EMIR OF KANO SANUSI, NOW A BOKO HARAM TARGET?

Icheoku says the mallam extraordinaire himself is now officially in the crosshairs of Boko Haram and like his predecessor Late Emir of Kano Ado Ibrahim, might be similarly targeted for elimination by the terrorists? Abubakar Shekau, the elusive Supreme Commander of Boko Haram Islamic Insurgency Force, has issued a fatwa on  Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. The terrorist want the Emir  dead and said his terrorist jihadists will attack Emir Sanusi whenever an opportunity presents itself. Calling Emir Sanusi a fake Muslim, Shekau said “Now listen to me Emir of Kano. I am talking to you and only you because of your recent utterances. Let me inform you now that you are late, you should know that you are only but the King of Kano, King of Central Bank, King of money, you are only Sanusi Lamido. 

Our own government is defined as government of the Allah by the Allah and for the Allah not as you define your own government as the government of the people by the people and for the people. Emir of Kano Sanusi you are late, that our triumph is just for a period of time so you said.  Yes you can say that our success is for a period of time, because you are a king of Bank and a loyal citizen of his country. Because you are made the Emir of Kano that is why you got angry and was calling on the Vigilante groups and hunters to attack us. Let me tell you that the hunters and the vigilante groups will fail and you will also fail. We will kill you, we will kill people, we will capture hostages and keep selling some.” 

Icheoku says with the latest threat on the person of the Emir of Kano, the second highest Muslim leader in the Nigeria, this Boko Haram have indeed proved beyond all shadows of doubt that they are not Muslims or a different kind of Muslim which kills fellow Muslim in the name of Islam. Icheoku queries who then is the true Muslim if Boko Haram in the same breath condemned every Islamic sect in the country as heresy and which should be completely exterminated. Now Nigerians, you now know; so let every one join hands in bringing this madness that is Boko Haram to an immediate end; as no one knows who they would target next. Icheoku prays Allah to protect the Emir from any harm this Boko Haram terrorists might plan or wage against him.

I HAVE THICK SKIN BUT NOT THICK MIND - BOLA TINUBU.

"I ask the people to remove religion from the electoral equation now that the tickets of both parties are balanced and mixed.  I ask you to select the ticket best able to end the downward slide that Nigeria has endured since this government took over. I ask you to remember that too many Christians and Muslims alike are poor. Most of all, I ask you to remember that the true religion of the PDP is poverty,  APC comes to bring prosperity to the people.  Please vote for that. I have committed myself to seeking what is the best for this nation before seeking what is good for myself." - Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. 

PAKISTAN TALIBAN'S BRUTALITY MAKES BOKO HARAM LOOK HUMANE?

Icheoku says when one thinks Nigeria's Boko Haram kidnap of hundreds of school girls which they later sold into slavery has topped it off, here comes the other marauding Islamic beasts of Pakistan, killing hundreds of school children. At least Boko Haram took their captives alive but the Pakistani Talibans were too blood thirsty and showed no mercy. The Taliban gunmen stormed a school in Peshawar and slaughtered over 140 school children and their teachers including their headmaster or principal in the worst of the worst barbarism ever witnessed in the restive Pakistan. Icheoku says give me Boko Haram's kidnapping Chibok school girls any day than the Pakistan Taliban massacring hundreds of innocent students in this manner. 

However this is not the first time a school massacre has ever taken place as Sandy Hook Elementary School New Jersey also witnessed such when an estranged man went into a kindergarten and killed over twenty school kids before killing himself. Unfortunately, these so many killings are beginning to numb peoples minds and also desensitize their humanity. Icheoku says but what led to this loss of innocence that the whole world is currently experiencing with virtually no peace anywhere. To the bereaved families in Penshawar Pakistan, Icheoku says please accept pour condolences and we pray your government gets a handle on the murderous Taliban insecurity situation in your country. 

NDIGBO ARE SO COMPLETELY MARGINALIZED, IT IS MADDENING?

Icheoku says for the first in the history of politics in Nigeria, the Igbo nation has been completely and totally shut out and consigned into the cold doldrums of irrelevance in Nigeria political affairs? Today Ndigbo are lost, wandering without a shepherd, in the vast wilderness that is Nigerian politics and as a result, nobody fights for what belong to them any longer. An otherwise formerly vibrant political group, but who, due to the vacuousness of a few presently masquerading as their leaders but who suffer the mentality of the vanquished, has been left out of contention in Nigeria political affairs. Currently Ndigbo are treated with such levity and as if they don't matter at all and anymore in charting the destiny of Nigeria in which they are fellow stakeholders? Ndigbo are compelled to fruitlessly beg for practically everything and anything they NEED, including a bridge, things which other nationalities in Nigeria get for granted? Recall that the same Jonathan administration has since completed a bridge over River Benue for Kogi/Nasarawa people, but River Niger..........???????

Icheoku queries why should a bona fide member and co-owner of something has to first beg other equally co-stakeholders for their own share of the general pie? Something does not sit well with this picture and Ndigbo has to wake up and forcefully demand as of right what is rightfully theirs. The great ZIk and Owelle of Onitsha, Timber and caliber KO Mbadiwe, Iheonukara Mike Okpara, Akanu Ibiam, Dennis Osadabey, Mbanefo, CC Onoh, Mbazulike Amechi, Nwafor Orizu, Dee Sam Mbakwe and other Igbo champions of the yore, some of who must be turning in their graves and wondering what went wrong with Igbo feistiness and assertiveness in Nigeria? How could Ndigbo stand aloof and watch as other tribes in Nigeria appropriate for themselves alone all that they collectively own together? Icheoku refuses to believe or blame it on the Biafran war of forty something odd years ago and says this got to stop. Why are Igbos playing inferior to other tribal nations in Nigeria; why? why? why, Ndigbo why? 

