A MUSLIM MAYOR FOR LONDON, A TROJAN HORSE?

Icheoku says if a soothsayer had told King George or even Winston Churchill that their London would be so easily vanquished by Muslim civilization, they would have ordered the soothsayer executed. But in 2016, that nightmarish scenario has followed the dreamer into reality, as London now has a new mayor, who is a Muslim. Icheoku says the conquest couldn't be more surreptitious than this cleverly disguised politician, within inches of imposing Islamic way of life on London and which will surely provide a springboard for the broader West's campaign. 

Whatever the subterfuge, whatever the art, Icheoku is not buying the explanation that it is just an election in a democratic society. No, it is not; it is an innocuous maneuver towards a higher objective because Muslims owe their allegiance first to their faith and their Mohammed and every other thing else can then follow. Muslim is an ideology, not necessarily a harmless religion. It demands total obedience and allegiance and does not accommodate nor tolerate any other dissenting views or opinions. It is not a choice but a willy-nilly commanded obedience to dictates of Muhammed and Islam. It is in competition with the West and its religion and culture for supremacy. It is either their way or the highway and any objection is often met with unparalleled brutality including beheading. 

Why haven't the mayor converted to christianity since arriving Britain? Why haven't the mayor changed completely and fully assimilated to Western values and culture? Why does the mayor still stick to a Muslim religion that subjugates women and still carries out stone-age stoning of women for simple adultery and indulges in honor killing? A muslim society which still holds women in scornful, demeaning lowly status? But the whole world especially the Western world is being asked to accept this as a new reality of democracy and you wonder how far is too far. With the rabbit-like procreation of children by muslim women, a time will soon come when Muslims would completely overrun and overwhelm the British society as to produce all its leaders and then have the opportunity to impose full sharia law on the land, thus completely islamizing the society.

Query, what happened to the pride of the British people that allowed this imposition on them and their way of live and religion? What an abdication of political power that the mayoral seat of London will be so easily handed over to a foreigner, of foreign culture and foreign religion. Hopefully they will not regret it so soon that it will cause revulsive upheaval. Icheoku disagrees with Sadiq Khan that Western liberal values are compatible with Islam otherwise why are women still treated as things in Islam and left holding the plate for equality and dignity? Why does Islam still permit honor killing of their women? Why does Islam in Saudi Arabia not allow women to drive? Why is Islam anti homosexuals? Why are Muslims not assimilating with the West and instead are trying to carve out Islamic enclaves with sharia laws and other muslim practices within Western territories? Yet Islam is compatible with Western values?

Icheoku says whether he is "too muslim" or not "muslim enough", Sadiq Khan is certainly different and his mayoral seat should be more closely watched to make sure it does not provide a springboard for the complete islamization of Britain. What is important here is the appearance and not necessarily the substance. To every onlooker, British people have lost their London which they handed over to a Pakistani Muslim and it does not matter if this particular muslim is a good muslim or not. The tension will remain and so also will the psychological burden that London is no longer what it is used to be or meant to be and to so many people. 

Icheoku laments that by virtue of the election of a muslim as mayor of the city of London, the city has now fully transformed itself into another city, a Londonistan?  It is the new reality. What a changing face of humanity or should Icheoku call it a conquering phase by Muslim civilization of Western christian civilization. A routing of some sort, which the muslim world would neither allow nor tolerate in their own part of the world. Anyway, congratulations Sadiq Khan and may your mayoral years not completely change London as the world knows it. Keep those muslim praying mats behind the doors of your office and the washing kettles hidden from public sight. Icheoku bemoans that by this capitulation, London has fallen and only God will help us all. It is rather inexplicable that this new mayor wants Western political power but is coy about assimilating its ways and religion fully. Good luck Brits that call London home; admitted it will soon be transformed into a Londonistan. What a travesty, a very humongous joke.

"EXTREMELY RICH" SARAKI, A PITIFUL AND PATHETIC PERSON.

Icheoku says in a civilized clime, the Nigerian Senate president would be forced to disclosed the source of his supposedly stupendous wealth and how much taxes he paid on it. But it is Nigeria and another story is being told of a man who does not manufacture nor produce a thing; and who did not write any successful app, yet parading himself rather boisterously as being richer than the state he governed. In his own testimony, Bukola Saraki, stated that he was "extremely rich" before becoming governor of Kwara State. Icheoku queries if this man is indeed as rich as he declared, why did he collect his monthly salaries and allowances as governor? Why is he also presently collecting pension from the same impoverished Kwara State, post his governorship?  

Here is a man, who according to his filed court papers, "had $22million, about £12million, 2.6m Euro and about N4billion in cash in his various bank accounts. He also possessed landed property estimated at N2billion and 15 vehicles valued at about N263.4 million" prior to becoming governor of Kwara State. So what need does Bukola Saraki has, collecting from a state he is richer than and still have the mouth of saying that he cares about the little people. Icheoku says baring crass greed and mean-spiritedness, nothing else explains his collection of his salaries and allowances plus pension as governor of Kwara State. What does this man need fifteen private vehicles for? Imagine how many jobs he could have help create in Nigeria had he invested part of his stash in business ventures in Nigeria. But instead he slushed it overseas in foreign banks.

New York City once had a mayor, Michael Bloomberg, a very wealthy humble man, a billionaire, who never described himself as "extremely rich"; but who as mayor of the richest city in America personally paid himself while discharging duties as the mayor for twelve long years. To avoid infringing laws against servitude and indenture, he received one dollar (100 cents) per year remuneration from the city as full salary and allowances. Whenever he traveled overseas, like to China on official business for the city, he flies his own private jet, personally pays allowances to officials in his delegation as well as their boarding and sustenance. The city of New York can afford to pay this team ten times over; but here is a man, truly committed to service of the people and who indeed selflessly served the people. MB is a good man and he gave it his all serving New York, including spending his own personal money in service thereof. 

