WHAT THEY TOLD ME ABOUT BUHARI - OBASANJO?

Icheoku says Olusegun Obasanjo is a very despicable person who is up to no good. As with his pattern of conduct, his current romanticization with President Muhammadu Buhari will not end well and will sooner than later, fizzle out and peter out. Nigerians have seen this before and will soon watch a sequel that affirms the Ota Deity does not believe that anyone else knows anything other than him or better than him; and in any event that every person must see the world through the Obasanjo paradigm and prism in order to be considered good enough to be in his good books. Would President Muhammadu Buhari indulge him, massage his ego and for how long? 

Olusegun Obasanjo is once again singing the alleluia and praises of another Nigeria president, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the gullible Nigerians are listening to him. A Nigerian people who so easily forgot that it was just a few short years ago that he similarly sang the praises of the late President Umaru Yar'Adua; and just few months ago, that of the now voted out of office Jonathan of Otuoke. Icheoku says whether the current unofficial spokesman-ship for President Muhammadu Buhari will last depends on how much control of his government the president is ready to cede to the former president and Baba Iyabo of Nigeria. The latest of his antics is his claim of what former United States of America President Bill Clinton and former dull Prime Minister Gordon Brown of United Kingdom allegedly told him about Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari. According to Obasanjo's narrative, these former leaders gave President Muhammadu Buhari a good thumbs up, of so far so good; having been favorably impressed thus far by him. 

Icheoku says no one was there who overheard the alleged conversation to collaborate what was said, by whom and to whom? So no one is in a position to effectively doubt the tale of the man who told of how he easily killed the lion. Olusegun Obasanjo is known to embellish stories; Olusegun Obasanjo is known to make it up as he goes, all in his vainglorious attempt to paint a picture of an Obasanjo different from the very Obasanjo known to Nigeria and the world. Olusegun Obasanjo is also known to have his own peculiar facts which however is usually free of real facts. Admittedly, Olusegun Obasanjo is not the first or only Nigeria public figure known to make up stories or who has been caught making up a feel good story. The zoo-candidate in Edo State government house in Benin, Adams Oshiuomhole, similarly once told of how an American official confided in him that a former President Jonathan Goodluck official stole six billion dollars. However when he was confronted by the American State department to validate his claim by naming the official who so told him, Adams Oshiomhole coiled back into his shell in shame; having been caught pants down trying to sell a dummy as no one ever met or told him anything about the alleged fraud. 

But regardless of the validity or lack thereof of the latest claim by the Ota Deity, Icheoku says of what use is it anyway that men who are out of power in both the United Kingdom and the United States of America are the ones giving testimonials about Nigeria's President Muhammad Buhari? What use are these testimonials anyway when the current men in power in both countries have not vouchsafed for the Nigeria president. One wonders what Olusegun Obasanjo is trying to achieve by telling Nigerians that one of the worst Prime Ministers Britain has ever known, the dull and uninspiring Gordon Brown, who himself could not even win a reelection, gave comforting assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari? Now a Bill Clinton too, who could not even give a convincing and acceptable impact statement to the American people in order to help save his wife's floundering campaign, is also one of those allegedly  vouching for President Muhammadu Buhari? Icheoku says a more credible validation would have been the one Obasanjo got from President Barack Obama and/or David Cameron; but not those two former and out of power leaders of Britain and America. 

So of what utility is this names droppings, one may ask? Therefore, until Olusegun Obasanjo is allowed access to 10 Downing Street and the White House, in audience with both David and Barack, his latest attempt to assert himself as a personality whom world leaders come to when they want to communicate something to Nigerians, should be ignored and dismissed as simply an effort at egotistic self gloating. 

Icheoku says one of the most important validation of President Muhammadu Buhari which Obasanjo would have communicated to Nigerians would have been the one from his estranged daughter Iyabo Obasanjo. What did Iyabo tell her own disowned father about President Muhammadu Buhari's integrity, but regrettably, Olusegun Obasanjo is not telling? What did the Nigerian Diaspora tell Olusegun Obasanjo about President Muhammadu Buhari's style of governance, except that opinions of these Nigerians do not matter to this supposed Nigeria leader? What did home-domiciled Nigerians tell Olusegun Obasanjo about President Muhammadu Buhari's crawling government, except that Olusegun Obasanjo does not care what these home based Nigerians have to say? What did the people actually in power as opposed to those two people who are out of power in those two countries, United Kingdom and the United States of America, tell Olusegun Obasanjo about their impression and opinion of Present Muhammadu Buhari, but Olusegun Obasanjo is rather dumb on this question? 

Icheoku says it does not matter whether or not Bill Clinton has favorable impression of Muhammadu Buhari or that Gordon Brown has a good impression of President Muhammadu Buhari, what is important is the impression the  president will leave with the Nigerian people, his primary constituency. So until President Muhammadu Buhari makes believers out of Icheoku and millions of other Nigerians who do not believe he is the messiah Nigerians are looking for, whatever alleged impression of the president which this fading world leaders may or may not have about the president is indeed immaterial and irrelevant. Until President Muhammadu Buhari so convinces his naysayers and critics alike, nothing will change. They will remain pessimistic in the outcome of his governance, regardless of whatever opinion Gordon Brown and Bill Clinton might have or express. As for Olusegun Obasanjo, only a demented slimy society accommodates such a decrepitude person and still listens to whatever the f++k he wants to or has to say. So President Muhammadu Buhari, the jury is still out on your presidency and the onus is on you to prove the naysayers wrong.

