
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
TACO BELL CHIHUAHUA, PASSES ON!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009
JACK BAUER, A FREE MAN!

Manhattan district attorney's office said that all charges stemming from the head-butting of the victim are being dropped because the victim would not cooperate with prosecution? Icheoku says, good job, Mr. Jack McCollough and thank you for not putting America's saving agent behind bars; otherwise no one will be there to protect us from those fanatical, raving mad terrorists and torture out vital information from their sorry behinds whenever needed.
Real name, Kiefer Sutherland was charged with misdemeanor in May 2009, after designer Jack McCollough said Sutherland head-butted him and broke his nose in a Manhattan nightclub. Icheoku says, what an irony of coincidence that the victim shares the name Jack with Keith?
It will be recalled that the duo had issued statements few weeks after the altercation wherein they said they have resolved whatever differences they had; with Keith apologising for the snafu. Whether some millions of dollars in settlement exchanged hands, Icheoku does not know but we are glad that our Jack Bauer was left alone to continue to hunt down and give terrorists some bloody nose! When is our 24 going to come back, Keith?
Monday, July 20, 2009
IKE EKWEREMADU AND THE INSANITY OF AUTOMATIC TICKETS!

Icheoku says, these guys need to have their heads examined for some pathological deformities and defects; as their present mindset are unbecoming of supposed democracy beneficiaries? How dare these folks want to harm the same process that brought them to office, that they now seek to disparage and rubbish the same system that threw them up by their recent outlandish and outrageous request, to be imposed on Nigerians without any elections; thereby denying Nigerian electors their constitutional right to choose who their representatives shall be? Icheoku says, instead of an automatic tickets for these people, a referral appointments should be made for them to visit their shrinks to detoxify their brain of this most insane thinking of all times? Upon what basis, one may ask, do these democracy-truncators want their terms automatically renewed? Icheoku says, none and when the constituency funds they periodically squander is factored in, may be a march to the confines of the prison yard might be a better destination-option, instead of going back to the National Assembly buildings at Abuja, unopposed? The irony of it all is that whenever it suits their convenience they will make allusion and references to America but fail woefully to offer and provide Nigerians the same good government as America provides her citizens? Imagine the cavalier manner with which they hurriedly confirmed Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi without any hard questions whatsoever, yet they want to cite America as their template, when the heat being put on Justice Sotomayor is still smoking really hot? What about treasury secretary Tim Geithner and what he went through during his confirmation hearing, or even the general elections held in the United States of America, where there was no Olusegun Obasanjo to impose a sick Umaru Yar'Adua on anybody? Back to Ike Ekweremadu and his recent interview wherein he expressed some support for automatic tickets; Icheoku asks, how did he get to the senate in the first place if not for the gesture of former governor of Enugu State Chimaroke Nnamani? Who told this man, Ike Ekweremadu, that America has parliamentarians or that America recycles her representatives automatically and without elections? The reason why Nigerians are being rode like donkeys by people like this loud-mouth, Ike Ekweremadu, is because majority of Nigerians are without requisite knowledge about what obtains in the rest of the civilized world; otherwise there would since have been a French-Bastille like revolution in Nigeria; and this time against the rogue-elites holding them down all these years. But they are riding on the ignorance of a majority Nigerians who do not know any better about what it is that their government owe to them, her citizens. The most surprising thing with this postulation is that it is coming from a supposed lawyer and a democrat who should know better but for his selfish interest to become a perpetual senator? His agitation for automatic ticket is not in any way democratic but despotic and autocratic; his re-echoing of what the military-man, David Mark desires is rather very appalling for a man whose credentials includes a law degree. According to Bamanga Tukur, "there is no automatic position in democracy; positions are by elections or consensus. Nothing in democracy is automatic. Automatic positions are only seen in autocracy. Those practicing autocracy are the ones being automatic in their dealings. But democracy is entirely a different system. It is the coalition of willing and progressives who rely on peoples' mandate for good governance" Icheoku says, Bamanga Tukur spoke the minds of many silent and intimidated Nigerians as well as so many other democracy practitioners world