Then Nigeria is cursed with people like this man, Bukola Saraki, who claimed he is "extremely rich" and richer than his home state of Kwara, yet shakes down his extremely  impoverished people of Kwara State, nickling and diming them for every and all expenses he made, genuine and otherwise; and you wonder what is wrong with Nigerians, especially the ruling class that beget this Bukola Saraki. Icheoku says if Bukola Saraki is "extremely rich", what need does he have of the extra peanuts he collected from Kwara State in salaries and allowances as well as security votes throughout his eight years as governor of Kwara State.

There is also a former governor of California, Arnold Schwazzeneggar (Terminator) who for the eight years he was governor never collected a dime for his job governing the richest state in America and the sixth largest economy in the world. He flew his private jet from his home in Brentwood (Los Angeles) to the state capital Sacramento for work. He lived in his private home and commuted to work on his own expenses and never collected reimbursements from the state. Such person is a blessing to the state or country they served; but definitely not a person as horrible as Bukola Saraki, who despite being "extremely rich", was yoked to greed. Why Nigeria is cursed with his likes, only God can tell; but surely with leaders like Bukola Saraki, Nigeria might as well become a wild wild West with no laws nor rules at all. What benefit does a society then derive from having "extremely rich" people like Bukola Saraki in their midst, one may ask.

Anyway, while Icheoku is not begrudging Bukola Saraki for being "extremely rich", Icheoku would rather he kept it to himself and not be too puerile bragging about it. Worse still, he did not disclose how he amassed such wealth and it was okay for Nigerians to hail him as rich, without veering into its source. But regardless, if this qualifies for Bukola Saraki as being "extremely rich", how would the Dangotes, Otedolas, Orji Kalus, Danjumas, Adenugas etc of Nigeria then qualify their wealth? Icheoku purposely limited the comparison to Nigeria where it is acceptable for people to boast and brag about their questionable resources; otherwise when moved to global riches, Bukola Saraki might be as merely rich as a hustler in the world of the rich and wealthy. It is rather very unfortunate and regrettable that such an "extremely rich" Bukola Saraki was so callous to deprive Kwara State money, he does not need and which the state could have used to take care of their poor and needy workers and civil servants. What a jerk he is.

HILLARY BEATEN AGAIN, CANNOT SEEM TO CLOSE THE DEAL, DOESN'T KNOW HOW.

Icheoku says once again, the woman who nobody really likes in America and who because of her crookedness hardly makes eye contact with people, has once again been handed another defeat. Hillary Clinton was handily defeated by 75 year old, silver-haired, grandfather, Bernie Sanders and in two states Nebraska and West Virginia. Icheoku says the American people are steadily telegraphing to the Democrats that Hillary Clinton is not the ONE and imposing her on the party will be simply devastating. 

Hillary Clinton is simply not trustworthy and cannot be trusted. Hillary Clinton is a fraud who tells every person what they want to hear just to score cheap political gains. Hillary Clinton is a purchasable politician who will be bought by any highest bidder. Hillary Clinton is not bringing anything new nor exciting to the arena, hence not generating enough enthusiasm to go into the general election. But hey, another gift to a Donald Trump's impending presidency, the gifts that keep on giving. Go Trump; Vote Trump and together lets help make America great again. 

NIGERIANS PETRIFIED, A SILENCE OF THE LAMBS?

Icheoku says suddenly everybody in Nigeria has become mute, silenced and extremely measured in their criticism of the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari. They are no longer keen on pointing out the shortcomings of the government and you wonder what changed? These were the same people who shouted everybody deaf, hollering about the deficiencies of the former president Jonathan Goodluck of Otuoke, eventually chasing him out of Aso Rock and out of power. Many of them constituted themselves into various human rights activists this and activists that; civil rights this and that; as well as conscience of the nation this and that. So where are these people today or what happened to them and their holding the torch for the nation? 

These noise maker no longer see nor hear nor voice out anything wrong with the way Nigeria is headed and you wonder if miraculously everything is now kosher in Nigeria and their services or activism no longer needed nor necessary. Theirs have become a case of see no evil, hear no evil and talk no evil of and about President Muhammadu Buhari and his slumbering confused government. Like Jesus Christ admonished in the Bible, he who is without sin should cast the first stone and it appears that these bunch of Nigerians have disappeared in the same manner those accusers of the adulterous woman. These men and women have been checkmated by the EFCC, as almost all of them have fallen short of glory by reason of corruption and are bound to be picked up and interrogated by the EFCC. So it would appear that the fear of EFCC's invitation by these rabble rousers is now the beginning of wisdom for them. 

All of these activists so called have one stinking skeleton or the other in their closet and the EFCC has files on them; and none of them wants to be deprived of his or her freedom and liberty. Now they look the other way, zip their mouth and with two fingers plug their ears, while the current lord of the manor in Nigeria traverses the land. Arbitrary acting, saying and doing whatever and however he pleases, without anyone reminding him that he is not an emperor who can do no wrong. Culpable of the corruption war, so now shackled with fear of being arrested by EFCC, they decide to play it safe by being deaf and dumb, while the country is spiraling down the path to perdition. Icheoku queries are these Nigerians the same Nigerians who literally drove Jonathan of Otuoke out of Aso Rock with all manners of accusation and shouting of fire in the theater that actually almost set Nigeria ablaze. 