WORLD WAR THREE FINALLY AFOOT, SYRIA THE TINDERBOX STAGING GROUND?

Icheoku says is the world on the brink of a war that would finally prove to be the mother of all wars; apologies to Saddam Hussein who boastfully taunted those words in his braggadocio bluff against an amassed world's army led by the United States of America during the Iraqi invasion. Icheoku says except that these white people will never kill themselves again after the carnage that was the first and  second world wars, otherwise it would be a good fight-scene, watching the United States of America and Russia finally go at each other and once and for all, determine who indeed is the real the lone super power left in the world. But unfortunately, these white people are very smart and would cleverly avoid any miscalculation that will see their armies charging against each other, never again. 

They smartly dodged the bullet over Eastern Ukraine and while Putin wanted war, the West seemed to have no appetite for another large scale, well balanced-out war with Russia. The West lacked the liver necessary to take casualties and huge losses which a war against Putin's Russia over Ukraine would have certainly inflicted on both their manpower and treasury. They thought they outsmarted Putin by not yielding him his wish in Ukraine, but rather than for Putin to retract back to Kremlin, a rather more emboldened Putin has now thrown another gauntlet at the West and dared them to pick it up if they are indeed man enough and have two balls. Icheoku says by entering and taking over military responsibilities in Syria, Vladimir Putin is practically stating a claim that Russia has finally arrived back on the international arena and is ready to throw its weight around and that if America does not like it, too bad. 

Vladimir Putin's Russia by moving its army into Syria seems to be goading America to throw its hat in the ring for a smack down of all smack-downs between the two permanent foes. A case of when two elephants fight, the grass suffers scenario, that will be unleashed on the rest of the weakling world, one would say? But will it happen? Will the West led by America take the bite? Will America come charging into Syria to put an end to this Russian instigation? Will America accept the challenge now publicly thrown by Putin's Russia and say not under our watch? Only that not doing that will be the only thing that will effectively checkmate what is threateningly to be the genesis of an Armageddon. A third world war conflagration that will possibly consume the world in a mushroom cloud that will make Hiroshima and Nagasaki seem kindergarten in destructive power comparison is certainly threatening. But the question remains, whether the war weary West is ready and able to take on the Putin's challenge and fight the mother of all wars to finally determine who the real last remaining super power of the world is. 

Whatever happens and however the current face off in Syria finally resolves itself, one thing is given, Icheoku as well as billions of world's humanity are cautiously watching the development in Syria. Icheoku prays that common sense initiative will prevail to avert this major confrontation and that the current Syria crisis will be resolved like the Cuban missile crisis; otherwise, the world may have finally reached its tipping point with America and Russia engaged in a real hot war as opposed to their long running cold war. The good news however is that these white people will never fight themselves again after the bitter lessons that were the two previous world wars. At worse the crisis in Syria will become a stalemate, mired in covert operations,  with both countries spy agencies engaged in a clandestine war that will see them being bogged down and for so long.  It will eventually take one of them with the longest lasting staying power to declare victory. 

Like with the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan in the eighties, where a CIA created, armed and financed Taliban gave the Soviet Union a bloody nose and eventually forced their retreat, America might equally settle this time for similarly bleeding Russia into beating it in Syria. The only snag however is that unlike Afghanistan, Syria is not terrain challenged and so it will be much easier for Putin's army to maneuver and carry out recognizance and equally outflank any would be hit and run militias. Also satellite based ordinances will quickly and more efficiently lay waste all such clandestine activities unlike the stone age weaponry and ordinances that marked the Afghanistan invasion and attempted occupation. So in short, things have so dramatically changed since the eighties that the equation will be much better balanced now to deliver the worse and more potent confrontation if ever it gets to that. 

But unfortunately, Putin seems so determined not to remain any one's pushover; not anymore and might push the current Syria's crisis into a tipping point full confrontation with America and the West. Putin has since stepped up his game and with several weapons and men now already deployed in Syria, with air strikes already ongoing, it is only a matter of a slight miscalculation on the part of Russia or America, to force the issue to snowball into a global confrontation. Iran has also moved in thousands of men and large catchment of weaponry into Syria, so it is now for America and the West to stamp their claim by similarly moving in men and weaponry into Syria and then we have a recipe for actual shooting confrontation. Icheoku says that a crisis never before witnessed or seen, fought with modern weaponry and technology, is certainly afoot is no longer a far fetched proposition. Only God will help humanity avert a threatening cataclysmic  plunge into a bottomless pit of sulfuric fire. What a world on a brink and between the two protagonists, America and Russia, who will blink first. Only a few weeks if not days but certainly not months will tell if the world is plunging into yet another world war. 

THE CHANGE WE NEED, WAI IS THE ANSWER.

“Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring CHANGE about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.’’ - President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria's Independence anniversary speech.

Icheoku agrees that Nigerians have to be the change they want to see in others. The problem with Nigeria is lack of self discipline and until they self-discipline, all this noisy war against corruption will remain what they are - hollow jingles and soundbites. But a President Muhammadu Buhari, desirous of ridding Nigeria of corruption, must first reintroduce his famous War Against Indiscipline (WAI). He will then need to reeducate Nigerians into becoming a more circumspect people, who will shun greed and avarice and then learn to put country first and above self. Once this is done, it will be a bye-bye forever to corruption. To this effect therefore, Icheoku implores President Muhammadu Buhari to bring back WAI and jointly prosecute both wars as both are correlative and sacrosanct to each other. A disciplined society will definitely shun corruption.

