GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

THE POOR SHOELESS KID FROM OTUOKE, UNIMPRESSIVE FIRST TERM?

Icheoku asks now that he wears the best leather Florence or Milan could craft, has he inspired other similarly situated kids in Nigeria including Otuoke, or done enough as president generally, to merit a second shot at the presidency? Icheoku says but for the ever restive Niger Delta oil terrorists, the need to pacify them in order for them to leave Nigerians alone and in peace being paramount, Nigerians would have voted this man out and for good, all his good luck or rather bad luck notwithstanding. Therefore if President Goodluck Ebelesimei Jonathan is reelected in 2015, it would not be because he creditably performed well enough to merit a reelection; no, it will be simply because many Nigerians as well as Icheoku, want to see justice done to the minorities of Nigeria by allowing them to also have a two terms shot at the presidency. It will also be to help douse the ever threatening Niger Delta original terrorists and prevent them from holding Nigerians hostage to their oil again. But short of that, Jonathan has not done a stellar job to make him deserving of a second term, all the indicators of a performed president considered? 

Icheoku is emphatic that President Jonathan cannot sincerely beat his hand on his chest and say I came, I saw and I conquered, on anything spectacular, which he did for Nigerians. At least the despicable Baba Iyabo liberalized telecommunications in Nigeria and made it possible for an Ezzamgbo rural farmer in Ebonyi State to hook up on the Internet to order fertilizer and keep tracking the supplying truck and guiding it for direction until he takes delivery? The Ota Deity also made it possible for Nigerians to tune in their television and see what is happening in other climes. Such insightful, far reaching accomplishments, are what Icheoku considers as tangibles of performance, but not all these transformational abracadabra nonsense that never gets transformed. Nigerians cannot go on forever waiting for an unattainable transformation goals or for one stupid seven point agenda to become project accomplished and this is what the 2015 election debate should be predicated upon. Real issues and not all these emotive sentimental nonsenses Nigerians are being currently bombarded with, including that one of the candidates would Islamize Nigeria when most Nigerians know for a fact that is a complete hogwash that has no chance whatsoever of ever coming to fruition in a democracy.

On the issue of power supply, Nigerians have not seen any meaningful improvement six years after the 'shoeless' Otuoke boy climbed into power and started wearing sporty Italian designer shoes? On the issue of insecurity, there is yet no breeder for Nigerians, six years after the Otuoke shoeless school boy mounted the saddle of leadership and now wearing very good soft leather shoes. It is on record that the shoeless Otuoke boy sacked IGP Ogbonnaya Onovo because he could not stop kidnapping just six months into office. Since then, Nigerians have seen how subsequent IGPs stopped forthwith all crimes in Nigeria, yet they were neither sacked nor fired but were allowed to dutifully serve out and serving their term? He also fired a performing Chief of Army Staff who was on the threshold of defeating Boko Haram because according to him, the embarrassment of having an Airforce base in Maiduguri bombed by Boko Haram was simply too much for him to take; yet the very chief of Air staff then Badeh under whose direct supervision the bombed air force base was, he made the current Chief of Service Staff and please someone explain to Icheoku the logic behind it? 

On employment, hundreds of thousands if not millions of employable but unemployed youths are still roaming about many years after leaving their NYSC discharge camps without jobs or any hope of finding one? Also anti-corruption effort has not received any serious boost under the Otuoke shoeless kid; ditto has the looting of Nigeria continued even to the point that Nigeria's foreign exchange savings has plummeted from the high $43billion to some negatives now? Boko Haram Islamic terrorists and their counterpart Niger Delta Oil terrorists are still holding sway in the land? All under the watch of a shoeless boy who has now become so comfortable wearing well cushioned shoes to even feel or ever remember what going shoeless felt like and too relaxed to worry about the real issues haranguing Nigerians?

Icheoku maintains that any serious Nigerian, weighing the performance of President Jonathan would agree with Icheoku that he has performed below par and if judged solely based on his records, would not stand a chance at reelection in 2015. But in Nigeria, there are so many other sentimental motivations that drive the current presidential election narrative and it is only based on such that President Jonathan will probably and most likely be reelected come February 14, 2015. Moreso, the other guy the APC imposed on themselves as their ticket bearer, is not an alternative many Nigerians can live with. Icheoku thought that the APC would have given Nigerians a different candidate without the many baggage Muhammadu Buhari is carrying and in that way make it easier for Nigerians to vote and vote as if they truly mean it. But unfortunately, they blew it with their insensitive choice of Buhari and on February 14, 2015, they will see what they did to themselves by choosing Buhari. Icheoku says on February 14, 2015, many Nigerians would be voting against Muhammadu Buhari rather than voting for Jonathan, admitted he would be the ultimate beneficiary of such default votes. 

So what Icheoku is saying is that it is about time poverty becomes a bar to becoming a president  in Nigeria or any other place, including the United States where President Obama has not shown much teeth, being constrained by his life's situational upbringing. In the future of Nigeria, people without either royalty or wealth should be barred from running for the office of the president. Such psychologically, poverty traumatized, damaged and demented individuals are often held hostage to their growing experiences and usually don't have the needed assertiveness, gravitas and bold audacity necessary to do the needful to move the society forward. They so often are still riveted in awe of those individuals they never had the privilege of interacting with, hence cannot muster the courage to go up against them. But a royalty or a man of means, who has already seen it all, would not give a damn whose ox is gored while audaciously going about the business of running a government and running it well, regardless. However, in the final analysis and irrespective of what happens on the night of Valentine day 2015 or soon thereafter following, Icheoku says President Jonathan will go down in the history of Nigeria as the president who least inspired or motivated Nigerians; needless to add that he is neither loved nor respected nor feared as a leader.  Icheoku says President Jonathan is indeed timid and not bold and does not provide leadership for anyone Nigerian, especially those who know better. But for the rat-pack, he may be the best thing that happened to them since the sliced bread debuted on their breakfast tables. Salute!

Monday, December 29, 2014

ISMAAIYI BRINSLEY, HAS THE RADICALIZATION FINALLY BEGUN?

Icheoku asks has the predicted end result of the continuing distrust between blacks and American justice system, including skewed  policing, the unintended consequences of radicalizing the disenfranchised, disillusioned and despondent blacks of America, finally began? Why would a young man, apparently middle class and probably living the American dream, judging from his good looks and the fact that he shops at high ender Louis Vuitton, decided to end his life in a murder-suicide and in this manner? What so radicalized Ismaaiyi Brinsley that he chose to bring his life to such an abrupt tragic end after taking that of two New York police officers Weinjian Liu and Rafael Ramos; who although were not directly implicated in the recent police incidents in America but whom the killer probably saw as representing the institution that has been waging war of repression against blacks? 