There is fire on the mountain in Nigeria and instead of these people telling Nigerians to run, run, run; they are petrified with fear and cannot even move their lips nor lift their hands in condemnation of the man at Aso Rock. Power supply has not improved and have gotten even worse, yet it is hallelujah. Security situation has not improved, yet it is all praise songs to the emperor of Aso Rock. Boko haram is still running amok, yet it is give give some time to languish them. Naira has depreciated greatly but there is no problem. Oil price has not appreciated yet there is no qualms. Unemployment has only skyrocketed to new high, but it is okay. Chibok girls are still missing but the Bring Back Their Girls pressure group have gone silent. Fulani cattle terrorists are maiming and killing Nigerians, destroying properties and means of livelihood, but it only gets tepid mention. Kidnapping and armed robbery as well as other vices and brigandry is on the roll in Nigeria, but these loud mouths appear not to be worried. 

Nigerians, Icheoku asks what is going on or rather what purchased the current silence; or does being a Fulani grant a president certain inviolable immunity from criticism and being Ijaw, automatically ensures a president being ran out of Aso Rock like a petty vagrant. Worse still, even the so called men and women of "God" have all gone silent too and you wonder if the current situation in Nigeria is acceptable to them? Anyway, Icheoku can only point the way and also point out certain observed wrongs, but regrets to say that Nigerians are a funny lot; a people who have no core nor character and whose stand on issues is Clintonian and highly influenced by peculiar circumstances. Possibly the Gods are angry at Nigerians and apologizing to Jonathan of Otuoke might be a way to start the process of atonement. A very incredible people, especially the so called civil and human rights activists and the conscience of the nation. What a country.

'ABACHA NEVER STOLE, HIS GOVERNMENT DID' - OCHEREOME NNANNA.

“Nigeria is awaiting receipt from Swiss Govt. of $320 million, identified as illegally taken from Nigeria under Abacha” – Buhari @NGR President, 5:09 PM – 27 APR 2016. 

WHEN Twitter-addicted Nigerians stumbled on this posting on President Muhammadu Buhari’s Twitter handle last week, the whole Internet went abuzz, with most people expressing their dismay at Buhari’s refusal to call a spade by its correct name. Before we go on, let us try to reason out the meaning of this statement, especially against the backdrop of its nexus to our history where Abacha and Buhari’s paths crossed. It is obvious why the President or the operator of his Twitter handle chose to describe this amount (which is over N100 billion, a third of what the Federal, State Local governments shared in February 2016) as money “identified as illegally taken from Nigeria under Abacha”, rather than the usual “Abacha loot”. 

The answer is simple. Buhari, long before he was elected president, stubbornly insisted that Abacha “never stole”, and that he was not corrupt. “Illegally taken from Nigeria” is a ploy to sidestep the word: “stolen”. “Under Abacha” portrays it as if other people, not Abacha himself, committed the “illegality” without Abacha’s knowledge. Some unknown individuals were taking money from Nigeria and lodging it in Abacha’s Swiss bank accounts? For what purpose? Perhaps, they knew that our economy would be in trouble in the future and decided to “save” for this rainy day for us? If that is what President Buhari wants to say, let him say so openly, so that we all will join him in congratulating the Abacha family for the sacrifices their patriarch made for Nigeria. 

In the past sixteen years, series of sums of money in foreign currency have been brought back from Western countries, especially Switzerland, where former military Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha stashed funds which he looted from the Nigerian treasury. These monies have always been called “Abacha loot”. Abacha is the only former ruler boldly ascribed, even in official circles, to have “stolen” or “looted” our public funds. He certainly was not the only one who did so. And most of us believe that he was probably not the biggest looter. Then, how come it is only his loots that are being “identified” and repatriated? Is it because he is dead? If he were still alive like most of his fellow former rulers, would there be any such thing as “Abacha loot”? 

I doubt it, since his predecessors and successors who probably took more have never even been officially accused or made to return their own “loots”. In fact, one of them majestically struts over the landscape calling other people corrupt without justifying his own obvious affluence after his long stint in the Presidency. Are we a nation of cowards and dastards, mobbing Abacha and his estate simply because he is dead? More questions: if Abacha had not arrested, tried and jailed General Olusegun Obasanjo for his part in the 1995 coup attempt to unseat him, would Obasanjo have launched the campaign to recover Abacha loot? 

If Abacha had not died and he played a role in the election of Obasanjo as President in 1999 as Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Theophilus Danjuma and their civilian Northern cohorts had done, would Obasanjo have started the campaign to retrieve the Abacha loot? Still more questions: if Buhari had been the one elected as the civilian president of Nigeria in 1999, would he even be talking about receiving money from Swiss Government “illegally taken away” under his regime since he maintains, against all concrete evidence, that Abacha never stole our money? 

So, is it only when a person deals with us and dies that he becomes corrupt, but when he treats us nicely (as Abacha did to Buhari) he becomes a “saint”? If Abacha had not rehabilitated Buhari after being jailed by Babangida; If Abacha had not appointed him as the Executive Chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), where he was given unlimited powers to spend billions of Naira between 1996 and 1998, would Buhari have stuck out his neck for him and say he was not corrupt? Is this the mentality we take with us in fighting corruption, making sure that those who helped us are regarded as clean, while those who wronged us are pursued with a single-minded quest to retrieve their loot and sent to jail? Is this our national standard for integrity? 

How are we sure that retired Col. Ja’afaru Isa, a close Buhari acolyte who was reluctantly arrested, briefly detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, and released after a couple of days for allegedly returning part of his share of Col. Sambo Dasuki’s bonanza, actually returned anything? Everybody calls President Buhari a “man of integrity”, in spite of certain things we read and hear which do not add up to conclusively justify that branding. Buhari made his declared assets public. But he never disclosed their financial worth, nor did he let us know where they could be found as late President Umaru Yar’Adua voluntarily did. He never followed Yar’ Adua’s exemplary footsteps of including the assets of his wife. 

