BIDEN FAMILY MOURNS AS CHAMP PASSES ON.

ICHEOKU says he was a delightful member of Joe and Jill Biden's household and they dotted on him very much. Champ was 13 years old and died from infirmities of old age. He will be particularly missed by his younger brother Major, the violent one which often bites people; unlike the departed Champ which was more cool headed. May his doggy soul now rest. Our condolences to the Bidens on the loss of their beloved Champ, the German Shepard.

HURRAY, IT IS JUNETEENTH AMERICA.

 HAPPY JUNETEENTH AMERICA!

IRAN HAS A NEW PRESIDENT, EBRAHIM RAISI: CONGRATULATIONS.

ICHEOKU says he is the Ayatollah in the waiting and former head of the country's judiciary who was elected president with 62% of the votes. Hopefully he will steer Iran in a different direction to help it reboot both its economy and its standing in the world. 

But hey, the mullahs of Tehran will always do what they want to do in order to maintain their power hold in that theocracy, regardless of what anybody in the West says and whether or not it is in the best interest of the Persian people. They are hardcore and they do not give a damn. They want Raisi and Raisi is it, case closed. 

Anyway, congratulations to Iranian President elect Ebrahim Raisi on his election victory, even though it was expected as he was the candidate of the establishment. Once again, the mullahs of Tehran just formalized the elevation to the presidency of one of their own through an election which outcome was predetermined. But is it any different from the Deep State machination of November 3rd, 2020 which installed Joe Biden in the White House.

KENNETH KAUNDA IS DEAD: ADIEU MR ZAMBIA SHALL BE FREE.

ICHEOKU says he was the last man standing among all the African liberation strugglers who battled colonial Britain for African independence. He went on to become the first president of independent Zambia which was formerly known as Northern Rhodesia. Mzee Kenneth Kaunda is no more, gone, dead at 97 years. Africa mourns one of its foremost son, an icon, a titan and an acclaimed warrior in the fight for freedom for Africa. He was instrumental to achieving freedom for the rest of the Southern Africa subregion and provided his newly freed Zambia as a base for freedom fighters fighting for freedom in the entire South Africa subcontinent resulting in a complete liberation from colonialism. 

He was a man amongst men and belonged in the same pantheon as Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyetta, Patrice Lumumba, Robert Mugabe, Kwanme Nkuruma and Nnamdi Azikwe. He was an exceptionally great man who did so much for both his country Zambia and the greater African continent, particularly the South African subregion. But unfortunately the African continent do not produce their likes anymore, the reason for the decrepitude state in which Africa has fallen. Majority of present crop of African leaders are corruption personified knuckleheads who do not love their country men and women any more, nor proud of their African continent heritage, the reason they stash billions of African wealth in private secret bank accounts overseas, instead of using same for African developmental projects and general needs.  

Mzee Kenneth Kaunda gave it his all, both to his country Zambia and Africa; and the history of emancipation of Africa cannot be written without a very conspicuous mention of his name. He authored a book "Zambia Shall Be Free" and it seems now that instead of Zambia indeed becoming truly freed in the real sense of the word, that he has become the one who was freed of Zambia, courtesy of his death. He reportedly died from pneumonia, although there is a strong basis to suggest that it was from COVID-19 since both diseases manifest similar indications. Also, there is a new resurgence of the dreadful Chinese gory gift to the world in Zambia presently and KK, as he was fondly called, died in a military hospital currently dedicated for treating coronavirus patients. 

ICHEOKU says the African continent has lost a great man; he was a great leader and he loved his people. He shall be sorely missed. He lived a good meaningful life and up to a good old ripe age of 97 years, just a few three years short of becoming a centenarian. So, he might as well have died from natural infirmities causes of old age, but something must officially be the cause of someone's death and his was decided to be a pneumonia; admitted that some people strongly suggest that it was COVID-19 that killed him. But it does not matter anyway whatever cause his death; death is death and Kenneth Kaunda has now gone the way of all mortals since nobody gets out of this world alive. May his soul now rest. Adieu KK and hopefully, your Zambia Shall Be really Free someday.

JUNETEENTH IS NOW A FEDERAL HOLIDAY: HURRAY!

ICHEOKU says it is another step forward towards an eventual full atonement for the crimes against African humanity, slavery. That America and other Western countries which profited bountifully on the backs of enslaved Africans have not yet deemed it fit to pay reparations to African Americans for the free slave labor of their ancestors; and compensation to motherland Africa for poaching millions of her able bodied people and in some cases in exchange for mere gunpowders, guns and sugar, is simply incomprehensible. 

Meanwhile Germany have paid compensation for their Hitler's holocaust against the Jews which saw to the death of six million Jewish people. But Africa, which lost more than 40 million of her people to slavery, some of who were dumped into the Atlantic Ocean alive to their watery deaths by drowning, either because they rebelled on the ship or were unfortunate enough to still be en-route America and Europe when slavery was abolished, has not received a dime in compensation. Instead of turning these ships around and returning these Africans back to Africa, those bloody white slave merchants just emptied their ship's slave cargoes right into the ocean. 

