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

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

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

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

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

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

A HERO IS BORN.

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

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

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

WORD!

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

NOW, YOU KNOW.

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

JUST THE FACT.

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

DO YOU?.

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

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

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

PROBLEM SOLVED.

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

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

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

WORDS ON MARBLE.

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

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

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

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

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


WORD.

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

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

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


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

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


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

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

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

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


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

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

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN HAS BRAIN CANCER, GLIOBLASTOMA.

ICHEOKU says the very senior Senator from the great State of Arizona, Senator John McCain, has been diagnosed with cancerous brain tumor. The 80 year plus old Senator's cancer, glioblastoma, is similar to the cancer which killed then Massachusetts  senior Senator Ted Kennedy; and although the prognosis thus far is somewhat not dire, but chances of it accelerating to a sad end is real. 

Glioblastoma is a highly malignant, incurable brain tumors originating from astrocytes, cells that make up the brain's supportive tissue and usually kills within few months.

ICHEOKU says may be it is about time the Senator retires from the senate to enable him devote more time fighting the cancer and also to restfully live out his golden years, with less stress. ICHEOKU wishes the senator all the best as he enters what would prove to be the fiercest fight of his life; having survived the Hanoi Hilton, three melanomas of the face, hand and nose. Hopefully, he will also beat the brain tumor, admitted it will be one heck of a chance, considering the rapid growth of the cancer. God's speed Senator. 

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

OSINBAJO AND THE QUAGMIRE OF POWER STRUGGLE - an article by Remi Oyeyemi

Osinbajo heads a government in which he "is not allowed" to get anything done. 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is in a serious quagmire. But unfortunately, he is oblivious to and of it. Even if he is not, he has no tools to help himself. His fish, it seems, has no water on its back. 

The ongoing war in Abuja for power is emblematic of the nature and character of the Nigerian state that hopefully would lead to the Nunc Dimittis of a tragedy called a country. As events continue to unfold, those still acting like ostriches, shouting ONE NIGERIA, would have some education and have theirs eyes opened.

For those theorists who see this from the prism of class war dialectics alone, they are about to be educated about the dynamics of a modern feudalism that hold others in bondage and subjugation. They are about to be tutored about a refined, retooled and modernized apartheid system. They are about to be schooled about the real meanings of second- and third-class citizenship in a contraption euphemized as a country.

The Attorney General of the Federation Mr. Abubakar Malami, has just warned the Vice President that he (the Vice President) couldn't speak for the presidency and that the Vice President is "on his own." This came up after the Vice President returned "fire for fire" to the National Assembly seeking to remove him.

The importance of the warning given by Malami to Vice President Osinbajo is that in the Executive Arm of the Government in Aso Rock, the Vice President has no support. It means he is just being tolerated. It means he is an outsider in a government he leads. It means he is just a decoration. It means he is just a toothless bulldog, if he could be called a bulldog at all.

If you doubt this, ask, how many other members of the Cabinet have come out to support the Vice President publicly? How many of them have come out to call Malami to order? Certainly, they are not all deaf and blind. But because they all know where power truly resides, they have kept mum waiting for Osinbajo to be roasted. Yes, they know that power does not reside with Osinbajo and they don't care if Osinbajo is hanged. 

Not only that, under Osinbajo's nose, even ordinary Garba Shehu describes VP Osinbajo utterances as "unofficial" and "personal" view of his. He suggested that any opinion expressed by Osinbajo is nothing but his own and not representative of the Government or the Presidency in which he is the so called Acting President. Even, as a so called "Coordinator", such a disgrace should not be meted out to the Pastor.

The hapless Vice President seems to just carry on as if nothing is amiss. He is canvassing for a ONE NIGERIA where he is already a second-class citizen in power. His case is akin to that of a slave begging and pleading for the recalibration, reinforcement and reconsolidation of the vestiges and veneers of his enslavement and subjugation; a case of an unthinking happy slave. Americans call his likes "house slaves."

Yes, he is in power but does not have the balls to exercise the power. He dares not. He is so powerless that an ordinary spokesperson can call his bluff. He has no wherewithal to exercise any power. He heads a cabinet to which he cannot give instruction. He heads a cabinet in which he is treated with disdain and open disrespect as well as disregard. As they twit, taunt and toss him around, he twitches and twirls like a fish in the throes of dehydration.

Osinbajo heads a government in which he cannot get anything done. He heads a government in which his words are mere cacophony; meaningless, worthless and useless. He enjoys no one's confidence in the leadership. He is a lone, rudderless, tired and ridiculed wolf surrounded by anxious and rapacious tigers in competition to enthusiastically devour him.

This obviously is sensed by the Senate led by Bukola Saraki who has never hidden his contempt for the Vice President he once referred to as "ordinary commissioner."  Saraki never had any respect for Osinbajo. He loathes him intensely and with unfathomable severity. He sees Osinbajo as the "ajélè" of Bola Tinubu, with whom he is in rivalry. He is determined to bring him down at the right moment. Whether Saraki would succeed in this or not, time would tell.

Let us put my dislike for Saraki aside and all his vices hanged aside for a moment so that the reality be examined honestly. Saraki is truly in charge of the Senate. His support is solid. His men are united, savvy, and combative. They are committed to each other. His men believe in him and he believes in them. He protects them. They protect him. Loyalty to Saraki cuts across party lines in the Senate. He is as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.

In the wings for Senator Saraki is the Lower House under the leadership of Yakubu Dogara. Solid, united, determined and consistent in their opposition to any move by Tinubuists. And they have demonstrated without any scintilla of doubt that they would not tolerate any kind of infantile radicalism. They are waiting for an auspicious moment to oust Osinbajo. This is in addition to some silent power elites in the North, especially among the Hausa Fulani whose political wisdom begin with fear of Tinubu, who because of his own morbid ambition, made himself a dispensable tool of enslavement and subjugation of his Yoruba people.

Some of us may not like this because we loathe Saraki, but this is the reality. The Buharideens and the Buharists in Yoruba land may not like this but this is the truth. The Jagabbanians or Tinubuists may hate this but this is a fact. The APC faithfuls and party hacks in the Southwest may detest this but it is the reality. Saraki is in control of that Senate. The earlier they realize this, the better for them so they can figure out their next move.