over. Nigerians must therefore be prepared to rise up to stop the likes of Ike Ekweremadu, David Mark and the House of Representatives members clamouring for express ticket to return to the National Houses, unchallenged and unopposed? Icheoku says, the solution to retaining some experienced persons in the national assembly is to have staggered elections throughout Nigeria, so that at any given time, some old steady hands are found at the tiller. Elections to various offices in Nigeria should not be cramped into one day and rushed through by rigging and intimidation; that way some senators and members of the House of Representatives will always be there to orientate the incoming freshmen and women who are newly elected into office? Those Americans, Ike Ekweremadu mentioned during his said interview who have somewhat become instituitonalized in Washington DC go through their parties' primaries and elections during slated periodic subsequent election cycles in their respective states? Icheoku says, there is a proper and better way 'institutional memory' could be maintained constitutionally, such as by spacing elections but not to forcibly and untra-vires the constitution, legislate that. Ike Ekweremadu should stop being clever by half by selectively pointing to certain places where senators enjoy 'similar privilege' as he is suggesting their Nigerian counterparts now enjoy? This guy, Ike Ekweremadu should know that in those his referenced places, Senators are democratic, they are not election-riggers and intimidators who employ thugs to harass and maim and sometimes kill their opponents; that senators are not Siemens bribe takers; that elections are held and that it counts; that there is a clear transparent processs which produce acceptable results and that officials are elected but not selected and/or imposed on the people. So, if he must ensure that 'Nigerian system runs like every other system, especially those who we have borrowed from', then he must start from the basics - fair and free election so that the real peoples' representatives and/or senators can emerge and not those masquerading impostors who were imposed on the electorates of Nigeria. But regrettably in Nigeria, it is always the case of 'shave me the Ogbodo's hair-style without asking to do what Ogbodo did to deserve and earn the hair-style'. Irrespective of how well these people think they have performed, which Icheoku cannot substantiate, the bottomline is that their planned action is anti-democracy; and without zoning, may be Ike Ekweremadu would not have been in the senate talkless of being the deputy senate president; and the same goes with David Mark. Zoning sustains Nigeria as no man or woman is a repertoire of governance or performance, and others should be given a chance to prove their abilities. If there is no Olusegun Obasanjo to compare with sick Umaru Yar'Adua how would Nigeria know which president is Mr. Slowman? If there is no Colins Ndu to compare to Ike Ekweremadu, how would Ike Ekweremadu be opening his mouth this loud as deputy senate president? Democracy is about options and any human-being antagonising this vent should be condemned by all as an aspiring despot who should be stopped at the door of power, pronto. If Nigeria were to have bought Ike Ekweremdau's argument long time ago, may be Colins Ndu would still be in the Senate with Ike Ekweremadu struggling with his legal practice somewhere in a nondecript address in Enugu; but here is a man who zoning helped to throw up and is now anti the formular which gave him political-birth? Chairman of committees is not sufficient on its own to truncate democracy, otherwise why did Nigerians rise up to stop Olusegun Obsasanjo's third term bid? How do you know who will be better if the opportunity were never presented to that other to try out his/her hand or head? If not that Sullivan Chime came up, no body would have fathomed how corrupt Chimorake Nnamani was in Enugu State and the list goes on; including Lagos State GOvernor Fashola who seemingly is out-performing his predecsessor Bola Tinubu? What a bull-crap coming from this deputy senate president, who in his greed for power, failed to heed the time-tested warning that, everything has a beginning and an end; and that the present day 'experienced senator' was once a green horn. If these senators think that they have given a proper account of themselves at Abuja on behalf of their constituencies, why are they suddenly so afraid of standing for another elections in 2011? It baffles Icheoku so much that some of these people conveniently tailor their argument just to suit their present devilish scheme to covet what is not theirs? The senatorial district which they presently represent does not belong to them or any one individual, so the wheel of democracy must be allowed to spin out who occupies the seat in 2011 and thereafter. So Ike Ekweremadu, enough! Senate President David Bonaventure Mark allegedly instigated this Ike Ekweremadu's haranguing of democracy ideals because his political star in Benue in 2011 has deemed so much it is almost non-existent, hence he is trying everything to guarrantee his