ICHEOKU says is convinced that the last story of the Atlantic slavery has never been told as the perpetrators of that damnable evil act are still trying so hard to keep certain aspects of that harried experience sealed and out of being discovered. But as time goes, they will have no choice over the matter and the reality will dawn on everybody. Anyway, congratulations to African Americans for finally securing June 19th as a federal holiday and national day of remembrance for eventually becoming a freed people in the United States of America on June 19th 1865. Now, we all can look forward to not waking up so early in the morning every June 19th to rush off to work and celebrate such a historic day of commemoration.

Although a lot more still needs to be done towards a final healing for the pain and suffering caused by that abominable act of slavery, which was brought about by crass greed of white people in search of free labor, who started poaching able bodied Africans before formalizing the Atlantic slavery trade. The good news however is that the future as is discernible from the progress so far, promises a brighter experience. It assures that a day will come when reparation will be paid and compensation made for the damage caused through slavery. But we shall see and while we wait, remain thankful for the Congress and Joe Biden for finally making right on this with a bill passed and signed into law making Juneteenth a national holiday. Happy Juneteenth folks!

THE GREAT REVEAL: BIDEN FINALLY TELLS PUTIN WHAT HE WANTS HIM TO KNOW.

ICHEOKU says overall it was a satisfactory performance by Joe Biden as he held his own and with lucidity explained what he came to Geneva to tell Putin. Hopefully Putin understood him with every clarity too. ICHEOKU has nothing personal against Joe Biden and he would have been a very good president had he came to the White House a decade earlier when he was much younger and not as depreciated as he currently is, admitted he outperformed his critics' expectations in the press conference. 

The only thing ICHEOKU has against him is that he colluded with the Deep State to secure a White House berth against American voters' expressed wishes based on legal cast votes on November 3rd, 2020. But be that as it may, we are not here to re-litigate the election, only to comment on his performance in Geneva in his first meet with Vladimir Putin as leader of the United States of America. 

He did well and his style was definitely more convivial and soothingly professional than President Donald John Trump, principally due to his decades of political experience and the inexperience of the later.  Even Russia's Vladimir Putin pointed this out as well by saying that Joe Biden was very constructive and balanced; and that he attributes it to his decades of being in the political sphere with its attendant political experience. ICHEOKU says cannot countenance that as foreign relationship is, as Joe Biden rightly and correctly noted, is an extension of personal relationships and being long in the field counts. 

Joe Biden's questions were pre-selected and so are those who mouthed them off, suggesting that their answers were also prepared in advance and that he rehearsed them; but he did well delivering them and that is what mattered most. His minders also did not allow Russian journalists in the Joe Biden media event, unlike Putin who allowed American journalists and freely took questions randomly. It was also obvious that President Donald John Trump still lives rent free inside Joe Biden's head as he severally nearly mouthed out President Trump name  while referring to President Putin. 

Although Joe Biden still does not trust Vladimir Putin and does not have confident in anything Putin says or promises, but he still believes that he came to Geneva and did what he came to do, tell Putin what he wants him to know. He also called their meeting constructive, thus agreed with Putin who also summarized it as such. Joe Biden assured that America will not give an inch in respect of its maintaining its principles and defending its values and that America will defend its interest with every fiber of their being. 

Stating the importance of their meet, Joe Biden said that it was necessary to meet in person with Vladimir Putin in order to avoid any lost in translation about what he communicates to him. Further, that the goal of the meeting is about how both countries can move, going forward, in a no nonsense, practical and straightforward way in dealing with issues and disagreements between them in the interest of both countries as well as the world in general. He also admitted that Vladimir Putin has some serious concerns that America wants to take him down and out; and that the phobia has remained the basis for his policies towards America. 

Russia's Vladimir Putin on the other side was his usual self and remained as unpredictable as ever, his surviving skill, which he has honed in during the several decades he has been in power since 1999. He was literally all over the place and refused to be pinned down on so many issues. But one concrete thing that came out of his mouth, in answer to political suppression in Russia, is that Russia will never allow a Black Lives Matter style anarchical disruption to take root in Russia. He also harped on the January 6th Capitol riot as a no no for Russia and that such a thing can never be allowed to happen in Moscow.  

Putin also said that there is nothing like happiness in the real sense of the word; that it is only the illusion of happiness or as he put it, the specter of happiness, that actually exists.  He was overall dodgy, but having survived four American presidents, he will also survive Joe Biden and as a ruthless dictator will always do what dictators do in order to cling unto power. The down side of it is that when he eventually vacates or surrenders power, either willingly or unwillingly  by force of nature through inevitable death of all mortals, he would have weakened Russia so much that there will be a power vacuum which could result to very bad consequences for Russia, including a power struggle that might further balkanize Russia. 

Anyway, Joe Biden said that he did what he came to do and spelt out what he told Putin as follows:-

1. That it is in both our countries mutual interest that a cordial relationship is maintained so that we can explore what we can accomplish together in the interest of our two countries and the greater world at large.