Vice President Osinbajo himself seems not to be aware. Or if he is aware, he does not care. And if he cares, he has no tools to fight for himself. He has limited or no support. His supporters are in the minority. His supporters, when they overstep their allotted boundaries, get suspended at will and nothing has happened. Or would happen.

Meanwhile, the so called "Cabal", from whence originated the idea of a "Coordinator" are silently waiting for the right moment to oust the unwary, naive, smart but non-analytical Vice President. He has been suspected and hated from Day One when he was locked out of the security meeting about a country of which he was the Vice President and now the Acting President.

Osinbajo refused to pay attention. He refused to heed warnings then as he is refusing now. He is acting like his mentor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and allowing morbid ambition to drive his thinking, his planning, his responses and his approach. He is not thinking about the fate that might befall Yoruba Nation when these falling chips land. He wants to be in power at all costs, even when he is deemed not good enough as a messenger by the INHERITORS of the Nigerian power. He refuses to see the handwriting on the wall. He is not able to fathom that he is fussing over the corpse of a dead country. 

Applying the Marxian dialectics to the Nigerian tragedy as an analytic tool is a great misapplication to an enormously misunderstood situation. The subsisting struggle in Nigeria today is not about the rich and the poor or between the haves and the have-nots. Rather, it is about the contest of applied philosophical world views.

It is about those who treasure the reverence and desirability for human dignity for all and those who do not. It is about those who believe in equality of man as a creature and those who do not. It is about those who believe in equitable justice for all and those who do not. It is about those who believe in human family, not cronyism, and those who do not. It is about those who believe that human lives have more value than those of cows and those who do not.

There is a culture that lays not undue emphasis on materialism and the one that does. There is a culture which ensures your dignity, your self and personal respect even when you are poor and the one that does not. There is a culture that takes accountability seriously and the one that does not. This is the crux of the matter. This is the kernel of the issue. This is the heart of the contest. This is the why of the struggle. This is the theme of the clarion call.

For the honest, sincere but naive purveyors of UNITY of Nigeria in the hills and valleys of Yoruba Nation;  for the untutored die hard believers in ONE NIGERIA swimming in the streams and rivers of  Oòduà land; for the misguided and miseducated latter day Nigerian nationalists acting out Henry Kissinger's concept of "patriotism" as being "the last refuge of scoundrels" among the sons and daughters of Oòduà land, it is time to wake up and smell the coffee. 

It is time to think beyond politics and unite in action and purpose for our people, our future, our freedom and our independence. This is more serious and important than the ephemeral politics of APC, PDP, Labour, KOWA, CPC, AC, ADM, PDM or whatever. We are first and foremost Yoruba before anything else. This is about the survival of our race. This is about our survival and dignity as a people. This is about our pride as inheritors of great culture and traditions. This is about us as a people with proud History. 

It is time to stop planting corn on the rock. It is time to stop chasing shadows. It is time to stop  chasing power that could not be used or benefit our people. It is time to wise up and free yourselves mentally. It is time to think of our past and put our future in perspective. It is time to think of our children and the next generation. It is time to be free. It is time to go home to Oòduà Nation. The Yoruba do not belong in Nigeria. We belong to our own Nation.

Monday, July 17, 2017

WERE OSINBAJO OF A FULANI/HAUSA STORK - an article by Bayo Oluwasanmi

When Muhammadu Buhari clinched the presidency, many Nigerians believed it was a year of a big, bloodless political revolution. But now we know this wasn't so much a revolution as a restructuring of the political order, a transfer of power from one elite to another, then the sort of bottom-up popular uprising that many Nigerians had in mind. 

The economic melt down, unrest, protests, violence, the long intractable poverty, the sense of hopelessness and helplessness, the leadership vacuum created by the hospitalization of President Buhari, and the tyrannical abandon of problems facing Nigerians by the do-nothing National Assembly have spurred the long-dormant spirit of activism. The snowflakes, it seems, have whipped up a snowstorm. 

Lately, Yorubas are being terrorized from all angles by the Hausas and Fulanis. The Fulani herdsmen are killing Yorubas like flies. Even the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo was not spared of the incursion of the Fulanis. He's being harassed, intimidated, insulted, humiliated, taunted, and turned into a ping pong ball by Aso Rock Hausa and Fulani cabals led by Bukola Saraki. The latest plot by Saraki and Aso Rock cabals published July 5, 2017, by SaharaReporters headlined “Aso Rock Cabal, Senator Saraki Commence Sabotage of Acting President Osinbajo As Buhari's Health Crisis Deepens” detailed how Saraki in an unholy alliance with other reactionary forces at Aso Rock plot to unleash tsunami of political upheavals to dislodge Osinbajo from assuming full presidential powers. On the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC Chair, the Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, said Osinbajo's statement on the issue didn't reflect the collective decision of the Federal Executive Council. Though, Malami had since denied the statement. 

It bears repeating that were Osinbajo a Hausa or Fulani, he'll never have been subjected to such trauma and torture. It's troubling. It's dangerous. And it's saddening. What further evidence do we need that Nigeria isn't one country? What more reasons do we need to justify Yoruexit from Nigeria? It's in the best interest of Yorubas to start working on ways and means to disengage from Nigeria. 

Like I have argued many times, it's too late to save Nigeria as is. In other words, the continued existence of Nigeria as one nation is beyond “restructure.” I believe the only way out for Yorubas is to hasten their exit from this hell hole called Nigeria. Anything short of that is unacceptable, unrealistic, and unworkable. We don't have to ask for anyone's permission to leave Nigeria. We don't have to wait for the primitive, decadent, hostile, system to evolve or for bad laws to change. In the best interest of direct action, we have to walk out of this pit of hell – now! 

The reckless political provocation by the Hausa and Fulani Aso Rock cabals should stretch Yoruba political imaginations. Yorubas are known to be tolerant, accommodating, liberal and refined. However, being reasonable and civilized should not be exploited by the Hausas and Fulanis. Of course, we have corrupt and selfish politicians among us. In the new Yoruba nation – Oduduwa Republic – We'll take care of the corrupt ones among us. We'll cut their wings. We'll tame them. We'll uproot them from our midst. 

