PRESIDENT JONATHAN, NIGERIA'S SPENDER IN CHIEF EXTRA-ORDINAIRE!

 

When President Goodluck's team took over government in Nigeria in May 29, 2007, saved in Nigeria's coffers was a whopping sum of $20 billion (dollars). Today, less than 3.6years into their administration, the money has disappeared - depleted to less than $1.2 billion. It would be recalled that late President Yar'Adua before he kicked the bucket, was too sickly and perpetually absent to have had time to spend any much; so Icheoku asks President Jonathan where is Nigeria's money?

What happened to the content of the safe-box that was entrusted to you or was it a case of the rat being made the custodian of the dry fish? This becomes more disturbing in view of the fact that there is nothing much on the ground to justify and show for the massive profligacy. There is still no motor-able roads in Nigeria, no electricity in Nigeria, no jobs in Nigeria, no security in Nigeria, no healthcare in Nigeria, no social security in Nigeria, no $120 minimum wage for workers in Nigeria and the general despondency in the country has not yet abated. Nigerians, you can now see who you have manning the till:- a drunken-sailor like spender!

But don't you think there is something eerie, weird and unnerving about this guy's seeming timid demeanor; yet behind those aloofness lies a spender extra-ordinaire who is been spending Nigeria's wealth as if he just won the lottery! Jonathan, please show Nigerians invoices and receipts for what you have so far spent their $18.13 billion or thereabout on. Even the much castigated and despised Prince of Darkness of Minna, Babangida, at least has Abuja to show for Nigeria's unaccounted for $12billion dollars, admitted Nigerians still want him to pay it back or be punished for it. So you decide

FISTS FOR ALL AS NIGERIAN POLICEMEN FIGHT OVER BRIBE MONEY?

Icheoku says Chinua Achebe was probably wrong in identifying the trouble with Nigeria as lack of leadership. The real trouble with Nigeria seems to be that Nigerians are not a disciplined lot and without discipline nothing much can be accomplished. An undisciplined mind is a mind running riot which impacts every strata of the society as exemplified by these policemen, fighting over how to share bribe money which they strong-armed from cowering innocent Nigerians. Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the fearless one(ajanaku), rightly articulated it when he compared Nigeria with the infamous Ojuelegba roundabout in Lagos - confusion everywhere! Icheoku says, Etu Mopol!

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, NOW A BUDDHIST?

As a senator he visited Africa, the land of his father, where his father's kinsmen honored him, dressing him up in a turban traditional attire. Some people and press in America went gun-ho that he is of an African-Kenyan anti-colonialist tribe? His name is Barack Hussein Obama, oh no, that is a full evidence of his being a Muslim and an Islamist with a secret agenda to destroy 'their America?'

President Obama while in Japan for the just concluded APEC 2010 summit, visited Kotokuin Temple of the Great Buddha of Kamakura, Japan and that must now make him also a Buddhist? Icheoku says, wait for the next few days before some media talking-heads of America will start propagating the idea that President Barack Obama is now a Buddhist. It is coming and such oddity of misinformation adds to the inexplicable naivety exhibited by many Americans which have made us all the laughing stock of the rest of the world; which marvels at the depth of misinformation or lack of any information in America.

As they most probably read such misguided statements within the next several weeks, they will be cracking their ribs laughing at our ignorance or appearance thereof that a mere ephemeral association by visit to a temple due to reverence or deference automatically now makes the president an adherent of Buddhism. Strangely enough no one called the president Jewish when he adorned the yarmulke while visiting Israel and when former CNN's Rick Sanchez complained out loud about who controls the media in America, he got fired. Icheoku admonishes Americans that President Barack Obama is not a new convert to Buddhism; he is still a Christian but merely visited a Buddhist temple just like you would Disney Land. Meanwhile welcome back home Mr. President from your ten day Asian trip and let the new war in Washington with those extremist Tea Party led Republican Congress now begin!

MANNY PACQUIAO, PHILIPPINES FIGHTING CONGRESSMAN!

