AHMAD CHALABI, DEAD AT 71.

Icheoku says the man who helped Vice President Dick Cheney get his wish to invade Iraq by telling a concocted story of the existent of a non existent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and then head of Iraqi National Congress, Ahamd Chalabi, is dead. Chalabi was 71 years old and died of a massive heart attack. Chalabi will be remembered according to one commentator for 'telling the story America was predisposed to hear;' except that his promised red carpet reception, with roses and music, never materialized. Rather it turned out to be with IEDs and sniper bullets as well as lynching and setting bodies of contractors on fire, which left many Americans wondering whether they had been taken for a sucker. May his soul now rest.

HALLE BERRY'S TOO MANY MEN AND MARRIAGES THAT NEVER WORKS?

Icheoku says should men cease and desist from approaching for dates and/or even asking her hand in marriage, Halle Berry, that is? How many times is indeed acceptable as reasonable for a daughter of Eve to say "I do" and then only to later forswear that same word by saying "I  am not doing any longer?" Elizabeth Taylor had her record of marrying so many husbands and repeatedly walking away from them. Jennifer Lopez followed suit and now the "Walking-away wife" title is apparently being bequeathed on Halle Berry; and you wonder whether some women are not indeed cut out for that institution? 

Icheoku has nothing against anyone walking out of any relationship including marital relationship, with or without cause; but a situation where a person have gone through the convoy belt three times begs the question whether it is about time she stopped and see the institution as not a perfect fit for her. Good enough marriage is not compulsory and no one should be married who does not want to. That one has the right to marry does not necessarily mean one has to do it; moreso one is not analogous to the other. It is called restraint and self-discipline which with Halle Berry, appear none existent. She appears to belong to that category of women with over-bloated sense of self-worth, who usually delude themselves that they can readily have their way with as many men as they desire. That regardless, many more men will still be lining up for their own chance at auditioning for a Halle Berry's man or husband, no matter how fleeting?  

Common sense also dictates that it behoves the intending spouse to, during dating and courtship, verify that she or he is making a good informed decision before jumping off into the waters of marriage. Like with any water, you have to swim in order to stay afloat and so is the institution of marriage where you have to work it in order to make it work. So query, does Halle Berry, usually go into these relationships without first thinking them through or thought it would be a rosy cake without the parties bringing their best to make it happen. Icheoku is not an insider nor pretend to be an expert but makes bold to say that henceforth it is either Halle Berry stops marrying or men are advised to stay away from the Hollywood goddess to avoid becoming just another "The best until it ends" victim of a woman who finds it too hard to do the heavy lifting required to keep marriage afloat or rather who does not see any reason to stay married or is too independent to play any role to anyone. 

Three times married and three times divorced (the third is still in the works, divorcing) and dated several men, Icheoku queries whether Halle Berry is possessed of some men-replent demon which is anti-relationship as well as anti-marriage? Why does she feel the need to be married when she is not ready to stay married? Why not just live a life of single-hood and forget about all these men who are only good enough while it lasts? Men described by one of her ex, David Justice, as being her "Knights in Shinning Armor until it ends?" Admitted she is seen as beautiful, but hey, there are so many other beautiful ladies out there for any man seriously seeking a home that will endure to marry. Or rather why do these sons of Adam willingly queue up just to shortly find out the real deal about their goddess and end up upside down in the land of a Halle Berry once was? 

Icheoku queries is this a case of a woman who cannot remain a wife or a willing wife who cannot seem to find a husband she desires and deserves? Whatever the case, with this third divorce in the works, Halle Berry is not showing good example to all the intending wives of this world nor is her attitude to marriage giving any hope to all the would-be husbands; people who will now be questioning themselves whether the whole shebang is worth the trouble afterall. 

Icheoku laments that Halle Berry definitely does not appear to be a good marriage role model as Oliver Martinez, Eric Bennet and David Justice will readily testify. Also the very long list of men who have allegedly passed through her including Heavy D, Kevin Costner, Michael Ealy, Wesley Snipes, Christopher Williams, Danny Wood, John Ronan, Eddy Murphy, Shemar Moore, Fred Durst and Steve Jones can only attest to one thing - that the river goddess finds men either not interesting enough to be worth keeping; or the men find her inadequate or lacking of wifey qualities. So men and prospective suitors, you have been warned and put on notice to look the other way when looking for a woman to call a wife as Halle Berry will give you the Halle Berry's treatment if you venture. What a testament that marriage is not meant for everyone and Icheoku agrees that this woman readily marries but hardly stays married. 

RUSSIAN PLANE BLOWN OUT OF THE SKY BY ISIS?

Icheoku says it would have been a case of 'whodunnit' except that the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq has claimed responsibility for the horrendous 'Lockerbie of Sinai Peninsular', leading one to question if the world are now witnessing a new escalation in the crisis in Syria and Iraq? 

Query, does ISIS have the capacity to bring down a plane from such a high altitude and if, what does this portend to the flying world, especially those flying within the skies over the territories presently under the control of the terrorist usurpers and land grabbers of the Middle East. How safe is now the airspace over this territory adversarial now known as Islamic State of Syria and Iraq. Icheoku says this development is surely a wake-up call for the world to rise up and address this burgeoning Islamic terrorism as a global, world-implicated tragedy; and not continue to ignore it as only a Middle East or Northeastern Nigeria regional problem?

Icheoku says possibly Vladimir Putin's Russia will soon find out that they bargained more than they can chew in their leader's decision to intervene to help Syria's Assad cling unto power. It might be deja vu the then Union of Soviet Socialists Republics' experience in Afghanistan and whether the Russian people will have the stomach for such heavy losses will be time sensitive and yet to be determined. Al Querida has called for a reenactment of the USSR and Afghanistan boondoggle in Syria and urged all its followers to replicate and re-engineer the USSR forced retreat from Afghanistan in Syria. 