HILLARY CLINTON'S FLOUNDERING CAMPAIGN, BILL CLINTON TO THE RESCUE?

Icheoku says what a man can do, a woman can do better; except of course campaigning for the United States of America presidency where Hillary Clinton has just discovered that it takes more than a shrill voice or darting eyes to connect with the American public. It unequivocally affirms that there are certain limitations among the sexes and as with the Clintons, a remarkably differentiating factor, clearly hoisting the one with the magic touch above the other wanna be. Now that she has solicited the best political salesman in America, her husband and former two term president, Bill Clinton, to put some much needed blood transfusion into her nearly bled out highly anorexic campaign, lets hope America will see some bounce to the ounce. 

Icheoku has no beef with the Clintons; neither does Icheoku not want to live to see the first female president of America named Hillary Clinton; but her current campaign is a shadow of what a winning presidential campaign ought to and should be. Therefore it is welcome relief to see the drafting of President Bill Clinton into her campaign effort; indeed it is a highly laudable come to the rescue mission effort. Hopefully Hillary will let Bill be Bill and not get too jumpy when his charisma begins to eclipse her and allow Bill make her president. Icheoku has only recently called for Bill Clinton to come to the rescue of his wife's fit-starts lackluster campaign and Icheoku is glad that we correctly called it. 

Whatever happens going forward, the stars never lined any better for Hillary Clinton in her effort to become the first female president of America than the present attempt where she has no apparent formidable challenger within the Democratic Party; a matter made better by the lack of interest so far by Vice President Joe Biden to join the race.  Icheoku wishes the Hillary Clinton's campaign well and like one commentator said that voting for Hillary will be like buying one and getting one free in Bill Clinton; Icheoku looks forward to a Bill Clinton's joint hands on the rudder. Icheoku however insists that the American people deserves better and requires more from the intending first female president of their country. So Hillary Clinton must man-up or rather woman-up, come clean with the American people particularly concerning her Server-Gate scandal, with further assurances that no shoe is waiting again to drop off her other feet. 

Icheoku is still following and listening to her campaign; but as  a blue dog democrat, if Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination and picks his vice presidential candidate correctly, preferably a minority and particularly a blackman, may be Ben Carson, Hillary Clinton will need to do more to pull Icheoku out of the Trump wagon. But in any other event, Icheoku is leaning Democrats and with Bill by her side, Hillary will sure make a good president. 

KELLY GISSENDANER EXECUTED, SHE DESERVES TO DIE.

Icheoku says murderer Kelly Gissendaner did not show her murdered husband, Douglas Gissendaner, mercy and therefore should receive none and thankfully did not receive any.  Her execution tonight by the State of Georgia was a deservedly good riddance of a bad female rubbish who grossly stained her womanhood and made Jezebel look saintly. She could have divorced him; she could have had him thrown out of the house; but no, she choose to have him murdered and by the hand of another man with whom she was cheating and committing adultery while still pretending to love the man she said "I do, until death do us apart" to, in her marital oath of fidelity. Icheoku says such a piece of human excrement does not deserve to share nor partake of any descent society's existence and therefore was rightly dispatched to where she now belongs - the very pit of hell. 

She conspired with her lover who waylaid her husband right inside their home, forced him at knife point to drive himself and in his own car to his execution ground. A remote area, so distant from his home, where he was then frog marched into a wooded area (a forest, not Boko Haram's Sambisa), and stabbed severally until he died of his many knife wounds. He suffered untoward pain, pleaded in vain for his life to be spared but eventually suffered a slow painful death. He was killed, his life taken in the most brutal way, with his wife, the woman he had married and planned to spend his entire life with, signing off on it. This animal of a wife and woman, lied to authorities that her husband was missing when she fully partook in his murder and the attempt to cover it up, destroying evidence too. Her culpability was not in doubt as she voluntarily confessed of her role in her husband's murder. 

Icheoku says if any homicide ever deserves to be severely punished, this one squarely fits the tab and therefore Kelly Gissendaner was duly served her dish of death. Anyone expressing contrary view should please inform Icheoku and other stunned observers how else such a heinous crime should be punished? Not when this savage beast spent close to 17 years in death row at the expense of Georgia's tax payers while she never gave similar opportunity to her murdered husband. Icheoku is not an avid fan nor supporter of the death penalty; but sure the case of Kelly Gussendaner could not have deserved any less punishment. Such a death penalty will definitely send a message to all other would be killers that the killed also deserve and will get some justice; and in this case, justice was rightly served. 

Icheoku notes that even the pope's intervention could not persuade the State of Georgia not to carry out its lawful duty of seeking justice for the injured and murdered of their state. Recall that this will not be the first time the Holy Sea has unsuccessfully pled such a death row inmate's cause. Late Sani Abacha of Nigeria similarly ignored a papal plea when he went ahead anyway and executed activist and Biafra hater, Ken Saro Wiwa, for alleged treason. Icheoku says may be the Vatican could do themselves a whole lot of good and save face from all such embarrassments by just staying focused on their primary mission of evangelizing for Christ. They should be laser-focused in their mission of saving souls and avoid this periodic dabbling into political matters of states which often sees them always coming up short. Anyway, Kelly Gissendaner killed her husband and now the state of Georgia, on behalf of her dead husband, has killed her too; so both parties are now equally redressed. A good case where the death penalty was well served. 