2. That United States of America will respond in kind if Russia ever threatened its values and interests including that of America's allies and he refreshed Putin on what those are.

3. That America wants Russia that is both stable and predictable as well as in its policies.

4. That Putin should clearly understand why Joe Biden says what he says and does what he does.

5. That Putin needs to improve human rights in Russia, encourage freedom of press and of course allow Radio Free Europe to restart its operations in Russia.

6. That there is a need for strategic stability between both countries and mechanism put in place for monitoring it.

7. That there is a need for arms control measures to be put in place in order to avoid unintended conflicts, including any accidental war and a nuclear first strike.

8. That the cyber attacks on America from Russia soil must stop as no responsible country should allow its soil to be used as a base of operation by cyber criminals. 

9. That there is a need to open humanitarian corridors in Syria so that food aid can reach starving refugees.

10. That America needs Russia's help in ensuring that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons. 

11. That the Arctic region must remain free and not weaponized or laid exclusive claim to.

12. That it is in the interest of both countries that terrorism does not resurge in Afghanistan following American withdrawal of troops and that Russia must do everything possible to support a hitch free withdrawal of American troops.

13. That Ukraine's sovereignty is non negotiable and that Russia should do something about the situation in Belarus too. 

14. That democratic sovereignty is always preferred than any other form of power holding including dictatorship masquerading as democracy.

15, That it is imperative that both countries lay down basic rules of the road which both can abide with going forward and that Putin has a duty to burnish Russia's dwindling image as a world leader by acting like a world leader in the true sense of it. 

ICHEOKU says now that the Joe Biden's sermon on the mount for Vladimir Putin has been read out, the only thing left is to see whether Vladimir Putin heard it and will heed it by halting his old ways and mend his ways going forward. But like Joe Biden's already sowed seed of doubt that he cannot trust what "anybody" says referring to Putin, ICHEOKU will suggest that the better approach will be to adopt President Ronald Reagan's "trust but first verify" mantra and hopefully Vladimir Putin is tired of the face offs and does not want to rekindle the Cold War. 

However, it is the military industrial complex that will, as always, have the final say about whether there will be a detente in the America and Russia sore relationship. But it is obvious that they will not agree to kill their golden goose which lays their golden eggs, because with Russia brought out of the cold, there will no longer be a bogey man to protect the world from, resulting in billions of dollars in arms, weapons and frequent America's led wars. ICHEOKU says the prediction is that nothing will change and the status quo shall remain the same because it is intentionally schemed that way. All the Geneva pretend camaraderie will soon evaporate and back to the bickering both countries shall soon return. It is sad. 

GENEVA WELCOMES BIDEN AND PUTIN.

THE BIDEN/PUTIN MEET IS HERE: NOW LETS HEAR WHAT JOE TOLD VLAD.

ICHEOKU says is dedicating this day, the 16th of June 2021, to the meeting in Geneva Switzerland between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin. Like Putin, the world anxiously awaits what Joe Biden wants Putin to know; and hopefully Joe Biden will be able to spit out the words containing what he wants Putin to know when he finally tells Putin what he wants Putin to know. So, the waiting game is on and we can only wait for press statements to disclose it since Joe Biden has cleverly avoided the great debate with Putin by dodging a joint press conference. 

Joe Biden is so afraid of his abilities faced with Vladimir Putin that he will not even have lunch with Putin. This makes you wonder what exactly he is afraid of after claiming that he "won" the last 2020 election and not publicly giving credit to the Deep State which installed him in the White House. It is sad what happened on November 3rd 2020 and the brazen audacity of all those who colluded to pull it off is such that the whole world is now witnessing the result of that effrontery. An American leader who will not, because he cannot, hold a joint press conference nor have lunch with a Russian leader to jointly inform the world on the outcome of their meeting is definitely a regrettable first of a kind. 

How will anyone know exactly what was said and that each side will not make up their own version of what Joe Biden told Putin that is what he wants Putin to know, when the two leaders will not hold a joint press conference? How do we know what Putin's response to Joe Biden is after hearing what Joe Biden wants him to know and what Putin also told Joe Biden was what Putin wants Joe Biden to know? But hey, we are six months in already, with 42 more months to go, assuming he will be able to stay the course and see it to the finish line. America will survive and definitely rebound from this malaise. Now, lets patiently wait a few more hours to learn what Biden told Putin was what he wants Putin to know. It is well. Good deliberations fellas.

I CANT WAIT TO KNOW WHAT JOE BIDEN WANTS TO TELL ME - PUTIN.

ICHEOKU says the bad guy of Moscow is giddy with expectation to hear what Joe Biden will tell him. But he does not give a damn nor cares a hoot about whatever Joe Biden might say because Vladimir Putin will always do what Vladimir Putin wants to do, regardless of how peeved it makes Joe Biden or any other person. In short, with his level of nukes stockpile, no such leader should be afraid of Washington DC, especially not of an American leader who is old, frail, tired and infirm; and who hardly impresses anybody nor makes any leader anywhere to tremble in fear. The hour of their meet is near and the world awaits.