When we talk about secession, separation, call it any name, some Nigerians are uncomfortable acknowledging the contradictions, crises, and confusion in which a divided one Nigeria has been submerged for 58 years. When confronted with the reality of Nigeria's 58 years of misery, the apologists of one Nigeria  have no cogent and convincing reasons other than tirade of trite cliches: “It's costly and destructive to break up,” “bigger is better,” there's strength in diversity,” “we cannot go it alone,” “we have much to lose than to gain.” And on, and on, and on. They conjure up these imaginary ghosts to justify the self-serving present. They forget we cannot erase or cover up the historical dystopian reality of Nigeria. 

We waited 58 years hoping for miracles. It never came. Meanwhile, as we waited for a better Nigeria, things have gotten worse. Our education system once the envy of the world has been dismantled and mutilated. The curriculum has no content, no rigor, no substance, no value, no philosophy. It's an empty shell. As we waited, disparities in wealth increased with the looters prospering and the poor starving. The long running poverty slaughtered and uprooted as it were, the present generation and generations yet unborn. The persistence and prevalence of untamed corruption and infectious poverty daily consume our people. Inflamed ethnic rivalries and religious intolerance grow daily with intensity among the poor. It has fostered distrust and festered old ethnic prejudices. 

As we waited, the excesses, evils, injustices, and wickedness of the ruling class have further chiseled the great divide between the haves and have nots and have collapsed our civilization and culture. Our society has been turned into a Hobbesian horror that a normal person must escape. An extended mediation of Nigerian maladies has turned citizens into a surviving appendage that begs for life support. As we waited, Nigeria remains a country of misery characterized by a rainbow of misadventures. The citizens of a country blessed with the world's most abundant resources live in one of the worst places on earth. The federal system of government has been rendered useless, ineffective and made impossible to work. It's a failure. It's a tombstone. It's fragile foundation built on a corrupt and deceitful Nigerian political model that doesn't make sense. 

As we waited, Nigeria has turned into a jungle alien to rule of law, where might is right and where injustice reigns supreme. Nigeria provides a textbook example of a country being governed by fools, idiots, thugs, looters, and ignoramuses. These elected ruffians and con artists are the real enemies of our people.  As we waited, Nigerian unskilled poor have exchanged rural poverty for even deeper miseries of the shanty towns with disaffection-filling movements. The swelling urban mobs, abductors, rapists, armed robbers, kidnappers, and hired assassins in the ghastly alleys of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Kano, Benin, Otuoke, etc., are unchecked, disregarded, left to grow and fester. 

You see, we've waited for 58 years. Every death hurts. Every impoverished Nigerian enrages. Every jobless Nigerian is a walking dead. The God given blessings for Nigeria are not shared or enjoyed in common. Justice, liberty, and prosperity are exclusive illusion of the poor. The sunlight that brought light and healing to the few, has brought stripes and death to our people. While the ruling class rejoices and relishes for one Nigeria, the poor are in perpetual mourning in the same country. 

Can you hear the mournful wail of million of Yoruba youths whose lives are being wasted before our eyes and whose lives are being cut short by cheap preventable deaths? Can you see the bleeding of sorrow from Yorubas - the hungry, sick, helpless and hopeless children turned scavengers roaming the streets looking for food in the garbage dumpsters? Can you see Yoruba young girls turned prostitutes for lack of jobs and opportunities? Can you see Yoruba young men turned armed robbers as a result of being uprooted by poverty and precarious life?  Can you see Yoruba gaunt, haggard looking senior citizens badly squeezed by hunger and disease and nowhere to turn? 

Nigeria is false to the past. Nigeria is false to the present. Nigeria is solemnly binding herself to the false in the future. Nigeria is ruptured and fragmented. Lives of Yoruba people are split open like water melon ravaged by poverty served loosely together by jagged stitches of fear and insecurity. Can you see the Yorubas...running helter-skelter from pillar to post … confused and in disarray, groping, gripping, dripping in the dark … See... Can you see...? Enough is enough. It's time to go

Sunday, July 16, 2017

BEYONCE PRESENTS THE CARTER TWINS TO THE WORLD.

ICHEOKU says their names, Rumi and Sir; and they are adorable. Congratulations to Beyonce and Jay-Z Carter on their double blessings. ICHEOKU commends the Carters for not commercializing their babies first photographs like other celebrities who charge millions for the right of first pictures. Way to go Mr and Mrs Carter; simply showing how it is done. 

Saturday, July 15, 2017

'Je m'appelle Melania. Et toi?' - FLOTUS MELANIA TRUMP SPEAKS FRENCH

ICHEOKU says United States of America First Lady Melanie Trump is all round beautiful and she is languages proficient too. The First Lady speaks six international languages including Slovenian, Italian, German, Serbo-Croatian, French and English; and is currently rumored to be learning Chinese and Hispanic. She spoke French to school children during her and her husband President Donald John Trump recent Bastille visit to France at the invitation of the French President Emmanuel Macron, saying 'Je m'appelle Melania. Et toi?' (My name is Melania. And you?) 

ICHEOKU understands some rudimentary French, thanks to French 101 of several decades past, hence the unaided translation of what the First Lady said. ICHEOKU says America is blessed to have a First Lady who is indeed pleasant to behold and who carries herself with the best decorum as only a royalty could fathom. Irredeemable Deplorable ICHEOKU is pleased to call her a worthy First Lady and prays she continue to carry herself majestically as she represents the United States of America. Well done Melanie!!

Friday, July 14, 2017

LIU XIAOBO: KILLED BY CHINESE AUTHORITIES.

ICHEOKU says China is killing her finest, one after the other; and any nation or state which does not allow her citizens freedom is a nation in chains, whose citizens are living in bondage. The Chinese authorities killed him, trying to silence his voice of freedom for the Chinese people. But unfortunately, if history is any guide, Liu Xiabo will become huger in death and his voice more resonant and will be carried far and wide to the ends of earth. Chinese people will hear him and he might be the eventual precursor to Chinese people becoming truly independent in the real sense of it. 

Liu Xiaobo, a Nobel laureate and human rights activist extraordinaire, who has been advocating freedom for the Chinese people since 1989 Tienanmen Square democracy stand off, has died. Xiaobo was killed by the Chinese authorities, albeit technically; who imprisoned him in 2009 and he was serving a 11 years sentence when he died of advanced liver cancer. His offense, simply calling for political reforms in China, which the Beijing authorities considered a sacrilege and threw him in prison. 