 

Manny Pacquiao is the new World Boxing Council super welterweight champion. He defeated much rated Mexican Antonio Margarito in round eight of their scheduled twelve rounds fighting-bout. Icheoku asks, admitted there is dignity in labor but is it not about time this lawmaker hung up his groves and concentrate on his new legislative assignment for the people of Sarangani District in Philippines in the House of Representatives in Manila; just thinking about the dignity of his new office? Meanwhile congratulations Manny!

AUNG SAN SUU KYI, MYANMAR'S APOSTLE OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY!

She is the latest symbol of democracy in the world; now joining the ranks of Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and such other freedom loving personalities the world have come to know, who accepted personal tribulation in order to bequeath their people freedom. But unlike the three, her people of Myanmar are still to taste real freedom of democracy but her release is a step in that direction and a testament that soon and very soon they sure will join the democratic nations of the world. 

In Yangon Myanmar,  the lady with a steely resolve who vowed to enthrone democracy for the people of Myanmar have finally secured her freedom from house arrest; seven long years after the military dictators holding the country to ransom failed to break her will and make her to renounce her pro-democracy credentials and activism. She was released from her somewhat private prison in a dilapidated lake-front villa where she was forced to call home the last seven years.

Democracy heroine Aung San Suu Kyi, 65, Icheoku and the world are proud of you for standing firm behind your conviction and not selling out on your people by accepting your persecutors' terms. Like Jesus Christ said, they can only break the temple housing the being and your eventual freedom just added another proof of that statement. 

Like President Barack Obama said of this hero of his, a prison is a prison and it does not make any difference whether it is someone's living room or state's or federal prison; as what is important is that a person's freedom has been emasculated. In his own words, "Whether Aung San Suu Kyi is living in the prison of her house, or the prison of her country, does not change the fact that she, and the political opposition she represents, has been systematically silenced, incarcerated, and deprived of any opportunity to engage in political processes." Icheoku agrees intoto and adds that a confined-space freedom, be it in a home, house, apartment or even a mansion is no freedom at all; and Suu Kyi attests to this fact too. 

Like Nigeria's 1993 election won by MKO Abiola was declared inconclusive by the military who later annulled it , and refused to handover to the winner, the military in Myanmar equally refused to hand over to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy which won an election in 1990. But there ended the comparison as MKO Abiola was poisoned and died in prison; while today, the world is celebrating with Suu Kyi on her release from prison of house arrest. It will be recalled that in 2009 an American man swam uninvited to Suu Kyi lake-side house-arrest home and she was punished for sheltering him briefly. Finally Icheoku greets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner, on her release and wish her more courage on the thorny road ahead. The military is the same everywhere in third world countries - they are so much entrenched and do not usually yield the fountain of power upon mere wish-washy agitation but persistent mass action and sometimes lots of blood flow. Aung San Suu Kyi, please enjoy your freedom while it lasts, except you are ready to hang up your groves, as the fight is not over just yet; but as they say in freedom world, "aluta continua!" 

LOU DOBBS JOINS FOX TELEVISION, HE IS HOME AT LAST!

 

Icheoku says what a predictable move as everyone always knew that his heart and mind were with the extreme right megaphone but he only had his body then at CNN. Fox is where he belongs, his natural habitat, where together with other extremist right-wing crazies like Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly, they can now rev up their racist agenda megaphone to enthrone their envisaged 'White-only' America. Icheoku therefore asks, it must feel so good to be finally at home, Lou?

CHRIST THE KING STATUE IN POLAND, THOU SHALL NOT MAKE AN IMAGE IN MY NAME?

The spate of edifying monuments being erected by Christians all over the world to honor Jesus Christ are growing daily in number and scale. The latest of such human gratification of self-ability is the Christ the King Jesus statue in Swiebodzin Poland, courtesy of a catholic priest, 78 year old Sylwester Zawadzki.


The statue which took five years to complete, at a total height of 167 feet, now dwarfs both the Rio de Janerio Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue at 125 feet and the Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, Bolivia at 133 feet, which use to be the tallest of such Jesus statues in the world in that order. The statue weighs 440 tons and is visible from Highway A2 linking Warsaw and Berlin.