I WILL TELL PUTIN WHAT I WANT HIM TO KNOW - JOE BIDEN.

ICHEOKU says tomorrow the world will find out exactly what it is that Joe Biden wants Putin to know, admitted Putin does not give a damn nor care about what Joe Biden may inaudibly  stammer out. But his plan to avoid a "debate" with the Russian strong man by snubbing the traditional joint media briefing which usually follows such a meeting, is a clever ploy devised by his minders, to prevent the world from seeing how mentally depreciated Joe Biden really is. 

It is obvious that he could not have correctly articulated America's position on Russia and/or proficiently communicated same to the world and of course Putin would have eaten his lunch in the projection of strength with the two men standing together side by side fielding questions. Perception is everything and the old, frail and tired, heavily demented Joe Biden would have been a complete flop, especially after the tiring G7 and NATO meets in which he literary shuffled and labored through to the finish line. 

But for how long will the cover up last as he is just in the first half of the first quarter of his four years in the office, in which the Deep State installed him. It is apparent that his "I will tell Putin what I want him to know" will eventually end up being a mere bluster as there is nothing he will say to Vladimir Putin which has not been said to Vladimir Putin before. It is sad what happened on November 3rd, 2020 that have reduced America's leadership to such a gerontocrat that nobody really cares any more what the White House says or thinks about anything. As for Putin, he will just scoff and sneer at whatever syllables that Joe Biden's lips manages to spit out, except if there is an accompanying written text which he will hand over to Putin for clarity. 

ICHEOKU is not excited nor expectant that anything tangible will be told Putin by Joe Biden; and so, the world is advised to not raise their hopes too much with great expectation as things will remain the same, as is; regardless of what Joe Biden tells Vladimir Putin and whether or not he knows or understands the same. The relationship between Washington DC and Moscow is military industrial complex dictated and as long as their lust for money persists, the relationship can never improve as Russia will always be held out as the bogey man that the rest of the world must be protected from and with it more money voted for defense spending and the periodic wars which is the golden goose that lays their golden eggs for their sumptuous omelet.

HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM POLITICS - BILL MAHER

ICHEOKU says finally someone in their lane of travel, who they can relate to and hopefully understand his language more clearly has finally spoken. He said what millions of reasonable, rational and sensible people have been thinking all these years, that the fact that some people can pretend to be something which they are not by role interpreting, does not make them the best there is in everything, including politics. 

Although late President Ronald Reagan, late former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, former Governor of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Donald John Trump, just to name a few, came from that make believe world; they all did not turn out so great and therefore it should not be a paradigm for automatic qualification for some more Hollywood alumni to go into politics. 

But it was because of these already ran Hollywood personalities, that many more people from that fantasy world are now considering making a foray into politics, including the man turned woman Caitlyn Jenner who is running for California governorship. In Texas, another Hollywood fellow Matthew McConaughey is thinking about throwing his hat in the ring to battle Governor Greg Abbott as well. Then all, the WWE wrestler turned actor, The Rock, whose real name is Dwayne Johnson who is considering a run for the White House in 2024. 

All of them share a common credential, they succeeded in Hollywood and now believes or rather deludes themselves that what worked in Hollywood will also work in politics and that they will be the best thing to happen to American politics. But comedian Bill Maher who described Hollywood as a recurring nightmare in American politics which the country cannot seem to shake off, have advised this wanna be Hollywood American politicians, to please stay in their lane and avoid dabbling into politics because they are not well qualified nor suited for what it takes to be a politicians as they can not transfer their role interpreting abilities effectively into governance. 

ICHEOKU says but will they listen as their ego is top heavy, admitted none of the three mentioned fellas stand a chance in hell anyway of winning the elective positions which they  covet. But American politics have since been reduced to basic minimum with an infirm and mentally degraded Joe Biden installed in the White House, the same way a green horn neophyte Barack Obama was put there before. It leaves many wondering, if the two can make it to the White House, why can't these other people equally fantasize. But no matter their dream, one thing ICHEOKU can bet on is that a transgender Caitlyn Jenner can never be elected governor of California. It is a bankable assurance.

NETANYAHU OUSTED: THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER LIKE HIM

ICHEOKU says he was one of a kind, simply the best Prime Minister which the Jewish State of Israel ever had, particularly within the last two decades. But like the common aphorism goes, people never know the value of what they have until it is gone; and so will the Jewish people of Israel live to regret the conspiracy that removed their world famous beloved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which included their arch enemy, the Palestinians. 

Benjamin Netanyahu was a remarkable Prime Minister and his love for Israel is legendary, starting from his days a fighting Israeli soldier. Although he was brash and forceful, but he had to be that way for State of Israel. He rubbed some people on their wrong side but his persona of always in your face was a protective shield for the State of Israel. Palestine and other Arabs detest him but it was because he refused to compromise with the security of Israel. Above all, his greatest asset is his unconditional love for the Jewish State of Israel and he was unapologetic about it. If there are people whose patriotism could be rated top notch A+, Bibi Netanyahu sure fits the tab.