His "Charter 08"  petition stood out as an enviable act of defiance and he paid dearly for it with his life for daring where angels trembled trying to force reforms within the Chinese enclave. The oppressive government termed his activities "inciting subversion of state powers and marked him for elimination and eliminate him, they did. ICHEOKU says may his ever restive, change-desiring and driven soul now rest. Liu Xiaobo was 61 years old, Adieu.

Monday, July 10, 2017

THE NNAMDI KANU PHENOMENON an article by REUBEN ABATI

The most discussed subject in Nigeria today is what is called “restructuring” and indeed so popular is this subject that it has attracted the attention of roadside commentators, the bright, the not-so-bright, the mischievous and the outrightly unintelligent all united by the singular claim that Nigeria belongs to all of us and we all have a right to determine its future.  The last person who brought up this subject with me is a mechanic in Abeokuta! He had heard about Biafra, the Arewa youths, the President’s absence, Professor Osinbajo, Nnamdi Kanu, what Igbo leaders, Northern leaders, and Yoruba leaders have said about restructuring and he wanted a conversation. That’s how democracy works, not so?  The inclusiveness is actually very good for us…
But the point I have always made stands proven: that Nigeria remains an unanswered question, more than a century after the amalgamation of 1914. Before and after independence, virtually every government has had to deal with this same question, viz, the national question. Brought together in an unwieldy, unequal and uneven union by the British, Nigeria’s about 400 ethnic nationalities have been unable to transform into one nation, one union, a community of people and communities driven by a common purpose - to create a united, progressive nation, under the umbrella of patriotism and the common good.
We have fought each other since 1950 to date, we did not even all agree on independence, and since that happened, we have been at each other’s throats. We ended up fighting a civil war, and from all indications we are at this moment, seemingly preparing for another one. The laziest excuse is that the British caused all our problems, but more than 50 years after independence it should be clear enough that we are the source of our collective agony.
Other countries that were at the same level with us in 1960 have since moved on and developed into better nations despite their own internal contradictions. Nigerian leaders have perpetually lived in denial. Every step forward has resulted in our country taking two steps backward. A combination of the big-man-syndrome, the too-know syndrome, the us-before-others-mentality, ethnic politics, sectarian politics, greed, cronyism and a terrible leadership recruitment process has turned our process of nationhood into an unending struggle. Today, fewer Nigerians believe in the idea of Nigeria.
In 1977/78, the Constituent Assembly whose deliberations resulted in the 1979 Constitution almost ended with fisticuffs. The 2005 National Political Reforms  Conference did not fare better either, as the Niger Delta conferees staged a walk-out and the politics of Third Term or no Third Term sabotaged the entire process. In 2014, the outcomes of yet another National Conference could not be followed through because a succeeding administration declared it would not even look at the report.  

At every stage when it looks as if this country is faced with an opportunity to address the national question, certain interest groups erect the roadblocks of denial and wishful thinking. No country can live perpetually in denial.  This is the message of former Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union and their disintegration. As for the military, they merely worsened Nigerian politics.
Fifty years after the outbreak of the civil war, we now have a man called Nnamdi Kanu. He may well end up as Nigeria’s nemesis. He is the most frightening product of our many years and acts of denial and he may well throw the country into a nightmare worse than Boko Haram if care is not taken. He started out as the leader of a group called the Indigenous People of Biafra and as director of Radio Biafra.  He and those who bought into his rhetoric of secession and the renewal of the Biafra dream organized protests across the world, and they looked, from afar, like a group of disgruntled Nigerians in the diaspora. 

In the foreign lands where most of the members lived, they looked like persons over-enjoying the freedom of speech from a safe distance. They didn’t appear to have the force of MASSOB, which is locally based and seemingly more malleable.  The renewed struggle for Biafra that Kanu and his crowd talked about could have been nothing more than an internet and television revolution. But everything went wrong the moment Nnamdi Kanu chose to visit home and he was arrested, detained and taken through a court trial.
Whoever ordered Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest and the prosecution did this country a bad turn. Kanu is a character that could have been better ignored. His trial and travails have turned him into a hero and a living martyr among Igbos. And the young man so far, understands the game. Since he was released on bail, he has been taunting the Nigerian state and government. Daily, he dares those who granted him bail and he laughs at the conditions they gave him. He associates with more than 10 persons. He moves about Igboland freely, like a spirit. He addresses rallies and grants interviews.  He has been busy issuing statements. On May 30, he ordered a shut-down of the entire South Eastern region and that order was obeyed not only in the South East but also in parts of the South-South, and Abuja.    
Nnamdi Kanu who probably barely struggled to survive as a black man in Europe, has been turned by the Nigerian Government into a credible apostle of a resurgent Biafran revolution. The other day when he held a meeting in Umuahia, over 5,000 persons trooped to his compound.  Kanu is a master of symbolism. He is exploiting the Jewish symbol: to signal to the world that Igbos are being persecuted. 

He visits symbolic sites of the civil war to prick the injured part of the Igbo consciousness and mobilize the people. His pre-eminence is a comment on the quality of the state and its strategic intelligence system. If he succeeds with his threats, we should know those to blame. A few days ago, someone on social media further compared him to Jesus Christ and described him as the true savior. Every revolutionary in history graduates from ordinariness to being messianic, propelled by opiumized endorsement.
Nnamdi Kanu is certainly capable of doing more damage to the system than the MASSOB, OPC, and such other groups, and should he push things further, he could ignite a crisis worse than Boko Haram. My gut feeling is that some people in certain places are beginning to realize this and that is why Nnamdi Kanu out of detention appears untouchable; it is the reason he is able to dare the state and ridicule his bail conditions. The lesson here is obvious enough: the brazen use of force and intimidation to deal with certain situations could create really bad unintended consequences.
The Federal Government under Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has been holding meetings with key stakeholders within the Federation. The consultations are in order, but the Acting President is yet to talk to the right people.  He is talking to people who carry their international passports in their pockets because they don’t know what tomorrow promises in Nigeria. He is consulting persons whose family members are mostly one-leg-in-one-leg-out Nigerians; many of them, in fact, have dual nationality. Nigeria is their trading post, the place where they make the money they and their children spend in Dubai, UK and wherever.
The people the Federal Government should be talking to are the angry Igbo youths who now kneel down to greet Nnamdi Kanu and call him their God, the Arewa youths who have told the Igbos to get out of Nigeria and get away, and who have called the Yoruba names while further insisting that they are not afraid of the Nigerian government arresting them. The people to talk to are the leaders of the various other groups who are taking sides. Leaders of the Middle Belt and the South South are holding talks; some Yorubas are planning to hold theirs this week in Ibadan. 