CHRIS BROWN AUSTRALIAN BAN, SIMPLY OVERREACHING.

Icheoku says Australian officials were out of their minds when they decided to re-litigate a matter that has since become functus officio in the matter of Chris Brown and his altercation with erstwhile girlfriend Rihana. Chris did what he did and has paid a price for it and there should the matter rest and be left rested. But when overzealous Australian officials decided to dust it up again in order to have a manufactured reason to deny Chris Brown entry to their country, they certainly crossed the line and Icheoku calls them out on this. Who never made a mistake, which led to our Lord Master Jesus to admonish those who have not sinned to cast the first stone. 

Chris made a mistake, he faced punishment and castigation for it, including a criminal prosecution in the court of law and he has since atoned for it, including publicly apologizing for what he did. Riri has since accepted his apology and forgiven him, so what is the stake of those Aussies in dabbling into a purely domestic affairs to deny him an entry visa based on this. 

Icheoku says those Australians cannot tell the world that all domestic violent persons in their country including aboriginals as well as white settlers have all been banished from Australia or that all those Muslims bombing places there have been all removed from their country. With Chris Brown, nobody died and in as much as Icheoku is not condoning domestic violence of any kind, says it will amount to an overkill double jeopardy for those Aussies to still punish Chris Brown for a matter which has since been prosecuted and punished duly both by a court of competent jurisdiction and that of public opinion. 

Moreso why deny and deprive those millions of Australian fans that will be greatly entertained by his performance, the opportunity presented with the planned concert. Icheoku says anyone who does not want to attend the concert in protest, should be allowed to voluntarily boycott the concert; but the planned general blanket ban of the concert by the government is simply too broad and therefore should not be allowed to come to fruition. Icheoku therefore urges the officials in Canberra to rescind their planned decision to ban Chris Brown from performing in their country. It is too much punishment and those millions of Aussie fans should be allowed to get their dose of happiness because a happy people are a more productive and effective people. So let Chris Brown perform.

NIGERIA'S FAULT LINES, SMPLY TOO DEEP - OSINBAJO.

“Our nation is sharply divided and has been divided for so long. Our nation is divided along religious lines; our country is divided along tribal lines AND the word of God says in Mathew 12:25 that a kingdom divided against itself shall be left dissolute, it also says a city that is divided within itself can not stand. It does not matter whether that is a nation or a city." - Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria. 

Icheoku says then why not let the word of God come to pass? Why continue to sabotage God's word by preventing it from coming to fruition? Why become an obstacle to God's words by continuously, forcibly holding the disparate peoples of Nigeria together; peoples who are unwillingly yoked together in the humpty-dumpty that is Nigeria so called? As a Christian, shouldn't Yemi Osinbajo rather be the one fighting hard to have God's word in respect of a Nigeria divided be fulfilled and to the glory of his father who is in heaven? Anyway, it is usually a matter of time before God's word eventually finds fulfillment; and as with the case of Nigeria, before the inevitable happens.

POPE FRANCIS ENDS VISIT TO AMERICA.

Icheoku says so long papa and thanks for visiting. God bless you.

TRUMP AND CARSON TICKET, A WELCOME GAME CHANGER?

Icheoku says any presidential election, going forward, in America, must in fact truly reflect the true colors of America as minorities of America will no longer tolerate nor accept an American  White House that is in total control of two aging white men. Such future presidency must as of necessity, comprise of at least either a white man and a black man or a white man and a woman or Latino or Asian or any other racially mixed ticket. But the days of only aging white men assuming that the white house is theirs alone for keeps is long since over. Especially not after President Barack Obama's soon to be eight long years high profile visibility as president and commander in chief of the American armed forces. 

Americans, particularly blacks and other minorities, are now used to having one of them in the White House. So to suddenly change this equation by totally eliminating a black face or woman or other minorities of America, from the White House will rather be a tough one to swallow. Any thinking presidential candidate therefore must keep this in view while choosing its vice presidential candidate and canvassing for American votes, especially blacks and other minorities of America votes. But to completely relegate blacks or other minorities out of the race will suggest that the happenstance of Barack Obama on the American political landscape was a mere chance occurrence. An America that is now used to seeing and having a black president and a first family that is black, cannot suddenly feel normal without another minority in the White House.

To this effect therefore, Donald Trump will do himself a whole lot of good by choosing a black person as his vice presidential candidate. Icheoku implores Donald Trump, the potential Republican presidential candidate nominee, to inoculate his candidacy with a shot in the arm by securing the black voting bloc which choosing a black person as his running mate will surely guarantee. Fortunately enough, Dr Ben Carson has continually been sustaining some serious traction in the ongoing Republican Party's primary run and should be seriously considered by Donald Trump as his potential running mate. That way, Donald Trump will pull a fast one from underneath Hillary Clinton's rug by delving into the black voting bloc which is traditionally pro the Democratic Party. Icheoku says every black person in America will think twice before voting for an all white Hillary Clinton's ticket (herself already a minority cannot afford to choose another minority) as against a Donald Trump's ticket which parades one of their own. Moreso Dr Ben Carson as of his own right, is eminently qualified to be president. Admittedly, some critics will say that both men are not politically experienced, but Icheoku maintains that well qualified aides will help them get over this. Icheoku says a Donald Trump and Ben Carson ticket is a winnable ticket; they should run and they will win. Go Donald; Go Ben!!!

