KBR BRIBED NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS!

Icheoku asks, who are these Nigerian government officials that were bribed to the tune of about $600million dollars ($579 million dollars) being ten (10%) percent of the $6 billion LNG contract awarded to the United States of America company, KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton LLC? This is imperative because the company KBR has already admitted its complicity in the bribery-scandal when it pleaded guilty in a Houston-Texas courtroom on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 to bribing Nigerian officials to obtain contracts valued at more than $6 billion.

Kellogg, Brown & Root LLC pleaded guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by authorizing and paying bribes from 1995 to 2004 for contracts to build liquefied natural gas facilities on Bonny Island, Nigeria. Icheoku says, now that the Nigerian culprits implicated in this bribery-scandal admission of guilt by KBR, (as inferred from the henchmen in power in Nigeria during the period under advisement), has been identified to include Army General Sani Abacha (1993 to 1998), Army General Abdulsalam Abubarkar (1998 to 1999) and Army General Olusegun Obasanjo (1999 to 2007).

It is also instructive to note that the three men involved in the KBR bribery-scandal were all military generals who hijacked Nigerian government at one point or another; and were in office during the time of the proven bribery. Although it was during Olusegun Obasanjo second coming to office as a retired general, then president that he supervised the massive bribery while the other two, were as uniform-wearing despots/maximum rulers. Since the bribery was demanded and received from 1995 up until 2004, it means that Olusegun Obasanjo presided over most of the bribery and for a total period of five years! Mathematically, if you divide the $600million dollars bribe by the 9 years duration it took to pay it, it averages about $66 million dollars per year. The implication therefore is that Olusegun Obasanjo's five (5) years supervision of the bribery-scandal netted his government officials $330 million dollars in bribery proceeds. Nigeria, you now know who the number-one-thief-in-chief is - Olusegun Obasanjo?

Where is the Farida Waziri led EFCC on this matter or will your fear of the untouchables in Nigeria continue to tarnish the sullen image of the country? Did Icheoku hear that the Information and Communication Minister Dora Akunyili is trying to re-brand Nigeria? If so, get Olusegun Obasanjo arrested immediately to account for this high crimes of demanding and receiving bribery from a foreign company doing business in Nigeria under his legendary pay to play presidency of Nigeria! As for Abdulsalam Abubarkar, his was tenuous at best since he was in power for less than one year?

The successful prosecution of KBR in Houston United States, and its agreement to pay a penalty of more than $400 million, demonstrates that no one is above the law over there. Icheoku expects the Nigerian authorities to do the same with respect to those implicated Nigerian officials, as a positive step in their re-branding of Nigeria effort. Such will deter this kind of serious criminal misconduct and tell the world that Nigeria is now serious about revamping its image. Such action will be more far-reaching that all the pretences of re-branding as total gutting of the Nigeria society is what is needed and not mere lip-service of a make-over!

It is equally important to note that all the senior managers and personnel involved in the bribery scandal has since been fired from KBR; so Nigeria what are you waiting for to effectively clean your own stinky Augean stable? Also KBR and her parent company Halliburton was forced to pay back in addition the $177 million in profits it made from the scandal-tainted contracts. Further KBR's former CEO, Albert "Jack" Stanley who pleaded guilty in September to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for his participation in the bribery scandal will be sentenced and sent to prison on May 6, 2009.

Icheoku says this is a test-case for the EFCC to show cause why it is still relevant in fighting corruption in Nigeria. The evidence is there, it is overwhelming and the officials in charge in Nigeria during the period of a proven-bribery scandal have been identified by the period of the bribery demand and payment. Fortunately two of the implicated heads of government Abudulsalam Abubarkar and Olusegun Obasanjo are still very much around; so move you must, against them or forever be consigned to the garbage-bin of an un-serious but "pro-corruption" agency! As for Dora Akunyili, Icheoku is awaiting your government response on this development or will it be another cover-up, ostrich-style?

BABANGIDA'S JUNE 12TH MEA CULPA?

Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida aka IBB, in a recent interview, tried to rationalize his annulment of the freest election ever held in Nigeria - June 12th, 1993!

According to IBB's voodoo-logic, the election was annuled in order to save the impending democracy?

IBB's tragic reasoning is that the military would have staged a coup against the new administration, had he allowed it to come into being; hence his decision to pre-emptively annul the election? What a very "wise and foresighted man indeed, IBB then, was? By a generic generalisation therefore, it is safe to allegorize that IBB aborted a pregnancy simply because the child might be killed later in life? It is IBB's peculiar brand of logic-from-Hades, that the nine month old fetus was aborted in order to spare her the tragedy of possibly being killed as a human-being, later in life? Made sense? Only in the warped mind of the evil-genius and in a place like Nigeria, the land of every possibilities!

The Nigerian-Maradona is once again trying to do what he does best - dribble Nigerians through another jigsaw-jungle of his fuzzy-mathematical nonsense? IBB is introspectively rigmaroling through a maze of his confused regrets of a missed opportunity with history! Icheoku says, were his reasoning the case, why did he not retire all those rabble-rousers in the miltary who would have truncated the democractic presidency of (pictured left) the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola? Icheoku says, if what IBB is saying today is the real truth behind the June 12th annulment, why did he not retire his then defence minister Sani Abacha who he left behind for the sole purpose of bringing about the eventual outcome of being so left behind? Why was this particular "democracy-truncator" left untouched from the massive retirements which heralded IBB's infamous stepping-aside?

IBB said he was "afraid" that democracy may be brought to an abrupt end but he was brave enough to execute his close-friend Mamman Vasta for a phantom coup, but yet left Sani Abacha behind? IBB retired Joshua Dongonyaro for no apparent reason, yet he was afraid for democracy but yet could not remove the single most anti-democracy symbol in the military, Sani Abacha? IBB was so "afraid" yet he retired his one time chief of army staff unceremoniously and through an NTA announcement, while the General was on a short weekend-visit to his country-home in Jos, but Abacha was untouchable? And we are talking about the taciturn Domkat Bali! That a host of young and upcoming army officers were wasted in a staged plane-crash at Ejigbo near Lagos in 1985 was also a pointer to IBB's "cowardice" or lack thereof? Yet he was "afraid" for democracy but could not retire Sani Abacha from office? If IBB is speaking the truth that he was really and truely afraid of the military rat-packs and yet failed or refused to do something about it; what explanation is he now fashioning out to throw at Nigerians as the reason why he killed Dele Giwa with a parcel bomb?