Icheoku says no one knows whether Vladimir Putin's ego will readily cede such loss of face again by beating a retreat from Syria. But before that, the loss of 224 Russians including women and children to this senseless murderous madness of some urchins from the pit of hell should not be condoned but avenged by Russia, with the help of the entire world acting collectively. Russian airline Kogalymavia also known as Metrojet Flight 7K9268 crashed or was rather brought down by ISIS enroute St Petersburg from Egypt's resort town Sharm el-Shiekh. What a loss and what a world in turmoil with these raving lunatics called Muslim terrorists ISIS as well as those terrorizing Northeastern Nigeria, Boko Haram now holding the world hostage to their murderous ideology and capacity to inflict untoward pain and anguish.

CHURCH OF LUCIFER, IS END TIME NEARER THAN ANTICIPATED?

Icheoku says a church by definition is a building used for religious activities, particularly for worship services;  for the gathering of people or rather faithfuls  to profess their faith and carry out all such other related activities in furtherance and propagation of their faith. So it goes without saying that provided a form of worship is envisaged, it does not necessarily have to conform to a particular sect or acceptable religious order for a building to so qualify. Therefore having a Church of Lucifer or Satan is not necessarily a misnomer or an aberration since those adherents or faithfuls thereto believe in the celestial dominion and divinity of Lucifer over them, deserving of his worshipping. Just like different religious sects and orders including Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Paganism have their mosques, churches, temples and shrines, Satanism might as well and as of right, also have their own place of worship, regardless. 

This appears to be the logic behind the Satanic worshippers of America who are gradually spreading their religion and opening their churches throughout the United States of America. Icheoku has no opinion either for or against these Luciferians, but says freedom of religion is not limited to nor analogous to only to orthodoxy or conventional religion; but also covers and protects every religion and form of worship and it does not matter what the worshiper choose or decides to worship as their God symbol. 

So now you know that even Satan have his own admirers and you wonder what is it about Satan that these adherents admire? Then one recalls that Lucifer is a democrat who loves life and wanted democratic governance established in heaven; except that God said no and in order to forestall any further agitation or possibly a violent overthrow of governance, had him expelled from heaven and banished him on exile to earth. Just a little foray into forensic examination of some biblical and Christianity stories and account of the fall of man; admitted Icheoku might draw some flak from some fundamentalists zealots for venturing into some no-go area and usually not tolerated discussion subject matter of their Christianity. 

Anyway, just trying to fathom some reasoning behind the ideology of the Church of Lucifer.  Icheoku says it is in line with the reasoning of  those who argue that Judas Iscariot did not commit any crime, but only played his designated role in helping bring  about mankind's salvation. This school of thought argue that Judas Iscariot should be admired and adored but not loathed and vilified, because his act was part of the general divine plan because without his betrayal of Jesus, possibly Jesus would not have died in order to purchase mankind's salvation. But hey, it is just an mental exercise which is not meant to question anyone's belief or whatever account of salvation anyone holds dear and/or propagates.  So now, what is next and are we going to someday see a Church of Judas Iscariot established? Time is such a magician, so who knows!

QUEST FOR BIAFRA , THE VARIEGATED EFFORTS?

Icheoku says provided the end game is the same; the ultimate objective the same; the realization of an independent state of Biafra, it should not matter the different roads traveled to get there. It should not matter that several actors are participating in the effort, each using whatever peculiar tools of cohesion available to push forward the agenda. It should not be a cause for concern that there are several frontal thrusts, from different people, directed at pushing forward the objective.  Every mention of Biafra, regardless of the source, successfully keeps the issue of Biafra alive and in the public domain. Therefore, accomplishing the objective or mission statement, is what is and should always remain paramount in the minds of these seemingly competing personalities and not necessarily by whom or whose effort it is being done. 

As with every political struggle throughout recorded history and continuing till date in several parts of the world, several actors are always involved in helping orchestrate an end result. It is like a soccer game or any other sports for that matter, where team members are saddled with just only one objective - to win the game. It therefore does not matter to them who the eventual match-maker, who scored the winning goal, is. The team is the winner as the collective efforts of each member made the winning possible. Each member of a team played a distinct role, which collectively together, ultimately culminated in the win. This should be the mantra, the guiding philosophy of every Biafran currently engaged in the struggle for Biafra emancipation from Nigeria. They should each see themselves as a team and not rivals; all of them just members of Team Biafra, acting in concert to realize their common objective, the independent state of Biafra. Such awareness of a common purpose would drastically reduce unnecessary competitiveness, which leads to envy and backstabbing, and thus make the task at hand much easier  to accomplish.

This analysis has become imperative because of the infighting currently brewing amongst the various Biafra activists groups, both in and outside Nigeria today. Icheoku says a situation where MASSOB was publicly denying Radio Biafra Nnamdi Kanu and similarly vilifying Biafra Zionist Movement, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and other such Biafra pressure groups is neither healthy nor a good politics. Icheoku says MASSOB should have stayed out of the matter of Nnamdi Kanu's arrest instead of condemning or denying him. Better still they could have summed it up as evidence that the agitation for Biafra is a matter of great general importance to all the peoples of Biafra, hence the enthusiastic apostleship of everyone including Nnamdi Kanu. 

As at now, there is nothing at stake to warrant any infighting amongst these various Biafra groups, especially  when Biafra State has not been achieved, which will of course create various offices and perks that might interest many people. Therefore, those various groups of actors must keep their eyes on the ball and not be distracted by the presence of other interested activists, who are equally honed in the Project Biafra. As Jesus said, 'he who is not against us is probably for us' and so should these activists. Everyone of them is preaching the same gospel of an independent state of Biafra, admittedly in different tones, hence they should see themselves as comrades in the same struggle and not any perceived threat, enemy or competitor against each other. 