WAITING FOR BUHARI'S 'NOISEMAKERS' - OCHEREOME NNANNA.

It is three days to the end of September 2015, the magic month within which President Muhammadu Buhari promised to appoint his ministers. It is expected that in spite of his foot-dragging and reluctance, he will publish the names of the nominees before Friday this week. 

We saw him display the same foot-dragging and reluctance in fulfilling his pledge to make his assets declaration public “within the first 100 days”. After sending his spokesmen to deny he ever made such a pledge, he and his Vice President unveiled their assets on the 87th day, though Buhari did not allow us to know in concrete terms how much he is worth. Mind you, that he unveils his ministerial nominees does not mean they will start work soon. In fact, it is not certain when the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will become functional. The president’s open disdain for the offices of ministers of the federal republic shows he won’t care a hoot how long it takes for them to fully come on board. The president and some leaders of his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are seen to be spearheading the rift with the leadership of the Senate, the very body constitutionally empowered to approve his ministerial nominees. If the president were eager to have his cabinet in place as soon as possible, he would have stayed true to his earlier undertaking to work with whoever emerged as the leaders of the Federal Legislature. 

Since Buhari took over four months ago, he has fallen in love with Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the Federal Civil Service; the very nest of corruption. No political appointee can take a dime out of government coffers without the collusion of civil servants. According to him in an interview with a French television station while visiting France recently, these dutiful civil servants are the ones “doing the work” everyday. Ministers, he added, are mere “noisemakers”. Left to him, he will prefer to work with the civil servants and dispense with ministers. Some Nigerians have applauded him for this outburst, saying he was “brutally frank” while some even said he displayed “courage” in calling ministers dirty names. Unfortunately for him and them, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, at Section 147, directs the president to appoint ministers from each state of the federation. Section 148 spells out the functions of the ministers and makes it clear that he must meet them regularly. 

Ministers and civil servants have their jobs clear cut out for them by law. None can take the place of the other. It is strange that a man who ruled this country thirty years ago as a military officer and had no problem with appointing and working with ministers is now displaying open hostility to those offices. During his military days, he suspended the constitution. He was thus not bound by any law to appoint ministers yet he did without being prompted. But now that the constitution binds to appoint ministers, why is Buhari bellicose and spitting fire? 

Before we offer our insights into that, let us make it clear that ministers are very important in every regime, irrespective of the type of government in place. Apart from the efforts of the Nigerian constitution to make it a mechanism to carry every state in the federation along even by a regime that heavily tends to monolithic sectionalism such as Buhari’s, they are there as agents of the president and his ruling party within the machinery of governance. The party (APC) campaigned based on a set of manifestoes and promises and the electorate gave their majority votes to it instead of renewing PDP’s mandate. Buhari is expected by the constitution to appoint qualified APC members from all parts of the country to mann his cabinet as ministers. Though most people often clamour for “technocrats” (rather than “politicians”) to be given ministerial jobs, Section 147(5) of the constitution says such nominees must be qualified to be members of the House of Reps, which means they must be card-carrying members of political parties. 

The implication of these are obvious: the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by the President with the Vice President as the vice Chairman is a body made up of elected and appointed members of (largely) the ruling party. If ministers are “noisemakers”, then so is the president. It is the same constitution that insists that the president and his deputy must be politicians that also affirms that ministers must be party members. The job of ministers is to act as the political heads of the ministries and drive the president’s (and ruling party’s) domestic and foreign policies, programmes and visions. They are also to advise the president and carry out any instructions he may dish out to them in their respective ministries. Civil servants, on the other hand, are permanent staff of the state whose job is to carry out instructions issued by the political heads of their ministries and departments in line with the strict rules of the civil service. They are forbidden to belong to political parties or betray allegiance to any political group. This makes it possible for them to serve under the regime of any president and political party that wins election. 

So, why is Buhari suddenly reluctant to appoint ministers when he showed no such trait as a military ruler? The answer could be discerned from the way he has approached governance so far. In constituting his “kitchen cabinet” or the “inner circle”; people whose jobs demand that they see him every day (Service Chiefs, personal advisers, assistants, heads of sensitive federal institution that control revenue and the economy, elections, and the security of state) Buhari picked only people he knows and “trusts”. These people have tended to be mainly from his own part of the country. He calls them the “long suffering” loyalists who worked for him even when there was no hope of success. He has also, in the past four months, courted and secured the direct loyalties of top federal bureaucrats, a potentially dangerous aspect that could predispose them to political influences of the president. These are the people he now feels “comfortable” to work with. 

What about his fellow APC leaders; those who jumped on the bandwagon in the past eighteen months during which the merger took place? What about the “new” PDP which swelled their ranks, thus tilting victory to him? He felt “comfortable” receiving the “rogues” and “saints” among them; accepting their billions in campaign funding, smiling for the cameras while they dressed him in borrowed robes to entice voters. He swam in their hyperbolic propaganda. Everything they brought to help him win he collected; no one who came forward, and nothing they brought was considered too “dirty”. As soon as he achieves his objective of becoming an elected president he reverts to his old mode of seeing “politicians” as “dirty” people, forgetting that he is now one of them; has been since 2003. 

