was; what a nuisance! But his flight notwithstanding, Icheoku still stands by our earlier story that Aminu Tambuwal was the preferred choice of Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and the House of Fodio.

So with the meddlesome interloper now gone, the focus and permutation once again returns back to Muhammadu Buhari and Abuabakar Atiku. The other good news coming from Tambuwal's exit is that it will now delay if not abort Baba Iyabo's planned defection to the APC. It is again back to status quo in a party stuck with two unpalatable presidential candidates, Muhammadu Buhari and Abubakar Atiku. Icheoku asks, so who 'dey laugh' now in Nigeria but President Jonathan who has previously beaten both men in a presidential election and will most likely repeat same feat again in 2015. Baba Iyabo who never stopped laughing at Abubakar Atiku, also still 'dey laugh' at Atiku's never ending spam ambition. Nigerian people also 'dey laugh' at the arrogance of Muhammadu Buhari, in desiring to rule them again after the bitter experience that was his first time around. Icheoku says 2015 is still very too far away and heavily laden with so many unknowns. Icheoku says between now and 2015, it is like a thousand years with so many things and possibilities that could go wrong or dramatically or drastically change so many things. Until 2015 comes and goes, nobody knows what will happen and so Icheoku says, so long Tambuwal!

OMBATSE CULT, FINALLY DECAPITATED?

Icheoku, in an article of June 11, 2013 titled "Ombatse, when a cult becomes more powerful than the government", queried why a cult was allowed to grow so strong and so powerful, in a functioning country, as to become capable of intimidating the same very government under which it is supposed to be subsumed? Icheoku queried further how the cult's teeth got so fanged up that the government of Nigeria was so scared stiff of it that it became impotent, in the face of the cult's continuing flagrant lawlessness, to take needful action to reign it in or stop its nefarious activities? This was following the incident when the Ombatse cult murdered over one hundred Nigeria state security personnel, who were sent to its enclave to quell some national security problems the cult create. 

According to the story then, the cult members waylaid and murdered hundreds of security agents sent by the government to quell its violent excesses. But instead of sending in reinforcement or even the military to stop their arrant madness, in Odi Bayelsa State style, the government said, through the director of the state security service Ita Ekpenyong, that they will leave the matter in the hands of God? Icheoku queried if a government established to secure the a country would so dismissively treat a major national security threat, what then is the use of such government? If Nigeria has become a temporal state, why then continue to have all these security agencies, instead of just leaving everything to God? 

This lack of decisive response by the government emboldened the Ombatse further and it became one mayhem after another, resulting in the continuing state of violence that has been ravaging Nasarawa State ever since.  Every security agent also became mortally afraid of the Ombatse cult and dared not get near their enclave in Alakyo Eggon and it became a wild wild west sort of affairs therein. Icheoku condemned the audacity of the cult and equally berated the government's cowardly inaction and  disposition, which according to them, was in order not to exacerbate an already bad situation? Icheoku concluded that the government's offhand attitude was synonymous to tacitly encouraging the lawlessness of this particular cult and portends grave danger to not only the community but the nation in general. 

However, ordinary nomads, mere Miyetti Allah cattle rearers, with just their machetes,  bows and arrows, have triumphed where the Federal Government with its armada of armed security agents failed or rather coyly shied away from confronting evil? Icheoku says the dreaded spiritual leader and chief medicine-man of Ombatse cult, the man who facilitates and empowers this continuing brigandage and lawlessness in Eggon Nasarawa State Nigeria, Allu Agu aka Baba Alayko, has been killed. According to the story, he was caught, decapitated and literary dismembered to prevent his ever coming back to life, which legend has it that his magical powers could make him resurrect from the dead if left intact? The Miyetti Allah Fulani cattle rearers struck in the wee hours of yesterday morning, in a surprised attack that caught members of the Ombatse cult napping and begging for their lives. 

Icheoku says however this Ombatse cult crisis ends or is forcibly resolved, with the now dispatch of their leader to the world beyond as a prelude, it does and should not matter. What is important is that the much dreaded and feared cult leader is no more. If by his death, a lasting peace inures in the warring communities of Nasarawa State, then a good riddance. If his blood washes away centuries of violence in Nasarawa State, then it is a blood well shed? If his exit will usher in reign of peace in Nasarawa State, then hurray to his decapitators? But Icheoku hopes and prays that his death will not snowball a lingering conflict into a major conflagration that would engulf Nasarawa State if not the entire country? 

Icheoku says let peace return to Nasarawa State and may the death of Baba Alakyo be the needed sacrifice that would bring back peace unto this violence ravaged Eggon community. May his blood also now atone for all those security agents that his followers murdered in cold blood. Icheoku says enough of all these ethnic militias and their madness, wasting innocent human blood in Nigeria; and may their leaders also understand that they could themselves, someday, meet similar fate as has now befallen the late  leader of Ombatse! What a cruel irony that a man this powerful could be so easily cut down, decapitated and dismembered? What a life we all humans choose to live for ourselves - playing God with other peoples' lives and forgetting that we all equally bleed and can be bled to death too. Lesson delivered and hopefully learnt. Adieu Allu.

OBASANJO DEFECTING TO APC?

Icheoku has it on a strong authority that the man who ascribes himself with everything authority  in Nigeria, including being the spirit behind the existence of Nigeria, without whom Nigeria would have been a long gone history and the undeniable deity of Ota, Baba Iyabo, Olusegun Obasanjo, would be defecting to the APC and very soon? The source said that everything has been finalized and only waiting execution; and that the formal declaration of Aminu Tambuwal as the APC presidential candidate would be the occasion for Baba Iyabo to make it official as he plans to campaign vigorously to install Tam as the next president of Nigeria? This allegedly would be the trade for handing Tambuwal the APC presidential ticket as he demanded? 

Icheoku says that there is nothing wrong in dreaming; so dream on Baba Iyabo as Nigerians will resist you and the cabal behind the current operation foist Tambuwal on Nigeria. Not this time and not at any time soon in the future of Nigeria would the House of Fodio again be allowed to impose another president on Nigeria, not so soon.

Icheoku says Olusegun Obasanjo's plans not withstanding, the real question is whether the honchos of APC are ready to take second place to make room for the man who does not accept roles or ever agrees that anyone knows better than him; and who cannot now find himself taking any position below anyone including the owner of APC Bola Tinubu? So Icheoku asks, what then becomes the fate of APC should this rumored entrance of Olusegun Obasanjo pan out correctly? First, would Bola Tinubu accept to sep down from his epicurean heights as the man APC defers to, especially in the Yoruba Southwest where he is nearly a demigod to make way for the new sheriff?  Then, would an Abubakar Atiku, whom Baba Iyabo has been attacking all these years accept to share the same platform with his nemesis and hound dog in chief? Then, there is the question of Muhammadu Buhari, who is now getting desperate with trying to win the presidency of Nigeria, that would consider an Obasanjo entrance as an unwanted nuisance that should be immediately sidelined, if not completely vanquished? 

Icheoku does not know how Olusegun Obasanjo's membership of the APC will considerably affect its fortunes or anything else, except to say that if it does not cause the party to implode, it will probably cause it to explode. So either way, it is not going to be a win win situation for the party but an assured deficit. The beneficiary would of course be President Jonathan and the PDP,  as the same flurry of men now parading themselves as APC strongmen would be seen crawling back to the PDP with complaint that they could not and would not tolerate Baba Iyabo's undue influence in the party. Such outcome will be a gift that keeps on giving to the PDP and Jonathan; and 2015 will be better for that. Icheoku says Obasanjo, go, go, go, and to APC, go. What a character.