IBB please spare Nigeria further headaches with this your explanation as it is yet to recover from your infamous hostage-taking of her government; when you so corrupted the system that it is still quaking today from the shock you injected into it. As now the 18th richest man in Africa - a continent of over 700million people, when will you account for your stewardship and the over $1.8billion dollars fortune you amassed while in office?

Icheoku says, this latest attempt by IBB to try to wriggle out and explain away an improbability, is yet another one of his public-relations' effort at positioning himself for 2011! But a big surprise surely awaits IBB, - there will be a formidable resistance against his candidacy by the Nigerian people. Those Nigerians whose relatives fell victim to the June 12th generated crisis which almost denegenerated into a shooting civil-war in Nigeria; the Abiola family and friends whose partiach was robbed of the highest office in the land which he truely and convincingly won and was later killed in his belated attempt at reclaiming the mandate; and the Nigerian people who were stripped naked of their votes cannot live to see the ghost of IBB back at Aso Rock, talkless of another term of office? Whatever it shall take, IBB must be stopped, as his remergence will only act to glorify evil! What does this toothy-son of Minna think Nigerians are? - The gullible and foolish retards who he can ride, through blatant lies, back into power? If IBB thinks so or is being delusional about his electoral-chances in a democratic Nigeria, then he has another thing coming!

According to IBB, he was compelled to nullify the election because of security threats to the enthronement of a democratic government at that time? What a balooney! Icheoku says, this is as laughable as it is very provocative and Babangida could have done better for himself by simply shutting-up! IBB said he and the Armed Forces Ruling Council knew that the new democratic government to be installed would sooner than later be toppled through another military coup deta’t, which he said his government wanted to avoid? Icheoku says, a credible and honorable person in a position of authority would have been more proactive in dealing with the situation, by putting out measures to checkmate such expected happen-stance of a coup. Why did IBB not retire those known hot-heads would-be coupists, whom he left behind in the military; afterall they are all very well known to him, being a coup-plotter in chief himself? Where did the acronym IBB-BOYS come from if not a glorified subterfuge for all the coupists in the Nigerian Armed Forces who were slavishly loyal to their master strategist in chief, IBB? If according to IBB, his regime had decided that it would be the last that would ever come to power in Nigeria through the banditry of a military coup, what steps did his regime take to coral the renegade-coupists successfully back to the baracks and/or retire them if they cannot be retrained professionally? Why did IBB not retire the likes of Sani Abacha, Jeremiah Useni, Oladipo Diya, Buba Marwa, and the sundry of them who are known as crazed-out military-adventurers from service if he was serious about cementing democracy in Nigeria? IBB also admitted that the June 12 presidential election was free and fair and was the best election ever conducted in Nigeria! Icheoku retorts, if IBB knew all these facts to be true and correct, why then did he not respect the wish of the Nigerian people or was he such a jerk that he would thwart what over sixty million Nigerians agreed on - that MKO Abiola should be their president?

Continuing IBB said the situation was not ripe to hand over to a duly elected civilian government then? Icheoku asks, why conduct an election when you knew from the onset that you were not sincere about handing-over? Why lead millions of Nigerians into a wild-goose chase of an exercise in futility just for your selfish, devilish, grotesque, ego-mania; just to gloat later about how you knew before the first whistle sounded, that there will be no conclusive election? This admission alone is enough to put this guy away for good, were Nigeria a descent society where actions have consequences! If IBB knew then as he now claims, that there would be a coup immediately after the hand-over, Icheoku asks, what steps did he take to prevent or avert it? Afterall as a master-coupist himself, IBB knows what it takes to plan, execute and foil a coup? This IBB's singular admission of his failure to safeguard the June 12th mandate and thereby secure MKO Abiola's prospective presidency, makes him guilty by omission to act.

Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida admitted that he had plans to conduct fresh election within six months thereafter in November 1993? Icheoku implores IBB to please further explain to Nigerians what difference his six months interval, would have made to alleviate his coup phobia? What was IBB planning to do differently on or before the November 1993 date, just 6 months after the June 12th successful election was annuled by his depravity? Or was he trying to, within that window of six months, retire all his "boys" from the armed forces? - a feat which he couldn't get himself to accomplish throughout his nine years in office, when duty initially called for such a sweeping retirements?

Icheoku totally aligns with Madam Teju Abiola's position on the subject that "IBB came up with the lamest reason for the annulment! According to this lady, IBB should rather be asking for forgiveness of sin from the Nigerian people! IBB is also not believeable and cannot be trusted with his assertion that he has no plans whatsoever to run for the office of the Nigerian president in 2011! Such grandstanding "assurance" by IBB should simply be taken with a grain of salt; afterall he is a very conceited man who embarked on an election knowing fully well that he had no plans or intention to conclude it? IBB said he annuled the free and fair election in order to prevent a prospective, futuristic, imaginary, could-be coup d'etat from taking place? Icheoku says, what an argument in buffonery and a logic on its head? If anyone seriously needs a psychiatric evaluation, IBB is that person for ever conjuring such idiotic dumbness?

The same IBB who was so afraid of a possible coup d`etat against a democratically elected civilian government went ahead and handed over to a civilian head of an Interim National Government? Is there any irony here or am I loosing it? And IBB did this in a way which directly solicited coup d`etat by appointing the civilian as merely head of government but not also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces? What a juxtaposition? And this is the same man who is now trying to weasle through the debacle of June 12th, with his lacklustre explanation? Who in Nigeria is buying this imbecility - a stupendous and sanctimonious rancour of a demented general who annuled the freest and fairest election ever held in Nigeria? How soon after the IBB contrapted ING, did Sani Abacha drive Ernest Shonekan out of Aso-Rock; and you now understand who is pooling a wool over the eyes of Nigerians with his morbid explanation of June 12th?