The worse of it all is that other Nigerians including minorities are occupying the high table of Nigeria with Ndigbo holding the beggarly plate at the floor and tearfully begging to be given even some morsel from their feast? But what do they do in response, they are continuously ignoring Ndigbo and dictating what to hand to them as if Ndigbo are no longer a congruent part of the entity called Nigeria? If these other Nigerians have peradventure severed Ndigbo from Nigeria, let them be courageous enough to voice it out and let Ndigbo know they no longer belong to Nigeria; but this impetuous marginalization of Ndigbo cannot go on or remain unchallenged forever. Icheoku says if this state of complete isolation is not perturbing any other Igbo person, it perturbs Icheoku; and Icheoku adds that any unperturbed Igbo person is not worthy of the Igbo semen and ova that beget him or her and should hide his face in utter shame. Why must this situation be allowed to continue, as this people, in defiance of Dee Sam Mbakwe caution, continues to eat the fish which belongs to the man still awake without being asked why? Please can someone tell Icheoku it is not about time, Ndigbo man up and stand up for their rights in Nigeria? 

How a whole nation of Ndigbo, a very prominent leg of the tripod that holds up Nigeria together, could be so completely ousted from its political affairs, without any consequence, still forces Icheoku into stupid stupor? How could the country still stand and function on only two legs when the third has been thus severed, discarded and practically thrown away? Icheoku laments that for the first time in the history of Nigeria's self governance, two major political parties, PDP and APC, are operating seamlessly without any Igbo person in any key office or position? Both parties'  presidency (candidate), vice presidency (candidacy), party chairman, party secretary as well as the other main party leadership position, chairman of board of trustees, are held by none Igbo people? So thus marginalized and locked out, what then is the relevance of Ndigbo in continuing the membership of the Nigerian state, when they are not needed and do not matter any longer and in such a way that the ship of the state could still be so safely steered without them in the engine room? 

Icheoku does not know about the rest of other Igbo people but this crass attitudinal indifference by these other Nigerians to the plight and concerns of Ndigbo is surely one heck of concern to Icheoku and should be for any true son or daughter of Igboland. Icheoku wonders how did things get so bad for Ndigbo in Nigeria? When Icheoku was beginning to conclude that it is only the Jonathan administration and his PDP that has so marginalized Ndigbo in every manner and facet in Nigeria and for the very first time in Nigeria, here comes the APC, equally telling Ndigbo that they don't matter in Nigeria, not anymore? The APC presidential candidate is a Northern, their vice presidential candidate is potentially South-westerner, their party chairman is a minority South-south, their party secretary is a Northerner, their chairman of board of trustees is a North-central and their spokesman is a North-central too? So where does this arrangement leave Ndigbo? Please Icheoku need answers if you have got one.

How have the mighty Ndigbo fallen? How did the once beautiful bride of Nigerian politics, whom everyone and every political party in Nigeria once sought after, including Ndigbo hater-in-chief Obafemi Awolowo, come to this inconsequential grinding halt in Nigerian politics. How did Ndigbo hit rock-bottom in Nigeria politics? Something has definitely terribly gone wrong in Nigeria and particularly in Ndigbo nation, that such thumbing in the face would go on thus far without any serious challenge or even total  confrontation. It appears the Biafran war defeat did not actually come with the end of hostilities in 1970; it seems the final "defeat or routing" of Biafrans suddenly came now under the cunning fox that is President Goodluck Jonathan? Not even under the other Igbo-hater Baba Iyabo has Ndigbo had it this badly; otherwise how does anyone try to fathom an explanation for the hands which Jonathan has dealt Ndigbo since he came to power, largely with the help of Ndigbo bloc-vote. 

Icheoku says for the first time in Nigeria history and under President Jonathan's watch, no Igbo person is occupying any of the office of the presidency, vice presidency, speaker of the house, senate president, chief justice of the federation, attorney general, army chief, police chief, navy chief, internal affairs minister, chairman joint chief of staff, customs chief, immigration chief, cbn governor, ports authority chairman, railway chairman, nnpc group managing director, petroleum minister or any other highly sensitive and/or very lucrative position in the government. To add insult to injury, the same foxy Jonathan, cleverly looked the other way as no Igbo person was made either the chairman or secretary of his political party, the PDP; yet some town criers want Ndigbo to believe that this very Jonathan's love for Ndigbo is akin to biblical David's?  Icheoku says "am losing my mind thinking about "this kind of love as I never see am oo." Please anybody who knows Jonathan should tell him that Ndigbo are complaining bitterly and loudly too and might take vengeance with their votes come 2015, Buhari or no Buhari.

NIGERIA CAUGHT IN THE WEB OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS?