Draw the map of the emerging rhetoric in Nigeria today; what you have is a divided country. The scenario is so painfully reminiscent of the early 60s. Every Nigerian leader since the civil war has boasted that he would not preside over the dismemberment of Nigeria. Some of Crisis management is an important part of nation-building. We have failed to manage most of the crises that have befallen our nation, on a sustainable basis, and that is why every proverbial snake that is killed suddenly resurrects. 

It is the reason we have produced a country where the population of the aggrieved appears to be growing daily.  It is the reason Nnamdi Kanu and his followers have become the fish-bone in the throat of government.  As things stand, there is no stronger voice in Igboland today than that of Nnamdi Kanu. The Igbo elites and the self-styled political leaders of the East know that Kanu is more influential than all of them put together. How many among them can command a willing crowd of 5, 000 to their doorsteps? The politicians hire crowds, but the crowds go to Kanu and obey him.
With the kind of influence he wields, Kanu is in a position to dictate the political future of the South East. The same political leaders who posed for photographs at the Aso Villa will go to him at night and beg him to support their candidates if future elections hold in that region.  They will condemn Kanu during the day, but lick his boots at night.
The ancillary challenge, however, is the worsening trend of ethnic polarization with regards to the control of power at the center. I describe this as the conflict between the na-my-brother-dey-there syndrome and the no-be-my-brother reactive tendency. It used to be the case in this country up till the time President Olusegun Obasanjo left in 2007, that whoever held power in Abuja was openly and strongly supported by other Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Obasanjo got more support from outside Yorubaland and probably felt more reassured by persons from outside his own ethnic group and religion.
With the death of President Yar’Adua in office, ethnicity, a long-standing threat to Nigerian unity became more potent. The Boko Haram, with its base in the Northern part of the country gave the succeeding Jonathan administration hell.  With the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, the same Boko Haram suddenly became tame. Curiously, the militants of the South East and the South South, who had been significantly quiet during the Jonathan years, also became more vocal and calls for secession became more strident the moment their kinsman and in-law left office. 

By the same token, the conflict between pastoralists and farmers, an old problem, became worse, with the former asserting themselves more arrogantly for no reason other than that they are sure of better protection under a central government controlled by the North. Our point: Nigeria’s stability should not be so dependent on the whims and caprices of ethnic gladiators. No Nigerian President should be at the mercy of ethnic or religious politics, now or in the future. 

The debate about restructuring and renegotiations is therefore useful and most relevant.  It is indeed urgent if we must take the wind out of the sail of the secessionists and nihilists. Those who have always blocked or hijacked the people’s conference must by now realize that we are close to “the point of no return” on a review and rephrasing of the Nigerian question, in order to make every Nigerian feel a part of the Nigerian project. The alternative in all possible shapes appears ominous.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

CNN IS GOING DOWN: TIME TO SEEK A TRUCE IS NOW.

ICHEOKU says what the Fake News Clinton News Network wants to achieve by continuously engaging President Donald John Trump in a media war is simply incomprehensible. The president has nothing to lose and the network has everything to lose in continuing the current atrocious battle between them and the president. As has been shown time and time again, with various opinion polls, the attacks by CNN on President Donald John Trump is not working; it is not eroding the president's presidency and you wonder why then continue a game with such a faulty plan that will lead to nowhere. 

They tried to derail the president's then presidential campaign with their slanted skewed news coverage but did not succeed as the president won the election handily. They have continued their get the president war since the election through the inauguration till date but are not achieving their sinister objective to send the presidency off course. Now it is a full throttle war or words and name calling between them and the president, leaving ICHEOKU to wonder, who has the most to lose continuing the war of words. So the president, having won the election without their support and still successfully presiding over the country without their support; and despite their barrage of attacks and all system go fake news, meant to tarnish the president's image and make it difficult if not impossible to carry on his presidency, what then is their end game here? 

ICHEOKU says any rational, reasonable and responsible news entity would have since backed off, having realized that they embarked on a mission impossible. CNN should have  since cut down on their loses by beating a retreat because continuing in their current lane of travel can only lead to a certain perdition and end up horribly for them. They are the ones that will eventually bleed from the current war by losing viewership and possible patronage from advertisers; needless to add that their rating has tanked measurably too. But not the Cable News Network as they are possessed by some demon which is continuously egging them on and to a place from which they might find it very difficult to climb down from, except they take a plunge of a certain death. ICHEOKU says the management of CNN should as matter of urgency, pull back their hound dogs and leave President Donald John Trump alone to do the job for which millions of Americans voted for him to do. They should face their business of news reporting and cease being a tool of the opposition with their nonsensical fake news hatchet job; and see if they can begin to regain their so many lost grounds.

The saddest part of it all is that CNN is aware of the indomitable fighting spirit of President Donald John Trump. A man who winning is everything and who does not take any competition lightly; and who would not back down from the current face-off with CNN until an assured victory is achieved. A man who puts his all in everything he does and who will bring the same thing that has always worked for him when faced with opposition to bear on CNN. A savvy master brander, who has previously successfully branded people and took them down to a ditch from which they never climbed out from. A man who took on the entire Republican Party establishment and won; who face down sixteen presidential primaries contestants and trumped them all. A man who took up the Democrats alongside  the Clinton machine and triumphed. A man who took on a sitting President Obama and his Vice President Joe Biden and came out tops. A man who took up practically the whole world, including the Vatican, Mexico, France and whatever else was out there and still triumphed. So why on earth does CNN think that their own case will be any different or that they stand a chance in hell of vanquishing the indefatigable Donald John Trump, now POTUS 45th. 