The answer to this mind-boggling June 12th annulment and the gobbledegook of an explanation or attempted explanation thereto, should be left for students of history to worry about later! It was the same evil-genius IBB who left Sani Abacha in office, whilst retiring other top military brass from service? Icheoku says, the proper question for IBB to answer is, why did he not retire Sani Abacha from office? The answer to this question will override the need for all these feeble attempt at mea culpa and then and only then will Nigeria start to heal ernestly; and as expected, with a deserving and humble apology from Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida for his sins of June 12th, 1993. Until then IBB can stuff his explanation up to his you know where - HIS FAT MINNA - A R S E !

$155,000US DOLLARS, JUST FOR A PUPPY DOG?

Icheoku condemns this extravagance misbehaviour of the Florida, USA couple as the most selfish and anti-human act ever undertaken by any rational human-beings. How can any sane person dole out a staggering sum of $155,000 dollars just to clone a dog? This is especially so in these hard economic times when millions of Americans are daily losing their jobs, being foreclosed on, without food to eat, children dropping out of schools and some people becoming homeless - all because of hardship of lack of money?

Yet this Florida couple embarked on such a wasteful adventure to clone an ordinary dog for such an amount of money? Icheoku's verdict is that they deserve a place in burning hell for being such a self-gloating haters of human-beings; who would rather spend this "stupendous" amount of money just to satiate their stupid over-blown ego masked as love for their departed pet dog?

How long will the newly cloned-dog live? How long will this couple live? Are they going to re-clone the dog assuming a car hits it tomorrow morning just like Bill Clinton's Labrador? What if the cloned-dog contracts cancer like the donor-dog later in life and dies as a result? Assuming the dog lives out its natural life and the couple out-lived it, will they embark on another re-cloning? How much is too much in what people are allowed to do with their fortune? This couple need to have their head examined by a psychiatrist for some mental dis-functionalities. There is no explanation that will satisfy the uncalled for arrogance of this Florida couple and they should throw ashes on themselves and covered in sack-cloth seek the forgiveness of both God and mankind. They really crossed the bounds of decency! Nina and Edgar Otto are Icheoku's worst persons of today and they should atone for their sins against millions of starving humanity.

The couple paid $155,000 dollars to a San Francisco company working with scientists at the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation in South Korea to perform the complicated feat of bio-engineering. The puppy Lancelot-Encore, was created (cloned) from DNA samples taken five years ago from the donor-dog Lancelot, who died of cancer in January 2008.

Icheoku says, how the project was financed by Nina selling her jewelry is irrelevant, the beef here is that the action itself is very anti-human and merely a selfish aggrandisement of a fame-seeking couple. How can such perversion be rationalized under the dire economic climate which many American families are facing today?

MUAMMAR GADDAFI, A VOICE OF REASON?

Truth can sometimes come out of imbeciles and such could be said of an African petty-dictator, somewhere in the Sahara desert! The once enemy number-one of the west, former terrorists' comforter, maximum ruler of Libya and current chairman of the African Union recently voiced an opinion towards solving African internecine warfare? Muammar Gaddafi advocated for dictatorships throughout Africa to keep the people in check? Icheoku wonders, if this Bedouin-Arab has been cavorting with the likes of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Egypt's Mubarak, Gabon's Omar Bongo as well as other petty African dictators?

Icheoku says, Gaddafi's position is somewhat weighty and merits some consideration, provided however that such emerging dictators are benevolent ones! Mummar Gaddafi's argument is trite and cannot be faulted into-to; admitted it will be somewhat a very difficult proposition to sell in the African continent where every little minion wants a private fiefdom for his personal indulgence. According to this pain in the behind of western governments, Africa is essentially tribal in nature and political parties are usually not very cohesive as most of them are founded along these tribal lines. These natural fault-lines are permanent and continuing, and so it is very easy to instigate a losing political party into a mayhem in any given country in Africa. The ensuing bloodshed between these tribes masked as political parties is what African democracy have sadly become today. Tribes engaging one another in a fight to finish simply because they lost an election, which they would interpret as their tribes losing face; based on primordial and subsisting tribal animosities and feudal antagonism from centuries gone by. This is akin to 1979 Nigeria, where political parties such as AG under Awolowo was seen as a Yoruba party, NPP under Azikwe was seen as Igbo party and NPN was seen as Hausa-Fulani party because of Shehu Shagari and Umaru Dikko; although it was the party with the most national outlook? Fortunately today, Nigeria's political parties are succeeding to an extent in melting down these tribal lines?

Gaddafi also called on African countries to copy his Libyan-example where he has been the sole captain of state since 1969; with zero tolerance for any dissenting viewpoint? Icheoku says, dissenting viewpoints should be allowed in order to keep such "dictator-leader" within his promise to the people, otherwise he/she will go astray. Also Gaddafi called for a United States of Africa with a single military force, a single currency and a single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent! Icheoku says, this well articulated idea by Gaddafi is a noble one which deserves to be looked into with every seriousness. When viewed against the backdrop of the European Union's mantra, 'an attack on one is attack on all' and their common Euro currency experience, then it makes every sense to clobber African states into one formidable political entity. Agreeing with Gaddafi that Africa do not have any political structures but merely social structures, Icheoku says, a real thriving democracy is near impossible in Africa. This is because tribal unification under a political party is almost impossible as tribes cannot easily forgo existing rivalries/competition amongst themselves and always view each other with disdainful suspicion.

Admitted there are certain advantages of a democracy over a dictatorship, but a benevolent-dictator could still deliver the so called "dividends of democracy" as would an elected government, to the people. All that is needed is patriotism and love of country on the part of the emerging dictator, who in council with elders and other political elites can map out strategy to move their respective countries forward. But the integration of political assets will be a strategic good move, in order to give Africa the much needed but missing clout to play in the international arena.

Icheoku says, Muammar Gaddafi is either an African patriot with a burning desire to see Africa triumph or he is a petty-dictator scheming for a much larger empire/kingdom to morph his power into a phantom menace! Either way, Gaddafi could be right as Africa urgently needs a baby-sitter to coral all the stateless and ungoverned areas of Africa such as Nigeria's Niger Delta, Somalia, Western Polisario, Darfur, Congo, Zimbabwe, Uganda, etc?