If ICHEOKU had the ability, would have made him a Prime Minister for life, admitted sit tight leadership is frowned at by ICHEOKU but would have singly made that exception. He is exactly the leadership which the Jewish people of Israel needs if they are to continue to survive and thrive and remain competitive in the defense of their Jewish State. Their never ending battle for survival, amidst the heightened Arab bad intentions towards them, as spearheaded by Hamas terrorist organization, makes his leadership indispensable. Hopefully the new fella will have the guts to step into the shoes of Bibi and continue the hard nose disposition against all enemies of Israel, Arabs and those mullahs in Tehran. He must not his feet off the pedal as Israel's security is non negotiable, not even with the White House.

Bibi was a great Prime Minister who meant well for his Jewish people and loves them dearly. He will be greatly missed. He was such a phenomenal Prime Minister that every world leader listened and paid attention whenever he spoke; and most of them always desired to be on his good book, the right side of history. He was a leader par excellence and certain of another encore as a Prime Minister as his date with history is not yet completely written or entirely finished. This is of course dependent on his not being convicted in the ongoing corruption trial against him and sent away to prison. Paraphrasing Arnold Schwarzenegger, ICHEOKU says that Benjamin Netanyahu will be back as Israel's Prime Minister before too long, sort of a come back kid. 

Bibi was a good man and it mattered that he did it all and gave it his all for his people, the Jewish people of Israel. He did his best to keep Israel safe and prosperous and internationally more assertive and boy, he was dealing with the mullahs of Tehran in the language they understand and it was beginning to yield multiple fruits. Why the conspiracy that gathered against him was allowed to succeed is rather baffling and the fact that even coopted Palestinians should have being a red flag to the Jewish people that the new government will not stay the course in doing whatever it takes to secure and protect Israel. 

But why people sometimes shoot themselves on the foot is another unsolvable puzzle and it was for the same reason that some Jewish Americans voted against President Donald John Trump during the last election despite all he did for Israel. Jesus Christ was also not spared either by the same people who have now evicted Bibi Netanyahu from the Israeli Prime Minister's office. But we shall see whether the security condone wrapped around Israel which has made the previous constant bomb explosions in Israel a thing of the past and which has led to four wars defeat of Hamas terrorist organization will continue to hold. Hopefully the unknown quantum Naftali Bennett who spearheaded the conspiracy that removed Bibi will have enough gravitas to win favors in Washington DC and continue to bring home the bacon for Israel. It is well. Congratulations to him and so long Bibi.

THE NEW GUY: ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER NAFTALI BENNET.

ICHEOKU says he does not excite ICHEOKU and does not in fact look the part, but the Knesset have spoken and he is who Israel has settled for as their new Prime Minister to replace Bib Netanyahu, admitted with the narrowest majority ever of 60 - 59 votes in favor. 

The clock has started ticking on his term and we shall see for how long the government which came about as a result of his led conspiracy will survive. Anyway, ICHEOKU says congratulations to Mr Bennet Naftali, the new Israeli Prime Minister. God's speed.

UFC 263: ADESANYA DEFEATS VETTORI ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.

ICHEOKU says congratulations to Israel Adesanya for once again beating Marvin Vettori in UFC 263 to confirm his superiority over the Italian. Since it is once beaten twice shy, Vettori must be four times shy right now. Anyway, congratulations to both men as they put up a good fight and went through all the rounds, ending once again in Judges decision of 50 - 45 for Adesanya. UFC 263 did not disappoint.

BIAFRA: DID NDIGBO KILL JESUS? - S.K.C. OGBONNIA.

The early part of June 2017 saw Arewa Youths issue a “Quit Notice” to the Igbo living in Northern Nigeria. This followed the 50-year anniversary of the Biafran war where both friends and foes of Biafra took turn to tell their stories with objective emphasis on the Igbo. After a careful analysis, it has been easy to dismiss the entire anniversary exercise as orchestrated by the politicians as busy doing something very close to nothing. Thus, I am prompted to ask: Did the Igbo Kill Jesus? 

The Igbo people need no introduction. Though their population is unknown, the Igbo are everywhere. Definitely well-known are their ingenuity, resilience and, of course, overflowing technological and scientific acumen. This informs the famous quotation by the then United States of America Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, that the Igbo are as “the wandering Jews of West Africa—gifted, aggressive, westernized…” These attributes are more than enough to enable the Igbo to enjoy steady political power and development in Nigeria. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. 

Much of the blame at the anniversary was heaped on the loss of the Biafran war. Yes, the Igbo have endured all sorts of discrimination because of the war. But to continue to drum the linear excuse 50 years after the war only goes to fortify the rationale for the fetid question: Did the Igbo Kill Jesus? Did the Igbo kill Jesus not to even remember where the heaviest of the rain started and how it is beating them? 

Let me resist the temptation of harping on the missed opportunities before the war when Nnamdi Azikiwe and his Igbo intelligentsia had a commanding influence in national politics—both in prestige and ideology. Now in the post-war, it is not impolitic to suggest that the Igbo have seen a fair share of political positions throughout the post-war democratic dispensations beginning from the regime of Shehu Shagari to that of Goodluck Jonathan. The tragedy, regrettably, is that there is no tangible development in the East besides primitive accumulation of wealth by the individual politicians themselves. 