Icheoku says in his mind,  Ismaaiyi was probably not shooting Officers Liu and Ramos, but was shooting what he termed "two racist pigs" representing the police institution which he considers an enemy and as far as he is concerned a police man is a police man, period. But unfortunately pundits and analysts are pivoting away from asking the tough question what made this guy to loose it? Why did he become so incensed that living didn't matter to him any more and he went out this way? What pushed him over the cliff. Icheoku believes that in some quarters of the American society many are hailing him as a hero and silently wishing they are or that there could be other more brave Ismaaiyis out there to finally force a more sensible approach to black policing in America; assuming the language of vengeful force is what would finally bring everything to a head and force a solution? 

Admitted that an eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind, but is it not about time Americans agree that something is not right and then sit down to address the root cause of the existing mistrust, instead of just sweeping it under the carpet and trying to explain it as a mad man gone rogue sort of occurrence?  An injustice to one is an injustice to all and the worst treatment a person can ever mete out to another human is to treat him as if he does not matter or treat his concerns and complaints as if they are not that important to matter. Police everywhere are perceived as the same racist pigs, so any act of aggression on any police anywhere is seen as avenging a wrongful police brutality somewhere? Icheoku says it is also possible that Ismaaiyi as well as many of his admirers did not see him as a cop killer, but a knight in shinning armor coming to save the day by avenging so many police inflicted pains and deaths and brutalities of past several decades culminating in these past few recent months?  

Icheoku laments that it is the same mindset that fuels those suicide bombers in the Middle East that informed this two New York police officers' killer's, as one begin to imagine what would have happened had Ismaaiyi adorned a suicide vest instead of just a hand gun and walked into a precinct? What if this  cop-killer is just but one of so many of such people thinking and planning an attack or about embarking on such murderous mission to get at the police? But whatever be the case, this is a new development when a black man goes on a murder-suicicde in the name of avenging blacks killed, who are not even related to him, except that they both share the same skin pigmentation.  As with many of these police on black brutality, black Americans are not asking that those police officers be willy-nilly convicted; no, they are asking that they do not simply walk away as if the life they took don't matter; at least they should be prosecuted and if the jury of their peer sets them free, so be it; but at least something was seen to be done. It is somewhat palliating, admitted it does not change the fact of what happened or brought the taken life back? 

Police brutality on black Americans' avenger, Ismaayi Brinsley, assassinated two New York police officers and later took his own life, as according to him, living a life which 'don't matter' is not worth living at all? According to the last message he left before embarking on the horrendous act of "retaliation", he said "they kill one of our own, we kill two of their own"; living no one in doubt as to what triggered his sort of vendetta attack on the two New York Police officers. In his mind, Brinsley was merely avenging what he saw as a continuing pattern of police killing of black Americans without any consequence? Imagine in a spate of few months three blacks were killed by white police officers and nothing was done to the injustice and these killed had families who grieved and mourned their loss? Then you add the Fruitvale Oscar Grant, Rodney King, Garner, Brown and the little child playing with his toy gun who was murdered by the police without even being first asked to drop his weapon? Then a pattern emerges that seem to suggest that there is a grandiose plan to continually decimate the black American population? 

It would appear that those they cannot lock away to rot in prison, they kill and this disillusion is what is fueling the emotive sentiments that is almost boiling over and which led to the New York police murders. Icheoku says American people, especially the white people, should understand that the anger and hurt and the feeling that they don't matter existing in the black community is real and there is actual basis for that. But instead of trying to understand the root cause of this seething anger towards resolving it, a whole group of people are dismissively treated and regarded as angry black people? Icheoku says Yes, black people are angry but there is a reason for their anger and something is making them this horn-mad angry at what their life has become in America. Icheoku says with the Brinsley murders, may be it is a awake up call for we as Americans to begin to talk to one another towards building a more wholesome society where every American, regardless of color, would feel at home; and then we will have a more united country than all these feelings of black lives don't matter which triggered the madness that was the murder of two New York police officers. To their families as well as those left behind by Ismaaiyi brinsley, Icheoku extends our condolences; as we reiterate that an eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind and they could be other ways to resolve our differences rather becoming this disagreeable. It is a painful day in America to see two police officer killed and their killer allegedly committed suicide, admitted stories abound that he was shot execution style by charging police officers inside the train station. But Icheoku does not know nor has insider information to conclusively agree. What a day of pain and mourning. May their souls rest in peace.

SCARED OF BUHARI, IBB PITCHES TENT WITH JONATHAN?

PIC.1.  PRESIDENT  JONATHAN  VISITS  FORMER PRESIDENT  BABANGIDA IN MINNAIcheoku says too scared of the threat imposed by a possible Muhammadu Buhari's presidency, to both his personal liberty and amassed stupendous wealth, the Evil Genius has decided to throw his weight in support of the weakling President Jonathan; and Icheoku wonders who, being so similarly situated, wouldn't?  Icheoku says yes, it was a calculated-risk decision by Babangida but not that the incumbent president has so far impressed anyone, including Babangida himself, on why he meritoriously deserves a second term. 

Babangida drove a Brutus stab into Buhari's back when he overthrew him in 1985; Babangida also stole himself blind when he amassed stupendous wealth following his stay in office as Nigeria's head of state for eight long years and Babangida also locked Buhari up in prison for three long years following his ouster, so he is smart to smell a vendetta being in the offing with a Buhari's presidency. Therefore a thinking Babangida calculated that he will be better off with Buhari stopped at the gate of Aso Rock rather than to deal with a safely anchored inside Aso Rock Buhari. So like he struck before against Buhari in 1985, he is once again trying to strike to stop Buhari in 2015 and not allowed him into Aso Rock by pitching his support to Jonathan.  Babangida concluded that there would be simply too much exposure to risk for him under a Buhari presidency and decided to support a man, already known to be too timid to go after these top heavy looters of Nigeria, including Babangida. 

Icheoku would have rather been surprised had it been the other way round with Babangida risking it all by throwing his support for Buhari. Or like another analyst suggested, to see the unlikely scenario of Olusegun Obasanjo throwng his support for Abubakar Atiku, knowing fully well that both men have some unfinished business to do with them, sort of some axe to grind, and would probably come calling for their pounds of flesh respectively if empowered. Icheoku says all these retired generals and former heads of state are mere survivalists and are only interested in how they would ride off into their sunsets without much inconvenience both to their body and level of comfort. They don't care about Nigeria or Nigerians, otherwise when they had the opportunity, what did they do to showcase their love for country? They just want someone that would protect their butts and who would not probe nor prosecute them or hold them up to give account of their stewardship. They want a safe berthing president they can feel free to live with and thats their sole driving force and nothing more, period.

Now listen to the proverbial 'Nigerian Maradona' extol Jonathan, during the visit of the president to his Minna residence. Speaking to the media after the visit, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida said, “What I will say is simple: The President means well for this country and he is working well for this country. Anybody who means well for this country should support the President to make sure that Nigeria survives as a united country.” 