Icheoku says, O African Union, hearken to Muammar Gaddafi and let the rebirth begin!

NIGERIAN DOCTOR, HOLDS ABORTION RECORD?

Information reaching Icheoku has it that a Nigerian medical doctor based in Orile-Lagos, who performs about 70 abortions every day, has been arrested for allegedly selling the aborted fetuses to herbalist and medicine men who use them for rituals? Wonders shall never end in Lagos, Nigeria! In a country where only about 750,000 abortions are performed every year, this doctor really holds a record, having cornered a large percentage of the baby-killing market?

A medical records book found on the hospital premises revealed that in addition to the over 70 abortions procured at the hospital daily, the doctor has no respect for holy days? The medical records dated from November 28, 2008 to January 14, 2009 showed that even on December 25, 2008, which was Jesus Christ's birthday (Christmas), the doctor performed abortions - recording his lowest daily output yet - just 11 abortions only? The records indicates that one month pregnancy costs about N1, 500 ($10) to abort, two months pregnancy N2,500 ($20), three months pregnancy N3,500 ($30) in that progression while special and delicate cases which are more than four months old cost in excess of about N5000 ($50). The record also showed that patients travel from as far as neighbouring countries of Benin Republic, Togo etc to seek this doctor's services; the doctor who is reputed to successfully abort pregnancies at any stage of its growth?

The doctor and his staff has since been taken to court on a three- count charge of attempts to procure abortion, conspiracy and supplying instruments to procure abortion. According to the police, they had to swing into action in order to stop "further waste of humanity in that place".

Icheoku notes, abortion is illegal in Nigeria, except where the patient's life is in jeopardy?

SEPARATION OR DIVORCE, NIGERIAN (IGBO) STYLE? - an article by Vicky Awuzie

Once upon a time, the Igbo people of Nigeria used to salivate about our heritage, our core family values and our unique culture – a culture that promoted family unity, love for one another and much more. These days, all of the above is in question as our community continues in its state of ruckuses. The crises are enormous and one wonders how to approach these complex issues that are swallowing us. This article is not intended to be an indictment on all persons that left United States in search of a better living in Nigeria rather, it is an overview intended to bring about another issue to light.

The latest in the pool of our crises is the diminishing presence of some of our dads in the household. I ask myself - am I the only one witnessing this, or have we turned our left ear to it? What I’m discovering is the diminish-ment of our various values. As these values truncate, I wonder if anyone especially the elders (leaders) are going to speak up. Are they going to call a forum where these concerns can be brought to light and weed a way for rectifying them? Is this a joke that will eventually evaporate? Sometimes, I wish I could become one of those that pretend that everything is alright and just shut up, but I can’t especially if children are involved. As I delve this issue in my never-resting brain, I decided that I’m equally going to ravel Maggie, my friend’s brain too. So, I placed a call to her to get her views. I respect Maggie’s opinion she is intelligent and objectionable. She answers the call – after all the “yab-yab” talk, I decided to get to the main reason for the call. Do you see what I’m seeing? She questioned what I talking about? I’m talking about the state of some of our Igbo families. What about them she asked.

The newest arrival in the pool of our problems is the abandoning of some of our families by some of our men in the name of establishing a business or getting a job in Nigeria. The trend is, a jobless dad or not having the ideal professional job packs his belongings and informs his family that he is moving to Nigeria for a better life. He promises them that he would send them money and would visit often. Before you know it, he is gone for several months and sometimes one year or more and he does not send the money. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know some business men who travel for a month or six weeks, but I’m addressing those that are gone for time on end and those that do not have that proclaimed business. Please return to your families because your children need you.

On the other hand, if two adults with no children decided that this is what they want (separation or divorce in disguise) for their relationship; I have absolutely no qualms with it. My qualms and therefore the motive of my writing is when there are children involved. How does a dad justify his absence for months sometimes a year or more? How does he justify not sending the money he promised? In retrospect, it means that he has not secured a job in Nigeria neither did the business he had hoped for kicked off. In some cases, the wife is the one sending him money through Western Union. Thank God for Western union, huh? So, how can this situation be justified?

In light of the fact that the wife is the main enabler in this, I ask, are you equally distressed of the relationship that you are secretly salivating his absence? If that is the case, wouldn’t it be better you called it for what it is? Women have the tendency to be scornful towards other women that speak the truth even when the subject matter is in their favor. So, sisters, before you pull out the daggers, because this truth is too true, think twice! Have I not just said what you have been secretly nourishing? I think a thank you is in order and the dagger can be put away. What about your personal needs? I am sure you miss that – don’t you?

For the men involved – wouldn’t it be better you tell your wife here of your actual living style in Nigeria? Wouldn’t it be better you come clean and inform her that you are enjoying Nigeria and you have no intention of coming back except for special occasions? The children are the ultimate losers in these premises. They constantly ask mom when dad is coming back and if daddy has rejected them. Of course, mom comes up with some manufactured truth.

The deal is, we should be concerned about the state of our community. This is a bad tree trying to grow amongst us and we should nip it in the bud. If we don’t, we shall become a community where only women raise the families. The children are the losers particularly the boys who need a father role model in the house. I don’t have to tell anyone how most children that grew up without fathers influence turned out to be. We don’t have to join the statistics.

I say to the Igbo people, rise and speak the truth, rise and break away from your shell of fear of another human being. What we need to cultivate is respect for one another. Stop worrying about what papa Emeka and mama Carro will think of you. That is for them to decide. As long as your conscience is good, you will always be the champion and pioneer of good deeds. God is watching out for all of us. I haven’t claimed a perfect relationship, but I want my husband here with me and the children. That is more relevant to me than the invisible millions he would be chasing in Nigeria and that’s something I think we can all agree on.

'RABBIT-MOMS', THE NIGERIAN TRAIL-BLAZER WITH A LITTER?