Icheoku says world oil price plummeted further today, to a  new low of $55 per a barrel. Today's price is the lowest the gluey substance has been in recent years. It dose-dived from its high peak of $110 just a few weeks ago to the new half-off price and there is no sign in the horizon that OPEC would ever see a new price rocket, not anytime soon? There is even speculation among financial analysts and oil traders that before Christmas, just nine short days hence, that the world might see oil price forced down below $40 per barrel and Icheoku asks what would Nigeria, a country whose 94% of foreign exchange earner is oil-based, do? If nothing else adequately explains the dark gathering clouds, lets say it is simply ominous. The economies of these OPEC countries particularly those with no other solid industrial base to help cushion the effect of this oil price bottom-drop, will seriously  take a hit. 

Anyway it is international politics and as always when two elephants fight, the little shrubs suffer; so caught in the crossfire of the turf war over Ukraine between the United States cobbled Western powers and Vladimir Putin led Russia, other little flies in the oil producing business like Nigeria, Venezuela and Iran are now partaking in the bitter meal prepared for Russia. An oil price smack-down attack primarily targeted at Russia to force them on their knees and eventually make them vomit the swallowed Ukrainian city of Crimea as well as stop their meddlesome interloping in eastern Ukraine, is now affecting these other countries. It is the unintended consequences of Washington DC concert with Riyadh against Kremlin or what Collin Powell would rightly call collateral damage in a warfare. 

So Icheoku wants to know what a country like Nigeria, which had made provisions in their economy based on the high $110 oil price, would do now that their foreign exchange earner is selling half their original budgeting estimate? Where do they plan to find the balance or are they going to cut down on services and capital developments to fit into their new reality. Anyway, Iran, Venezuela as well as emerging new oil sheiks of America, who found fracking the new money spinner, are now licking their wounds because of the multi billion dollar investments they have made so far in the fracking industry. The Americans, projecting to overtake Saudi Arabia as world's largest oil producer within the next few years, are now wondering what hit them and contemplating the next step forward, having seen their golden goose now laying silver eggs instead, due primarily to one country's machination? 

Icheoku says the world now know why the Kingdom of Saud is a very important player in world oil politics, such that whenever they sneeze, the world oil supply and price catches either cold or fire, depending on their intended objective. A small country with a population of less than seventeen million people, controlling more than 69% of the total proven oil reserve in the world, is one heck of a big player in the manipulation of oil supply and price. The only good news out of this is that for the first time in nearly twelve years, Americans are now beginning to see pump gasoline price go below $2 ($1.89)per gallon from the very high of $6 per gallon at its peak.  Icheoku says like a fat kid loves cake, we are loving it, the fact of this new gasoline pump price. It is one man's loss which spells gain in another man's wallet and as a consumer, Icheoku is loving the price war.

We also pray that, like the biblical Pharaoh struck deaf, that Putin never listens nor hears that oil price is going down the toilet alongside his Rouble currency which has lost half its value so far; and may Saudi Arabia continue to stick it to OPEC and may their almighty oil go as low as $7 per barrel for all Icheoku cares. Possibly with the Nigeria situation, a useless oil might help quell the ever restive Niger Delta original terrorists? Icheoku asks who would not want to fill his tank with less than $20 from the high eighties we paid before the current bonanza, for crying out loud. As for all those country who rely solely for their foreign exchange earner, on the volatile oil, which unfortunately they do not have control over, Icheoku says may be it is about time they put on their thinking cap and figure out how to live a life without the black liquid. 

SYDNEY SIEGE, ISLAMIC TERRORISM PERMANENT STATE OF FEAR?

 Icheoku says unfortunately our world forever changed since that fateful Tuesday morning of September 11, 2001 when the whole world helplessly watched as two planes plowed into World Trade Center buildings in New York? Icheoku asked then and continues to ask now what would make some young men so incensed that they would fly jumbo jets into a building, killing themselves as well as several thousand innocents in the process? Anyway, America has since moved on from the events of that day, admitted no one has forgotten nor will ever forget the unfathomable horrific tragedy that was 9/11. Since then, in response to the attack, several wars have been waged and fought on several fronts and countries and some of them are still continuing till date and may never conclusively see an end. Was what those 9/11 hijacker did reprehensible, you bet; was the response commensurate and specifically tailored to meet the provocateurs'  provocation, Icheoku says not when the attack on Iraq is factored in; as that was rather a stretch and an off-course frolic excessiveness, notwithstanding the passion that was provoked in Americans by the attack on their financial headquarters.  

Unfortunately the same Islamic terrorism has been popping up everywhere from Nigeria to Somalia to Kenya to Mali to Europe to Russia to Israel and practically anywhere and everywhere they find soft targets and sometimes like in Syria, became embolden enough to take on a sitting government. Today it reared its ugly head once again in the land known for its kangaroos and koala bears as well as vastness. It struck in a cafe in downtown Financial District Sidney Australia in what has become known as the Sidney Siege. There an Islamic zealot, Man Haron Monis, held over a Lindt Chocolat Cafe, taking so many hostage; which hostage-situation lingered on for over sixteen hours before the security forces stormed the cafe, freeing the remaining hostages but not before the gun man as well as two others, Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, died in a crossfire. Icheoku says may their souls including that of the gunman now rest in peace. 