And from the look of things, ever-smiling Madam Aisha Buhari is very well-to-do, what with her reported donation of N135 million to displaced persons in Adamawa during the campaigns last year, which has not been denied. I still cannot reconcile the fact that Buhari, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had to borrow N25 million from banks to pay for his form in October, 2014 when his wife could so easily have given it to him from her own resources. There were even some reports that Buhari was once ejected from his “rented” mansion, No 11, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Asokoro, Abuja in 2012. That report was never debunked. Elaborate efforts have always been made to brand Buhari as a retired general who lived on his military pension before he became elected President. 

Yet, when he became President and the foreign exchange crunch set in, he told parents who have their children in foreign schools that they should look for forex wherever they could find it as the Federal Government could no longer afford to provide it. When reminded that he had his own children in foreign schools, he simply retorted: “I can afford it”. These conflicting signals about our President and his true mindset on corruption as well as his real standing financially, is being noticed, and nobody is a dummy. Even the younger generation of Nigerians are watching, reading and taking note of this confusion and wondering what “integrity” actually means here in Nigeria. It is not only the youth that are confused. I am certainly no longer a youth, but I am confused!

TRUMP AT 1175 DELEGATES, 62 MORE TO GO.

Icheoku says the next president of America, 45th, is just few more delegates to clinching the required delegates to officially seal the deal. Icheoku says congratulations Donald Trump and together lets make America great again. Go Trump; Vote Trump.

NIGERIA ETHNIC DIVERSITY, THE MINORITY OF HAUSA-FULANI

MAKING SENSE OF NIGERIA'S CATTLE FULANI AND FARMERS CONFLICT - NAZIRU MIKAILU

After a spate of deadly attacks in Nigeria this year blamed on ethnic Fulani cattle herders, the president has ordered a military crackdown on the group. 

But the issue is not new - clashes between different groups of Fulani herders and farmers have killed thousands of people in Nigeria over the past two decades. 

In 2014, more than 1,200 people lost their lives, according to the most recent  Global Terrorism Index. This made the Fulanis the world's fourth deadliest militant group, the report said. 

February's massacre of some 300 people in central Benue state and last month's raid in southern Enugu state, where more than 40 were killed, caused outrage across Nigeria. Properties were destroyed and thousands of people forced to flee their homes. 

This led to growing anti-Fulani sentiment in some parts of the country with the hashtag #fulaniherdsmen trending on social media.  

President Muhammadu Buhari, himself a Fulani, has responded to the public outcry and ordered the security forces to crack down on the cattle raiders. 

But the issue is much more complicated than this. Disagreements over the use of essential resources such as farmland, grazing areas and water between herders and local farmers are said to be the major source of the fighting. 

Fulani herders can travel hundreds of miles in large numbers with their cattle in search of pasture. They are often armed with weapons to protect their livestock. 

They frequently clash with farmers who consistently accuse them of damaging their crops and failing to control their animals. The Fulanis respond that they are being attacked by gangs from farming communities who try to steal their cattle and they are just defending themselves. 

The clashes used to be confined to Nigeria's central region, with the mainly Christian Berom farming community in Plateau state engaging in tit-for-tat killings with Muslim nomadic herders. But the continued effect of climate change on grazing lands has pushed the Fulani herdsmen further forward south in search of grass and water. This has widened the scope of the conflict with deadly incidents being increasingly reported in southern parts of the country, raising fears that the violence could threaten the fragile unity that exists among Nigeria's diverse ethnic groups. 

Apart from clashes with farmers, there have been allegations that some Fulanis have been involved in armed robbery, rape and communal violence especially in central and northern part of the country. Similar accusations have also been made against them in Ghana and Ivory Coast. 

Their association with the Hausa ethnic group and their nomadic nature has also made them vulnerable to attack, and they have been caught up in ethnic clashes not of their making. 

Much of the violence in central Nigeria dates back to the 2002 and 2004 clashes in the Yelwa-Shendam area of Plateau state in which thousands lost their lives. 

This saw ethnic, political, economic and religious tensions overlap and the consequences are still seen with deep distrust between mainly Muslim Fulani herders and mostly Christian farming communities, who see the Hausa-Fulanis as outsiders trying to take their land. 

The Fulanis are also sometimes attacked and have their animals stolen by bandits, prompting brutal reprisals. This is not unique to central Nigeria but the country as a whole.  

Police recently announced the arrest of several suspected Fulani militants armed with "dangerous weapons" outside the capital, Abuja. The men say they were on their way to recover their stolen cattle. 

Fulani associations have consistently denied any links to militants, saying they are being blamed for crimes committed by others. 

"It is not fair to blame us for every incident because in most cases we are the victims," Sa'idu Baso, a senior Fulani leader in eastern Nigeria, told the BBC. "Nigerian authorities need to do more to protect our people and their cattle," he added. 

The deadly nature of the violence has left many people wondering about the source of the arms being used to carry out the atrocities. The most common weapon used in these types of conflict is the AK47 assault rifle, Abubakar Tsav, a former federal police commissioner, told the BBC. He says that the conflict in Libya and Mali has increased the proliferation of small and large arms into the country because Nigeria's porous borders are uncontrollable. "Some people are exchanging stolen crude oil for arms and these are being easily shipped through our sea ports." 

Another theory being suggested is that the herders get their weapons from black markets across West and Central Africa, because they live in the bush and travel throughout the region. 

The conflict has cost Africa's largest economy more than $14bn (£10bn) in the three years to 2015, according to the UK-based humanitarian organisation, Mercy Corps. It has "impeded market development and economic growth by destroying productive assets, preventing trade, deterring investment, and eroding trust between markets actors," it added in a report last July. 