To sustain the unhindered looting of development projects in the zone, the Southeast leaders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) perfected one of the most blatant political perfidies in recent memory. Though they were keenly aware that the PDP would rationally zone its presidency to the North in 2019, the Igbo leaders deceived their people with the false premise that uniting with the South-South zone to support President Jonathan in the 2015 election would guarantee a presidency of Southeast extraction in 2019. It was not surprising, therefore, that Muhammadu Buhari’s eventual triumph over Jonathan was generally seen as a rude coup d’état in East. 

This development, coupled with the abject lack of development in Igboland plus President Buhari’s infamous outburst to punish the Southeast and South-South zones for not voting for him in the 2015 elections, heightened the renewed call for Biafra by innocent youths. Notably, the agitators retained the natural map of Biafra and added parts of North Central zone to it. 

The more troubling, however, is the mind boggling hypocrisy being exhibited by the Igbo politicians ever since. Outwardly, they (particularly those in PDP) appear to fan the agitation. Inwardly, these political merchants know that the innocent youths are merely being exploited as usual. After all, the same politicians who are continuing to deploy the proceeds from looted development projects in Igbo land to acquire choice properties in Abuja and Lagos would resist any plan to leave Nigeria. 

This explains why the Igbo PDP leaders craftily deflated the agitation and its exigent cause. For instance, instead of capitalizing on the undeniable natural bond between Southeast and South-South or the seemingly sense of unity among the two zones following the 2015 elections to launch Eastern Caucus at the National Assembly or emulate the North to create Eastern Governors Forum, the “wise” men from the East succumbed to making the cause of Biafra solely an Igbo-Southeast affair. 

What the looters did was to simply embrace the age-long state bandwagon to distort the Biafran history to the Igbo disadvantage. The so-called Igbo leaders or any sensible elite for that matter cannot claim ignorance of the fact that natural Igbo territory is beyond the Southeast. Moreover, Biafra is not even an Igbo word to begin with. In fact, it was Frank Opigo, an Ijaw—not Igbo—who christened the new nation at time of its birth in May 1967. How soon can they forget that the last Head of State of Biafra, Phillip Effiong, is not from the Southeast? What does it take to remind them that the former Secretary-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, a Biafran war commander,  Joe Achuzia, is not from the Southeast? 

What curse would make them to join to act as if though Chukwuma Nzeogwu, who led the coup commonly blamed for the civil war, was not an Igbo from the South-South? What does it take to acknowledge that a good number of influential figures from the South-South subscribes to the Biafran cause? Even if Biafra has suddenly become an exclusive Igbo agenda, how can any reasonable Igbo elite circumvent the knowledge of natural Igbo settlements in the South-South and North Central zones?

Obviously, there are crises of leadership in Igboland as there are excuses. As my father, Ilogebe Ogbonnia, the Ikeoha, would always say, “a habit of excuses is the best friend of failure.” The latest excuse is the term “restructuring”, whatever that means. The loudest perspective is that the Igbo will witness the desired development once the country is restructured along tribal lines—as if the local governments and states in Igboland are headed by the Hausas or Yorubas. The political racketeers now want us to believe that the over $100 billion in federal money that entered the Southeast zone since May 1999, for example, was looted by the non-Igbo. 

Make no mistake about it, the merits for restructuring or independent states can be profound. But could lack of restructuring suddenly be responsible for the failure of Ndigbo to use occasion of the 50-year anniversary of the Biafran war to chart a clear roadmap for the future? Is lack of restructuring truly to blame for the failure of Ndigbo and the South-South to emulate the North in creating concrete unifying agendas in the East 50 years after the war? Further, is lack of restructuring responsible for the perpetual failures of South East Governors Forum or Igbo umbrella groups, such as World Igbo Congress and Ohaneze Ndigbo towards unity of purpose?

Not long ago, 1991 to be exact, the Igbo people of Awka and Onitsha Divisions witnessed a form of restructuring in new Anambra State for rapid development. A purposeful visit to Awka, the state capital, is a painful testimony of what to make of the timbers and calibers of Igbo people that hail from such a richly endowed state. 

The dawn of 2017 was a cool breeze in the entire Nigerian polity with the emergence of John Nnia Nwodo, a dynamic figure, as the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo. But Nwodo’s reign is already trending as a fall before the rise. The apex Igbo organization already appears hijacked by faceless politicians. A day hardly passes without one manner of “Ohaneze Youths” fouling the media space, shamelessly posing as shields to politicians who have cases to answer with anti-corruption agency for looting funds earmarked for development projects in Igboland. 

The worst is that the folly does not stop with the Igbo politicians. A host of the Igbo people, including their business men, have not fared better in terms of common sense. It is a common knowledge that the leading cause of armed robbery, kidnapping and, of course, the Biafran agitation is attributed to lack of employment and development in the East. Yet, the Igbo prefer to invest massively in other regions rather than their native land that remains 75% underdeveloped.