Icheoku says what a shock indeed it must have been for the Aussies who always marvel at how Americans manage to cope under the siege of gun violence that has since taken over America? Ironically while the siege of Sidney was going on, another crazed-out gunman in America, Bradley William Stone, shot and killed six people in Philadelphia suburbs,  including his ex-wife, his ex-mother in-law, his ex-grandmother in-law, his ex-sister in-law and her husband and own his daughter by the now dead ex-wife. Icheoku makes bold to say that in America people are sort of now used to the fact that people die and people get shot and people also get killed by gunshots. It is a kind of past time and no longer a biggie that we kill each other every day and sometime on public television or caught on camera like the choke-hold death in New York or the little twelve year old boy in Ohio that was shot dead without being giving a chance to drop his toy-gun? But the Aussies, not being used to gun violence, must be sorrowfully wondering what kind of a bad Christmas present this Islamic lunatic brought to their Sidney; but in America, we clean up and we move on.

Icheoku says the Western culture has been dismissively waving off these sporadic attacks by Muslim terrorists as lone wolf attacks, but Icheoku says it is about time it is treated for what it is - a conflict of cultures, trying hard to dominate one another. It is about time the West called a meeting with these Islamic countries that produce these lunatics and find a way to tackle the ideology that feeds this kind of reprehensible behavior. Admitted it is going to take a long time to achieve a workable solution but it is a course worth exploring in order to effectively stop the bleeding which their activities is causing both our purse, our human resources as well as our collective general psychology. Admitted also that the West might win all the big battles of declared battle grounds, but how do we go about winning the little tiny minutia battles like the Sidney cafe Siege, which we do not know where and when they will pop up?  

Today in our world, we have al Querida worldwide, al Nasura Front, ISIS, Boko Haram, Maghreb, al Shabaab, Yemeni and other sundry pockets of Islamic terrorists running amok in different parts of the world. Query, if this terrorism is not religious-tinged, why are all these terrorists  groups all MUSLIMS and the spread of Islam motivated? Icheoku says it is about time the West stopped lying to itself about the motivation of these terrorists who possibly have backers from their Islamic home countries, and accept the declared war by the Islamic culture against their own civilization and give them a bloody nose and once and for all resolve the question of supremacy. Icheoku says now is the time to do this or the West will forever continue to live in fear and trepidation for not knowing when and where this terrorists would strike. 

The worse of them all are the enemies in our midst, who are freely living among us and yet plotting evil against us. Icheoku says is such conduct still becoming of a good GUEST's behavior or is it better to just deport all these fanatics back to their various home countries and remain permanently shut out from the West? Why would they leave their oppressive Islamic countries for the West, yet bring along  with them their violent way of life. Icheoku says if they had it so good with what they had back home, why did they live their countries in the first place? But regrettably, the West is not even serious tackling these terrorists everywhere, otherwise why have they not supported Nigeria in their fight against Boko Haram by at least selling them weapons. Icheoku says it is very unfortunate that Nigeria has been begging to buy weapons from the West to help them fight Boko Haram; they are not asking the West to give them hand-out but want to pay for them,  yet the West would not deal. So please can anyone with better knowledge tell Icheoku how this war on global jihadist terrorism would be fought and won if the West continuously remain very  selective in what they consider Islamic terrorism worth fighting and those ones they treat as mere Africans' problem? 

Anyway living in fear of these jihadists has become part of our way of life in the West and there is no silver bullet to shoot down this phobia. All Icheoku could advise is for everybody to be of permanent good behavior and also remain in permanent peace with his/her maker, just in case the next visit to a Star Bucks coincidentally becomes the day another one of these lunatics would be holding the place up and life as we know it evaporates as result. What a sad commentary the Sidney Siege is and Icheoku prays for strength and God's fortitude to families of all the deceased; and also courage for the rest of us still around not to cower under such continuing acts of terror. Their Sidney siege is but a rest-stop in their universal siege and the world must fight back and fight harder and if more bloody, so be it. But winning this war on terror is not going to be anytime soon if ever. On a hindsight, may be we should have left them alone under Saddam Hussein butchery and not unnecessarily stir the hornet's nest in the first place. Now they have scattered everywhere and are unleashing their sting as they see fit and get the opportunity. Icheoku says they have murdered peace and should themselves not know peace! 

LIFE IS CRUEL, DEPORTATION IS UGLY?

Icheoku says you are looking above pictured, part of some one hundred Nigerians recently deported from Norway, as they are trying to figure out what indeed happened to them at Muritala Mohamed airport in Lagos. Icheoku says with experiences like this, which now occur in Lagos nearly on a daily basis, one begins to wonder if these checking out is indeed worth it after all? Look at the guy in red pants left bottom, carrying all he was able to acquire in Norway in his see through garbage bag, and you wonder whether his plane ticket and the cost of obtaining Visa out of Nigeria was even realized? 

Anyway it is life and life is somewhat cruel and shows no mercy. Like with every deportation, they get you and you are gone; and it does not matter what you own or have, including money in the bank; admitted with plastic cards, you can access your money from anywhere in the world including the Sambisa Evil Forest, provided you first check with Boko Haram to ascertain their charges and fees? Icheoku says as is usually with such uprooting, it will take time to decompress, but these people will survive. What an unhappy Christmas, the Norwegians have brought to these Nigerians by forcefully returning them from a land whence they escaped. Life is indeed cruel.

WINNIE MANDELA, A STRONG WOMAN NOT GIVEN HER DUES?