The recent upsurge also represents a fresh security challenge for a country already stretched by the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in its north-eastern region. 

Unlike that crisis which is concentrated on a fraction of the country, this conflict is occurring in almost every part of Africa's most populous nation. The UN says it is worried by the "complete impunity enjoyed so far by perpetrators of previous attacks", and called on the government to do more to protect its citizens. Reports in the local media say MPs are working on a law that will establish grazing areas across the country to douse the tension between the rival groups. But the move has proved unpopular with many, especially in the south. 

"The Fulani herdsman is running a business with his cows, why should we have to give up our lands for his interests," one man said on Twitter. 

However, it is difficult to generalise anything related to the Fulanis because in most cases, these nomadic herdsmen don't even know each other and carry out their activities independently. There is certainly no evidence that Fulani groups have a single political goal. So in many ways it is inaccurate to describe them as a single militant group. This makes it difficult for the authorities to come up with any sustainable plan to end the crisis.

TIME TO RETHINK NIGERIA IS NOW - IKE AMAECHI.

No matter how hard one tries, it is difficult, almost impossible, for any Nigerian to pretend not to be angry with the way things are going right now. Even those who want to be seen as being politically correct in this season of anomie are struggling to keep their balance because, let’s face it, there are limits to political correctness.

Something has gone fundamentally wrong with the Muhammadu Buhari presidency. He has failed to be the transcendental, pan-Nigeria leader we all craved for after the Goodluck Jonathan presidency. I don’t know how the illusion came about that such an insular, provincial leader like Buhari can step up to the plate at such a critical time in Nigeria’s history. But here we are, once again, at the crossroads.

For me, the massacre last week of innocent citizens by Fulani herdsmen at Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State was the last straw. Over 50 people were killed in cold blood, scores displaced, and about seven villages and property worth millions of naira, including the Christ Holy Church International, destroyed. The victims were killed in the most gruesome manner – some had their throats slit, others were simply butchered with machetes and at least one was burnt alive on a commuter bus. Nobody deserves this fate.

Yet, security men got wind of this attack at least 24 hours before the hoodlums struck. Uzo-Uwani Council Chairman, Cornell Onwubuya, reportedly alerted Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the Commissioner of Police, Ekechukwu Nwodibo, that armed Fulani herdsmen had invaded their community to wreak havoc. No action was taken. The Department of State Securities (DSS) that claimed it discovered mass graves of “Hausa-Fulani” residents allegedly abducted and murdered by suspected members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia State, without any evidence, did nothing to stop the carnage. The military that arrested 76 youths from Ugwuneshi community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State for protesting against the abduction and gang raping of their mothers and sisters did nothing to forestall the mayhem.

After the carnage, Ugwuanyi wept and declared two days of fasting and prayers. It took Buhari – who had threatened to deal with Niger Delta militants like terrorists and vowed to deal decisively with IPOB and MASSOB for daring to challenge the status quo in Nigeria – three whole days to break his silence on the carnage.

I have wondered since last Monday what would have happened if the people of Nimbo had organised to brutally murder 50 Fulani herdsmen. By now, the security forces would have sacked the entire local government. They would have done to them what soldiers did to Shiites in Kaduna. Imagine what would have happened if some Igbo hoodlums were to go to any community in Katsina, Bauchi, Kaduna, et cetera, to kill, maim, rape and plunder. The perpetrators would have been summarily dealt with and the whole of Ala-Igbo would have become desolate by now.

Those who want to be politically correct say Buhari should not be blamed. But for those crying out loud, he is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If we don’t blame him for allowing the atrocious acts of Fulani herdsmen spiral out of control, who, then, do we blame? Besides, the silence of the government is a clear abdication of its role in ending these killings. Keeping silent in the face of these horrendous atrocities makes both the president and his government complicit in the fatalities. So, for me, the biggest tragedy in all this is not just the deaths but the fact that a government idles away, with the president sitting on his palms, keeping ominously silent while citizens get wiped out.

May I ask the commander-in-chief whether these herdsmen are licensed to carry these sophisticated weapons? If not, why are they not arrested? Why have they not been disarmed? Or, is it impossible to disarm them? If yes, how then can such a government be trusted to fulfill the most basic of its obligations – the protection of the lives and property of citizens? Where are these marauders getting these sophisticated weapons from? How and where did they learn how to use them? If it is okay for the pastoralists to freely acquire and use such weapons, what stops the sedentary farmers from enjoying the same privileges?

Now, back to citizenship and whether the Nigerian project as presently configured is worth it. I had a testy exchange of text messages with a friend who believes that this periodic spilling of Igbo blood in Nigeria may well be our lot and we should accept our fate with every amount of equanimity since any attempt by Ndigbo to ward off such attacks or even revenge will only lead to more killings of our people scattered all over Nigeria. When I argued that our people should no longer offer the other cheek to be abused, particularly when the barbarians who revel in spilling human blood have taken the battle to the Igbo heartland, my friend riposted:

“You can choose to do nzogbu-nzogbu, the first people that will get wiped out will be our Igbo brothers in other people’s land. You can choose to do nzogbu-nzogbu when you are landlocked and without access to an international border. The consequences will be predictable … we are used to coping as Ndigbo instead of asserting our full rights as citizens. I just wish to claim my status as a citizen.”

This is contradictory. How can you claim your status as a citizen of a country that cannot even guarantee you the most fundamental of human rights – right to life? A country where you cannot even protect yourself against the onslaught of hoodlums, not to talk of complaining because your brothers living in other parts of the country may be slaughtered? So, what is the worth of the citizenship of a country that neither guarantees your safety nor the right to complain and seek redress when you are violated?