Buhari may well be building a very strong personal power base, sidetracking the vehicle that brought him to power and using his personal disciples and the federal bureaucracy to run a civilian dictatorship. Even when the ministers come, they may find themselves mere figureheads and passengers in Buhari’s government. The fact that a crowd of ill-regarded ministers (“noisemakers”) is brought in might not douse the regional dominance and agenda (rather than party agenda) that have been unfolding. It might well be a fostering of the “97%/5%” formula that makes Buhari a president who belongs to some Nigerians and not to the others.

FEMININITY STILL IN VOGUE - NICKI MINAJ

 

"Obviously I'm a strong woman in a lot of way but I'm not a strong woman in every way." - Nicki Minaj. Icheoku quips if only all those wild-eyed feminists could understand that there are certain limitations in everything; and then relax and enjoy their respective companions, instead of wishing in perpetuity that they are with someone else who possibly does not even care a hoot nor, like Jonathan of Otuoke, does not give a damn if they existed. Icheoku says you go girl NM for speaking out and speaking up that femininity is still in vogue.

MECCA STAMPEDE TRAGEDY, A HUMAN WILDEBEEST EXPERIENCE?

Icheoku says once again humanity is called upon by the tragedy in Mecca, to reexamine and reevaluate the essence and reason d`eter of their existence. Why are we here on earth if it is simply a here today and gone tomorrow phenomenon?    The bible makes reference to the word rapture, the sudden and instantenous disappearance to eternity of neighbors, friends and family members before our own very eyes. Some faithfuls think the alluded fact will occur at someday certain in future but Icheoku believes it is a daily occurrence as was just witnessed in Mecca during the stoning of the proverbial devil ritual, when suddenly over seven hundred adherents permanently crossed over to the other side. 

This piece is not about the dead or their dying or in any other way to otherwise add another epilogue to what is now a saturated media blitz on the tragedy. Nope, it is a stop and think moment article, questioning why are we here? What is the point of all these struggle to be this and that; to amass stupendous wealth; to acquire power; to be the he or she on whose desk the buck stopped etc when we, in actuality, have no control over our affairs or lives? These faithfuls now departed did not know that when they embarked on their pilgrimage to Mecca or even that fateful morning when they left their encampments to go stone the devil, that it will be their last on this earth. What indeed is life's worth afterall, if only it could peter to a stop with this sudden abruptness and with no foreboding whatsoever?   

Icheoku queries would these dead pilgrims have gone on the pilgrimage if they knew it was going to be their last outing on earth? Would they have smartly chosen to stay away if they had premonition that embarking on this annual ritual of stoning the devil would lead to their being trampled to death? Would they anyway, regardless of the attendant hazards and risks?  Would their faith have pushed and propelled them, hoping it will not happen or if it did, that it will not be their own portion? That they will be safe or better still, did some of them look forward to making their exit from this life at a place they considered so holy and might as well be the gateway into their paradise? The one thing with faith is that it is an aphrodisiac of some sort which keeps faithfuls going regardless of whatever risk that might be involved. It is like opiate drug, which the more you juice the merrier you feel; and then the deeper you get into it and then the more difficult it becomes to quit. 

A tragedy which is just another static in the growing number of tragedies which have now become a common happenstance with this pilgrimage to Mecca; forcing Icheoku to wonder if it is not about time certain reforms or some form of decentralization or staggering of this annual concentration of human beings in just one small square area, is implemented. It would appear that at such mind boggling concentration of human beings, two million strong of them,  in just one place, it is rather surprising that many more of them do not die either from heat exhaustion or more stampedes. But like with everything faith, their faith keep them going and to a very large extent, keep them safe too. It is akin to watching the wildebeests annual crossing at the Mara River, that no matter the odds of their safely making it across, those jackass animals of Africa have just one directional movement in their plan. Against all odds and existential hazards, these animals still come charging through the Mara river; some being eaten alive by crocodiles, some drowning, while majority of them get trampled to death in the biggest stampede ever known to both animal and mankind. 

Icheoku likes National Geography Channel a lot and cannot seem to be tired of watching this annual migration of those wildebeests and their daunting task of making it through the Mara River; but they still do manage it anyway. So like those wildebeest which are driven by the promise of an assured greener pasture on the other side of the Mara river, these Muslim faithfuls are pushed by the righteousness of their conviction and that they are embarking on a worthwhile spiritual venture, a sacred duty of some sort. This is what drives them; this is what propels them and therefore, regardless of the cost in human lives, they will neither stop nor be deterred. 

In December 1975, two hundred of these pilgrims lost their lives in a fiery gas cylinder explosion. In July 1987, four hundred of these pilgrims mainly of Iranian origin lost their lives in a clash with Saudi authorities who were trying to maintain order. In July 1990, one thousand four hundred and twenty six of these pilgrims were crushed to death in a stampede inside the al-Muaisssem tunnel in Mecca. In May 1994, another stampede in the same vicinity as the present tragedy, claimed the lives of 270 pilgrims while they were performing the same stoning of the devil ritual. In April 1997, again another 343 pilgrims died in a tent fire in the same Mina stoning of the devil vicinity.  In April 1998, one hundred and nineteen pilgrims met their death in the same manner, crushed to death in a stampede. In February 2004, another stampede took the lives of 251 pilgrims during the same devil stoning ritual. In January 2006, another 362 pilgrims were killed in a stampede performing the same ritual. In September 2015, a toppled crane claimed the lives of 111 pilgrims and within the same month, the latest tragedy which so far has 717 confirmed fatalities with over one thousand wonder and hospitalized. 