Icheoku just re-watched "Mandela, long walk to freedom", a movie about the life and times of the South African legend; a man who sacrificed so much of his life to achieve freedom for his people. A very good movie indeed - well acted and nicely choreographed too as well as its scenic cinematography. But the movie is not the purport of this essay, it only provided Icheoku with a brain-jolt to look into the real heroine of the apartheid struggle without whom, possibly Nelson Mandela would not have become the legend he became. 

Icheoku says Winnie Madikizela Mandela played a very important role, may be of equal significance if not more important than Nelson Mandela himself, in the struggle for a free South Africa. While Nelson was imprisoned, she dutifully held the fort, raising their children while simultaneously, bravely organizing and leading the uprising that eventually toppled South Africa apartheid government. She also suffered untold discomfort from the same apartheid South African government trying to make her abandon the struggle. From Nelson Mandela's early activist days to his imprisonment to his release and eventual presidency, Winnie was rock-solid behind her man and lived her life in full commitment to the ideals of the struggle. For these Icheoku says Winnie Mandela has earned her place in the pantheon of history as a heroine of the South Africa liberation struggle and should be so fully acknowledged and recognized.

Icheoku is emphatic that but for Winnie, Nelson would possibly have compromised the struggle or accepted a release from prison deal from the government or even worse, died brokenhearted behind the walls of Robbin Island prison? But any man would brave the situation. knowing fully well that he has an indefatigable wife or partner getting his back and that while he was gone, someone was taking care of business on his behalf. Icheoku asks which man would not pray to be so blessed with such a woman as Winnie Mandela faced with similar circumstances? While Nelson Mandela was locked away, Winnie held fort, Winnie took care of business and Winnie sustained the struggle for liberty of the oppressed black majority under White minority apartheid South Africa. An epitome of strength and courage, who herself was severally harassed, intimidated and locked up in solitary confinements just to break her resolve but she did not bulge nor cower. 

Icheoku says if a "STRONG WOMAN" ever existed, Winnie Mandela is that she; and Icheoku is one proud loving man of  strong women, provided their strength is in holding fort when duty calls but not on needless confrontations and disrespectful, scornful mannerism towards their husbands. As demonstrated by Winnie, strong women should be source of strength to their husbands but not their nightmare; they should be capable of effectively stepping in and filling their husband's big shoes when duty calls and do it without much complain. Icheoku says Winnie Mandela delivered this lesson with big equanimity; she taught aspiring "strong" women how to be strong and still remain a beautiful woman.  Just like femininity is still in vogue and beautiful, Icheoku maintains that any woman can be strong while still remaining a woman but not an unneeded usurping Madam Husband? 

Icheoku however has issue with Nelson Mandela for walking away from Winnie despite her sacrifices on his behalf, waiting for twenty-seven long years without eloping with other eligible men and they were many indeed that came after her, while Nelson was gone. Icheoku refuses to accept that her indiscretion was such an egregious unforgiven sin for Mandela not to find a place in his heart to tuck it away and forge on. At over seventy years old when he was released from prison, most men would have pretended nothing happened and lived his life out with his loving and dutiful wife who stood firm and bravely carried the torch of freedom-fighting while a caged Mandela could not do much from behind his prison walls. Icheoku maintains that if Nelson Mandela could forgive his tormentors and oppressors, why did he not find it honorably doable to also forgive Winnie's indiscretion? 

But hey, the story of Nelson Mandela and apartheid struggle is legion and everywhere; but Icheoku states and unequivocally too, that Winnie Madikizela Mandela was not given her due recognition for her role in both ending apartheid and making Nelson the man he really became. Hers is atypical of the saying that behind every successful man there is always a woman and a very strong woman for that matter. Icheoku says if every 'strong' woman walking the face of the earth should be like Winnie Mandela, then may there be no weakling sissy left standing. Winnie, Icheoku says, thank you for loving Nelson the way you did and for also courageously holding the fort while he was gone. 

Winnie Madikizela Mandela, please just know that history will properly accord you the  elevated place of honor which you rightly earned and deserve. Icheoku says, Icheoku, Africans and the world know who the true wife and African queen of Nelson Mandela is. Icheoku says your place in history is incapable of being wiped or wished away, admitted that the masochistic African male society, that only sees women but refuses to hear or acknowledge them for their roles in the society, would rather the whole praise went to your husband Nelson Mandela alone; but your role remains indelible and will inure forever. Icheoku says well done Mama Africa, we thank you, we love you and we wish you a long, healthy and happy life.

'BOY, YOU DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD' - JAN BREWER

Icheoku says what else is racism exemplified other than an ordinary state governor not respecting the office of the president of the United States of America, simply because the person in occupation therein is a BLACK 'THAT ONE'? Icheoku says look no further but at Jan Brewer if looking for proof that racism in America has not died nor abated nor even become any better with a black President Barack Obama's presidency. But hey, millions of Arizona's Jan Brewer cannot change the fact of history that finally at last, a blackman is occupying "their" White House as their president. From Jan Brewer to Barack Obama, GET IT?

BUHARI'S WIN, APC SAYS GET OVER YOUR PARANOIA NIGERIANS?