position through a backdoor of an illegality. Ike Ekeremadu's 'invaluable experience' argument as a reason for this automatic tickets flies in the face of the fact that Nigerian democracy, when it re-started in 1999 had no prior existing left-over member/s in the Federal House from which pool his 'invaluable experience' senators were drawn from? Icheoku says, if these senators are not so afraid of losing the next election, admitted they never won the last one, free and fair; why this sudden attempt to surreptitiously maintain their seats without fighting for them at the polls? It is equally instructive that David Mark's so called “reliable, competent and knowledgeable” senators have not legislated in any way beneficial to the Nigerian masses as to improve their lot, since their corrupt sojourn in Abuja? What is democracy without choices and how many terms would these 'special breed of senators' serve before others get a chance were they to have their way? In democracies like the United States of America, continuity or 'institutional memory' is dealt with through staggered mid-term elections, which ensure that not all legislators run for elections at the same time; and that some with the requiste legislative experience are always there to bridge the gap. Also, legislative institution should be established to serve as a feeder-lot to incoming legislators instead of trying to perpetuate discredited ones on the pretext of 'maintaining instutional memory'? Further in America, each legislator goes periodically, through their parties primaries before standing an election with the other party's candidate, where their constituencies decide who to send to Washington DC? Icheoku will anchor this commentary in one observer's statement that "despite the importance of legislative experience, it is not a sufficient reason to inject unfair, selfish, and illegal values into Nigeria's democracy. Automatic tickets would serve the selfish end of a few, who once they consolidate their hold on power, can legislate themselves into perpetuity thereby hurting democracy". Therefore, Icheoku calls on Nigerians to reject the call for automatic tickets and insist on constitutionally guarranteed democractic rights of Nigerians to chose/elect their candidate through the ballot either by raising of hand, paper or electronic; but their voices must be heard as to who represents them!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
FRANK McCOURT, DEAD AT 78!
He brought the world the best seller, 'Angela's Ashes' - the Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of woe about his impoverished Irish childhood. Angela's Ashes was a story about the extraordinary life of an ordinary man. Irish native, naturalised American citizen, Frank McCourt died Sunday of melanoma in a New York City hospice, aged 78. 'Angela's Ashes was a long Irish wake, "an epic of woe," of some sort, finding laughter and lyricism in life's very worst. It became a million seller, won the Pulitzer and was made into a movie of the same name, starring Emily Watson as the title character, McCourt's mother? Frank McCourt was survived by daughter, Maggie McCourt and brother Malachy McCourt. His remains will be cremated, with a memorial service planned for September, 2009. Icheoku says, so long Mr. 'Angela's Ashes'!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
HENRY ALLINGHAM, BRITAIN'S OLDEST MAN, DEAD AT 113?
What a paradox of life that "cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women" kept the oldest British man alive for 113 years? Henry Allingham, attributed his longevity to these "vices" and yet medical professionals frown at them and are in tital disbelief? Should humanity embrace his sentiments or heed to the advise to run to the hills from these earthly pleasures? Icheoku says, it depends; but for us, 'if Henry is wrong we don't want to be right', afterall he just proved a credible specimen! What say you? Born June 6, 1896, Henry was the last surviving original member of the Royal Air Force, which was formed in 1918. Henry Allingham was also one of the only two surviving World War I veterans in Britain; a war which caused about 68 million men and women to be mobilized. The other survivor being Harry Patch, whom Henry joined last year in a ceremony at the Cenotaph war memorial near the houses of Parliament in London, to mark the 90th anniversary of the war's end at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918!
Henry Allingham is survived by five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild. His wife Dorothy died in 1970 and his daughter passed in 2001?
Like most warriors' reluctance to war, Henry Allingham said, "I think we need to make people aware that a few men gave all they had to give so that you could have a better world to live in. We have to pray it never happens again." Icheoku says, he who knows it feels it, which explains the rush to the Iraq war by actors never knew what it is like for bullets to fly at very close range? But warriors as always, are very deliberative and will not unreasonably commit to rush off to wars! Farewell soldier!
Friday, July 17, 2009
CRONKITE, BOWS OUT!