Icheoku says such onerous task as agitating for an independent state is not an assignment usually left just for one man. It is so huge and very demanding a challenge that it requires a multitude of actors, acting in concert, in a  multi-faceted fashion to be able to overwhelm the resistance. It is a practice very well known to many decorated war generals who are given to winning many battles. It was the same tactic brought down to bear against then British colonial masters and occupiers of Nigeria in Nigeria's struggle for independence. The Zikists, the Awolowos, the Sarduanas as well as the Maculays; these founding fathers of Nigeria did not act alone to achieve Nigeria's independence. 

They collectively acted to achieve Nigeria's independence from Britain and this should be the code of conduct for those Biafra agitators currently engaged in the struggle for Biafra.  They should see themselves as complimenting one another but not as competing against each other. At least, not now; and of course after the battle is won, any aspirant to any office will then seek the mandate of the people to enable him or her govern or preside over their affairs. Icheoku says these various Biafra activist groups should also be mindful that a house divided against itself is bound to fall; as their collective enemy might exploit the apparent cracks in their walls to sip in and sabotage their effort from within. 

Icheoku prefers and would rather a united one Nigeria continues to exist as an intact country, where every Nigerian will proudly call home; but a situation where some bona fides of the country are continuously being discriminated and marginalized against, does not bode well for such under one roof existence. It begs the question, if these people are Nigerians, why continue to carry out these segregated practices that otherwise suggests and depicts them as either inferior or not Nigerian enough? Icheoku says a united Nigeria cannot be purchased at the expense of only some people or on the backs of some people only. 

It cannot be just a convenient phrase or tool used only when it suits a certain agenda or purpose; and then to refuse to adhere to the tenets or show the same united front when it concerns matters they do not care about. Icheoku says if these internal colonialists are truly and indeed enamored in their professed unity, why are they not treating other components members of the Nigeria state with some dignity. Why are they not treating them as their co-equals and fellow stake holders of Nigeria state, instead of their ingrained arrogance of 'we are the rulers and you are the ruled'. 

Icheoku laments that unfortunately these apparent injustices have helped to keep Biafra on the spotlight, despite the over forty years since the last hostile fires were exchanged. Some Nigerians are constantly made to feel unwanted in their supposed country or that they don't belong therein and at best belong at a lower tier. This is happening despite the declared "no victor, no vanquished" at the end of the civil war. It is the desire to be treated with some dignity that fuels the present crave of  demanding to be treated fairly which manifests as a separatist agitation to be let go. Icheoku maintains that if only these other Nigerians would hearken to the cries to do equity, do the needful to accommodate and array the fears of those marginalized and oppressed peoples of Nigeria, all these agitations would simply melt away. 

Icheoku prays that these people do not linger on for too long before recognizing and treating these complaints as both genuine and legitimate; because forcing another shooting wars on the country barring an amicable balkanization might not be a too distant imposition, admitted not the best option. Icheoku is also at a loss whether these people are unknowingly playing into the hands of those foreign vultures who do not wish nor mean well for Nigeria; people who would readily come rushing to redraw the map of Nigeria at the first salvo. Therefore Icheoku encourages the various participants in this cause for equity and fairness for all Nigerians, to accept their unity in diversity and continue to march on as an army of one, with themselves individually, constituting the foot soldiers. 

Icheoku salutes the courage of all those activists currently engaged in bravely stepping out to make their demand for a more equitable Nigeria; or in the alternative, to let the people of Biafra peacefully step aside and out from Nigeria. Icheoku says to these activists, may you never falter nor tire and may the Gods of Igboland including Amadioha be your guide and protect you. May they facilitate the quick resolution of all the problems causing this agitation in order for a more united wholesome Nigeria to thrive; failing which, they should midwife the peaceful rising of the eastern sun if it becomes inevitable. 

Icheoku says either way, life will go on; but a united Nigeria is always to be preferred, provided it is a Nigeria that works for everyone, and not just a few privileged 'born to rule' Miyetti Allahs and some of their minions in the Southwest. 'Give me freedom or give me death' and 'those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable' are both time-tested quotes and Icheoku says to concur. Icheoku prays it does not ever reach to that point of no return, because it is not the best option and also the stakes are simply too high to gamble with that zero-some apocalyptic option.

FREE NNAMDI KANU, A PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE !!!

Icheoku says a person who has been imprisoned for holding political or religious views that are not tolerated by their own government is a prisoner of conscience. The agitation for Biafra is not tolerated by the Nigeria government for which Nnamdi Kanu is currently being held by the Nigeria government and thus eminently qualifies him a prisoner of conscience. Icheoku says it is about time the Nigeria government let him go as the more they keep him the more he grows in stature. The good news for Nigeria government is that majority of the people constituting former Biafra are not warm to another secession and therefore they should treat Nnamdi Kanu as incapable of wrecking the boat of the state and set him free.

OBEDIENT WIVES CLUB MALAYSIA, IS NIGERIA NEXT?

Icheoku says it appears the women of Malaysia have finally solved the ancient mystery surrounding marital relations. They have figured it out and peradventure discovered how to keep their man roped in, focused on them and stay out of needless adventures? Icheoku maintains that any woman who knows her onions could still be in charge of everything while a smitten husband would believe he is in charge. But the situation usually comes to a head when an obtrusive wife at every given opportunity, drives it down her husband's throat that she is the one calling all the shots. This often leads to war in paradise as the beleaguered husband scrambles to reassert himself while an already in-charge wife struggles to maintain her control. 

Anyway, to help finally rest this unnecessary tussle, the women of Malaysia have formed a club - the 'Obedient Wives Club' and you ask yourself, which husband still wants to fight when he feels that his wife is obeying all the rules? Their objective, "to teach their members and women in general how to cooperate with their husbands in order to keep their homes together and be happy. According to the club's Vice President Rohayah Mohamad, "wives must learn to be good lovers and listen to their husbands in order to prevent them from straying or misbehaving. The club urged wives to be "whores in bed" and listen to their husbands in order to curb social ills as well as domestic violence. Continuing she said, "a good wife is perceived to be prim and proper - you just take care of the children - but not much is emphasised on fulfilling the sexual needs of the husband. If he needs sex, obey him." Another member chimed in that "if the wife listens, then the husband feels good and is entertained and this builds closer relationship and greater love and no one strays."