Unfortunately for CNN, the president has now marked them with his usual saint of death; a parchment sort of, of Fake News, which apparently has stuck as people are now referring to CNN by the president's moniker, Fake News CNN. CNN does not stand a chance in this fight and will find it difficult if not impossible to shake off this name once it takes hold. Therefore they should do what any sensible person or entity would do, back off and back down; and stop their antagonistic attacks and confrontation of President Donald John Trump, the 45th. Jeb Bush was tagged Low Energy Jeb and it stuck and took him out of the Republican Party's primaries. Marco Rubio was also branded Little Marco and that ended his presidential nomination aspiration. Ted Cruz also fell victim of Trump's branding and he took him down with Lyin' Ted. Then came the mother of all branding Crooked Hillary which led to the defeat of Hillary Clinton in the election. Now CNN is tagged Fake News CNN and like all previous victims of Trump's marking, is headed to that tunnel of irrelevance and certain death. 

So if CNN is conscious of this historical antecedents of not too long ago, why then do they think that their fate would be any different from these victims of the Trump masterful branding. What exactly then is CNN's game plan or planned objective since it has been proved time without number that their anti-Trump reportage does not move the needle regarding President Donald John Trump's popularity or his ability to win elections or reach out to his millions of fans and followers. The president has nothing to lose and having lost nothing thus far, it is only CNN that the odds are stacked up against. It is only CNN that will come out from the present feuding scathed and bloodied; and left with a mouth full of regrets, wondering what brought upon themselves. Therefore picking a fight which one cannot win is not wise nor a smart decision; rather it is foolishness defined and in the battle of Trump V. CNN, the Cable News Network appears to be losing and only a quick retreat will salvage whatever is left of its reputation. 

What is a News Network worth afterall if its news is regarded as fake news? What is CNN worth afterall if what they broadcast to the world is received with some pinch of salt as possible fake. Yes. people tune in to news media to learn what is new and breaking in the world but who will continue to tune in to CNN if their mind is tainted that what they might hear or see is probably manufactured fake. This is the problem CNN has and this is what they must guard and protect by  calling for a cease fire in their battle with President Trump. The president has nothing to lose; has won an election before and will win a second term, regardless of what CNN reports or decides to report about him. Therefore he who has more to lose should seek a truce and end the current ongoing brickbat between the president and CNN and CNN is that entity. 

For whatever it is worth, the CNN of Bernard Shaw's fame is definitely behind us and regaining that past glory might be somewhat difficult. Whether a management reshuffle or general reorganization or rebranding of the network will work and take it away from its current homosexual-tinged operation, to something more of a center this and center that organization, would do the magic, ICHEOKU does not know. But whatever would work should be explored immediately in order to save the network from the precipice which it is fast speeding to. At least the network can start its rehabilitation by turning away from its anti President Donald John Trump reportage and face other issues of greater importance and relevance to their viewers and the market target of their sponsors. Enough of the attacks, especially one which is not making any dent on the presidency of President Donald John Trump. The moniker FAKE NEWS CNN will very soon become indelible and such a kiss of death is not what CNN would wish on itself in the news business. They must therefore do the needful now and salvage themselves and reputation and end the war on President Donald John Trump and for their own good.

Saturday, July 8, 2017

WE WILL NEVER BACK DOWN - PRESIDENT DONALD JOHN TRUMP

WE WILL NEVER BACK DOWN - PDJT

"The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost? Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our borders? Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it? I declare today for the world to hear that the West will never, ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization will triumph. We will not lose our freedom to a lack of pride and confidence in our values. We will never back down. We will fight for family, for freedom, for country, and for God and we will win." - President Donald John Trump, The 45th.

Friday, July 7, 2017

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SPEECH IN POLAND

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PRESIDENT DONALD JOHN TRUMP ADDRESS IN POLAND

Thank you very much. That’s so nice. The United States has many great diplomats, but there is truly no better ambassador for our country than our beautiful first lady, Melania. Thank you, Melania. That was very nice. We’ve come to your nation to deliver a very important message: America loves Poland, and America loves the Polish people. Thank you.

The Poles have not only greatly enriched this region, but Polish-Americans have also greatly enriched the United States, and I was truly proud to have their support in the 2016 election. It is a profound honor to stand in this city, by this monument to the Warsaw Uprising, and to address the Polish nation that so many generations have dreamed of: a Poland that is safe, strong, and free.

President Duda and your wonderful first lady, Agata, have welcomed us with the tremendous warmth and kindness for which Poland is known around the world. Thank you. My sincere — and I mean sincerely, thank both of them. And to Prime Minister Szydlo, a very special thanks also. We are also pleased that former President Lech Walesa, so famous for leading the Solidarity movement, has joined us today, also. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

On behalf of all Americans, let me also thank the entire Polish people for the generosity you have shown in welcoming our soldiers to your country. These soldiers are not only brave defenders of freedom, but also symbols of America’s commitment to your security and your place in a strong and democratic Europe. We are proudly joined on stage by American, Polish, British, and Romanian soldiers. Thank you. Thank you. Great job.

President Duda and I have just come from an incredibly successful meeting with the leaders participating in the Three Seas Initiative. To the citizens of this great region, America is eager to expand our partnership with you. We welcome stronger ties of trade and commerce as you grow your economies. And we are committed to securing your access to alternate sources of energy, so Poland and its neighbors are never again held hostage to a single supplier of energy. Mr. President, I congratulate you, along with the president of Croatia, on your leadership of this historic Three Seas Initiative. Thank you.

This is my first visit to Central Europe as president, and I am thrilled that it could be right here at this magnificent, beautiful piece of land. It is beautiful. Poland is the geographic heart of Europe, but more importantly, in the Polish people, we see the soul of Europe. Your nation is great because your spirit is great and your spirit is strong. For two centuries, Poland suffered constant and brutal attacks. But while Poland could be invaded and occupied, and its borders even erased from the map, it could never be erased from history or from your hearts. In those dark days, you have lost your land but you never lost your pride.

So it is with true admiration that I can say today, that from the farms and villages of your countryside to the cathedrals and squares of your great cities, Poland lives, Poland prospers, and Poland prevails. Despite every effort to transform you, oppress you, or destroy you, you endured and overcame. You are the proud nation of Copernicus —think of that — Chopin, Saint John Paul II. Poland is a land of great heroes. And you are a people who know the true value of what you defend. The triumph of the Polish spirit over centuries of hardship gives us all hope for a future in which good conquers evil, and peace achieves victory over war.