PET AIRWAYS, AN AIRLINE FOR PETS?
When we taught we have heard it all, here comes Subair.com configured and operated Pet-Airways, the exclusive pets only airlines! We have commented on pet hotels including San Francisco five-star Wag-Hotel; pet spa and podicure centers; pet taxi service; pet daycare centers, pet shopping centers; pet food stores and pet clinics. But the mother of it all seem to be an airline for pets, which seem to have broken all previous dotting pecks for pets?

For now, Pet Airways will fly pets between five major US cities of New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles at a cost of $250 one-way fare? Dogs and cats will fly in the main cabin of the plane, retooled and lined with carriers in place of seats. Pets (about 50 on each flight) will be escorted to the plane by attendants that will check on the animals every 15 minutes during flight. The pets are also given pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks. And at each of the five airports it serves, the company has created a "Pet Lounge" for future fliers to wait and sniff before flights. Other logistics for the operations of the pets-only airline has been worked out and a visit to http://www.petairways.com/ will provide you needed information.
However, one analyst expressed doubt about the viability of such venture and whether enough market exist for it? According to her, "I'm not sure how sustainable it is, but if people are trying to go for a first-class service, it could make sense." As for Icheoku.com, we wish them good luck! Happy flying years, Pet Airways!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
NAACP CONVENTION, OBAMA KEEPS IT REAL!

THE DOWNES, NOT EVEN DEATH COULD DO THEM APART!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
TO THE FRENCH, HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!

Icheoku says, congratulations to the French on this anniversary of a brave mass-action by your forebears which freed you from despotic aristocratic rule. Happy Bastille Day!
CHRIS NGIGE (DR.), A LYING SACK OF MANURE!







Monday, July 13, 2009
ELECTION, HALLIBURTON & SIEMENS: WHY OBAMA SNUBBED NIGERIA?

With these words, it could not have been better stringed together and especially coming from the proverbial horse's mouth, President Barack Obama. Nigeria, through Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo truncated democracy by imposing sick weakling Umaru Yar'Adua on Nigeria? Nigeria through her officials demanded and received $180 million dollars in bribes from American company Halliburton as a condition precedent to awarding them a lucrative $6 billion dollars liquefied naural gas (LNG), which they skimmed off the top of the contract? Nigeria also through Senator Jubril Aminu and co, demanded and received $12 million dollars in bribes from German systems firm Siemens? So in a simple three phrases, it is a hijacked election, Halliburton bribery scandal and Siemens bribery scandal that rubbished Nigeria so much that President Barack Obama decided to ignore her in preference to Ghana? Should Nigerians be worried, you bet; except that its leaders are shameless criminals who does not care about reputation, and one of who slept with his son's wife, his daughter in-law and prides it as evidence of his being very virile? What a dog Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo is?
So now that Nigeria has heard why President Barack Obama ignored them, Icheoku asks, can anything be done to remedy what has damaged the country so much, that it is becoming a pariah among the comity of nations? Icheoku says yes, provided the leaders are ready to do what it takes to fix what is broken!