Icheoku agrees that intimacy brings bonding and bonding brings greater love and affection. Icheoku says in as much as no one is advocating for a return to caveman days, there is really nothing wrong with spouses cultivating the habit of  listening to one another, instead of paying more attention to third parties while neglecting their partners. Loneliness in marriage is the surest way of singing a requiem for such union and reasonable spouses avoid this by giving each other priority attention over every other person including their own family members and friends. Icheoku says instead of "DI GBAKWA OKU", how about "Obedient Wives Club" Nigeria women; and in that way the fights over who wears the pants suit will not become an enduring occurrence and with it misery and eventual breakup and sometimes murder. Just sharing thoughts but feel free to decide as you please and thereafter live with whatever consequence your decision brings about. 

RELIGION IS DELUSION, NOT AFRAID OF BURNING IN HELL - RON REAGAN

"I think when you hold an opinion that you find entirely reasonable, you are surprised when you discover that other people don’t also consider it reasonable, and kind of get up in arms. Religion often goes hand in hand with ignorance and scientific illiteracy. I think what troubles me – whether it’s religiously inspired or not – is the ignorance, foolishness, and I might say, stupidity of people. This championing of anti-intellectual, anti-science, scientifically illiterate theories and lack of critical thinking is disturbing. I am Ron Reagan, lifelong atheist, not afraid of burning in hell." - Ron Reagan, son of President Ronald Reagan, a non believer since childhood and promoter of Freedom From Religion Foundation.

JONATHAN OF OTUOKE IS 100% AT FAULT, BLAME PMB NO MORE !

Icheoku says has been doing some reflection lately about  the last Nigeria presidential election. The verdict, President Muhammad Buhari did nothing wrong but merely presented his candidacy for Nigerians and they voted for him to be their president, despite his known well rehashed faults and shortcomings. So, what is then the beef with PMB one might ask? Icheoku concludes that instead of the continuing attack on PMB, dissatisfied Nigerians should turn their anger at the real harbinger of the outcome of that election. Former President Jonathan Ebelesieme Goodluck of Otuoke, the man who disappointed so many fully invested Nigerians and who did not or rather refused to do what was necessary to win his reelection is the person who left so many people stranded and presently drowning midstream. He is to blame but not the lanky man from Daura who merely took what was surrendered to him. 

Icheoku says had the man from Otuoke done what was needed or sought the advice or taken some advice from people who are knowledgable, all these wahallah about and concerning the 2015 presidential election as well as the avalanche of aftermath, including election annulments and selective EFCC investigations would never have arisen in the first place. But he turned tail when it mattered most and without proper consultations, conceded an election which could have been declared inconclusive or marred by unlawful underage almajiri voters as captured variously on video; and now somebody said this man deserves the continuing defense of his whatever points agenda or legacy or lack thereof? Icheoku says we don't think so. Be that as it may, from now going forward, Icheoku will let PMB be because he committed no crime other than present himself for an election and won. Therefore, baring any developing story which compels our commentary, Icheoku will no longer continue on the adversarial side of the political fence in Nigeria. Further, if it might interest anyone, Icheoku is not a card-carrying member of any political party in Nigeria and therefore not a partisan hack. Icheoku is just an interested party, desirously canvassing for what is best for Nigeria and Nigerians.

So did Jonathan do enough for Ndigbo to deserve all these pouring of support and earn the continuing defense one may ask? Ezu River of corpses of massacred Igbo youths just came to mind, reminding Icheoku that more Igbo people were murdered during the government of Jonathan of Otuoke than any other since the 1999 resumption of democratic governance in Nigeria. These murders came through his security agents who operated with impunity as well as Boko Haram, which on one such murderous swoop took the lives of over 29 Igbo people from just one town in Anambra State, Agulu. Was the Ezu River corpses  investigated and was anyone held accountable by Jonathan for those floating corpses? Jonathan fired Minister of Internal Affairs (Interior) Emmanuel Iheanacho and had his fuel depot in Apapa raided and shut down by his NIger Delta terrorist thugs Government Tomopolo and company. It took the intervention of a Northerner to force its reopening. 

Edwin Clark once told Orji Kalu, who paid him a solidarity visit and to canvass for support for Igbo presidency in 2019, off; telling Kalu that if the Igbo people dreams or wants the presidency of Nigeria, that they should go and fight for it the same way they, the Niger Delta people, fought and won their own turn. As far as Edwin Clark was concerned, the NIger Delta South-south people alone fought and won the presidency by themselves, discountenancing  the huge Igbo support, and therefore any other people including Ndigbo should do the same if they want the presidency. That Edwin Clark and his co-Niger Delta travelers hijacked Jonathan's government is a fact which in part led to Baba Iyabo's writing the satanic verses. Further, Jonathan had five years to build and complete the 2nd River Niger bridge but choose to play politics with it that today, rudimentary work on the bridge has stopped. 

Continuing, Jonathan fired the first IG of Police from Igboland just six months following his appointment because according to the man from Otuoke, Ogbonna Onovo was not fast enough in tackling crimes in Nigeria, just within six months? Jonathan fired COAS General Ihejirika for simply doing his job, routing Boko Haram just because Governor Nyako demanded that by accusing him of perpetrating genocide. Jonathan fired NPC Festus Odimegwu simply for exercising his freedom of speech right, explaining why census figures have been the way they are in Nigeria. The same subject matter was openly similarly discussed by David Mark but with no consequence. Jonathan fired INEC Maurice Iwu and replaced him with a Fulani man Jega. Jonathan fired two Igbo chairmen of the PDP, Ogbulafor and Nwodo without any substantial cause. 