Icheoku answers in rebuttal, who the heck is Babangida to preach about "meaning well for Nigeria"  when he is the chief culprit and continuing danger to Nigeria's overall well being? Please Nigerians, who is Babangida to talk about someone meaning well for Nigeria when personally he did not mean well for Nigeria when he annulled a duly conducted and completed election of MKO Abiola, June 12; and nearly threw the whole country into a turmoil from which it has not yet fully recovered till date, if ever? Icheoku maintains that the Evil genius lacks the moral standing and authority to preach to Nigerians about meaning well for the country when he never meant well for the country either? All he did with this latest Jonathan's endorsement was to play his usual surviving game, which he readily plays and is now once again playing with Jonathan under the guise of meaning well for Nigeria? 

Icheoku asks did Babangida mean well for Nigeria when Dele Giwa was blown to pieces with his parcel bomb? Did Babangida mean well for Nigeria when he took a secular Nigeria into the membership of the Islamic OIC? Did Babangida mean well for a united Nigeria when he watched Ebitu Ukiwe walk away from his government because of his religious bigotry? Did Babangida mean well for Nigeria when he introduced SAP? Did Babangida mean well for Nigeria when he killed the poet Mamman Vasta because of a long running family feud and needless competitiveness between them, known two childhood friends? Icheoku lampoons that if Babangida meant well for Nigeria he would not have failed to retire Sani Abacha while stepping aside, only for that midget of Kano to later show Nigerians real pepper? Icheoku asks since when did IBB started meaning well for Nigeria or Nigerians or is it a case of Fela's reprimand, "teacher, please don't teach me nonsense?' 

Icheoku says the only discernible thing out of this endorsement of Jonathan by Babangida is that Babangida wants to be seen as a king maker. Now that he has thrown his hat in the ring against Olusegun Obasanjo, who is supporting the APC candidate Muhammadu Buhari, it is obvious that their lasting struggle for the control of Nigeria, now continues. So with Obasanjo supporting the APC and its  presidential candidate Buhari, it somewhat seems apparent that Babangida would support the other side of the polar opposite, so PDP and Jonathan naturally benefits. With the two Nigerian nemesis, ex generals and former heads of state from hell, whose venomous happenstance on the Nigerian stage, Nigerians are still to recover from, now pitched their tents respectively, it is going to be battle royale for who wins the 2015 election. At the end of the day, whoever comes out victorious amongst this two men would have consolidated his hold on Nigeria and possibly for the very last final time as both men are nearing their graves. 

Why each ex-head of state has pitched his tent as pitched  is quite obvious to any thinking Nigerian. Obasanjo, having failed to coral Jonathan and be the recognized defacto president is desperate to bring him down. First he made sure that his other nemesis Abubakar Atiku did not get anywhere near the presidency by not securing the APC ticket; but having failed to secure his preferred Tambuwal, has no choice but to support whoever the opposite of Jonathan is. Ibrahim Babangida on the other hand is deathly afraid of what a potential Buhari's presidency would bring alongside with it; and not prepared to gamble with so much risk, and because also his Tambuwal project failed have been aborted by Bola Tinubu, now is settling for Jonathan. It is a game they all play and with all the players now fully emerged and known, the decider in chief would be the Nigerian people who will make their votes count on February 14, 2015.

Finally, like Icheoku has always maintained, none of the two candidates, Jonathan or Buhari, is the best Nigeria could have offered; but given that Nigerians are now stuck with either of them - a sort of no choice choice situation,   Icheoku would elect with Babangida that Jonathan is a lesser of the two evils. Icheoku therefore calls on Nigerians to evaluate the weighty decision they will make with their votes on Valentine's day 2015, fully seized of their chances between the devil and the deep sea. Icheoku strongly believes that since the devil is an assured destruction, the deep sea might be a lesser-risk choice because as with  Jonah of Nineveh, a whale might come to their rescue? Icheoku's preference of Jonathan to the mega-dictator, Muhammadu Buhari, is also predicated on the fact that Buhari has neither apologized for his high-handedness in office nor adequately assured Nigerians that the leopard has changed its spots. Anyway, Nigerians you decide, but please decide with a clear mind after weighing what 2015 holds in stock both for you and the country. Salute!

WE WILL SURRENDER - BOKO HARAM

'Our agenda is to instal a Muslim president in Nigeria on February 14, 2015. The APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, is a Muslim, so if Nigerians vote for him, we will stop our blood letting orgy and mayhem. We shall not even wait for "President" Muhammadu Buhari to send his soldiers after us at Sambisa evil Forest to crush us; he won't have a need to do that. We will surrender immediately following his inauguration, having mission-accomplished our objective of installing a Muslim president in Nigeria. 

So Nigerians, you decide, whether the insecurity in Nigeria will continue or you will help solve the problem on February 14, 2015 by casting your vote for the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari. The ongoing insecurity situation as engineered, is being methodically orchestrated to achieve a predetermined objective; and ironically, we are succeeding in persuading Nigerians that ONLY Muhammadu Buhari can stop the Boko Haram imbecility. So to stop insecurity, VOTE Buhari! We are Boko Haram and we approve this message!' 

Icheoku says Nigerians, now you know that all the talks about Muhammadu Buhari ending the Boko Haram insurgency is all hot air as it fits their template regardless. But don't forget that the restive Niger Delta is equally a keg of gun powder waiting to ignite; so if you trade off Boko Haram by voting Buhari, would the Niger Delta be a preferred crisis? You decide.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

2015 ELECTIONS, APC ESCHEWS VIOLENCE.

Icheoku says it is quite commendable for the APC to come out forcefully  to   eschew violence in the forthcoming 2015 election. With Sheikh Gumi, President Jonathan and now the APC clearly decrying violence, it is now less  likely that there will be violence in the election; provided these people meant what they said and said what they meant. Nigerians should therefore expect to see a violence-free election come February 14, 2015 when they will choose their leaders for the respective offices.  Icheoku says way to go APC and this goes to show that Nigerians and their democracy are steadily maturing; and that they have come to agree that no election is worth the life of any Nigerian. 

Here now is the APC undertaking to desire zero violence in election 2015:- “We have heard from Nigerians who are so afraid about possible violence during the forthcoming election that they are even willing to relocate to other countries until after the elections. But, as the biggest opposition party in Nigeria and a major stakeholder in our nation's democracy, we are assuring, on our part, that there will be no violence. Though our party has no history of violence, we have commenced a nationwide effort to sensitize our members and supporters to the need to eschew rancor and embrace non-violent methods, even in the face of the kind of provocations to which we were subjected during the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, when our members were needlessly harassed, arrested and detained by partisan security agencies acting under orders from the Federal Government. 

If the Federal Government allows a level playing field for all contestants, if the security agencies stop acting as the armed wing of the ruling PDP, if the electoral umpire will carry out its duties without fear, favor or bias and if citizens are allowed to exercise their franchise unmolested, the stage will be set for non-violent, free, fair and credible polls. In other words, the government has a major role to play in making the forthcoming polls peaceful. On our part, in addition to other efforts aimed at ensuring a peaceful election, we pledge to accept the result of an election that is not only free, fair, credible and transparent, but one that is also seen to be so. We hope other parties will make a similar pledge.”