Icheoku says all these deaths result from the same cause - stampede; leading to the question has nothing been learnt since by both the Saudi Arabian authorities on how to prevent this repeat occurrence and those pilgrims too, on how not to stampede themselves to death? Or on a different note, is it possible that while these faithfuls are trying to stone the devil, that the devil is fighting back, stoning them too; and seemingly winning, the high number of casualties frequently recorded considered. Unfortunately, Icheoku has no direct line to the devil that habits inside the black stone in Mecca, otherwise would have since rang or texted him to seek his own take on this apparent ongoing war between  him and Muslim humans, waged by stoning. Simply put there are so many things humanity don't know including what unseen forces triggers these stampedes; but they could and should cut down on their losses by implementing far reaching reforms and measures to contain or at least curtail these tragedies. Icheoku says rest in peace and may your Allah through your Prophet Mohammed show you mercy and grant you peace. 

POPE FRANCIS' USA HISTORIC VISIT.

Icheoku says welcome Pope Francis and may your historic visit to the United States of America help to bring succor and hope to the poor, the marginalized, the infirm, the sexually different, the downtrodden and to all those Americans who are living on the fringes and unable to realize their American dream. To all those whose American dream has since turned into an American nightmare, may hope through your visit be restored in them. May your visit also soften the hardened hearts of those 1 percenters into doing more to alleviate the suffering of the majority 99 percenters IJN. Stay well and remain safe papa while your visit to America lasts and thereafter. Its good to have you within our midst. God bless you.

JENNIFER AKUDIHOR, NIGERIAN MOTHER OF TWO CAUGHT STEALING IN THE USA.

Icheoku says as if Nigerians do not have enough bad rap already in the United States of America, this mother of two from Governor Adams Oshiomhole's Edo State, on holidays in Kansas State, was caught red-handed with shoplifted merchandise valued at over $2000. A class C felony which will most likely see her holidays automatically extended with an extended stay in the big house upon conviction.  Jennifer Akudihor was caught on camera stealing merchandise inside a Macy's store in Overland Park Kansas, which she "cleverly" stashed inside her baby's stroller and was about making it out of the store when security accosted her. The police were called, she was arrested and booked in jail awaiting bail hearing and subsequent prosecution for her crime. 

Icheoku queries whether this woman is a fit mother and also whether she should actually be visiting on holidays to the United States of America when she can hardly afford such a luxury pastime. When she was caught, there was not a single dime or penny found on her person or purse and you wonder if she indeed have any business going on holidays in the first place. Hopefully her husband will divorce her in order to save his face from such a thieving wife except she is a kleptomaniac crying for urgent help? It is possible too that she was just an errand dutiful wife for an equally criminally minded and disposed husband, who is inchoot and acted in concert with her or egged her on or possibly forced her hands. But whatever be her story since "everybody has a story", whatever motivated her stands irrelevant as not having money to pay for merchandise has never been an excuse to steal. 

Icheoku says Jennifer Akudihor  should have known better and shouldn't have brought herself to this baseness. Now she has to be processed through the straight-jacketed path that is American justice system that admits of no emotiveness. She did the crime and therefore has to do the time. Her being "very apologetic and remorseful", admitted may serve as persuasive ground for the judge to show some mercy, but it does not excuse what she did. Icheoku says irrespective of her reason for being a criminal, although presumed innocent until proven guilty despite her being caught red-handed on video and her voluntary admission to the crime, this certainly is not the way to go about acquiring what she does not have or as a means of meeting her "needs?" Sixty six items cannot be simply said to be a need as they are rather too many to be so subsumed. Were it one diaper or a baby food, may be; but sixty six items some of which might be some luxury items of clothing, goes beyond pale and she should therefore squarely deal with the legal problem which she just created for herself. What another stain on Nigerians already battered image of a country of 419 dupes and con-men, corruption-infested, Boko Haram and now holidaying shoplifters. What a shameful thing this shameless woman of Edo State have done to an overly ashamed Nigeria community in the United States. 

SARAKI IN A CAGE, FACED DOWN HIS TRADUCERS.

Icheoku says in the manner of the great old Romans, the accused sits docked in the center of the great Tribunal. No sinner ever goes unpunished and so the man who participated in the conspiracy that derailed President Jonathan Goodluck second term bid is now facing the same hound dogs that he supported that threw Jonathan out. The embattled and very weakened Senate President Bukola Saraki is finally brought before the law, docked and now to face justice from which he has been stonewalling ever since. Icheoku says it makes a good television to see Nigeria's senate president so humbled and so humiliated, faced with corruption charges. who say i no go better for Nigeria?

AUSTRALIA HAS A NEW MINISTER, MALCOLM TURNBULL.

Icheoku says the ever shifting chairs that is Australian Prime ministership has yet shifted again. This time Tony Abbot has been shifted-out to make way for Malcom Turnbull to move in as the new Australian Prime Minister. Icheoku says congratulations PM Turnbull and so long Tony Abbot.