For Americans, Poland has been a symbol of hope since the beginning of our nation. Polish heroes and American patriots fought side by side in our War of Independence and in many wars that followed. Our soldiers still serve together today in Afghanistan and Iraq, combating the enemies of all civilization. For America’s part, we have never given up on freedom and independence as the right and destiny of the Polish people, and we never, ever will. Our two countries share a special bond forged by unique histories and national characters. It’s a fellowship that exists only among people who have fought and bled and died for freedom.

The signs of this friendship stand in our nation’s capital. Just steps from the White House, we’ve raised statues of men with names like Pulaski and Kosciuszko. The same is true in Warsaw, where street signs carry the name of George Washington, and a monument stands to one of the world’s greatest heroes, Ronald Reagan. And so I am here today not just to visit an old ally, but to hold it up as an example for others who seek freedom and who wish to summon the courage and the will to defend our civilization. The story of Poland is the story of a people who have never lost hope, who have never been broken, and who have never, ever forgotten who they are. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Such a great honor. This is a nation more than one thousand years old. Your borders were erased for more than a century and only restored just one century ago.

In 1920, in the Miracle of Vistula, Poland stopped the Soviet army bent on European conquest. Then, 19 years later in 1939, you were invaded yet again, this time by Nazi Germany from the west and the Soviet Union from the east. That’s trouble. That’s tough.
Under a double occupation the Polish people endured evils beyond description: the Katyn forest massacre, the occupations, the Holocaust, the Warsaw Ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the destruction of this beautiful capital city, and the deaths of nearly one in five Polish people. A vibrant Jewish population — the largest in Europe — was reduced to almost nothing after the Nazis systematically murdered millions of Poland’s Jewish citizens, along with countless others, during that brutal occupation.

In the summer of 1944, the Nazi and Soviet armies were preparing for a terrible and bloody battle right here in Warsaw. Amid that hell on earth, the citizens of Poland rose up to defend their homeland. I am deeply honored to be joined on stage today by veterans and heroes of the Warsaw Uprising. What great spirit. We salute your noble sacrifice and we pledge to always remember your fight for Poland and for freedom. Thank you. Thank you. This monument reminds us that more than 150,000 Poles died during that desperate struggle to overthrow oppression.

From the other side of the river, the Soviet armed forces stopped and waited. They watched as the Nazis ruthlessly destroyed the city, viciously murdering men, women, and children. They tried to destroy this nation forever by shattering its will to survive. But there is a courage and a strength deep in the Polish character that no one could destroy. The Polish martyr, Bishop Michael Kozal, said it well: “More horrifying than a defeat of arms is a collapse of the human spirit.”

Through four decades of communist rule, Poland and the other captive nations of Europe endured a brutal campaign to demolish freedom, your faith, your laws, your history, your identity — indeed the very essence of your culture and your humanity. Yet, through it all, you never lost that spirit. Your oppressors tried to break you, but Poland could not be broken.

And when the day came on June 2, 1979, and one million Poles gathered around Victory Square for their very first mass with their Polish Pope, that day, every communist in Warsaw must have known that their oppressive system would soon come crashing down. They must have known it at the exact moment during Pope John Paul II’s sermon when a million Polish men, women, and children suddenly raised their voices in a single prayer. A million Polish people did not ask for wealth. They did not ask for privilege. Instead, one million Poles sang three simple words: “We want God.”

In those words, the Polish people recalled the promise of a better future. They found new courage to face down their oppressors, and they found the words to declare that Poland would be Poland once again.

As I stand here today before this incredible crowd, this faithful nation, we can still hear those voices that echo through history. Their message is as true today as ever. The people of Poland, the people of America, and the people of Europe still cry out, “We want God.”
Together, with Pope John Paul II, the Poles reasserted their identity as a nation devoted to God. And with that powerful declaration of who you are, you came to understand what to do and how to live. You stood in solidarity against oppression, against a lawless secret police, against a cruel and wicked system that impoverished your cities and your souls. And you won. Poland prevailed. Poland will always prevail. 

Thank you. You were supported in that victory over communism by a strong alliance of free nations in the West that defied tyranny. Now, among the most committed members of the NATO Alliance, Poland has resumed its place as a leading nation of a Europe that is strong, whole, and free.

A strong Poland is a blessing to the nations of Europe, and they know that. A strong Europe is a blessing to the West and to the world. One hundred years after the entry of American forces into World War I, the transatlantic bond between the United States and Europe is as strong as ever and maybe, in many ways, even stronger.

This continent no longer confronts the specter of communism. But today we’re in the West, and we have to say there are dire threats to our security and to our way of life. You see what’s happening out there. They are threats. We will confront them. We will win. But they are threats. 

We are confronted by another oppressive ideology — one that seeks to export terrorism and extremism all around the globe. America and Europe have suffered one terror attack after another. We’re going to get it to stop.

During a historic gathering in Saudi Arabia, I called on the leaders of more than 50 Muslim nations to join together to drive out this menace which threatens all of humanity. We must stand united against these shared enemies to strip them of their territory and their funding, and their networks, and any form of ideological support that they may have. While we will always welcome new citizens who share our values and love our people, our borders will always be closed to terrorism and extremism of any kind. We are fighting hard against radical Islamic terrorism, and we will prevail. We cannot accept those who reject our values and who use hatred to justify violence against the innocent.

Today, the West is also confronted by the powers that seek to test our will, undermine our confidence, and challenge our interests. To meet new forms of aggression, including propaganda, financial crimes, and cyberwarfare, we must adapt our alliance to compete effectively in new ways and on all new battlefields. We urge Russia to cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and its support for hostile regimes — including Syria and Iran — and to instead join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and in defense of civilization itself.

Finally, on both sides of the Atlantic, our citizens are confronted by yet another danger — one firmly within our control. This danger is invisible to some but familiar to the Poles: the steady creep of government bureaucracy that drains the vitality and wealth of the people. The West became great not because of paperwork and regulations but because people were allowed to chase their dreams and pursue their destinies.

Americans, Poles, and the nations of Europe value individual freedom and sovereignty. We must work together to confront forces, whether they come from inside or out, from the South or the East, that threaten over time to undermine these values and to erase the bonds of culture, faith and tradition that make us who we are. If left unchecked, these forces will undermine our courage, sap our spirit, and weaken our will to defend ourselves and our societies.