Icheoku says it very nice indeed that the APC did this and agrees with the APC that 'elections should be 'a celebration of democracy, rather than a moment of fear, violence and threat to lives.' Icheoku also agrees that a meeting of the leadership of the two political parties, the APC and the PDP, will send a powerful message to compatriots and indeed the international community and help douse the tension that is building up ahead of the election.” Icheoku says this is a good step in the right direction as no violence takes place unless it is authorized or impliedly so authorized by people in authority over the urchins that ferment these violence; but once people in leadership positions makes it clear to their followers that they do not want violence, there will be no violence. All the best Nigerians as you accelerate towards February 14, 2015, the day you will decide who rules you. 

JONATHAN'S 99 PROBLEMS, INCLUDES OBASANJO?

Icheoku says President Goodluck Jonathan largely created all the problems bedeviling him, which  increasingly is now also threatening to take down his government and/or  make his second term ambition a mere wishful dream or a nightmare, at worst? Any Nigerian, including the president's inner circle, his political hacks, lackeys, other hired guns or hands, as well as the broader retinue of his town criers, who is denying the fact that the president has serious problems going into 2015 election must either be delusional or too intoxicated on presidential patronage-opiates not to appreciate the gravity of the clues on the ground. Jonathan's challenging problems are indeed legion and are militating heavily against his 2015 ambition. It will take a divine intervention for him to successfully navigate through the many hurdles placed in front of his second term ambition and the fight would be both very serious and very costly. 

The worst of it all is that these problems as well as his detractors are simply too many; and are as diverse, multi-faceted and hydra-headed as there are divergent opinions in Nigeria. Icheoku laments that the president's problems are so complexed and so convoluted that even attempting to solve them or fully placate their sources, would constitute a problem unto itself. The saddest part of this complexity is that majority of these problems were self-inflicted by a president who is either too timid or lacks the courage and strength of character to do what is needed to stop the bleeding. This incapacity goes to show that having a PhD alone, is not what is needed or required to be a good successful leader. It takes more, including a heart and a hand that could serve both hot and cold dishes, depending on who the guest is. Icheoku agrees that President Jonathan has taken more than any other past president ever took or would have taken and from everybody and everywhere in Nigeria; and most Nigerians have a consensus of opinion on this conclusion. But as to the why, only the president can answer.

Icheoku says but unlike rapper Jay-Z, whose 99 problems does not include Mitt Romney although it includes Solange Knowles, Jonathan's 99 problems, unfortunately, includes Olusegun Obasanjo, the man who made him? Icheoku bemoans that President Jonathan could afford to fall out with his mentor and still left him standing? Any good student of 'The Godfather' or someone who dutifully watched 'Al Pacino/Keeanu Reeves' 'The Devil's Advocate', would agree that accepting anything from the devil requires a premium, sacrifice and payback in return? It is a general knowledge that the devil does not and never gives somebody anything for free; and that anyone accepting something or a favor from the devil must be prepared to do the devil's bidding and equally pay a price in return. Such a beneficiary must be prepared to let the devil occupy his duly entitled prime place of honor in his life. Such a beneficiary must also, eminently acknowledge the devil for his endowment; but in no event must he attempt or try to disparage the devil or scornfully treat him. If he does, he will have himself to blame when the devil takes back his bequeath and as often happens, equally takes that person alongside his gift for being an ingrate. 

Such a recipient of the devil's largess only option is a slavish obedience and total devotion to the will of the devil or in the alternative, to kill the devil if he can in order to secure his release from ransom. This is the only route to freedom and in order to keep the bequeath and as in the case under advisement, to then reign freely and undisturbed. But failure to do either, would make the devil become rabidly so incensed that the devil would ask for and most times take the recipients life in a retributive vengeance. Icheoku says President Jonathan failed to observe this imperative, a cardinal requirement necessary in accepting any conferred benefit from the devil.  President Jonathan took something which Olusegun Obasanjo dangled before him and then reneged on the bargain. He neither allowed Baba Iyabo his preeminence position in his life and government and also failed woefully in not doing the needful alternative of completely decimating or eliminating his benefactor  By failing to take a proactive measures to whittle down Baba Iyabo's influence or force him into self-exile or  send him away to rot in prison or even kill him as some leaders would do, Jonathan made a fatal mistake which he might live to regret in 2015. 

Icheoku asks why did Jonathan accept the gift of Nigeria's presidency from Olusgeun Obasanjo when he knew he would not keep his part of the bargain? Where is indeed the opportunity cost of the presidency of Nigeria when the bargained for inducement that made Olusegun Obasanjo to part with it and confer it on Jonathan was not fulfilled? If it was a valid contract, won't the Ota Deity have a valid action for breach of contract against Jonathan? Why did Jonathan not perform his condition subsequent which is to allow Obasanjo be the defacto president of Nigeria? Who will not be horn-mad to see the man you made president rubbish both you and your record and even completely shut you out of power, influence and relevance in his government? A government which, without your machinations and manipulations, would not have become a reality in the first place? Who will not be livid as hell at such a betrayal? So without mincing words, Icheoku makes bold to say that it  makes sense as it is also understandable that a man who lost out of a bargain like the Ota Deity did, should be not happy with President Jonathan.  Icheoku refuses to believe that any other person, who finds himself in the circumstance which Olusegun Obasanjo found himself, being locked out of a government he facilitated and foist on Nigeria, would. So let Jonathan's people, who are currently reaping where they did not sow, realize that Olusegun Obsanjo deserves better and in any event reserves the right to be mad for being so sidelined. 

A tactician-president who wants to sideline his godfather and go it alone, would as his first order of business, destroy the source from which he got his power. This is rule number one of surviving the ever shifting chairs that is third world African politics; and it is very necessary in order to rule supremely, undisturbed and uninterrupted. Alternatively  the emergent leader must totally submit himself to the yoke of his proverbial godfather and run to him each time and any time he is in a bind or fix or needs direction or in any other event, whenever he is so otherwise summoned by him. But to just discard the godfather that put you up where you are and still naively think you can go it alone while the godfather is still freely running around in the land, is akin to playing Russian roulette with your life? It is  as good as having a suicide rope around your head and praying for the noose to be put in your neck and pulled tight. There cannot be two leaders or presidents in a country at the same time, whether it is putative or otherwise, since the controlling psychology is the mindset of the defacto president. But Jonathan has allowed this anomaly to persist and for so long that Obasanjo feels he is an untouchable and no one can do him anything, hence his utterances and machinations against the presidency. 

The wrath of a godfather, especially one so disrespected, is as furious as the clapping thunder and bolts of lighting combined; and no astute political player or thinking leader or president ever willingly provokes. So Jonathan provoked the Obasanjo situation and only he can checkmate it or watch helplessly as the man who created him would have him uncreated.  Icheoku says Obasanjo knows how he made Jonathan president and still have the secret formula just incase he wishes to reverse engineer him. But for permitting this situation  of seemingly two presidents - one the official and the other a defacto, Icheoku says Jonathan is probably dumb, clueless and cowardly. This lack of political  sagacity by President Jonathan, which has incapacitated  him from doing what is needed to clear the minefields, especially taking out his now arch detractor and ruefully benefactor, will possibly  prove his greatest political undoing in 2015. 