Icheoku says what an awesome work of art that the Polish were able to put up at Swiebodzin; but queries whatever happened to the biblical injunction 'thou shall not make any image in my likeness?' Or perhaps the argument could be made that it was his father, God the Father, who abhors and forebode image being made in his name and that baby-Jesus later turned adult-Jesus at 33, would not mind being honored in such manner? Being the affable guy he was and still is, Icheoku believes that Jesus Christ wouldn't mind that his statue is now the king of all statues in the world, including New York's Lady Liberty at 121 feet high as well as the other Jesus statue at 133 feet high Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, Bolivia.


Further, the biblical injunction was purpose-specific that such images are not worshipped if made, so it appears from reading the scriptural lines that it will be ok to still make images provided they are not worshipped in place of the only living God who is both jealous and not entertaining of any rivalry or of divided attention whatsoever. The injunction in specifically mentioned "an idol or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the water under the earth" for purposes of worship (Exodus 20:4-5; Leviticus 26:1). So plus minus it is either you make an image and not worship it or you do not make any image at all; so God left the choice to humanity which the Polish people have so far exercised and made their 'Christ the King' statue. Deuteronomy 5:8, 27:15 says "cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret. so it appears that the Polish are safe from this curse as they did not keep their Christ the King statue in secret but set it high up in a public place where it is very visible.


Contextually, these passages are dealing with the same subject matter - an admonition against worshipping of images as God does not want people bowing down before such images and worshiping them as God or God-alternates. Provided these statues do not become objects of worship, being public artifacts to which the general populace could become familiar with and thereby risk falling into their idol worship, it appears to be ok for what they represent - a reminder and memorial of our Lord Jesus Christ. So it would appear ok and appropriate to have an image made of anything and anybody including Jesus Christ provided it is not worshipped in any form as God or God-alternate. Therefore the Christ the King Jesus statue in Poland as well as others in Brazil, Bolivia and elsewhere are sanctioned by God, provided humanity does not mistake them for God himself or his son and bow down to worship them. So once this fine-line is isolated and distinguished, then it is ok to have the 164feet Christ the King Statue in Swiebodzin Poland as a God approved edification of his son, Jesus Christ.


But the jury is still out on the appropriateness or otherwise of the project and whether the $1.7million spent on this statue was money well spent or could have been used in a more profitable venture like building schools or feeding the Polish hungry? But the priest behind  the construction of the project seems to have his own secret agenda to take Europe back to Christ as according to him, "He will be the greatest teacher of the faith and Europe needs preachers like Christ". So through this, all those Islamists trying so hard to Islamize Europe has been put on notice that Christ the King is watching their actions and will not allow them take over his continental Europe. Icheoku says, luckily too, Poland is not America where the ACLU would have shut down the project on grounds of secularism arguing that such gargantuan Christ the King is a an unfair propagation of Christianity above other religions in a public place. Finally, what would the crusading Islamists say or do with a towering Jesus Christ keeping his watchful eyes over their activities in his Poland, albeit Europe. Icheoku says this edifying statue is a bold statement that rapid Islamization of Europe would not be tolerated by Poland and stopped at Swiebodzin Poland's watershed!

9/11 TERRORISTS, TRY THEM IN NEW YORK OR SET THEM FREE!

The locus in situ and locus in quo of the crime of 9/11 was New York, so why move the trial of those criminals who perpetrated this atrocity elsewhere? Icheoku says if those damn terrorists can brave it to attack and destroy our two most prominent towers in midtown Manhattan, New Yorkers should also be equally as brave and hold them accountable for these crimes in New York?

Why would New Yorkers be cowering at the thought of trying these lunatics in New York when they, terrorists, never blinked when they flew both planes into WTC? Under our jurisprudence, criminals are tried in the place where they committed the crime except they move to be tried elsewhere due to obvious prejudice which might impact their case adversely. But here in New York where the crime of 9/11 was committed, we instead have the victims of the crime, hysterically pleading that those criminals be not tried in New York.

Icheoku says if New Yorkers do not want to try these criminals and bring them to justice in New York, thereby passing up on the opportunity to exert their pound of flesh, then the Justice Department might as well set them free as no other person or place want these human-dungs in their backyard, definitely not Icheoku!