Now meet the world's first known "rabbit-mom" of our time! She was the first woman to ever give litter to a set of octoplets - eight (8) children from one pregnancy! Her name, Nkem Chukwu and she is just 28years old? Really? And her husband or babies-daddy (they share different last names) is equally 41 years young? Anyway, that is just an aside, as we now delve into the meat of this oped - a little excursion into the mindset of these numero-uno mothers!

Before the current California eight-kid wonder-mom, Nadya Suleman, the Nigerian, possibly from the Igbo area of Imo State, holds the world record of the most human-litter from one pregnancy! This makes her singularly and eminently qualified to be a consulting octoplet-mother to mentor the latest California "child-factory" mother? From available pictures, Nkem Chukwu and her paramour, Iyke Udobi seem to have been doing a terrific job raising these their gifts of fertility-treatment? At ten, they look very well maintained; although the state of their mental development is not thus discernible from the pictures. Icheoku is aware that such multiple births always come with some mental "retardation" developmental issues; but we are not in a position to either confirm or deny such development with these Nigerian-Americans octoplets.

One would expect such "rabbit-moms" to sterilize immediately after such breeding; but no, as they always hunger for more. May be, because people came to their aid and they did not suffer the hardships associated with raising such a "multitude" of kids in America? Icheoku was surprised to learn that the Nigerian octoplets-parents, who were expected to have ceased and desisted from further procreation, produced yet another child, Favor, in 2002? In Nkem Chukwu's case, could it be that she wanted a replacement for one of the octoplets who passed-away one week after delivery? This is against the backdrop of currently available information that the California "rabbit-mom" had six (6) other children prior to her present eight litters? This two cases are such that calls for the immediate intervention of Family Planning Services and/or Child Welfare Services.

Pictured left here are, right rear Nkem Chukwu, her man Iyke Louis Udobi, center and Nkem's mother Janet Chukwu left. The seven surviving children of the octoplets are (middle row) Eche, far left, Ikem, second from left, Gorom, second from right, Chidi, far right, (front row) Chima, far left, Jioke, second from left, and Ebuka, far right. Their little sister Favor, 6, second from right front, joined the family in 2002!

Icheoku says, while the California birth occupies the front-page, peradventure this other family can still use some assistance, taking care of their multiple litter. Their father's two jobs and their mother's technician's job incomes will be but a drop in the ocean of their family's needs. So if you are touched by their story, please contact their fund: -

Chukwu Family Fund

St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital

6900 Fannin, #440

Houston, TX 77030

A NIGERIAN, VICTIM OF CHARLES TAYLOR'S LUNACY!

His name, David Obinnaya Anyaele, 38, from Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State! David is a victim of Charles Taylor's Liberia madhouse - he had both his hands forcibly cut-off at the wrist, by Charles Taylor's gumbahs! In other words, David is a Charles Taylor's amputee!

David is also a victim of the brazing discrimination against the Igbos of Nigeria by every successive Nigerian governments, each acting in concert with one another, ever since the end of the civil war in 1970. Their objective, to asphyxiate the Igbo nation! This is the single biggest factor driving the massive Igbo-exodus out of Nigeria; - a people now dispersed all over the world, in their desperate effort to survive Nigerian governments conspiracy to strangulate their race, economically. David succeeded in finding his way to Liberia during the infamous reign of terror of Charles Taylor; but lo and behold, his, was the proverbial case of from the frying pan into the fire! But does Icheoku blame this "Biafran at heart" for the fate which befell him in Liberia? No, as we strongly believe in the saying, get somewhere in life or die trying! David was only unfortunate to have lost his limbs in his quest, but he still remains "nwa-afoo!

According to his narrative, there was an instruction from Charles Taylor to his boys, to kill and/or maim every Nigerian seen anywhere in Liberia. This, in his warped mind, will teach Nigerians a hard-lesson on how not to dabble into the internal affairs of other nations. However, Icheoku could not independently verify this alleged Taylor's instruction and so, you are to it with some advisement. Continuing, David said, on January 19, 1999 he and other Nigerian-residents in Monrovia received a surprise visit from a gang of gun-totting youthful-rascals; death-messengers of Charles Taylor. David tried to run, but was stopped by one of the boys who gave an order to shoot him. However he was countered by another who would rather he was sent to the Nigerian government in Abuja as an emissary to convey their demand that ECOMOG soldiers should stop attacking them. They later agreed to cut off his hands as an effective propaganda-tool of their seriousness; and this was the story of how David Obinnaya Anyaele lost his two hands.

David said he miraculously found himself at a United Nations Observation post where he received first-aid before his evacuation to a safer place somewhere in Monrovia. After his stabilization, he was airlifted on February 3, 1999, to a military hospital in Nigeria, where he remained until he was discharged on August 30, 1999 for further rehabilitation. Thereafter David met with the then Minister of Health under Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr.Tim Menakaya, who promised in 2000 to rehabilitate him; but eight years thereafter, the promise, is still on the Nigeria's government's awaiting list?

David needs assistance to help procure his artificial limbs from a German hospital to enable him fully get back to his life. His prescribed prosthetics will cost 35,000 euros and he will also need flight tickets to travel to Germany to have them fitted; accommodation and other sundry/miscellaneous expenses while in Germany will further add to the tab. Presently, David is barely scrapping by to provide for his family, but would like to get his "mojo" back, to once again, start taking real care of his business instead of being wholly dependent on third parties for even his most intimate privacy!

Icheoku says, David or anyone who knows him should contact us to see how we can assist in his come-back efforts.

NIGERIA'S PECULIAR BRAND OF "DEMOCRACY"?

What a very unique and extraordinary brand of "democracy" being practiced in Nigeria, when a sitting vice president is not allowed or cannot seat-in for a president, who is on his annual vacation-leave? What then is the job of the vice president bereft of such opportune time or circumstance when duty calls? Icheoku has written in the past questioning the zoning-arrangement of a "democratic" Nigeria wherein a particular zone believes it is their turn to rule Nigeria? What happens for instance, when the incumbent zonal-president dies or is incapacitated, while still in office and a succession problems ensues between his zone of origin and the incumbent vice president? The zone which produced the late president then insisting to serve out and complete their own term in office while a despondent vice president insists on following the letters of the constitution regarding succession? Such a mishap will be analogous to anarchy let loose and the conundrum is better imagined than witnessed.