Icheoku  reiterates that if President Jonathan did not or fails to survive the tsunami of opposition being brewed against him by the APC, other parties and groups with interest, both foreign and domestic, and clandestinely aided and abetted by Baba Iyabo, he will have no one else to blame but himself.  If at the final collation of results on February 14, 2015 or any time soon thereafter, Nigeria has a new president not named Goodluck Jonathan, President Jonathan should look in the mirror to see the man who brought his downfall starring back at him. Otherwise how on earth could a person with such a sac load of indictable transgressions as Olusegun Obasanjo, publicly and severally call the president the weakest leader Nigeria ever had and accused him equally of lacking the capacity to be vicious and still be allowed to run freely wild in the land. But hey, it is Jonathan's battle and only his to fight and win; as Icheoku and millions of Nigerians and other interested parties world over are waiting in trepidation for Valentine's day 2015 when Nigerians will decide who to fall in love with - whether Jonathan/Namadi or Buhari/Osibanjo. Until then, Nigerians should get ready to vote to make a point, to vote to make their votes count and to vote to prove that they too do matter. Salute.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

I CHANGED MY MIND - BUHARI

QUOTE OF THE DAY, I CHANGED MY MIND

"This campaign is the third and last one for me since after it, I will not present myself again for election into the office of the president. I am still active in politics until the polity is sanitized and people enjoy the fruits of democracy at all levels of government." - Muhammadu Buhari, speaking shortly following his 2011 failed presidential election bid.

PRIMATE OLABAYO, PREDICTIONS 2015

"Whether they call themselves  APC or Codeine, they are all the same. Nigerians need to avoid these people who are leaving one party to the other and claiming to form a coalition with candidates who have no base in their towns and villages. These opportunists  are the worst  enemies  of this country. We have to avoid them so that they do not plunge this country into chaos." - Primate Olabayo, Predictions 2015

A PRESIDENTIAL DELUSION AND THE ARROGANCE OF UNAPOLOGETIC BUHARI.


Icheoku says it is crass stubbornness for anyone not to know when to patiently kneel down or bend over for a whirling wind to blow through. It is also a full-steam stupidity for anyone, fully aware of the catastrophic consequence a failure to yield would bring about, chooses not to proactively avert it anyway. Icheoku laments that unfortunately, with Muhammadu Buhari and so many other Nigerians, they don't usually read situations correctly enough, to know when to backdown and watch the three little words "I am sorry" do the magic. Many atimes, people stubbornly cling to the righteousness indignation of their positions, while forgetting that it is their victim but not them, who was offended and who reserves the right to determine or decide whether or not they were so offended or hurt or injured by their action. 

Icheoku says this attitudinal stonewalling inures because as far as these perpetrators are concerned, they acted rightly in their judgment, otherwise they would not have so acted in the first place. This is why there is prosecution for crimes and actions in tort for civil violations in order to hold the aggressive party accountable, otherwise they will proudly walk away thinking they caused no damage or hurt by what they did or that they were justified in doing it. So Icheoku is saying that a more rational, introspective and reflective Muhammadu Buhari, instead of beating his hands on his chest that he acted in the best interest of Nigerians when he visited his draconian rule on the country previously, would make a mea culpa and say to Nigerians, "please if I was too high-handed in my past life with you, I did not mean to be so; but in any event, I am sorry if my actions turned out that way. Please forgive me and I promise to do better next time." 

As simple as that and by now, all these hysteric conceptions or misconceptions about who indeed Muhammadu Buhari is or the type of president he would be if elected, would have since been laid to rest. But unfortunately, Mohammadu Buhari, instead of the doing what is needed to give his campaign some boost and in the typical Nigerian fashion, is  stonewalling and being overtly defensive in the face of a mountain of accusations of his despotism during his first time around. Icheoku is emphatic that it is this Buhari's attitude of self righteous justification, rather than who he is or what he represents, that is keeping him away and out of the gate of Aso Rock all these years of his futile attempts. Like many people, including a lot of Nigerians, who always believe they are right and the other side is wrong, Buhari wrongly believes his actions were justified, hence no need to apologize for what he did wrong. Icheoku says this is the curse of Buhari and this also ruins so many other relationships such as when one party continuously defaults to a position of wrongful claim of right not ever listening to the other side's point of view, until that other side is forced to finally say enough, to hell with you. 

Icheoku is convinced that were Buhari to humble himself enough into doing this, sincerely apologize for his past draconian rule or its perception, things will certainly turn around for him politically and for the better. But until Buhari so realizes and so apologizes, what is hounding his political fortunes in Nigeria will not cease nor stop, but would only grow more intense. It is the affliction of Nigerians - crass stubbornness which often shares a fine thin-line with stupidity, and regrettably, many Nigerians do not know when they cross that line. But hey, Muhammadu Buhari's obstinacy is conversely benefiting Jonathan's second term quest; so it is his alone to abate or make amends if he desires to see a different outcome from his usual past 'thanks, but no' response by Nigerians. So APC and  Muhammadu Buhari, now you know what to do, over to you!

Friday, December 26, 2014

OBASANJO IS A DEGENERATE PERSON - SOYINKA

OBASANJO IS A DENIGRATE PERSON - SOYINKA“The worst kind of behaviour agitated his hands – greed occupied the centre of his heart, and he was a creature that walked in darkness. This man wallowed in bribery, he was chairman of the circle of scheming, head of the gang of double-dealing, field-marshal of those who crept about in the dark of night." - Wole Soyinka. 
Icheoku says this is vintage Kongi Harvest(er), the man whose man in him is still alive because he spoke truth to the face of tyranny! He has just painted the Ota Deity in his true hue, the darkest of the dark Hades. Icheoku says it shall not be well with Obasanjo, a man whose children disowned, a man who has no friends except Andy Uba, a man who had sexual relations with his son's wife, a man whose wife cursed and is reeling under the weight of that curse, a man who twice failed Nigerians and is loathed much by Nigerians for his disappointing performances; yet he shamelessly prances about with his own version of truth anchored on manufactured facts and cashing in on Nigerians's penchant for amnesia induced near forgetfulness; otherwise why does he still command any audience in view of his antecedents? 

Only in Nigeria would a man who cannot run his family be allowed to run a country and Nigerians are still sore with that experience from Hell. Please Nigerians, Muhammadu Buhari might be worse than Obasanjo in his second time around? Like Obasanjo, he too belongs to the school of retired old army generals who believe in impunity, so please don't VOTE for him. Icheoku adds you don't have to do it the for love of Jonathan, just cast a negative VOTE AGAINST Buhari, period. Or is Nigeria such a banana republic that only brute force army men can hold sway therein? Let Nigerians keep on trying until they get it right, but please SAY NO to this cattle mentality that is currently driving the Buhari narrative that he is the shepherd that will coral Nigerians. 