Can the president still do something to repair his damaged reputation? Yes, if only he will summon the courage to do what is right and have the guts, to ensure the fairness of subsequent future elections in Nigeria, including the 2011 general election. Until then, Nigeria remains in the eye of President Barack Obama and the American people as the country which does not permit free and fair elections, which must be avoided!
Secondly, the Siemens bribery scandal must be conclusively investigated and the offenders punished. All the named Nigerian officials including Senator Jubril Aminu must be made to account for their misdeeds; which can start by relieving him of his position as the senate foreign relations committee chairman? The horrible thing about such scandal is that it paints every Nigerian as a possible suspect since they spring up such leaders, tolerate their misdeeds and nurture them without any expression of revulsion or repugnance for such misconducts. Until the $12 million dollars scandal is resolved, the world will continue to see Nigeria through the eyes of President Barack Obama and will avoid any meaningful engagement with her; being a very corrupt country where you must pay to play. President Umaru Yar'Adua, can show leadership by taking this case head-on, irrespective of the Jubril Aminus involved, and show the world that such action is not a state approved way of doing business in Nigeria. But when a Federal Senator is involved and he is supposedly being shielded by the presidency, it leads to many possible interpretations?
Thirdly, the top officials implicated in the Halliburton bribery scandal must be revealed and punishments meted out to them, including restitution paid to victim-parties. This is a case which have been zeroed within a period of years in Nigeria and the men at the helm of power then known and determined; and which involved very top officials of the state! So what is stopping these people from being prosecuted if not for the lack of back-bone by the current leadership in Nigeria? Icheoku says, were President Umaru Yar'Adua man enough, he would have done what is expected of him - order the probe and arrest of all those past leaders who were in charge in Nigeria during the bribery period. He has the instrumentality of the state which could be deployed to ferret out where these bribe-deposits were made, under a threat of state punishment. The committee assigned with the investigation of the Halliburton bribery scandal had boasted to the world th
at come June 22, 2009 they were going to reveal the master-minds behind the bribe scandal? But to the greatest surprise of all, the appointed date came and went without any word being said by the Nigeria Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro who heads the committee about who these corrupt men are.
Whether the pressure of cover-up became so overwhelming that Mike Okiro became dumb on his appointed date, Icheoku cannot tell but whatever happens, Nigeria is suffering the consequences of its lack of appetite to take-on evil and head-on? It does not bode well for Nigeria and this is why President Barack Obama snubbed her and instead went to Ghana for his first official state visit to Africa. The days of Nigeria playing the ostrich, which buries its head in the sand and believes it is hiding, is certainly over as President Obama's Ghana visit has revealed. The option now for Nigeria is, either President Umaru Yar'Adua takes the initiative to fix what has been pointed out to him as broken, by the July 10-11, 2009 snub of Nigeria by American President Barack Obama; or the Nigeria people forcibly demand for a change of the statusquo? But if none of these happens and very soon indeed, it is going to be an accelerated down-hill slide and Nigeria should pray American arm does not force the rest of the world to join the bandwagon to stem such malady as exists in Nigeria. Only time will tell.

Thirdly, the top officials implicated in the Halliburton bribery scandal must be revealed and punishments meted out to them, including restitution paid to victim-parties. This is a case which have been zeroed within a period of years in Nigeria and the men at the helm of power then known and determined; and which involved very top officials of the state! So what is stopping these people from being prosecuted if not for the lack of back-bone by the current leadership in Nigeria? Icheoku says, were President Umaru Yar'Adua man enough, he would have done what is expected of him - order the probe and arrest of all those past leaders who were in charge in Nigeria during the bribery period. He has the instrumentality of the state which could be deployed to ferret out where these bribe-deposits were made, under a threat of state punishment. The committee assigned with the investigation of the Halliburton bribery scandal had boasted to the world th

Whether the pressure of cover-up became so overwhelming that Mike Okiro became dumb on his appointed date, Icheoku cannot tell but whatever happens, Nigeria is suffering the consequences of its lack of appetite to take-on evil and head-on? It does not bode well for Nigeria and this is why President Barack Obama snubbed her and instead went to Ghana for his first official state visit to Africa. The days of Nigeria playing the ostrich, which buries its head in the sand and believes it is hiding, is certainly over as President Obama's Ghana visit has revealed. The option now for Nigeria is, either President Umaru Yar'Adua takes the initiative to fix what has been pointed out to him as broken, by the July 10-11, 2009 snub of Nigeria by American President Barack Obama; or the Nigeria people forcibly demand for a change of the statusquo? But if none of these happens and very soon indeed, it is going to be an accelerated down-hill slide and Nigeria should pray American arm does not force the rest of the world to join the bandwagon to stem such malady as exists in Nigeria. Only time will tell.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
OBAMA IN GHANA, WHAT HE SAID!






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