But my friend is not done yet. He gave me a reason why the Igbo, like a lamb being led to the slaughter house, should not complain in the face of the havoc by rampaging Fulani herdsmen. “I will tell you what I told Berom leaders in Jos in 2002: a sedentary population will not win a war of attrition with a population that has neither land nor a postcode.”

I was flummoxed. So, what is the duty of the state? Just because of the peripatetic nature of the Hausa-Fulani race, they have become outlaws, no longer restrained by the laws of the land? And the victims of their atrocious acts dare not complain for fear of being visited with more violence while the government looks the other away? Isn’t that anarchy?

Truth be told, these attacks will continue. So, Ndigbo should brace up and defend themselves. What is going on is full-fledged terrorism. These murderers are not ordinary cattle herders. This is a deliberate agenda being pursued by those who don’t place any value on human life.

Today, Nigeria boasts a worse terrorism record than Somalia, a failed state, no thanks to the activities of Fulani herdsmen. According to the 2015 Global Terrorism Index, which identifies the Fulani militants as a terrorist group, only Iraq and Afghanistan suffered worse terror attacks than Nigeria in 2014. Of the 20 deadliest terror attacks globally in 2014, nine occurred in Nigeria, with Boko Haram – which overtook the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as the deadliest terror group – taking credit for eight. The ninth, an attack which claimed over 200 lives, was attributed to Fulani herdsmen. While Boko Haram claimed 6,644 lives, Fulani militants, named as the fourth deadliest terrorists in the world, killed 1,229.

But that was even yesterday. As I write, Fulani herdsmen have overtaken Boko Haram in hawking their fatal wares to a hapless citizenry, having killed more Nigerians this year than their dreaded Boko Haram cousins.

It is time to rethink Nigeria. While the argument of many that the sheer size of Nigeria and its huge potential makes the idea of a united country inevitable remains plausible, it is only the living that can enjoy those benefits. A country that cannot guarantee its citizens the right to life is not worth the name.

THANK YOU INDIANA FOR SEALING THE SEAL FOR THE DONALD.

 

TRUMP WINS INDIANA, BECOMES THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE - REINCE PRIEBUS.

Icheoku says thank you Indiana for helping seal the deal for Donald Trump. Now the Republican Party chairman, Reince Priebus has confirmed that Donald Trump will be the presumptive nominee and urged all Republicans to unite and focus on defeating Hillary Clinton. Icheoku agrees and says a President Hillary Clinton will be a nightmare for America that wants to pivot from the last eight years of hesitant and indecisive foreign policy blunders, including a red line that was drawn in Syria which was ignored and did not attract any consequences. Icheoku says America cannot continue on its current trajectory and need a total and complete c-change as a vote for Hillary Clinton will be endorsing President Barack Hussein Obama's third term.  Icheoku says congratulations Donald John Trump for  a stellar campaign of winning and your effort has been rightly crowned. Go Trump; Vote Trump and together lets help make America great again.

YOUR PEOPLE ARE KILLING MY PEOPLE - MUHAMMAD BUHARI, THE RESPONSE.

"Before I thank you for this visit, you have come to tell me something. I also want to tell you something and that something is to make an appeal. General Buhari has been a former Head of State, Brigadier Marwa has governed Lagos for some time and with credibility… so you are national leaders of this country. Even though, by accident of birth, you are from the North, you can be born anywhere; may be next time when I am coming to the world, I will be born in the North or the South-South. My appeal will be that effort must be made to unite this country and that will be in the best interest of all Nigerians." 

"I am appealing to the Arewa Consultative Forum, under which auspices our distinguished Nigerians are here; in recent times, they have been sending wrong signals to a number of us who believe in the unity and peace of Nigeria; you have been too critical of the efforts of the Federal Government. I am saying this because Nigeria, at this point, cannot afford to break and the words you northern leaders utter are very weighty, at the South here, we normally analyze them critically." 

"From what they have written in the petition, this government is completely blameless because we don’t interfere either with the judiciary or with the police functions. I always preach peaceful co-existence in Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole. We are all Nigerians and that is what we have been preaching all along and we shall continue to be Nigerians, no matter the present or immediate problems which will be solved by the grace of Allah. I want to say also that we really have to appeal to our people, the itinerant Bororo people, that they should observe less aggression. It is not good, it is not right just coming from somewhere then you just pass through farm lands cultivated may be with the person’s life savings and then over night everything is gone. That is not right, even Allah does not approve of that." 

"We even wonder when they talk about this people carrying dangerous weapons, I say do they really believe in Allah? When you just take life like that and go away! Are we not forbidden not to take human life? So I think General Buhari, General Marwa, you have to be educating them… It is my pleasure to inform you that at the Presidential Lodge, we have made some arrangements for refreshments so that before you go we can refresh together.” - Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina. 

Icheoku says the response by then Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina to then citizen Muhammadu Buhari led team of Northern Nigerian Fulanis, who came for an explanation over a clash between Fulani cattle rearing terrorists and local farmers of Oyo State. Some of the Fulani invaders lost their lives in the fight and Muhammadu Buhari had come to find out why Lam Adesina's people of Oyo State killed his cattle rearing terrorists Fulanis. Muhammadu Buhari also demanded to know why the governor did not influence the outcome of the judiciary and security apparatus in Oyo State that determined arrested Oyo State survivors innocent and set them free. According to insiders, Muhammadu Buhari and his team of arrogant Fulani honchos were so incensed that they stormed out of the meeting, rejected  the offered courtesy light refreshment and went back to Kaduna. They were described as "they came in angry and left bewildered" because Lam Adesina did not cower down to them. 