Icheoku is emphatic that Nigerians are not sheep nor cattle nor donkey and do not need to be whipped in line. Nigerians have brains and can have a discussion on the future they want and desire but should not be told by Buhari or anyone for that matter what to think or do. That is for zombies and Nigerians are not zombies. Apologies however to Fela Anikulapo Kuti who rightly believed that Nigerian soldiers under Olusegun Obasanjo were robots and zombies; after all they were ordered by Obasanjo to burn down his Kalakuta Republic and they did, no questions asked and also killed his mother in the process as extra gift to Baba Iyabo. Ditto Odi and Zaki Ibiam. Please Nigerians do not want any more of these army men running the country as if it is a boot camp. Icheoku says any Nigerian who does not like freedom should emigrate to North Korea or even Russia or Saudi Arabia or Iran but please he or she should leave Nigerians alone to freely criticize their president without being bursted or thrown in jail.

JONATHAN V. BUHARI 2015, ISSUE-BASED CAMPAIGN PLEASE!

Icheoku says being an animal scientist does not make anyone more qualified to be president of Nigeria, neither is it analogous to successfully understanding human beings and knowing how to govern them better? Therefore having a PhD or being a semi-illiterate should not be the only benchmark or criteria for choosing who becomes the president of Nigeria in 2015. Icheoku opines that sometimes even complete illiterates are good administrators, otherwise ask our grandfathers how they successfully managed their harem of wives and integrated concubinage? Also when you see a typical Onitsha trader, the popular OMATA, ask him how he successfully juggles his containers on the 'High Seas', his profits and losses as well as his numerous understudies and underlings, apprenticing under him? 

So whereas it is good to be educated, whether up to PhD or at "semi-illiterate level, what is imperative in a good leader is the ability to tap into dynamic talents to help the leader manage the onerous and complex task that governing is. No single individual, no matter how academically qualified or endowed, can single-handily, successfully run a country. In the same tandem of argument, a 'semi-illiterate' president who surrounds himself with the cream of the society can deliver a wondrous governance for the people if he is a good leader? So successful governing depends principally on intelligence rather than academic qualifications, although it is helpful in faster understanding of the fine lines of policies of  state for a quicker moving of the process forward. Icheoku says a semi illiterate president who surrounds himself with very good administrators including PhD holders, and gladly listens to their advise and points of view on issues; and believing that they know what they are talking about, could successfully run a country too? 

Conversely, an over-confident, self absorbed PhD holder, who scornfully looks down on people around him and snubs them as not knowing what they are talking about and would not listen to their advise or not do what they recommend because he believes he knows more than any other person around him, would end up being an unsuccessful administrator of a country. Icheoku says it is therefore about time both the PDP and the APC campaigns stopped emphasizing on the educational qualification of their presidential candidates and rather refocus their effort on what their candidates will do better towards uplifting Nigerians standard of living. Most civilized campaigns are ran based on the records of candidates as that is usually the precursor of the trajectory the candidate will eventually take the country and this also enable the citizens to vote according to which course they prefer. Icheoku harps that both parties have a lot they can advert Nigerians' minds to in favor of their candidate and also adverse the other candidate,  and they should have a recourse to this talking points and now.

As with Muhammadu Buhari, fortunately for Team Jonathan, he has been on the stage before and thus have accumulated some records Nigerians can hold him to account now that he wants a second chance at a do over. As Wole Soyinka said, in his "Crimes of Buhari" article, "History matters, Records are not kept simply to assist the weakness of memory but to operate as guides to the future", so Icheoku asks why not Team Jonathan ask Buhari to explain some of his past actions as opposed to what he now pretends to represent? There is a plethora of things the then Buhari did which to many Nigerians, including Wole Soyinka and Icheoku, is an unacceptable behavior of any sane leader, especially when the perpetrator now wants to be readmitted to the seat of power? Icheoku says if Buhari did those things then what is the guarantee he will not go back to his vomit if elected this time and do them all over again? 

Why not Team Jonathan ask Buhari to respond or answer to Wole Soyinka's charges (Crimes of Buhari) and exonerate himself accordingly or defend his position against those accusations? Why don't Team Jonathan ask Buhari to explain why he cancelled Lateef Jakande's Lagos metro line project which by now would have helped solve or at least alleviate the notorious Lagos traffic nightmare? Why don't Team Jonathan ask Buhari to explain why the Ajaokuta Steel Industry project was cancelled? Why not Team Jonathan ask Buhari whether he would have similarly executed Bola Tinubu as he did those three innocent Nigerians, Bartholomeo Owo, Bernard Ogedengbe and Ojulope  Lawal based on his drug dealing allegations? Why not ask Buhari if he will respect freedom of the press if elected and tolerate people criticizing his government? Why not ask Buhari if he is overthrown in a coup like he did to President Shehu Shagari, how he will feel and react? 

Why not ask Buhari to explain why he sent an innocent man Ogun State Governor Michael Ajasin to prison despite his being found innocent three consecutive times by tribunals personally handpicked by Buhari for a desired outcome? Why not ask Buhari to reaffirm his conviction that ACN governors are all corrupt? Why don't Team Jonathan find out from Buhari if he still feels that the Federal Government of Nigeria is a worse 'Haram' than Boko Haram? Why not find out from Buhari should the Niger Delta erupts again, following his victory, how he plans to summarily terminate their insurgency? Why has Team Jonathan not asked Buhari whether he still believes now as he believed then during the Sharia introduction in Northeast Nigeria that Sharia is good for the whole Nigeria? Also whether he still believed that blood should flow because of mere election and whose blood should flow and whether he is prepared to lead the riot alongside his family members? Finally why not make Buhari give human name to those baboons and dogs he plans to shed their blood in the event of an unfavorable election outcome? 

Icheoku regrets that in the midst of plenty issues needing urgent clarifications and explanations, that the handlers of Jonathan are occupying themselves with irrelevances such as Buhari being a "semi-illiterate" and the generic accusation that Buhari is sponsoring Boko Haram, and not the specificity of some of his salient comments in their support? Further Icheoku says what does it not matter whether or not Buhari is sponsoring Boko Haram since both of them have the same objective to foist a Muslim president on Nigeria willy-nilly, regardless? 

Conversely, Team Buhari has a lot of issues they can similarly hold Jonathan accountable for, since many Nigerians believe they have hopelessly watched his promised breathe of fresh air turn putrid; from lack of power to insecurity to joblessness to un-abating corruption as well as so many other unfulfilled hopes dashed under Jonathan's four year watch? Why not Team Buhari use Jonathan's own word against him by reminding him that what he cannot achieve in four years, he cannot either even if given four more years? Also whether Nigerians will continue waiting in hopelessly for a transformational government to get transformed or would they rather go for one that is ready, prepared and willing to get transformed immediately? Like John Odigie Oyegun said, why don't Team Buhari restate to Jonathan "that transformation is different from change. They said they have transformed the economy but there are no jobs. They said they have transformed energy but there is no light.  They said they have transformed security but the Northeast is almost gone and they said that have transformed education but out universities are shut down." 