Karl Marx once remarked that, “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” 

The first Head of State of Biafra, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, never failed to wonder if in fact Mr. Marx had Ndigbo in mind for continuing to repeat the tragic mistakes of the pre-war era when they paid direly for investing in other regions at the cruel expense of their homeland. Ojukwu has been rolling in his grave learning that even Olusegun Obasanjo, a perceived Igbo enemy, has joined to admonish the Igbo to first demonstrate the ability to manage their meagre resources and the common sense to invest in their native land before the dream of an independent Biafra. It is no wonder, therefore, that the very economic boycott of Igboland by the Igbo made it convenient for the Arewa Youths to respond to the Biafran agitation by serving a Quit Notice to the Igbo living in the Northern Nigeria.

Given the Igbo predicament, and in view that the people are said to be of Jewish ancestry, it might then be roundly apt to ask: Did the Igbo kill Jesus Christ to appear so cursed to deserve the self-inflicted marginalization they are going through? That is, what other omen could warrant that the well-known “Igbo sense” would never be used for the collective interest of my people? What other immortal sin could subject the Igbo youths, for instance, to continue to extol the same corrupt politicians who have mortgaged their future?  What is behind the raging oddity that two pea-brained and notoriously corrupt Yoruba elements, Femi Fani-Kayode and Ayo Fayose, now appear to be the official spokesmen of Ndigbo? Biko, what excuses would cause that there are no more consequences for bad behaviour in Igbo land? 

The apparent dilemma is tipping the critical threshold for mass revolution. The alarming success of a recent Sit-at-Home Order by the Biafran agitators must alert the sit-tight Igbo politicians that the political logic of clinging on excuses to deceive the masses no longer favours them. Effective leadership is measured by results, not excuses. Therefore—for now—unless the answer to the central question of this piece is positive, instead of the mindless freebooting of project funds in the area, it is incumbent upon the Igbo politicians to capitalize on the widely-acclaimed ingenuity to maximize available resources to start implementing strategic action plans that mirror some of those critical development visions commonly graced along restructuring or under a sovereign republic. 

 HAPPY JUNE 12TH TO ODUDUWA NATION!

BIGHT OF BIAFRA: THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF IGBO PEOPLE.

ICHEOKU says that the Fulani Janjaweed Muhammadu Buhari and little Hitler Nyesom Wike may be educated. Arochukwu Kingdom once stretched all the way to the waters edge of the Atlantic Ocean, then known as The Bight of Biafra and covered most of the present day Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. History does not lie and as Wole Soyinka once said, records are kept for two reasons: to instruct us on what once was and to also guide us in our future actions so that we do not repeat some mistakes of the past. So, long before Muhammadu Buhari's father from Maradi in present day Niger Republic brought his ducks to sell in Daura in present day Katsina State; and ever before the amalgamation of 1914, the Igbo nation existed and comprised of two distinctive kingdoms of Nri and Arochukwu as well as other independently ruled Igbo towns. 

In 1967, the Eastern Region of Nigeria seceded from the Nigerian State and adopted the name of its coastline, the adjoining Bight of Biafra, becoming the newly independent Republic of Biafra. This independence was short-lived as the new state lost the ensuing Nigerian Civil War. In 1975, by decree, the Nigerian government changed the name of the Bight of Biafra to the Bight of Bonny. So the only way the issue of who is and who is not Biafran can be conclusive resolved is by organizing a referendum so that anyone who wants to back out from Biafra can freely do so. But it is unacceptable for Muhammadu Buhari and/or Nyesom Wike to, by fiat, unilaterally force some people to renounce their Biafran heritage. Asaba people of Delta State Southsouth were massacred by Muritala Mohammed led Nigerian army during the Biafran war, yet Buhari wants them removed from Biafra. Really?

Now, a simple factoid of Igbo territorial abutment to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean via The Bight of Biafra. Portuguese slave merchants who traded in slaves through The Bight of Biafra vouched as much and the ownership story of the area is still available in so many historical records including Wikipedia. So, what exactly is Muhammadu Buhari and Nyesom Wike talking about and on exactly what historical foundation did they base their assertions. Also, Nyesom Wike has not told Nigerians from which tribe he came, unlike the Fulani irredentist who is the ambassador plenipotentiary and acclaimed big brother of Fulani United of Africa; the reason he is borrowing money from China at Nigeria's expenses and using it to develop railway infrastructure in Niger Republic. Even his latest Fulani appointee for NBC directorship, Bararabe Shehu-Ilelah, is like Buhari, originally from Niger Republic too. Anyway, happy trails:

"The Igbo, whose traditional territory is called the Bight of Biafra (also known as the Bight of Bonny), became one of the principal ethnic groups to be enslaved during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. An estimated 14.6% of all slaves were taken from the Bight of Biafra between 1650 and 1900. The Bight’s major slave trading ports were located in Bonny and Calabar. The majority of Igbo slaves were kidnapped during village raids. The journey for Igbo slaves often began in the ancient Cave Temple that was located in Arochukwu Kingdom. During this period, the three Igbo Kingdoms followed the same culture and religion, yet tended to operate very differently from each other. The Kingdom of Nri and the Independent Igbo States (confederation of independently ruled Igbo states) did not practice slavery, and slaves from neighbouring lands would often flee to these kingdoms in order to be set free. Arochukwu, on the other hand, practiced a system of indentured servitude that was remarkably different to chattel slavery in the Americas. 