Icheoku says the man who owns, runs and largely finances the APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has once again proved that no grasshopper ever flies up in APC without his express approval and authorization? He dealt with Sheriff Momodu, Tom Ikimi, Babatunde Fashola and now his latest quarry is bagged in Abubakar Atiku, whose  latest ambition to fly the APC presidential ticket was crushed and probably quashed forever? The man, who Icheoku reluctantly admires his political gamesmanship, is  one heck of a smooth political operator; and has by this latest act now conclusively proved that he has had and would always have his way with anyone in 'his' APC. He single-handedly imposed a chairman on the APC; he picked a candidate for Lagos 2015 governorship election despite the objection of an incumbent governor, who himself was a beneficiary of ABT political anointing; and now he has also handed his preferred candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, the APC presidential ticket. 

Icheoku says if the PDP and President Jonathan hitherto never appreciated or underestimated the prowess of this  man, now probably is the time for them to really wake up, shake off their lethargy and take a second critical look at him and rejig their strategy and game plan for 2015. Icheoku admonishes that failure to so do and very quickly too, might surprisingly leave them wondering what a ton of bricks hit them in 2015 with the emergence of an APC president through this man's deft manipulations. icheoku acknowledges that Ahmed Bola Tinubu has thus far a very impressive political resume and should be taken very seriously and all his dues properly paid him. Steadily but surely, Bola Tinubu is effectively filling the big shoes of the other Yoruba political sage Obafemi Awolowo as one of the biggest political tactician the Yoruba Southwest has ever produced? Icheoku gives him his due props, regardless of our often disagreeing positions on affairs of the land. 

Icheoku did all he could to help try influence the outcome of the APC convention by persuading APC not to front this despot as their presidential candidate. But the result shows otherwise; that the APC choose to see Buhari's past misbehaviors as gone with the wind and that his confessed renaissance is genuine? Icheoku admits that the Buhari of 2015 has been significantly humbled from the Buhari of 1983 to 1985 that murdered those three innocent Nigerians using a retroactive decree as cover? If the result is acceptable to the APC, with all due respect it is also acceptable to a non partisan Icheoku. All Icheoku can add now is that if eventually the APC wins the presidential seat in 2015, the implication would be very far-reaching indeed. It will certainly affirm that Nigeria is a certified glorified banana republic, where only strong men hold sway? That because of Nigerians' usual cattle mentality, their stimuli only respond to infliction of force and therefore it requires an army discipline to properly coalesce them and put them in line? Icheoku asks, would a Nigerian, desiring forced discipline in order to behave properly, still be capable of claiming any civilized civility? 

But that irrespective, whether or not the APC candidate wins in 2015, it will not make any difference in the security situation in Nigeria. The only difference would be in the geographical location of the continuing terrorism that is plaguing Nigeria as it would then migrate from the Northeast down to South-south Niger Delta, the original home-grown terrorists abode? Icheoku is emphatic that  Abubakar Shekau and his Boko Haram band of marauding  bandits helped blackmailed APC into the presidential ticket outcome? Boko Haram would also likely blackmail Nigerians, clamoring for security, with intensified mayhem to help bring about a Buhari's victory and thereafter would quickly lay down their weapons in a pretended negotiated settlement or amnesty? But then this Boko Haram watershed would be the beginning of the terror-hurricane the Niger Delta commanding officer Mujahadeen Asari Dokubo had promised Nigerians in event Jonathan was denied a second time? 

All Dokubo would do is to relocate to the creeks and with his band of terrorists, once the marching order is given from above, grind Nigeria's teetering oil export to a complete halt. Icheoku says so Nigerians must tread with great caution and tepidity in their quest to decide who occupies Aso Rock in 2015 as either win, will not solve the Nigerian insecurity problem. It is going to be a case of which alternative is a lesser evil situation; and then ask themselves which of the two terrorism belts would have a greater impact on their lives in general and vote accordingly. Although what Sheik Gumi proposed would have been a quicker  resolution; but with both parties now resting their fate in the two candidates, their nomination process completed, Nigerians can only await the consequential outcome of either choice? 

As for Icheoku, a preferred outcome is to not let those Niger Delta original terrorists have any reason to go back blowing up pipelines again. Let their son and brother have their region's term completion in Aso Rock and then power can return wherever power wants to return. Thereafter, if they ever misbehave again with their restiveness, then the whole Nigerians can overwhelmingly hammer them down into eternal fearful subjugation. But injustice to one is injustice to all, so if the Yoruba Southwest got their eight years two election-cycles terms, let the same measure be extended to the South-south people and hopefully to the North and Southeast whenever they get the privilege?  It is fairness defined and nothing ever compares to it. 

To Abubakar Atiku, Icheoku says please consider finally hanging up your presidential aspiration and may be forever and for good? Baba Iyabo successfully damaged Atiku's reputation and credibility when he challenged Atiku to visit  America and get arrested; which challenge Atiku never took. Atiku coyly shied away from addressing or disproving this accusation by simply taking a trip to the USA and instead went prostrating at Abeoukuta Hilltop, begging for forgiveness?  A simpleton's solution to a genie problem which never puts the genie back into the bottle; and Baba laughed and still dey laugh at Atiku and his daydream of becoming Nigeria's president which is suddenly morphing into a nightmare with his latest defeat by Buhari? Icheoku says Atiku failed to correctly read Olusegun Obasanjo's primary intent by publicly releasing his Atiku-s Challenge and to put it out there and let the public do the lynching and crucifixion. icheoku says Atiku's non-response response to Obasanjo's accusation and challenge gave credence to the allegation and it stuck that Atiku is the most corrupt Nigerian alive. 