The recent drama playing itself out in Nigeria over the annual vacation of President Umaru Yar'Adua as to who shall stir the ship of the state in his absence, is a snippet of the catastrophic consequence an Umaru Yar'Adau's sudden demise can bring upon Nigeria. The North, particularly the Katsina-axis will fight to the last to spring another president on Nigeria while the Niger Delta South-South will fight to enthrone their son, Vice President Jonathan Goodluck into the presidency. Does anyone have any idea of the debacle such a fight to finish will cause in Nigeria? Icheoku disclaims an idea what!

The current tussle over who will "succeed" or act for a vacationing President Umaru Yar'Adua is merely a test-run of things to come, should the long-awaited, much anticipated and expected demise of Umaru Yar'Adua happen while he is still in office. Icheoku says, admitted that Nigeria has since become such a laughing stock of the world but the current debate on who is the rightful successor of a vacationing president does not burnish the notoriety any bit. It is either some people are economical with the truth as to Jonathan Goodluck's present right to Aso-Rock or Nigeria is practising a special brand of Northern Oligarchy approved "democracy"? To solve this problem Nigeria may have to re-tool its democracy to remove the office of the vice presidency entirely, in order to completely avoid such a glitch/smirch in the future. Nigerians can change their constitution and abolish the office of the vice president, making the office of the president supreme with just a lieutenant president; who automatically steps in should the president become incapacitated.

May be Nigeria can adopt a similar practice as obtains in the 50 States of the United States of America which only have the office of a governor with a separate office for a lieutenant governor, who does not necessarily deputize him; but automatically succeeds him in event of a vacancy in office. And both of them do not necessarily have to belong to the same political party! Nigeria, why not solve this succession problem pronto? Problem identify, problem solved!

NIGCOMSAT IS A FRAUD, WHERE WAS THE LAST INSURANCE?

When the last Nigeria's Chinese made and launched satellite failed, NigComSat, the body responsible for the project assuaged Nigerians by stating that an insurance policy covered the failed satellite and that it will be replaced at no additional cost to Nigerians? As soon as the embers of anxiety died down, NigComSat dropped this f***ing bomb - Nigerians will have to pick up the tab for a new satellite, another whopping $500million dollars?

Icheoku asks, whatever happened to the alleged insurance which covered the first satellite? This satellite "business" is a Federal government of Nigeria sanctioned scam-unlimited! Nigerians are once again being taken to the cleaners by a bunch of swindling Northern mallams, who have been milking Nigeria dry all these years since independence in 1960. Where is the National Assembly oversights committees or are they a party to this mind-boggling satellite-fraud of the century? Where is the EFCC or is $500 million dollars not huge enough for their investigative searchlight? This is blue-murder and should be resisted by the national assembly. NigComSat Managing Director Ahmed Rufai (right) must be a front-man for some very greedy, fraudulent and highly placed Northern Oligarchs who are siphoning Nigeria's scarce foreign reserve, through this satellite scam, to continue to fuel their bureau du` change operations throughout Nigeria and the greater West Africa? When will enough be enough in Nigeria? When will such grand-scale criminal fraud be checked?

Using the same incompetent Chinese company, the same inferior satellite modules and the same Nigeria "experts" except for the only southerner Mrs Grace Ekpiwhri who has been removed from the conduit and redeployed to another ministry, is madness defined! This satellite business is simply to fleece Nigerians of another $500 million dollars? This is a typical example of doing the same things, the same way and expecting different result! Of the total investment of $251 million previously made by Nigeria in the other failed NigComSat 1, it was only able to recoup less than $7.5 million dollars in returns before the satellite failed leaving it with a net loss of over $244 million dollars in the red? What a "progressive" country, Nigeria really is?

See our other stories on this continuing NigComSat scam, click another nigerian official scam gone awry;

some unfinished corruption business in nigeria

ERIC HOLDER, YET ANOTHER FIRST!

It is yet another first for African Americans as Attorney Eric Holder was confirmed today, February 2, 2009 as United States Attorney General and Secretary of Justice. His confirmation with 75-21 votes of the Senate, marks an important milestone as color of the skin seem to be taking a back-seat in today's America.

Congratulations Eric Holder and Icheoku prays you will soon bring back justice to the Justice Ministry!

Eric Holder was a former federal prosecutor, a judge and the deputy Attorney General in the Clinton administration's Justice Department. Until his current appointment, Eric was engaged in private practice in Washington DC and was part of the group that led the search for the then President-elect Barack Obama's vice presidential candidate.

NIGERIA, IGBOS DISPERSED TO WORLD'S END?

The Igbo of Nigeria are dispersed all over the world, forced by blatant discriminatory policies of successive Nigerian governments against them, since the end of the civil war in 1970. The Igbo-man has very limited chances of survival in Nigeria compared to other nationalities in Nigeria; hence they are being forced into reluctant economic and political exiles to the ends of the earth, from China to India to Bangladesh to Greenland and possibly to the Antarctic/Arctic regions of the earth?

Icheoku's attention was drawn to this amazing pictorial of Nigerians (Igbos) in Guangzhou China and courtesy of the copyrights owners, Icheoku hereby bring to you the said pictorial. As opposed to the usual Chinatown in other countries, here we have Nigeria-town in China! What an amazing feat that some Nigerians are "thriving" in a country of over 1.3 billion natives competitors?

Now click Nigeriatown!

SUPER BOWL XLIII, YET ANOTHER ONE FOR STEELERS!

What a fantastic hair-raiser of a game it was - as fans stood on edge throughout the duration of the game in Tampa, Florida. Icheoku congratulates both teams for representing themselves very well at the 43rd Super Bowl game and particularly Pittsburgh's Steelers for winning their 6th Super Bowl in history. Final score was 27-23 over the Arizona Cardinals who made some fantastic plays throughout the game although they were not enough to effect the outcome.