Eventually, with Europeans beginning to encroach on Igbo territory, causing the kingdoms to desire weaponry to defend themselves. In order to obtain European goods and weaponry, Arochukwu began to raid villages of the other Igbo kingdoms - primarily those located in the Igbo hinterlands. People would be captured, regardless of gender, social status, or age. Slaves could have been originally farmers, nobility, or even people who had committed petty crimes. These captured slaves would be taken and sold to European slave traders on the coast. Another way people were enslaved was through the divine oracle who resided in the Cave Temple complex. All Igbos practiced divination called Afa, but the Kingdom of Arochukwu was different because it was headed by a divine oracle who was in charge of making decisions for the king. 

During this time, if someone committed a crime, was in debt, or did something considered an "abomination" (for example, the killing of certain kinds of animals was considered an abomination due to its association with certain deities), they would be taken to the cave complex to face the oracle for sentencing. The oracle, who was also influenced by the demands of European slave traders, would sentence these people to slavery, even for small crimes. The victim would be commanded to walk further into the cave so that the spirits could "devour" them, but, in reality, they were taken to an opening on the other side and loaded directly onto a waiting boat. This boat would take them to a slave ship en route to the Americas. 

It is estimated that a total of 1.4 million Igbo people were transported via European slave ships across the Atlantic during the era. Some recorded populations of people of African descent on Caribbean islands recorded 2,863 Igbo on Trinidad and Tobago in an 1813 census; 894 in Saint Lucia in an 1815 census; 440 on Saint Kitts and Nevis in an 1817 census; and 111 in Guyana in an 1819 census. Haiti had many Igbo slaves. There is still the Creole saying of Nou se Igbo (We are Igbos) Aspects of Haitian culture that exhibit this can be seen in the loa, a Haitian loa (or deity) created by the in the Vodun religion.

The Igbo were dispersed to Barbados in large numbers. Olaudah Equiano, a famous Igbo author, abolitionist and ex-slave, was dropped off there after being kidnapped from his hometown near the Bight of Biafra. After arriving in Barbados he was promptly shipped to Virginia.^[13] At his time, 44 percent of the 90,000 Africans disembarking on the island (between 1751 and 1775) were from the bight. These Africans were therefore mainly of Igbo origin. The links between Barbados and the Bight of Biafra had begun in the mid-seventeenth century, with half of the African captives arriving on the island originating from there. 

Bonny and Calabar emerged as major embarkation points of enslaved West Africans destined for Jamaica's slave markets in the 18th century. Dominated by Bristol and Liverpool slave ships, these ports were used primarily for the supply of slaves to British colonies in the Americas. In Jamaica, the bulk of Igbo slaves arrived relatively later than the rest of other arrivals of Africans on the Island in the period after the 1750s. There was a general rise in the number of enslaved people arriving to the Americas, particularly British colonies, from the Bight of Biafra in the 18th century; the heaviest of these forced migrations occurred between 1790 and 1807. The result of such slaving patterns made Jamaica, after Virginia, the second most common destination for slaves arriving from the Bight of Biafra; as the Igbo formed the majority from the Bight, they became largely represented in Jamaica in the 18th and 19th century.

The Igbo presence in United States goes back to the country's earliest days and remains in the hearts of African Americans who are their modern descendants. From the mid-1600s to 1830, the US imported a large amount of Igbo slaves to the states of Virginia and Maryland in order to provide labour for tobacco plantations. The presence of the Igbo in this region was so profound that the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia decided to erect a full-scale traditional Igbo village in Staunton, Virginia. This is why the majority of African Americans, who have some ancestral connections to this region of the country, have a significant amount of genetically verifiable Nigerian ancestry. It has been hypothesized that, at least, 60% of all African Americans have at least one ancestor who originated from the Igbo kingdoms. 

Many African Americans are now tracing their Igbo heritage with the help of genetic testing and historical evidence. They are able to reconnect with their living relatives in Nigeria and reestablish links with their ancestral ethnic group. In the United States the Igbo slaves were known for being rebellious. In some states such as Georgia, the Igbo had a high suicide rate.

The Bight of Biafra, centered on the Niger Delta and the Cross River, became a significant exporter of slaves from the 1700s and dominated the Trans-Atlantic slave trade along with neighboring Bight of Benin until the mid-nineteenth century. A great numbers of slaves from this part of Africa were sold into North America. In Louisiana, slaves from this coast were listed as Edo, Ibo, Ibibio, and Calabar. They were also among the most frequent ethnicities listed on official documents. In Southwest Louisiana, “Ibo” has survived as a family name and transcribed “Ebow.”

(Sourced mostly from Wikipedia).