Icheoku posthumously commends Lam Adesina for standing tall at the hour of great need in defense of what is right. Icheoku also condemns the ever-angry Muhammadu Buhari for being so angry to storm out of his host governor and  for declining a good faith light refreshment invite. Icheoku says this should be the guiding template for every Southern and Middle Belt governor in the current standoff with these wandering vagrants Fulani invaders, whose pastime is the wastage of human lives and agricultural endeavors. Enough of these uncircumcised mullahs parading themselves as lords of manor in Nigeria. 

Like Lam Adesina rightly articulated, those Northern elites should stop exploiting their illiterate nomads; and instead, educate them on the proper ethics of living together in a civilized society. They should also work hard to enthrone peace in Nigeria and stop thinking that they are untouchables, whose wish must alway be forced on the rest of other Nigerians. Nigeria belongs to all the people currently within its geographical estate; and until something happens to dilute  the arrangement, every Nigerian must feel and remain equal while freely living together without undue pressure from anyone including these Fulanis of Nigeria. 

Summarizing, Lam Adesina informed Buhari that Northern Fulani should guard their utterances; make effort at unity; educate their nomads to stop their vandalism of farms and livelihoods of others; stop their wanton killings of other Nigerians; stop carrying dangerous weapons and then of course be tutored well on living together in a civilized manner. Icheoku says the whole truth and nothing but the truth; or is any of these stipulations too big a thing to ask for? Now Nigerians know who is instigating and causing all these Fulani cattle rearers terrorism in Nigeria. 

Icheoku says only the truth shall save us all in Nigeria and Lam Adesina spoke the truth when he read the riot act to Muhammadu Buhari and his team of Fulanis. But will the Fulanis do some introspection and understand that they are the reason for all the troubles in Nigeria with other Nigerians. They plan and carry out all coups in Nigeria and they are steeped in disrupting governments in Nigeria too. Their nomads also cause all these cattle problems in Nigeria resulting in damaged agricultural livelihood as well as loss of human lives too. Icheoku reiterates that baring their change of attitude, the only option left for other victimized Nigerians might be to confront them and forcefully stop this their continuing nuisance.  Enough of this their mindset that drives their obstinacy or that makes them believe that they can visit on others what they will not tolerate or allow or is  tenable within their own enclave of Northwestern Nigeria. 

At worst, they should rear their cattle in their Northwest region. But they still sell those cows to the same people whose pasture and agricultural crops feed their cows insatiable appetite. Then you ask yourself what does Southerners benefit from this parasitic relationship? These Fulanis bring their cows to the South to raise them; their cows feed off Southern agricultural farmlands and cash crops; and they still turn around to sell these cows at very exorbitant prices to the same Southerners. So query, what is the return of investment for all these Fulani inconveniences to Southerners one would ask? Icheoku asks were Southerners to be lion rearers, would these Fulanis allow them to bring their lions to the North to feed on their cows? It simply does not make sense, never made sense and it is about time the South stood up to these Northerners and demand respectability. It is either we learn to live together as civilized people or let those who still want to hold unto their century old way of life to remain in their caves and leave others alone. 

POINTING THE WAY FORWARD AMERICA, VOTE FOR TRUMP

Icheoku says he is the one; the only one who will indeed truly make America great. Unlike the rest of other politicians, he has not sold his soul to the devil and will deliver on his promises. VOTE TRUMP.

'THIS IS OUR CHANCE' - A NOVEL BY JAMES ENE HENSHAW, REVISITED?

"Oba Erediauwa, a majestic elemental spirit. You cannot gloss over the fact that Omo N’ Oba Erediauwa,Oba of Benin, was a man of impeccable and unimpeachable integrity with the resilience of a royal salamander. In him, you find a coruscating display of that apothegm which holds that noblesse oblige. The sui generis quintessential quality of his came under bold relief, especially during the locust and Philistine years of the military militocracy. He was practically the only triton among the minnows of royal hierarchs that resisted and stood up to the military rascality and apacheism that characterized the Abacha era. He stood at all times with the people eyeballing political and military demagogues and damning their treacherous hooey and blarneys. 

It will not be erroneous and superfluous, therefore, to pontificate that his integrity was altruistically integrious if you permit me that neologism. A man steeped in tradition Omo N’ Oba Erediauwa, Oba of Benin was a cornucopious emblematization of the rich heritage of the Benin culture, both in his modus vivendi and modus operandi. He left no one in doubt that he was the spiritual and traditional agglutinating anodyne that offers a centripetal canopy for the Benin ethnic nationality into one harmonious and synchronized armada. 

Of particular interest to me was how he was able to bring this about, especially against the backdrop of modernism and attenuating cum corrosive forces of religious petulancy and perfervidism. It is in his cosmopolitan and cerebral mien that is situated the Aladdin’s lamp that gave him the enablement in striking a delicate equipoise and hence at a meeting of the ‘Benin Anglican Dioscesan Synod on June 3, 1980, the revered monarch posited thus …. “The conflict between traditional religion and Christian religion is not supported by scriptural teaching, but must Christian religion condemn and push out the traditional? Must traditional worship and Christian worship not be seen as complimentary”? Such was his philosophical zest, intellectual cosmopolitanism, sangfroid predilection and well-honed skills in high-wired diplomacy, which placed him in good stead, especially at feisty moments. 

Cerebral alertness and universal personality One of the qualities even a casual visitor that came before the royal presence of Omo N’Oba, Oba of Benin cannot fail to recognize was his lavish avuncular affection towards all his visitors. He was always ready to make you feel at home, irrespective of real or imagined social stratification. He was at his best crystallizing a rare display of Solomonic wisdom and regal mannerisms in regaling his numerous visitors with anecdotes interspersed with didactic witticisms   and it was at such privileged moments you also had the opportunity to admire his intellectual alertness and global persona." –  Hon Patrick Obahiagbon, eulogizing the departed Oba of Benin. Omo N'Oba N'Edo Ukwu Akpolokpolo Erediauwa 1.