Once again congratulations to the men of steel from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

For additional stories, now click Super Bowl's stunning end

SOUTH-SOUTH, SO SLAVISH TO THE NORTH?

The Northern Union recently met with Niger Delta's South-South over the future of the current restiveness in the area. Before delving into the meat of this meeting, Icheoku wants to caution the leaders and elders of the South-South, to please not compromise the brave efforts of the youths of the Niger Delta; some of whom have already paid dearly with their lives. Their supreme sacrifice should not be be in vain or trivialized by such a meeting with an insincere North? It is because of their patriotic efforts and sacrifices, that the Northern Union ever contemplated meeting with you, their "subjugated" South-South, in the first place?

Now, in order to attempt an understanding of the intent, purpose and trajectory of the meeting, the following questions ought to be first asked and answered:- (1) Were the Northern Union at the said meeting as equal partners of the South-South or was it a case of a "subjugated" South-South being "told" what their "masters" from the Northern Union desires? (2) Did the Northern Union start the meeting by first apologising for their killing of South-South states-men, Ken Saro-Wiwa and Isaac Adaka Boro or was it with their business as usual "who are you to query our actions" mentality of the North? (3) What about the continuous detention and secret-trial of the freedom-loving Henry Okah and the incessant harassment being meted out to the other man of the people, freedom-fighter Dokubo Asari? (4) What was the real agenda of the meeting or was it simply a ploy to further isolate the South-South from their big-brothers in the South East in order to further weaken their resistance and completely emasculate them? (5) Whose initiative was the meeting anyway? If the Northern Union's, is it a sign that they are beginning to feel the heat of the Niger Delta activism and if the South-South's, was it simply an evidence of their complete capitulation, laying supine?

Where was the olive branch from the Northern Union when their thugs in army uniform were raiding the palace of a royal father in the South-South, to arrest a youth-leader who had gone to the palace in honour of an invitation for a peace-meeting? And this was concurrent to the same time the supposed "peace" meeting was going on? Icheoku knows for a fact that the palaces of the Emirs and the Sultan in the North are totally off-limit for any intruder/s. Icheoku is also aware that any intruder who breaches the "do not enter" Islamic order of "Ba Shiga" always faces a certain death in the hands of such husbands who keep and maintain those harems behind those walled-off enclosures! So why should the Northern Union's army badge into the palace of a South-South King and drag out a person who dutifully answered their King's call for a peace meeting? Or is there no reciprocity of respect between Northern Union Kings or Emirs and their South-South counterparts? Yet the meeting was between "friends" and peace-seeking?

This hobnobbing does not bode well for Nigeria, especially the Southerners and must be resisted or sabotaged forthwith! It appears that the North is cleverly manipulating the South-South into an island of weakness by effectively deploying their divide and conquer strategy masked as a "peace" meeting to completely isolate the zone from the rest of the south? Eventually, when the south is so balkanized into three weakened, isolated groups of South-this, South-that, then each of them will become a vulnerable prey for the ravenous North to devour at their pleasure. Also the Northern Union is not Arewa Consultative Forum (AFC) and could not be said to be speaking for the entire North? This is yet another example of the "use you dump you, Northern-syndrome" with which the North have been mistreating the entire Southern Nigeria, as well as the other minorities of Southern Kaduna, Benue and Plateau regions of Nigeria, ever since independence in 1960.

The only thing deductible from the meeting is that the Niger Delta agitation is working, otherwise these mallams will not bother to sit in a meeting with the people of the South-South, whom they hold in contemptible servitude? Admitted Icheoku would rather the Niger Delta activism is better organised and more target-driven, since they cannot match toe to toe, in a shoot-out war with the killing-machine which is the Nigerian armed forces. As always, in a guerrilla warfare, there is usually no theater or drawn battle-lines, the entire estate of contention or country-wide is a fair operating ground! Freedom-fighters operate ghostly and with stealth, in a hit and run schematic-fashion. They assume the position of the under-dogs and the essence of an underdog in a fight is usually not to win outright, but to wear the oppressor out! So for the South-South to declare victory, the Northern Union's enforcement apparatus must be worn out or bogged down in an impasse; which in turn will force a meaningful dialogue, during which time, the bone of contention can be settled in a peace conference brokered by an impartial third party. This is the way and the only meaningful way; no other way makes sense as trying a direct confrontational approach will be suicidal, too calamitous and consequential to the peoples of the South-South.

According to report reaching Icheoku, the South-South presented a ten-point prayer request, soliciting the understanding and support of the Northern states, regarding some pertinent issues affecting them. Icheoku asks, why should the South-South condescend so low to beg the Northern Union for what is rightfully theirs? The land of the South-South and all that is on it and underneath it belongs to the people who own the land. The people of South-South do not need the permission of the Northern Union to harness what is theirs! All they need to do is to stand firm and be supportive of the effort of the Niger Delta youths to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.

The North will not voluntarily let go the goose that lays the golden eggs, which the bowels of the South-South has become. So the only viable, meaningful and feasible alternative "sea route to India" is for the South-South to rise up and take back their possession! All it demands is a today's sacrifice so that the future of their children and children's children shall be finally and fully secured in a settled-Nigeria or a Republic of Niger Delta, which ever comes first? The hallowing poverty of today's South-South must and should be forever forsworn! Northern Ireland did it! Tamil Tigers are on course! Kuwait was formerly part of Iraq! Palestine could be heard today, despite being faced-down by one of the mightiest army on the face of the earth; and digging 20 feet deep-below the ground tunnels through hard desert soil for thorough-fare? So why not Nigeria's South-South with their open access to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and also an international airport? The South-South should just show some seriousness of purpose and the world will take sides! Their God-given oil resources can always serve as collateral?