Icheoku says this is the stuff real campaign is made of - real issues needing solutions and not market-woman like banters and name callings including the fantasy that Buhari will impose Islam on Nigerians when they know the chances in a democratic Congress is second to nil? Or that Jonathan is sponsoring Boko Haram to destabilize the North when all the security chiefs are from the North and cannot all be acting in concert with Jonathan against their Northern interest? It is also phony to try and attribute the restive Niger Delta as Jonathan's making because within the Niger Delta there are so many nationalities, with each at each other's throat. Icheoku says Nigerians want this two parties to convince them on why their candidate is better than the other guy and sincerely canvass his special attributes that rank him higher than the other guy; but this name calling and gutter-sniping brickbats must stop. Nigerians want to witness a  more intelligent campaigning in election 2015 to help help them make informed decision with their votes. 

Icheoku says it is in every Nigerian's interest that the election 2015 is successfully and peacefully concluded. It will also be beneficial for the infantile democracy if the campaign is based on real issues affecting Nigerians and not on frivolities and mundanities. This will enable Nigerians cast a more educated vote and for whoever they strongly feel would better cater to their needs. That way, whoever looses, will accept the outcome with less bitterness, knowing that he put up a good fight but that in a contest, one person has to emerge victorious. Icheoku says let the campaign 2015 going forward be more issue-based and objectively-driven; and let the campaigners be more civil as they move forward with pointy marshaling out of their candidate's strong points. May God and Allah guide and protect the two candidates respectively, as well as their Nigerian audience. Icheoku says on February 14, Nigerians please vote wisely and vote your conscience, vote for the candidate that will protect your interest more and whose policies will help you realize whatever dreams you may have. Say no to bigotry, say no to pettiness, say no to religiosity, say no to tribalism and also reject injustice! Your vote is your power, exercise it in a way that says you are indeed powerful. All the best Nigerians and may election 2015 fulfill your heart desires in choosing a president you can trust and live with, and who will help you keep your hope alive. 

Thursday, December 25, 2014

NDIGBOS ACCUSED OF TERRORIST BOMBING IN KANO?

QUOTE OF THE DAY, NDIGBO ARE LOST?
“Let it be known that some of the Igbo that are living here, they have lived with you for years, some of them were born here, some of them do not know their places of origin, they have lived here and are doing their businesses here.” - Adenrele Shinaba, Commissioner of Police Kano State, deploring the allegation that Igbos living in Kano are behind terrorist bombing. 
Icheoku says what has become of the Igbos of Nigeria when they have so turned their backs on their homes in Igboland as to now become this nomad, to the extent that they do not to know their places of origin anymore? What a sad commentary on the pitiful testimonial of a people. Icheoku says who says Fulani cattle rearers are the only nomads in Nigeria, let the person please make way for the real Igbo nomads to take their rightful place as nomad numero uno in Nigeria. Ndigbo efu-elee!

BUHARI PLAYING CATCH UP WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY?

Icheoku says the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, has made a big leap forward. By finally humbling himself enough to learn the evolutionary trend in modern technology, several decades since he took a sabbatical and literally went into hibernation therefrom, he has now rejoined the 21st century world? Icheoku commends this his acceptance that things you don't know, you should be humble enough to learn and hereby applauds him for doing this. Admitted it is somewhat seemingly belated, but being late is always better than never; and just like whether or not one can learn being left-handed in an old age is debatable, the old aphorism 'you cannot teach an old dog new tricks' has equally been laid to rest by Caesar, the dog whisperer. 

Icheoku says by now becoming Internet literate and savvy, plunging himself head-first into smart technology, Muhammadu  Buhari has shown that he is not impervious to correction and that he is amenable to learning new things and new ways of doing things? Icheoku says this quality of being adaptable and able to change to a majority's ways or opinion is virtuous and we hereby commend Buhari for the sea-change too. Possibly too, Buhari will also be able to accept that in a democracy, different people from different parts of the polity, come together to decide and determine their fate; instead of just one man in khaki uniform dictating what is good for every citizen. Icheoku says it is a very big deal that Muhammadu Buhari has finally learnt how to surf the web and also make use of it, texting, tweeting and face-booking, and we commend him for this.  

It is also instructive that by starring into the screen of a fruit of Western education, Muhammadu Buhari has emphatically debunked Boko Haram's campaign of terror's theme that Western education is dangerous and hopefully, Abubakar Shekau will similarly agree. Further by enmeshing himself into smart technology, Muhammadu Buhari has also put Nasir El Rufai to shame by refuting his claim that he, Buhari, thinks that Blackberry is a fruit. Icheoku asserts that now that Muhammadu Buhari is fully seized of the benefits of Western education, pushing a button and instantly the whole world gets his message, it will be much easier to bring his Northern almajiris at par with their so far gone Southerners and this will also help in bridging the gap of misunderstanding between the two polar opposites of the Nigeria great divide. Icheoku is deeply moved by this new humbled Buhari and indeed feels it is a new day in the life of Muhammadu Buhari; as well as the greater Nigerians in general, because lack of understanding and mutual suspicion is always the biggest problem between people. So when people communicate, they can more peacefully resolve their problems and modern technology aids that.

Icheoku says way to go Buhari and may you stay competitive in 2015; but first you must apologize to Nigerians for the highhandedness of your first time around. Please apologize to Nigerians now and let your campaign earnestly begin.  Icheoku says Muhammadu Buhari has solved his religious fanaticism problem by accepting the imposed pastor Osibanjo for a running mate; he has also now successfully re-educated himself enough to be able to engage in modern day social media texts, messages, tweets and Facebooks; all that remains now is for him to apologize to Nigerians and let us all move on. Hopefully he will get this done before Valentine's day 2015 when Nigerians will decide who to fall in love with, whether Jonathan/Namadi or Buhari/Osibanjo. 