Jonathan begged Fulani man Aliyu Gusau to please accept defense ministerial appointment and also appointed Gusau's inlaw, another Fulani man Dasuki as his NSA, while he was busy firing Ndigbo from positions of authority.  Jonathan made two Fulani men Tafida and Ali his campaign directors respectively both times he ran for president because he did not consider an Igbo person worthy enough. Jonathan fired Immigration woman boss Rosemary Uzoma and replaced her with a Plateau man simply because she restructured the department allowing merit to be the order of doing business therein. But the same Jonathan looked the other way when Custom boss Dikko was accused of crass nepotism. Jonathan did not consider Onye Igbo worthy of occupying any meaningful portfolio worth anything including the none headship of any of the three arms of government. The oil ministry, defense ministry, internal affairs, external affairs, NNPC, police, his personal staff including political advisers and spokes persons etc were never considered suitable for Ndigbo by Jonathan. Jonathan did not appoint an Igbo person as even a co-chair of his National Conference.

Jonathan did not site any industry throughout Igboland. Jonathan did not build any road in Igbo land nor completed Onitsha or Oguta inland seaports. No road was made motor able in Igboland courtesy of Jonathan's wasted five years in Aso Rock seat of power. Jonathan did not complete Enugu airport. Jonathan spent hundreds of millions of dollars wooing Yoruba people during the last election with little or nothing to show for it in return; while he ignored Igbo people as an already banked group. Alex Ekwueme celebrated his 80th birthday and Jonathan did not even send him a birthday greeting card but the same Jonathan attended several birthdays for Yoruba people including Tunji Braithwaite 80th birthday in Lagos as well as Olu Ibadan's 100 years, despite that the Olu publicly endorsed Buhari.  

All these are neglect were despite his adoption as an Igbo person by some Igbo people; who twice gave him resounding enbloc votes in Igbo land. Jonathan created more opportunities for people of other regions than he did for Ndigbo. Then query, why all these unearned loyalty and continuing defense of this man from Otuoke who did not do jack for Ndigbo. Then add the antecedents of Melford Okilo, Ken Saro Wiwa, Adaka Boro and the ill-fated Biafra that was sabotaged by his River-rine people, one begins to wonder if Ndigbo insensitively poured water in a leaky basket or too optimistically embarked on an ill-advised venture believing that things have changed in the Riverrine areas for good. Anyway Icheoku says choose ye what your position will be moving forward, but as for Icheoku, we have chosen to disembark from the wagon of continuing defense of this timid and cowardly man from Otuoke. 

Henceforth, our activities will be limited to general events devoid of acting as attack dog against President Muhammadu Buhari; who merely won an election and should be allowed to exercise his mandate however he sees fit. Moreso those Jonathan shared Nigeria's money with should rise to his defense or fork out some percentages of their loot for hired guns to defend his indefensible record. A man who had such a golden opportunity fretted away deserves no pity nor mercy and should therefore be left to carry his own waters. Like Jesus advised, let the dead be allowed to bury themselves. 

FYI:- On Biafra, admitted that reasons abound for the increased agitation, but Icheoku says it is not a viable option; rather a more working Nigeria is preferred as the politics and not the composition is the problem in Nigeria. Our article on Biafra is nearing completion. Thank you guys for your engagement while the politicking lasted; now Icheoku formally signs off from PDP this and APC that and everything and anything PMB is now suspended and will no longer make our talking points. The time to move on to other things is now and on that bandwagon Icheoku hops. So long fellas. Salute.

WITHOUT YOU ALL, THERE IS NO ME - OONI of ILE IFE OGUNWUSI

"I come before you all today as a man pledging his unwavering commitment to his Kingdom and his people that I cannot do this alone; without you all there is no me. I will serve you all with everything I have”. - Ooni of Ile Ife designate Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

JEB BUSH'S FALTERING CAMPAIGN, NOT HIS FAULT?

Icheoku says lamentably the last name of presidential candidate John Ellis Bush aka JEB seems to be his greatest albatross, hounding him in his current lackluster bid for the United States of America's presidency. Unlike most people who would ordinarily draw bountiful mileage from such a storied pedigree; but not this time, as Americans have decided to say no to and reject monarchy of any type, form or color or by proxy of any sort. A matter made worse because Jeb is running so soon after the disaster that was the other Bush, his brother W. A time when the country is still struggling to recover from the escapades of the last Bush is not a good time for another Bush to seek to occupy the White House. 

Jeb's problem is his coming to ask Americans for their presidency at a wrong time and with a last name which does not inspire anyone, neither gives hope nor optimism, not any more. The other Bush took away the luster in that name such that no American really cares any longer about having yet another Bush in the White House. The feelers from the American people appear to be, no thanks; but not another Bush in the White House. At least not so soon following the memories of Iraqi invasion and the disastrous economic crash that saw 800,000 monthly job lost that also saw so many homeowners go under water. A Jeb without a last name Bush, who has no relationship with W and who has the record he has would have done better running for president. So peradventure, instead of looking for someone else to blame for his hydroplaning presidential nomination campaign, he should see if he can possibly change his last name and also find some magical potion to make Americans forget to associate him with the Bushes, especially W.

Icheoku says there is something usually in a name and the Canada Prime Minister elect Justin Trudeau milked his family name to an election victory. Majority of the time, having an easily recognizable powerful name is always a positive which usually works in favor of the named. But not with Jeb, who is finding it very difficult to understand why his last name BUSH is not working the campaign in his favor. A distant fourth place runner-up in the Republican Party primaries campaign polls, which has seen him seriously pondering his probable exit from the contest. It is possible he is also wishing that his last name is somewhat different and distanced from W's. It appears that following the last experience, no American wants to enter this particular Bush again, not anymore. Unfortunately too, it does not look like Jeb will ever recover his mojo which appears to be forever lost and gone. It is beginning to show with the downsizing of his campaign staff and his recent lashing out and trouncing about that he has better things to do than being president? Icheoku queries if he had better things to do, why waste his precious time running and desiring to be president?  Why is he running in the first place to do a job which is merely good as opposed to other that is better, a pastime? 