So despite the over 9 billion Naira Atiku poured into purchasing the APC presidential ticket, he was told no, thanks, but no. It would appear that Bola Tinubu took a page from the book of Umaru DIkko and told Abubakar Atiku that the APC presidential ticket is not for sale to the highest bidder. Icheoku says so who knows which party the habitual party crawler would, following his trouncing defeat by Buhari, now hop over to this time around? Except that Icheoku almost forgot that his PDM is a registered political party, so there could be a PDM presidential candidate Abubakar Atiku very soon? It is now a battle royale between PDP's Jonathan and APC Buhari for the hearts and minds of Nigerians as 2015 approaches. Icheoku can never have enough of the punches expected to be thrown by this two gladiators prelude to February 2015 presidential election that will decide who stays or moves out and/or who remains out or moves into Aso Rock.

It is now all systems go for the millions of Buhari-phobes who would now go into overdrive to ensure that they nip their impending nightmare in the bud before it morphs into an existential threat to Nigeria as we know it. Icheoku does not like the precedent being set with Olusegun Obasanjo and now probably with impending Muhammadu Buhari, that only army men, whether serving or retired, could effectively preside over Nigeria? It does not bode well for the country's image and it does not bode well for grassroots democracy and would encourage future coup plotters to do their thing since there is no consequence for any past reprobate. If Icheoku may, this impending power return to the same Northeast that produced Shagari, Buhari, Abacha, Babangida, Abdulsalam and YarAdua, should be aborted at any cost possible as it is not only one region out of six that knows how to rule Nigeria. Icheoku says it is time indeed Nigerians declared their true and second independence from these born to rule ideologues and tell them if we cannot rule them, they should not and must not rule us. No one is inferior or second class to anyone in Nigeria and 2015 is the date with history that Nigerians must look these guys in the eyes and tell them ENOUGH! 

FYI:- Icheoku congratulates APC for a successful convention and Muhammadu Buhari for emerging victorious and clinching the APC presidential ticket. 2015 here we come for a rematch of Jonathan V Buhari 2; and the umpire would certainly be Nigerians. Like millions of Nigerians, Icheoku also tremblingly awaits the result. 

"ALL I CAN OFFER IS MY ALL" - BUHARI

Like the biblical "silver or gold I have none, but what I have here give" situation, Buhari tells APC delegates he has neither dollars nor Naira to bribe them, but what he has he shall give and that is SERVICE to Nigerians? Icheoku says finally this man is seemingly beginning to get it; but he, in addition, has to apologize to Nigerians for the highhandedness of his past regime. But Icheoku is neither "forgiving nor forgetting" that he MURDERED three innocent Nigerians using a retroactive decree. Hell NO he gets the APC ticket and Hell NO he is elected president of Nigeria. Enough of these old Hausa/Fulani brigades and their born to rule mentality. If we cannot rule them, they should not rule us and this is the true definition of independence and Nigerians have so declared to be free at last, free at last!

WHEN A WIFE DESIRES A HUSBAND, ARGUMENTS GONE?

"Forward, I pray, since we have come so far. And be it moon, or sun, or what you please. And if you please to call it a rush candle, henceforth I vow it shall be so for me." Katherine to Petruchio, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew. 

Icheoku says just like the good old days of our great forebears, without all these unneeded arguments, a good wife should know how to capture, conquer, control and keep her husband captive and forever, without him even knowing it. But unfortunately many of them thought that femininity is no longer in vogue nor sexy; and are now fighting for a hostile take-over of the husband department too. Icheoku says were this the intention of the maker, may be there would have been just one sex created or according to the biblical account, both species would have been created equally and at the same time and from the same material? But woman was created to compliment men but not to supplant them.

But hey, the feminists take over of the world is nearing completion as they continue to wreck havoc in matrimony and has successfully removed the pride of family completeness of a father/husband, wife/mother and children. They now proudly flaunt their single parenthood of 'I am a single mom and proud, hurray!" "I belong to an association of single mothers, life is beautiful!" Icheoku says single dads also do exist but Icheoku prefers the good old fashioned family of dad, mom and kids any time any day as it was originally meant to be. Icheoku adds that parents are complimentary and never supplementary as each parent has their respective roles to play in raising their kids. 

Further, irrespective of the Mr Mom and/or Mrs Dad reversal of roles, commonly symptomatic of an evolving modern society, where shifting fortunes continuously reconfigures events, a respectful wife or adoring husband should always strive not to further compound things for the other spouse. But hey, love conquers all for those whom love still matters and means a thing and not all those hawkers and gawkers wanting it all. Icheoku salutes all ye that are still keeping it real as it was meant and supposed to be, despite the temptations and challenges that sometimes want to overwhelm and tempt you into joining the loose cannons! Icheoku appreciates you for all the sacrifices and your children are grateful too. Please forget the naysayers, stay the course and you shall be happy you did.

BUHARI IS BAD MEDICINE FOR NIGERIA'S ILLNESS

Icheoku says just take a good look at these two faces Nigerians and please tell Icheoku you will be comfortable with both men running affairs of Nigeria? So please do the NEEDFUL, join the effort now to stop this marauder and prevent him from torturing Nigerians again. Say never again Buhari, say NO to Buhari. On MARCH 28, 2015 VOTE GEJ.