10000 REFUGES SIMPLY TOO FEW, AMERICA CAN AND SHOULD DO BETTER.

Icheoku says if only America had listened and heeded the wise counsel of General Colin Powell that "if you break it you own it'; possibly all these immigrant crisis enveloping Europe and which is threatening to spread to America would have been a none issue. Prelude to the Iraqi invasion by President George Walker Bush led 'coalition of the willing', General Colin Powel warned against the move, saying that removing Saddam Hussein from power will unravel so many age long ugly things in the Middle East. He was ignored as Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney railroaded President Bush into toppling and killing Saddam Hussein. Today, in the absence of a strong leader, Iraq is imploding; making condition favorable for ISIS to step in and occupy some of its territories. That some of these immigrants are coming from these ISIS controlled areas of Iraq is without doubt. 

Ditto the leader of Syria who is teetering on the brinks of being removed from office too by the same Europeans and they choirmaster America, always calling the tune while there Europeans simply chorus the refrain. So weakened, Bashir Assad could no longer maintain authority over the whole of his country's territory, leaving ISIS to step in and occupy some of them as well; and then constituting it into the Islamic State (Caliphate) of Syria and Iraq. Many of those immigrants invading Europe are coming through these ISIS controlled Syrian territories too. The late Libyan former leader Mummer Gaddafi once warned but no one listened nor heard that if he were ever removed from office, Europe will be swarmed by immigrants. A man under whose vice hold of Libya, immigrants were too afraid to venture close to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea talkless of boarding a dingy for onward sail to Europe. Europeans did not care about this warned premonition but instead went ahead with America's support to murder him anyways. 

Today majority of those immigrants invading Europe depart from the shores of Libya and Icheoku wonders whether King of Africa Moummar Gaddafi was also a prophet? Afghanistan is no different, admitted it is entirely of different implication because its invasion was prompted by the then country's leader, the Taliban, refusal to surrender fugitive Osama Bin Laden. Anyway the bottom line is that the West, Europe and America included, are partly to blame for the immigrant crisis in Europe because if they never disturbed the beehives, may be all these bees buzzing and stunning Europe would still be gathered together in their Mideast beehives. 

But now instead of wallowing in a Monday night quarterbacking, Icheoku says the world including America must move fast with finding solution to the immigrant crisis in Europe. As partly a responsible party thereto, they must make restitution by helping those stranded immigrants find meaning to life and reason to live again. Icheoku says these hapless and helpless immigrants had no hand in the shock dealt them. Their  first choice was to have been left alone and undisturbed in their various countries. Trekking to Europe in search of safety and security is but a second choice which circumstances and providence unleashed on them. Therefore Europe and America must see the need to absorb these refugees as duty not a favor they are doing to these immigrants. If Muommar Ghaddafi and Saddam Hussein were left alone, there would have been no immigrant crisis to worry about. Needless to add that Saddam Hussein's removal handed Iran victory over their expansionist tendencies towards and over their Western neighbors, including a no distant future bragging right as a nuclear power nation. 

These are facts, they happened and now these agent provocateurs in Europe and America must be prepared to deal with the warned fallout and then stoically see their absorbing and resettlement as a duty which they owe to those displaced persons. Good enough the skins of those Syrian, Iraqi and Afghanistan refugees is white-enough and will not constitute much problem for the Donald Trumps of the West, who would rather have a pure Caucasian only Western world. Although these immigrants' white is off-white, the Mediterranean white, but at least they are whiter than those "criminal" Mexicans crossing our Southern boarder as well as those charcoal African descendants who are summarily deported back to their Caribbean Island homes upon reaching land in Florida, while their Cuban counterparts are allowed to stay because their skin is lighter and as dark? 

Icheoku says may be the solution to all such future problems is for the West to butt out of the peoples problems and political issues and rather to mind its own business. The West will do itself great service if it ends its imperialistic policies that bequeath them the arrogant right to tell others how to live their lives. If diplomacy fails, apply sanctions and thereafter try to mitigate such bad situational leaders; but  the West must stop meddling and interfering in other countries purely internal affairs matters. But where the West continues with their quest to maintain a thumb on other peoples lives, disrupting and dislodging any government that says no to them, then that long would they expect such disastrous consequences as the overwhelming refugees seeking shelter and safety in their respective countries. 

In the final analysis therefore, the recent White House announcement that America will take in 10,000 refugees did not meet the expectation of Icheoku as well as so many people throughout the world. America as leader of the free world should be able to lead in everything including resettling these refugees. Ten thousands refugees is but a paltry drop in the bucket in a four and half million refugees situation, needing a place of safety and security. So the least the United States of America could and is expected to do is to absorb at least about ten percent of those refugees. By absorbing 400,000 refugees, America will somewhat make some impact in a very terrible and horrible human refugees crisis which was never before witnessed in recent history. 

Icheoku maintains that the 10,000 agreed to be resettled number is but a drop in the ocean and should be drastically increased in order to actually help alleviate the growing number of refugees who are needlessly suffering as a result of the actions of the West but who were never consulted when the disruptions of their countries and livelihood were planned in these Western capitals and subsequently executed. At least let America do it not only because it can but also because of our joint humanity with the suffering refugees. America can bump up its population to 500 million and still do very well; as there are large expanse of unoccupied land to support and feed these extra population. Better still, settle them somewhere in the middle of America where minimum wage will not be too high; and instead of shipping all our jobs to China and India and Mexico for cheap labor, just use these refugees' labor to help pay for their stay and upkeep in America.