Icheoku and so many Americans who have been bitten by the bug of The Donald have no objection to what Jeb would like to do and hereby do oblige his exit. We also gladly accept his admonition that we should go vote for Trump and we plan to so do. Americans want to change course, mix things up a little, build the great wall, grow an economy that works for all and become respectable once again in the world. We have found in Donald Trump such a desired protagonist of change and we are gladly riding on his bandwagon of Lets Make America Great Again. We need a formidable leader who will not be beholden to any special interest and Donald Trump will provide that leadership. 

So as we await the formal withdrawal of Jeb from the presidential election campaign primaries, which is very imminent, Icheoku says this one reason for the rejection of yet another Bush will also play out against Hillary Clinton. America is a democracy and not a monarchy; notwithstanding the subterfuge used in passing the baton  - whether from a husband to a wife or from a father to a son and yet to another son or rather from one brother to another brother. Icheoku is emphatic that a country of more than 300 million people can do better finding a new person than having yet another Bush or Clinton in the White House. In the final analysis, the presidential election will be fought between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton; and provided Donald Trump chooses his vice presidential running mate wisely, he will defeat Hillary Clinton and will be sworn in as America's 45th. Icheoku says so long Jeb as America is not ready to gamble on another Bush, at least not in this decade. Now you have our permission to go and do those other things which you would rather be doing than being president.   

WOMAN OF THE YEAR IS A MAN, BIOLOGY DON'T MATTER ANYMORE?

Icheoku says the blurring of lines between gender continues as Glamour Magazine names a person who is biologically a man their woman of the year. By this honor, it now appears that biological appendages is no longer the determinant factor of anyone's gender and has no effect whatsoever. A genderless society, driven by wild-eyed feminists insurgents who are hellbent on creating a gender-neutral society and one wonders how far is actually going too far with the attempt to blunt sexes. Is it possible that these anti-biology anarchists are trying to establish a world of Aphrodite, where irrespective of one's biology, it does not matter?  It reminds Icheoku of some people 's argument in the past that the difference between a clitoris and a penis is just a question  of length. 

It is rather very unfortunate that Glamour Magazine could not find any real woman throughout the world worthy of naming its woman of the year and has instead chosen a make-believe woman, a man, to bestow that honor. It is also very condescending, insulting and lowly for that magazine to make such a broad-brush statement against women that they are not women enough or not worthy enough for the honor? But whether transgender women are women or look like women or sound like women or behave like women is still a debatable proposition. 

Icheoku however disagrees with one commentator that 'Jenner might feel like he is a woman, wants to be a woman and living as a woman, but thoughts alone do not generate biology or reality." The controlling factor of anyone's sexuality should be the state of mind of such a person - if as in the case of Bruce Katilyn Jenner, he feels like a woman, so be it; admitted there is nothing as good as the real thing. Lastly, Icheoku says if it is ok for women of this world to accept a man as their woman of the year, oh well and dandy, it is also alright by and with Icheoku too.  Now welcome Bruce Katilyn Jenner, a man by biology and a woman by preference, the 2015 Glamour Magazine's Woman of the year. Congratulations Kat.

IFE, WE HAVE A NEW OONI.

Icheoku says boy did William Shakespeare call it right that some people are born great, some people achieve greatness while some people have greatness entrusted to them. As with the newly chosen Ooni of Ife, the three variables seemed to have confluenced in him. He was born great as a prince; he achieved greatness by being accomplished in life and he now has greatness entrusted upon him by being made the Ooni of Ife. 

At merely 40 years of age, he will have a very, very long reign baring any unforeseen intervening circumstances. By his selection, the Ifes have proved themselves smarter than Nigerians, choosing a young vibrant man to lead them; unlike the infamous septuagenarian whom unthinking Nigerians settled for. Icheoku wishes the new Ooni of Ife, the 51st Ooni of Ife, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi of the Giesi Ruling House a happy,  peaceful and successful reign. Congratulations to Ife people for a peaceful transfer of power in their Kingdom and to the new Ooni for being the peoples first choice. May his reign be prosperous and remarkable. 

'I FACED WHAT HAS TO BE FACED' - AUNG SAN SUU KYI

Icheoku says what a woman of great courage, simply Amazonian. Icheoku doffs our hat to a very remarkably true embodiment of a strong woman defined. A woman who is infused with steely courage and one who understands what the term strength in women actually indeed means. Watching her interview on CBS 60 Minutes program,  Icheoku could not but gawk in awe at the amazing wonder the people of Myammar are blessed with, packaged in a petite pretty lady, named Aung San Suu Kyi. She was eloquent, she had grasp of the issues, she is resolved, she is modest and she is simply very beautiful. Icheoku longs for the day Nigeria could be blessed with such a rare breed, such highly resolved individual, who could help take Nigeria out of the hands of those marauders, whose vice-grip on the country has deprived it of much needed oxygen it requires to exhale.

Icheoku says this woman is a great testament to and true definition of what really being a strong woman is. As opposed to all those wild-eyed feminists whose idea of being a strong woman is the perpetuation of strange oddities and despicable misbehavior against their husbands. Crazed-out Jezebels who have converted their homes into hellish dungeons for their completely emasculated husbands to tremblingly whimper in; and who brashly parade themselves as strong women but unfortunately do not cut it for Icheoku as such. However, Icheoku has no sympathy for these castrated breed of husbands who because of food, support and sex have completely pawned over their manhood and now make do with merely being seen as Mr Mom or married to that woman? As Rush Limbaugh would say, if you acquiesce to your manhood being locked away in testicles lock-box, that's your problem. But serving as devil's advocate, Icheoku says whether these men who cannot fend or support themselves and their families, who cannot cook or feed themselves and who cannot find sex if they have to, are still men, strictly so called, is somehow debatable. This led one woman to once quip concerning her victimized husband, what use is a man anyway when everything is on me, regardless?