Icheoku maintains that this is indeed one heck of a good PR photograph, no doubt; may be the reason Dele Alake was chosen instead of Joe Igbokwe as the director of Media and Communication of the Buhari campaign? Icheoku says may the Buhari's team continue to drive the narrative in this direction - completely re-branding a man that has come to be identified as being too old, nearly obsolete and out of touch. Icheoku says Team Jonathan and his PDP must wake up and face this 2015 Buhari's challenge as very serious and more determined than past ones; and with every minuscule of sinew in their body, fight as a cornered animal would. The threat to their hold unto power is more formidable today than it was in the previous years and the possibility of its fruition, more lucent than opaque. Icheoku warns that any attempt to dismissively wage this campaign based on past triumphs over Buhari might surprisingly leave the PDP wondering what hit them on the day after Valentine's day 2015. To Team-Jonathan and Team-Buhari, Icheoku says all the best and may God/Allah speed you through.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

2015 ELECTION, DON'T KILL ANYBODY OR YOU WILL GO TO HELL - SHEIKH GUMI

Icheoku says Sheikh Ahmad Gumi is gradually enamoring himself in the hearts and minds of decent and civilized Nigerians, who feel that his latest utterance is in moderation and properly articulates what should be the norm - no election violence in 2015. Icheoku wishes that every other religious leader as well as tradition rulers in the country including Muhammadu Buhari would join Sheikh Gumi in reiterating that no election is worth the life of any Nigerian as earlier declared by President Jonathan. In his latest remarks about the coming 2015 elections titled "PDP v. APC: Its Not About Religion" Sheikh Gumi said the following:- 

"Surely there is religion in politics and politics in religion. However the 2015 PDP v APC is not about religion. It’s a time bomb and God is not the author of mischief. Security members have clamped down on APC members and took away their computers, while some irrational youth are threatening the lives of PDP members with their families in the North. PDP posters are vandalized in some places. People like me who had been all along critical about the government dear (dare) speak or express my own personal opinion if it’s not in support of Gen. Buhari. One must be bribed or a PDP agent. Just this early morning around 2.30am my three male children individually got threatening phone calls from a private number who are Hausa speakers. 

Already a ‘cult’ is formed. All these are harbingers of what is coming up when anyone of the contestants is declared loser. With intimidation from both sides, it shows that a truly one hundred percent free and fair election will be an illusion. Yet it’s the only one eye we have so we have to do with the cake half-baked. What is now paramount and of highest priority is peace and stability. Every life must be protected; minorities – Muslims and Christians – should be secured also, without putting an extra burden on the already exhausted military and police. It’s good that both presidential candidates of the PDP and APC have re-emphasized that the 2015 presidential contest is not a religious one. The two parties have also reiterated the same. Therefore, the 2015 elections is not a Crusade v Jihad and consequently there is no martyrdom. The only ethical obligation on the clergy of both religions, Christians and Muslims, is to explain it to their congregations to avoid violence. 

Nigeria doesn’t need another religiously tainted war. The Boko Haram has already tormented all. APC was ‘demonized’ by elements in PDP as a “Janjaweed” party to the extent that they were pushed to take a pastor instead of a nominal Christian as their vice presidential candidate. This in turn has nationally brought another dangerous innovation and dimension into the dirty game of power struggle. Now men of religion will surely be messed up and ‘dirtied’. Next as Muslims become sensitized too, a Sheikh will soon be on the list and a u-turn to another religious conflict – inter-faith and extra faith will ensue. Thanks to the recklessness of both parties that have proven no matter what they claim; are still self -centered and egocentric. The choice of a pastor to deputize for Gen. Buhari is meant to shake to the core the Christians who were made to see the candidate as a religious fanatic and also the Muslims alike who saw the General as having some Islamic aura. It should then effectively neutralized the ‘demonization’ of PDP as a Christian party. 

It’s now the Church not just Christians that have a foot engrossed in APC. A privilege the Mosque cannot be said to enjoy in any of the two parties. Therefore both parties are a group of Nigerian Muslims and Christian’s joined together for a common. Each with its winning slogan and strategy. Each can only promote his/her religion on personal basis but the union is purely secular and worldly. The essence of our democratic union. So no Muslim or Christian should be demonized for joining any of the parties. Muslims and Christians should all freely choose which party they like without any compromise on their religious obligations. It’s a matter of mundane desires and preferences. No party is holy or is making brief for the Almighty God. 

Therefore, you as a voter, take all precautionary steps, legal and practical, to vote and protect your rights. But never violence. As for Islam for which I speak for, since there are Muslims on both sides, any Muslim who will kill or die fighting another Muslim will be condemned to Hell for eternity. Likewise, whoever that will also kill another non-Muslim Nigerian because of the constitutional treaty of peaceful coexistence between Nigerians will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. In a Hadith narrated by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Noble Prophet said: “when two Muslims fight each other with their swords, the killer and the killed are in Hell” In another Hadith, the Noble Prophet said: “whosoever will kill any soul of non-Muslim under peace treaty will never smell the fragrance of Paradise which can be found from a distance of forty years,” narrated by Al-Bukhari. 

Islam abhors mutiny and treason which are culpable felonies, deception, and breach of trust, rigging, lying, material and spiritual corruption. And one may not need to ask which Nigerian or party is not a culprit to any of these divine offences? Therefore the word is let us take it easy and live in peace. This democracy has been unconstitutionally raped repeatedly by the military might and polls rigging, yet your civility, patience and prayers had always been our only remedy and the strength of our unity. Therefore don’t kill or expose yourself to political violence for naught. This world is going to end. And the day you die, you will only be judged by Divine ruling not by the Nigerian Supreme Court decisions. 

Whoever calls you out to violence ask him to show up himself and his children first. This way we can altogether avoid post-election violence, chaos and anarchy. Let us remind ourselves, we saw that when Boko Haram takes over a village both Muslims and Christians run helter-skelter for their lives to Federal government controlled areas. Meaning there can be a situation worse than what you are in now. Therefore, thank God and never allow yourself to be used in violence in anticipation of a better life, while you will end up lamenting over our previous situation as bad as it may appear. The near event draws nigh. * There shall be none besides Allah to remove it. May God bring peace, security and stability to our country? Amin."

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

WAR ON CORRUPTION, DO THE MATH BUT FORGET THE LOGIC?

Icheoku says Buhari "borrows" 27million Naira for his declaration of intent and nomination form purchase? Jonathan's friends raises 100million Naira for his declaration of intent and nomination form purchase? Jonathan again raises 21.7billion Naira for his 2015 campaign? Icheoku says who knows what Bola Tinubu's APC would raise when they eventually do their own fundraiser for their campaign 2015? Yet both sides are pointing accusatory fingers at each other lampooning the level of corruption in the country? 

Query:- how can either Jonathan or Buhari ever raise a finger against these campaign fund bundlers, who have so generously enriched their nominations and election campaign efforts, whenever they are ready to recoup their investment on capital by helping themselves from the common wealth? 

Anyway Icheoku says it works this way:- Buhari steals money and because of his usual narrative of being a church rat with which he is fooling some gullible Nigerians, launders the loot through a third party who now turns around to make it available to him in the form of a no-interest phony "loan." Then Jonathan astronomically marks up the cost of contracts with a specific instruction to the frontman contractor that part of the skimmed top-off money would be recycled back to him during his campaign fundraising? 

So Nigerians, ask yourselves between a six and half a dozen, whether there is indeed any difference? It is the way of politicians, they are all sleazy. They tell you what you only what you want to hear but never says what they mean nor do they ever mean what they say. So in 2015 please just vote for whoever you feel will get your back most; but treat their pledge to fight corruption as a complete hogwash gobbledygook that will not see the light of the day in either enforcement or prosecution.