NIGERIA'S NOMADIC CONFLICT, DEADLIER THAN BOKO HARAM - MARK AMAZA

For the past six years, the Boko Haram terrorist group has run riot in Nigeria, carrying out fatal attacks and kidnappings across the northern part of the country. It has claimed lives of up to 20,000 people and displaced more than a million. 

But while the worst actions of Boko Haram, which have grabbed global headlines, now seem to reducing in frequency, another conflict has been going on in Nigeria for almost two decades with next to no media coverage outside the country. Pressured by the conflict between climate change, modern agricultural economics and a centuries-old tradition, it now threatens to explode into a full-scale criss.

The low-level clashes between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and farmers used to be confined to the northernmost regions of the country, but due to the increasing desertification of nomadic grazing land in those areas which are traditional cattle-rearing territories, overgrazing and lower rainfall; the nomadic herdsmen have been pushing farther and farther south in search of grass and water for their herd.

This has caused clashes with farmers whose farmlands are being destroyed in the country’s middle belt, where Nigeria’s north and south meet and is the country’s most fertile agricultural belt. 

According to SBM Intelligence, a socio-political consulting firm, there have been 389 incidents involving herdsmen and farming communities between 1997 and 2015, with 371 of these attacks happening after 2011 in the Middle Belt. It is believed many more are not reported.

These increasingly deadly clashes have started taking place more frequently in the southern states, something even Boko Haram has yet to attempt to date. There have been attacks in states including Rivers and Enugu in the southeast, and Ondo, in the southwest, where a former presidential candidate, Olu Falae was abducted from his farm by herdsmen for days. So far, it is estimated Nigeria loses about $14 billion annually to these clashes. 

In February, about 300 people were killed and a further 7,000 persons displaced in four communities in just one local government area Agatu, in the middle belt state of Benue.

Despite being overlooked by the international media for the most part in recent years, the herdsman-farmer clashes are on track to be a significant destabilizing security issue for Nigeria over the next few years. And unlike with Boko Haram which was ostensibly defined by religious boundaries, these clashes have more potential for a ripple effect within Nigeria when the sensitive issue of ethnicity is added to the mix. The herdsmen are Fulani, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group that spreads across West Africa and is the world’s largest nomadic people; the farming communities, particularly in the middle belt and south, are made up of many smaller predominantly Christian ethnic groups. It is not uncommon to hear references to the Fulani Jihad of Sheikh Othman Dan Fodio of the early 19th century and claims that the attacks are a continuation of the ancient religious military campaign.

So why has this crisis persisted for decades without any long-lasting solution to it?

For starters, the warring sides continually exploit the inability of the Nigerian government to maintain law and order as has already been seen with the early days of Boko Haram. Successive governments have been unable to end the violence whether it is by tackling either its immediate or remote causes. President Muhammadu Buhari's order for an investigation into the attack more than a week after the attack is late, but still a much better response than that of the previous administration who did not as much offer a statement when the clashes occurred in the same area last year. 

The danger in this is that both sides will continue to wage this bloody battle for supremacy in order to not just survive, but to also control the economic prize of fertile land for farming or grazing. As it stands, the firepower advantage lies with the Fulani herdsmen but it will only be a matter of time before other communities and ethnic groups try to catch up in an emerging arms race in the region, and worsen the conflict.

The conflict also highlights the prevalence of weapons in the hands of non-state actors in Nigeria. A 2009 Small Arms Survey put the number of illegal small arms and light weapons in Nigeria at between one million and three million, a number that is bound to be an underestimate as it was before the start of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has increased the number of weapons in circulation.

The flow of arms within the West African sub-region increased after the fall of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddhafi and the disintegration of the Libyan government, worsening conflicts in the region from Boko Haram in Nigeria to Tuareg rebels and Islamist groups in Mali and other parts of the Sahel. It is not inconceivable that these arms also flowed into the hands of ethnic militias like the Fulani herdsmen, in addition to arms smuggled into the country through the ports.

Ultimately, these conflicts have also persisted because of refusal by the herdsmen to embrace ranching for their animals, citing cultural reasons for sticking to nomadic rearing. This is despite some research showing ranching results in better meat products and hides and skin, provides easier access to agricultural extension and veterinary services and will bring in more income to the herders. 

However, there has been some shift amongst some of the herdsmen who are now leading a campaign for the establishment of grazing reserves in every state in Nigeria and for a federal commission to maintain them.This is already sparking off opposition from states that traditionally do not play host to Fulani herdsmen.

It is very likely that Nigeria will witness more clashes between herdsmen and farmers, just this week 40 people were killed in the Southeastern State of Enugu by suspected herdsman who also burned down a local Catholic church. When the extra factors of religion and ethnicity are factored in, it represents a serious risk of escalation.

The more these attacks happen without security agencies able to stop the attackers, the risks of the people self-arming to protect themselves or even carrying out a reprisal attack on people who have similar ethnic and religious affiliations as the herdsmen becomes increasingly likely. Such a reprisal attack will likely set off another reprisal attack and it will be an endless cycle of violence.

It is urgent that in the short-term, security agencies work to prevent further attacks especially in the rural areas which is largely un-policed, apprehend and prosecute those behind these attacks. In the long-term, the issue of grazing routes and nomadic rearing is addressed sufficiently. 

Seemingly, only a transition to ranching by cattle rearers will bring an end to these conflicts which is rapidly escalating into a crisis.