Icheoku says there is no rational man or husband who would not support every of his wife's reasonable aspiration and ambition; but majority of men, especially real men, usually take strong exception to being supplanted or substituted or overtly converted to a full Mr Mom. They simply will accommodate but will reject and refuse trading places with their wives completely. Like Aung San Suu Kyi rightly observed, these men see it as "not a sacrifice when you choose to do something" and will do it happily; but they will resist when it is compelled to the point of becoming nauseating. A matter made worse because some of these 'strong women' claimants, whose only claim to strength is in  lording it over their husbands, will turn around to tell how they dot on their father. They proclaim their father's role-model  stature but fail to understand that their own daughters would like to share in the single pleasure of similarly dotting on their own fathers, their estranged husbands. 

So query, would these women of lowly esteem be feeling this elated about and concerning their own fathers if their mothers were so mean, nasty and vagrant as to have alienated their fathers from them? The good news however is that what goes around, comes around; and fortunately their own sons will someday fall preys to other women somewhere. It naturally follows that if you treat another woman's son as garbage that another woman's daughter will treat your son as garbage someday; thus visiting your iniquities on your son accordingly. It is just the way of the world and it is steeped in unexplained and inexplicable mysteries. In this world, Karma is still very effectual and the same goes with those sons of Beelzebub from hell who maltreat their wives; as some other anarchists from the pit of hell will visit your daughters with so much unprintable nightmares. 

Icheoku agrees with Aung San Suu Kyi that 'you don't get something simply because you want it'; you have to work for it. A hard worker who works very, very hard and who sees challenges as opportunities to make some difference is an example of the type of a strong woman who any man would gladly wish to have as a wife. According to San Suu, some answers to certain life's problems are both simple and difficult and it is in establishing trust. By the same token, Icheoku remembers other strong women of great courage including those Aba Women Rioters of 1929, Winnie Mandela, Rosa Park, Mrs Ransome Kuti, Margaret Expo as well as the women of history who helped change certain  narratives. Icheoku wishes Aung San Suu Kyi all the best in the forthcoming election. What a world it would be if the United States of America has a president named Hillary Clinton the same time Myammar will have a president named Aung San Suuu Kyi; signaling the final take over of the world by the female species. Overall, a very good interview it was, of a very courageous woman who has a burning desire to help transform her country and citizens. 

BOB MANUEL UDOKWU, FINDING A SPOUSE?

Icheoku recently read an article in a Nigerian Newspaper, wherein Bob Manuel Udokwu told of how he met his wife. According to his story, he was taking a walk one evening on campus, when he sighted his future wife and was particularly moved by her gait and strut. He stopped her, complimented her and after the initial pleasantries, they agreed to meet again and again; and before you could say jack, they were dating. 

Thereafter their story of boy meets girl took an air of its own and today they have celebrated fifteen years of a marital bliss. Icheoku says what a very romantic and  indeed beautiful story of how a couple met each other; needless to add that it did not take the pulling of a teeth before she said yes to his proposal. Marital  chemistry is usually such that it does not necessarily require too much of a convincing because when you see it the one, you always know and feel it too. Icheoku says congratulations to the Udokwus on their marriage anniversary and many more happy returns. What a lovely couple, telling a lovely story of how they first met and they appear to be happy too and are equally lovely to look at.

This little background is necessary as this article is about finding a spouse and why some people have been unlucky in that department thus far. These people seem to be looking at the wrong places and with over bloated expectations of who their ideal spouse is or should be? Icheoku admonishes that the first rule of the thumb in finding a spouse is to curb your (enthusiasm) expectations. Moderate your exaggerated wants and desires of what you want in a spouse or what you would otherwise consider an ideal spouse because the good Lord left those perfect tens in heaven when he made Adam and Eve to be earth's dwelling. There is no one single individual that will fit all the tabs and who would check all good in all the departments, meeting all and every set down criteria. 

So like an examination, where one does not have to necessarily ace it all or score 100% in order to pass, you should be prepared to accept certain percentile as a passing score and then treat same as a whole and complete passmark for a spouse. Just make a list of what are most important to you and if they are ten and your potential spouse has six of them, that should ordinarily suffice. But just in case you still wants one such all-rounder spouse anyway, then be prepared to wait till you rendezvous with God to ask him why he kept them in heaven. However before arriving at the departure hall, first be prepared to live and die a lonely agonizing life as a bachelor or spinster in the event marriage was important to you. But if you want someone to accompany you in this journey called life, then be prepared to cross-out some expectations in order to successfully find a matching companion. 

The best test for deciding on a spouse is to imagine him or her figuratively without any clothes or anything to his or her name, absolutely, totally and completely EMPTY and NAKED. If you can accept him or her as is, then dive in; but if it is the shirt on his back or the skirt covering her behind that enticed you, then back off as you are backing the wrong horse. He or she must be organically attracted to you and not because of collateral accessories surrounding the masquerade. There was a story about this princess who was so picky about a suitor that his father was practically giving up hope of ever betrothing her daughter to a husband. One day the tortoise got wind of her "am too much for any man" stance and prepared to trick her into matrimony. The tortoise went and borrowed heavily and with pomp and pageantry, came heralded to the king's palace seeking his daughter's hand in marriage. However, as soon as the tortoise brought home his princess-bride, all those lenders came and retrieved all their stuff and there started their martial problems. 