OBASANJO'S ROUGHING UP, A BRAVE AND LONG OVERDUE STATEMENT OF REBUKE!

At last Icheoku has found a man of very courageous character in Nigeria; a somewhat hero, and a man who put in practice what many Nigerians have been dreaming and thinking about for so long. A patriot of sort who did what many Nigerians would do in a heartbeat, were the deity of Otta to be left with them alone in a dark alley or poorly lit street corner. But when the dust of this brazen attack is finally settled, the one question that will be in everybody's lips would be, how did he do it? How did this guy pull off this secret mission and hit his target without being shot and killed by the trigger-happy security detail always protecting Obasanjo from his past; except of course African black magic somewhat played a role?


Icheoku has been accused severally of having no love lost with Obasanjo and at one time, we thought that it was only us that Olusegun Okikilemu Matthew Aremu Obasanjo made raving mad by the catastrophe that was his regime; which was made even worse by the result of the 2007 election which he foist on Nigerians. But this guy who confronted Obasanjo has shown that we are not alone in our disgust for what his government did; and in as as much  as Icheoku does not support violence of any kind on any person, we strongly believe that this is a particular case where an exception would be well understood. Obasanjo bit more than he can chew with Nigerians and took Nigerians for a jolly ride and almost off the cliff. Therefore, Icheoku does not agree with those yellow publications now dubbing the Obasanjo's attacker, a mad man; no, the attacker is not a mad man but a completely sane Nigerian who waited for the time and opportunity to let Obasanjo know how despised he is and how lowly Nigerians regard him and boy, did he succeed!


The fate which befell Olusegun Obasanjo is a taste of the pudding of what awaits practically every Nigerian political and military ruling class, were it not for the army of security guards which they festoon themselves 24/7 with. As between these marauders and the polity, there is no love lost and Icheoku believes that were it Babangida that was similarly cornered, it would have been a more tragic encounter than the slap on the wrist which Obasanjo received. The moral lesson in this Obasanjo's attack is that Nigerians are not happy with their leaders (past and present) for all the iniquities they have visited on Nigeria all these years of their inept leadership and are looking forward to the day, opportunity will call for them to take their pound of flesh. A country with the vast resources Nigeria is awash with is still wallowing in abject poverty, no power supply, no good roads, no jobs, no health-care, no security and a lot of other no nos; while their supposed leaders are swimming in stupendous wealth whose sources are both questionable and unverifiable.


It is very case-sensitive, the insensitivity of these leaders, past and present, who show crass indifference to the plight of the governed in Nigeria while over-supplying their own nests for their generations yet unborn. Icheoku says, whatever happens to this brave patriotic Nigerian, who braved the odds and consequences of roughing up Obasanjo, the statement has been made that all these leaders are marked men and women before many Nigerians; and that the only thing saving their asses, are the retinue of gun-ho security men and women protecting them from their nemesis - Nigerians. To this true patriotic Nigerian, Icheoku says, kudos to you for the vehement statement you made by your action, which unmistakeably registered Nigerians general disgust to the demon that is Olusegun Obasanjo for his ruthless eight years governance which forced down their throats the content of some poisoned chalice.


Even if this patriot managed to land only one blow on Obasanjo, that blow is more than enough and it is a blow for and on behalf of the 150 million Nigerians who hate this monster of Otta with passion for what he did to them during his eight years of despotic power. It further shows that Olusegun Obsanjo as well as other leaders in Nigeria are prisoners in their own country and cannot freely move about for fear of their own people who they molested with their power while in power. Hear the accompanying statement made by this defender of Nigerians' honor while attacking Obasanjo and be the judge as to his true purport:- "God will punish you (Obasanjo) for all your crimes against Nigerians. ...................if you say I am crazy what would you say about Obasanjo. Am I the one that looted the funds of Nigeria, rigged elections and slept with his son's wife?"