APC, HOW ABOUT AMAECHI FOR PRESIDENT?

Icheoku is just wondering what a masterful stroke it would be should the APC muster the courage to field a South-south Christian presidential candidate with a Northern Hausa/Fulani Muslim vice presidential candidate in the forth coming 2015 presidential election? Icheoku prophesies that should this, most unlikely scenario, ever come alive, the APC would win hands down. Nigerians are somewhat tired of PDP but has no credible alternative and are yearning to have one extended to them come 2015, except that the APC is tone-deaf by continuing their acceleration down the Buhari lane? Icheoku says a thinking APC would have surprised every Nigerian by deflating any excuse that would force them back in the devil they know option by clearly meeting and surpassing their expectation by giving them a candidate similarly positioned as the PDP candidate. 

That way, it would be just a matter of whether Nigerians want to continue on the road currently being traveled, or to try an entirely different route. Christains would not have reason not to vote and the people of South-south as well as the entire South would not have reason not to vote since both candidates are from their region and are both Christians? The joker for APC would be the North that would be the decider in chief and the election of 2015 would have been won and lost and a new party and new president in occupation of Aso Rock? But a situation where the APC is telling the South-south that they are not good enough for the presidency but should settle for a vice presidential lot  makes Icheoku wonder who is advising the APC? No sane  right thinking person expect the people of South-south or the South in general would leave being in the driver's seat to become a mere passenger or which according to Igbo parlance, would leave where they are taking an Ozo title for where they are trying to cure someone of madness. One good thing with Igbo society is that they have a compendium of life's guiding philosophies except that the society does not often imbibe or apply them as their life's guiding light and philosophy.

Icheoku says imagine the earth-shattering event it would be should the APC field Governor Rotimi Amaechi as its presidential candidate with Muhammadu Buhari as his vice presidential candidate. A party indeed bent on uprooting the man at Aso Rock, should surprise Nigerians with this option and thereafter, immediately following his inauguration, force Amaechi to resign on health grounds or impeach him to make way for Buhari. Icheoku asks does anyone think this scenario is far-fetched or not plausible ; since the APC, by dealing this joker, would have solved so many political problems associated with their current Buhari arrangement? First they would have solved the question of religiously-balancing their ticket; they would also have given the South-south Niger Deltans actual reason to jettison their son and current president, since a President Amaechi would still guarantee that they still refined the presidency. 

Icheoku says this scenario would guarantee a win-win situation for the APC and what better political mathematician could have come up with any better calculus and the surest and quickest route into Aso Rock in 2015? However, the problem would be whether the rascally, hot-head Rotimi Amaechi would bite the bait and not become too greedy once sworn in and refuse to surrender the cup with which he was given water? But the only way to test the pudding is by eating it, so until he proves himself dubiou, why not if not. Icheoku asks, but is the man who owns and runs All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, listening? 

BUHARI DECLARES RELIGIOUS TRUCE?

“We must forcefully resist those who wish to set out society on the path of religious conflict. The recent past was unfortunate, the present is Not Good Enough; and it is our duty to create a future that should become a model for all multi-religious societies. We must get together or we shall all get it together. Our two principal religions share a heritage that ought to be used to forge links between our Muslims and Christians. Both are revealed, monotheistic faiths that teaches tolerance and peaceful co-existence" - Muhammadu Buhari, a 1998 lecture at Arewa House Kaduna.

TAYLOR SWIFT, WHEN APPEARANCE IS DECEPTIVE?

Icheoku says sometimes the inner person or mind's true conception may be expressed in verbalized words including poetry and songs. The white hype, Taylor Swift, in one of her latest song, practically admitted that she is not what she actually appears to be?  The songstress, who Kanye West yanked a microphone from her mouth during a  nationally televised music award ceremony, impliedly admitted that she is a bitch and capable of inflicting dire emotional damage on any unsuspecting victim of her love or rather pretentious love? Icheoku says listen to her "BLANK SPACE" song and hear her admit "I am a NIGHTMARE dressed like a DAYDREAM"? Icheoku says what other admission by the person involved qualifies more than this one; or does any person still require further evidence to understand that a viper, whether or not dressed in human form, can pack a punch. So the world of lecherous men, beware; you have been put on notice and precisely warned  to stay off the big voltage power line that is TS.

TIRED OF CHRISTIAN RUNNING MATES, IT'S A MUSLIM THIS TIME - BUHARI?

"I joined partisan politics in 2002. By 2003, there were governors, there were senators, but I got the (presidential) ticket. I picked late Chuba Okadigbo. He was a Roman Catholic and an Igbo. And he was brought up politically by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. We were rigged out."

“In 2007, I picked Chief Umeh Ezeoke, he was an Igbo and a Roman Catholic. Again, we were rigged out. In 2011, I picked Tunde Bakare, a pastor. Again we were rigged out. So how more Christian do you want me to go in picking a running mate? I never picked a Muslim as a running mate but this time , I will.”  - Muhammadu Buhari. 

Icheoku says except that Muhammadu Buhari forgot that Tude Idiagbon was a Muslim. Buhari also laments that he has never been to Mecca for the past twelve years, possibly because no bank will give him loan to finance the pilgrimage? But what would this man not do to get back to Aso Rock, except that Nigerians would be the decider and early feelers shows that are not impressed with his do over.