But if you are that female waiting for Dangote or President Buhari to come calling, remember that when Dame Patience met President Jonathan in the creeks of Niger Delta, little did she know that the shoeless kid from Otuoke would one day rise to become a president. Ditto did Michelle Obama not know what the future held for her when she met a fledgling Barack Obama who could not even afford to take her out to dinner. Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton met similarly situated and stories abound of other successful couples who met as struggling stragglers. So, what Icheoku is saying is that in as much as having some stuff is good, but ladies, it is always a bummer when a man feels that it is his surroundings and not his personality that is your main allure. Likewise when ladies feel that it is their other stuff that primarily captured your interest. If they feel like they purchased you, they will treat you like their property because they reason that if you could take the bait, others might as well. Therefore, looking for happiness in marriage, look for that person who deeply cares for you, particularly for your happiness. Like with God's commandment to seek first the kingdom and all other things will be added to you, first find yourself a compatible loving spouse and miraculously other things that makes life livable will follow. 

A word of advise for all those ladies out there looking for a man and who waste their valuable time and resources in pentecostal churches seeking to find their miracle of a husband or paying nocturnal visits to babalawo shrines in search of that magical potion to snare a husband; Icheoku says, waste your time no more. It does not work and will never work as love is never forced nor compelled. Like with everything without a free will, the struggle for freedom will definitely someday ensue and it might be disastrous. The solution is simple - at anytime, just be yourself, remain who you, conduct and comport yourself 24/7 as you never know where your own Bob Manuel Udokwu might be watching from. 

Always be true to yourself and stop living a lie of being pretentious in a church while later throwing up your wide-side especially amongst your supposed friends. Unfortunately some of these your "friends" who know you better might have brothers, brother-inlaws and/or even their own husband's friends who might be looking for a wife but they would rather not recommend you to them. A rule of the thumb, if you are that good and your girlfriends, especially those who are married, know you are that good, why have they not recommended you to some of these single men within their circle? This is one huge mistake many women make, thinking that their wild-eyed drinking, snorting and whoring buddies are their best friends? Nope, they are not; otherwise they would have since hooked you but they don't want you too near to their circle.

Also many guys are smart enough to spot out such desperately seeking-husbands women in churches and quickly bolt away before they could be seized. It is ideally, a case of "a cunning woman die and a cunning man bury her" type of conundrum, where both the hunter and the hunted are both skillful at playing the game of hide and seek or catch me if you can?  It reminds Icheoku of a story of one such lady who went into a fake trance in a church one Sunday and prophesied that this particular guy, who she has been eyeing for a very long time, is her revealed husband. Unfortunately, this guy was also eyeing a different lady all together and told the 'possessed by spirit' lady that he will have to pray about it and get back to her during next Sunday's worship. 

On that Sunday, the guy told the girl that the Lord told him that he will reveal the final truth to him about her previous revelation during the worships' miracle hour. As soon as the hour of deliverance arrived, on a cue, the guy went into his own Version 2.0 trance and upon power of anointing overcoming him, started prophesying that the good Lord warned him to stay away from the lady in question; not to ever marry her because she is married to the water-spirit and any attempt to do otherwise would bring so much catastrophe, pain, anguish and tragedy to them both.  That they must break every bond between them including the thought of becoming a couple to avert an immediate death in the hands of kidnappers or even a hasty accident enroute their houses and the threat is real.  They later went to the pastor to share their "revelations", to which the pastor ruled that they should stay away from each other and for their good. 

Icheoku says instead of running from pillar to post in search of that elusive knight in shinning armor, ask yourself are you leading a double life? Is your behavior behind closed door the same as that which you exhibit outside? Would your church pastor vouch for your behavior as a classmate would and both find you a worthy companion? Does you church members know you as a none smoker but you smoke everything including joints and roaches with your evening friends?  Do you live a double life that compels people to say 'are we talking about the same person' or another person all together? A penny for your thought, because you don't know who is watching or might be interested, before everybody, day or night, in public or in private, in your character remain as constant as the northern star of which true fix there is no fellow in the firmament. Networking is still the surest way to scoring a spouse as no one will want to admit someone within their circle if their coming in will unravel the existing bond. If your friends love you enough, they will land you a spouse and they have a magical way at it too. 

So always keep it real as you never know where that your man might be springing out from, anytime. Just like this beautiful lady whom Bob Manuel Udokwu snag up, your man might be staring at you from across the building or like Isaac's wife, Rebecca, might ask you for some flimsy favor.  Icheoku says congratulations to the Udokwus and to all those happily married couples celebrating their various anniversaries. To those still not so lucky in love yet, people who are still pounding the pavement of love in search of the one, Icheoku says don't give up, help is on the way as Cupid  is headed your way. Just be smart to discern when he arrives with your spouse and accept and work out whatever kinks that might still be left in him. Men somehow are still somehow lucky as they are not as challenged because they do the hunting and they decide on what game to shoot. Further, men are not as time-constrained and can always do their thing whenever they decide. Salute. 

HILLARY CLINTON BENGHAZI INQUISITION, AN OVERKILL?

Icheoku says who is out to get or rather stop Hillary Clinton from going forward with her presidential ambition; or does any unbiased right thinking American think that 11 hours of grilling time was reasonable? Icheoku does not know about you but harps that like Barry Sanders implored, all these anal examination of the first woman to seriously contend the presidency of the United States of America, must cease and stop. America, a misogynist society of very chauvinistic males, are swooning into a tizzy that a woman could potentially be presiding over them and they are all out to nip that happenstance in the bud. 

Overall, Icheoku thinks she stood her grounds as she performed creditably well. Query were Hilary Clinton not running for the presidency, would the Republican dominated Congressional panel been this intrusive with their penetrating questions? Were Hillary Clinton a member of the 'ole white boys' club of America,  wearing pants instead of skirts, would her time before the panel been this heated? Anyway, but for her occasional avoidance of eye-contact, she did not present herself as an easily intimidated female, but someone who feels as equal to those panelists. Icheoku says so what next in the concert to derail her campaign or intimidate her out of contention. But the people of America will do the final deciding and until their verdict is reached on November 2016, no one knows what their views on her performance today really is.

LAMAR ODUM, CRACK IS WHACK

Icheoku says regrettably he failed to heed Whitney Houston's warning and has ended upside down enroute to wherever he is headed. What an avoidable tragedy.