But just as our adversaries and enemies of the past learned here in Poland, we know that these forces, too, are doomed to fail if we want them to fail. And we do, indeed, want them to fail. They are doomed not only because our alliance is strong, our countries are resilient, and our power is unmatched. Through all of that, you have to say everything is true. Our adversaries, however, are doomed because we will never forget who we are. And if we don’t forget who are, we just can’t be beaten. Americans will never forget. The nations of Europe will never forget. We are the fastest and the greatest community. There is nothing like our community of nations. The world has never known anything like our community of nations.

We write symphonies. We pursue innovation. We celebrate our ancient heroes, embrace our timeless traditions and customs, and always seek to explore and discover brand-new frontiers.

We reward brilliance. We strive for excellence, and cherish inspiring works of art that honor God. We treasure the rule of law and protect the right to free speech and free expression.

We empower women as pillars of our society and of our success. We put faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, at the center of our lives. And we debate everything. We challenge everything. We seek to know everything so that we can better know ourselves.

And above all, we value the dignity of every human life, protect the rights of every person, and share the hope of every soul to live in freedom. That is who we are. Those are the priceless ties that bind us together as nations, as allies, and as a civilization.

What we have, what we inherited from our — and you know this better than anybody, and you see it today with this incredible group of people — what we’ve inherited from our ancestors has never existed to this extent before. And if we fail to preserve it, it will never, ever exist again. So we cannot fail.

This great community of nations has something else in common: In every one of them, it is the people, not the powerful, who have always formed the foundation of freedom and the cornerstone of our defense. The people have been that foundation here in Poland — as they were right here in Warsaw — and they were the foundation from the very, very beginning in America.

Our citizens did not win freedom together, did not survive horrors together, did not face down evil together, only to lose our freedom to a lack of pride and confidence in our values. We did not and we will not. We will never back down. 

As long as we know our history, we will know how to build our future. Americans know that a strong alliance of free, sovereign and independent nations is the best defense for our freedoms and for our interests. That is why my administration has demanded that all members of NATO finally meet their full and fair financial obligation.

As a result of this insistence, billions of dollars more have begun to pour into NATO. In fact, people are shocked. But billions and billions of dollars more are coming in from countries that, in my opinion, would not have been paying so quickly.

To those who would criticize our tough stance, I would point out that the United States has demonstrated not merely with words but with its actions that we stand firmly behind Article 5, the mutual defense commitment.

Words are easy, but actions are what matters. And for its own protection — and you know this, everybody knows this, everybody has to know this — Europe must do more. Europe must demonstrate that it believes in its future by investing its money to secure that future.

That is why we applaud Poland for its decision to move forward this week on acquiring from the United States the battle-tested Patriot air and missile defense system — the best anywhere in the world. That is also why we salute the Polish people for being one of the NATO countries that has actually achieved the benchmark for investment in our common defense. Thank you. Thank you, Poland. I must tell you, the example you set is truly magnificent, and we applaud Poland. Thank you.

We have to remember that our defense is not just a commitment of money, it is a commitment of will. Because as the Polish experience reminds us, the defense of the West ultimately rests not only on means but also on the will of its people to prevail and be successful and get what you have to have. The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost? Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our borders? Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it?

We can have the largest economies and the most lethal weapons anywhere on Earth, but if we do not have strong families and strong values, then we will be weak and we will not survive. If anyone forgets the critical importance of these things, let them come to one country that never has. Let them come to Poland. And let them come here, to Warsaw, and learn the story of the Warsaw Uprising.

When they do, they should learn about Jerusalem Avenue. In August of 1944, Jerusalem Avenue was one of the main roads running east and west through this city, just as it is today.

Control of that road was crucially important to both sides in the battle for Warsaw. The German military wanted it as their most direct route to move troops and to form a very strong front. And for the Polish Home Army, the ability to pass north and south across that street was critical to keep the center of the city, and the uprising itself, from being split apart and destroyed.

Every night, the Poles put up sandbags amid machine gun fire — and it was horrendous fire — to protect a narrow passage across Jerusalem Avenue. Every day, the enemy forces knocked them down again and again and again. Then the Poles dug a trench. Finally, they built a barricade. And the brave Polish fighters began to flow across Jerusalem Avenue. That narrow passageway, just a few feet wide, was the fragile link that kept the Uprising alive.

Between its walls, a constant stream of citizens and freedom fighters made their perilous, just perilous, sprints. They ran across that street, they ran through that street, they ran under that street — all to defend this city. “The far side was several yards away,” recalled one young Polish woman named Greta. That mortality and that life was so important to her. In fact, she said, “The mortally dangerous sector of the street was soaked in the blood. It was the blood of messengers, liaison girls, and couriers.”

Nazi snipers shot at anybody who crossed. Anybody who crossed, they were being shot at. Their soldiers burned every building on the street, and they used the Poles as human shields for their tanks in their effort to capture Jerusalem Avenue. The enemy never ceased its relentless assault on that small outpost of civilization. And the Poles never ceased its defense.

The Jerusalem Avenue passage required constant protection, repair, and reinforcement, but the will of its defenders did not waver, even in the face of death. And to the last days of the uprising, the fragile crossing never, ever failed. It was never, ever forgotten. It was kept open by the Polish people.

The memories of those who perished in the Warsaw Uprising cry out across the decades, and few are clearer than the memories of those who died to build and defend the Jerusalem Avenue crossing. Those heroes remind us that the West was saved with the blood of patriots; that each generation must rise up and play their part in its defense — and that every foot of ground, and every last inch of civilization, is worth defending with your life.

Our own fight for the West does not begin on the battlefield — it begins with our minds, our wills, and our souls. Today, the ties that unite our civilization are no less vital, and demand no less defense, than that bare shred of land on which the hope of Poland once totally rested. Our freedom, our civilization, and our survival depend on these bonds of history, culture, and memory.

And today as ever, Poland is in our heart, and its people are in that fight. Just as Poland could not be broken, I declare today for the world to hear that the West will never, ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization will triumph. Thank you. So, together, let us all fight like the Poles — for family, for freedom, for country, and for God. Thank you. God Bless You. God bless the Polish people. God bless our allies. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you very much.