To Chief Edwin K. Clark, Icheoku says, the Northern Union is not your friend! They are just using the aegis of the meeting to put a lid on the Niger Delta agitation and by extension, maintain their stranglehold on your oil! Please quit whining or complaining, rather reclaim your oil and with it you can solve all the enumerated problems. With a direct fund South-South can tackle all collateral damage from oil exploration activities including oil-spills, oil-pollution, environmental-degradation, gas-flaring and other concomitant problems militating against your region. Icheoku queries, how can the pangs of poverty be severest in your area when it provides all the money that Nigeria spends to build and transform the arid North? Have you been to Abuja lately? The life-blood of Nigeria, oil, is located in the deep bowels of your earth, yet your people have been debased into the pan-handling Nigerians, now begging the North for some hand-outs? This is abhorable and shameful indeed! You deserve better and must earn the respect of the North, convincingly, in order to make a headway; as without respect, no Northerner will ever take you seriously! It is only through a proven-conviction, that any man begins to respect a fellow man! So know ye, South-South, that you cannot beg yourself to relevance in the Northern Union controlled Nigeria! If you desire something so bad, fight like you mean it! In fact, you do not need to beg for positions for your sons and daughters in your oil-backed ministries or parastatal; just take back your oil and your problems are solved! You can then do with it whatever you please including indigenizing NNPC, NLNG, PTDF, PPMC and what have you! But to go cap-in-hand to the Northern Union for their understanding, is simply outrageous and a sign of weakness on your part; which the very crafty Northern Union is all too aware of and so will never take you guys seriously.

Icheoku, while concurring with an aspect of Olusola Saraki's remark that the Nigerian people want peace, wish to add, with the exception of the North who by their wanton actions and comments have arrogated to themselves the right to every position that is golden and juicy in Nigeria! Such selfishness and arrogance of the North is what breeds the resentment being expressed by the entire South. The Northern Union is afraid of an imminent major conflict in Nigeria and hurriedly convened the meeting to sooth frayed nerves and douse the raging fire of disgust. Paradoxically, the Northern Union suddenly realised their several decades-long discrimination against the people of South-South and is now holding a meeting of peace? Icheoku says, all the subterfuge notwithstanding, the meeting is but a sign that the North is beginning to feel the heat of the Niger Delta activism! Otherwise, why wait all these years since Nigeria's independence in 1960, to suddenly realise the need for peace and call for a meeting; after-all the South-South have been under Northern bondage ever since? Icheoku says, the North is not sincere in their stated objective, otherwise they would have made it a wider, more encompassing meeting, which should have involved the entire Southern Nigeria. Why would the North be organising a so-called "peace-meeting" in Nigeria and limit it to the North and the South-South while excluding other Southern nationalities of Igbo and Yoruba from it? Icheoku says, the real intent of the meeting was to find a way to corner the South-South for an easier finish-off; and regrettably, the South-South is so naive to think they have suddenly become very important in the eyes of the North! Why did the South-South not ask the Northern Union the pertinent question of why they came to the meeting with representative drawn across the entire Northern Nigeria whereas the South-South was restricted to only their tiny self? This single omission by the South-South exposes their naivete in political grandstanding!

Icheoku identifies strongly with the position of Asari-Dokubo, that the issue of resources-control cannot be resolved through an ordinary meeting of "friends"? Such an issue is so fundamental and foundational to the success or failure of the Nigerian-experiment that only a Sovereign National Conference can conclusively resolve it! The leaders and elders of the South-South are called upon not to jeopardize the regional freedom-struggle by cavorting with the enemy, as the end to their suffering is very near! They need to become more resolute and push a little harder; as always the hour closest to dawn is usually the darkest! The last miles of a marathon is also usually the toughest, so why give up now? To the people of the South-South, Icheoku says, you shall overcome! At least the North should have shown some good intentions and made a good-will gesture towards the South-South by appointing an area person either the Minister of petroleum resources or the Managing Director of the petroleum corporation, NNPC? But no way, as only two Northern-mallams are good enough for both Nigeria's topmost gold-mines? Yet they are holding a meeting of "friends" to find solution to the "oil-crisis" in the South-South?

Former Senator Francis Okpozo of the South-South succinctly expressed the sentiment of these "friends" when he said that "the action of President Umaru Yar’Adua in appointing another northerner, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo as NNPC group managing director after his appointment of Alhaji Rilwan Lukman as oil minister may trigger another conflagration in the Niger Delta". Icheoku says, we are in solidarity with this warning! To John Odeige Oyegun, Icheoku says, no amount of meeting and deliberation will ever persuade the North to be reasonable and do right for and by the South-South; the only language such hydra-headed people as the North understands, is reciprocity in kind! The North has always been very insensitive to the feelings of the entire Southern Nigeria, including their newly discovered bride of comfort - the South-South; and so, ride the donkey they shall until forcibly stopped. When in doubt, take a look at the last ministerial appointments made by President Umaru Yar'Adua and see the lopsidedness of it in favour of the North, likewise so many other of his filled federal positions? Also suing the Federal government for redress should not be an option as such will not resolve the matter because the North has commandeered and now controls the judiciary too! Both the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the court of Appeal are from the North. The only real and meaningful option for the South-South is to galvanize the entire splintered Niger Delta agitations-groups into one coalesced, formidable, robust entity. Then re-constitute the struggle into a military wing and a political wing with identifiable leaders and a common purpose; so collectively they can push forcefully on two fronts for their desired goal of resource-control and/or a fair distribution of oil-income, in lieu. They must also avoid the kidnapping of their own fellow South-South people as this festers division and animosity amongst the people - remember, a house divided is bound to fall!

The Northern agenda as always, remains one indivisible north that appropriates what belongs to all Nigerians for themselves only! They preserve and maintain their Northern Oligarchs at the back of every other Nigerian, reserving every "juicy" positions in Nigeria for themselves while those who naturally "owns" the resources are subjugated into ordinary surrogates, destitute and beggars? Icheoku says, to the people of the South-South, desist from such meetings with the Northern Union since you cannot genuflect your way into power with the Northern Union! You should be man enough to say enough is enough and rise up and take back your God's given possession. As you may know, power does not easily yield or concede; it has to be yanked away! Power can only be taken from its' custodian/s, peacefully in a reasonable environment and otherwise, where stubborn people are the clingers! Icheoku concludes that the meeting between the South-SOuth and the Northern Union was a mistake and should not have taken place; and must be discontinued. The South-South should rather explore how to coalesce the splintered Niger Delta activism into an army of one force to make their agitation more punchy!