As a Nigerian, ask yourself whether this guy was not holding your brief and fighting your fight, holding Obasanjo accountable and letting him know that his sins shall not go unpunished? It is sickening indeed for anyone in Nigeria to pretend that this attacker is mad and Icheoku takes it further to state that, if indeed the attacker is mad, he was made mad by the atrocious Olusegun Obasanjo government and Obasanjo's refusal to go away long after his governance was over, but choose to remain in the public eye, an eyesore of the biggest magnitude. Let there be an indictment of this guy and a trial and let the world watch Nigerians rally around a now hero of the people who stood up and spoke up on behalf of the people through his action.


The attack once again shows the vanity and fruitless of all these supposed security which these public officials imprison themselves with; as it could have been a totally different story were the man to be armed and more dangerous. But he was not a dangerous or insane person but a brave patriot who was only making a statement, expressing Nigerians disgust of Obasanjo; otherwise it could have been an Obasanjo's obituary that Nigerians will wake up reading and not merely that he was roughed-up. But like all the usual passing of the buck in Nigeria, instead for the security to admit that they bungled an assignment to protect the deity of Otta, they are now suggesting shamelessly that there could be a conspiracy involved in the attack? Icheoku queries if there was a conspiracy, why didn't those conspirators take Obasanjo out; or better still, could it be IBB and the boys who were behind this near hostage-situation in their attempt to force Obasanjo out of the 2007 political campaigns and by extension, deflate the President Goodluck Jonathan's main campaign support; just theorising!


But for all Icheoku could fathom, this guy is no lunatic; but was at the airport specifically for this opportunity to send a strong message to Obasanjo and the entire political class that Nigerians are not happy with them. But how he knew the exact time of Obasanjo's arrival, the very car that was conveying him and the general coordinates of his trip such as where and when to strike exactly shows no one is safe indeed. The precision and speed with which the attacker gained access to Obasanjo is disturbingly very mind-boggling, considering such a high value target like Obasanjo's security needs and needed measures. Finally why the doors of the very car Obasanjo was travelling in were not locked is also something that might interest the investigating security operatives into this would-have been biggest embarrassment to the Nigerian government that a former president was kidnapped or possibly killed by one person acting alone and in a Lagos airport Nigeria? Nigeria is a country in serious security crisis and with no foreseeable hope of remedying it in the immediate horizon. Cry for thy country, oh Nigerians!

EMMANUEL OBIECHINA (PROFESSOR), IS DEAD!

Icheoku remembers him as a once deputy vice chancellor of University of Nigeria and the professor of English who penned the book 'Mammon Worship in Nigeria'; where he vilified the worship of money over things more edifying such as accomplishments.


Professor Emmanuel N Obiechina died in Silver Spring Maryland USA on November 8, 2010; he was 77 years old. The academic world shall sorely miss this scholar who got his PhD in English Language since 1967; and have registered his presence in the field of education as well as the publication of educational materials. Icheoku says, may his academic soul rest in peace!

SAMSON SIASIA, AN INDIGENOUS COACH SOLUTION TO NIGERIAN AILING FOOTBALL.

Icheoku had long advocated for indigenous solutions to many of Nigeria's intractable problems including football(soccer). Long before the disgraced Swedish third-rate coach Lagerfield was hired to lead the Nigerian Eagles to FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa, Icheoku had always maintained that only a Nigerian coach would have the zeal and patriotism needed to take Nigeria football to the next level.


Clemens Westerhof sabotaged Nigeria in World Cup 1998 in the United States when his inexplicable substitution of Daniel Amokachie and Emmanuel Amuneke made its possible for Italy to defeat Nigeria. Bonfere Joe was no better and so were all those other mercenary pale-skinned coaches who came to Nigeria to earn their living wages not deserving of their pay checks. Football is all about politics and as always, no one can be more catholic than the pope himself and no one can sing your praise more than yourself. So our position then, now and tomorrow remains the same - that only a Nigerian coach can resolve the footballing logjam currently afflicting Nigerian football. It is on this premise therefore that Icheoku applauds and rejoices with the rest of other sports, especially football, loving Nigerians on the hiring of an indigenous coach to mentor the Eagles of Nigeria. Samson Siasia has been chosen as the new head coach of the Nigerian Eagles and Icheoku has no beef with the choice; and without going into the merits or demerits of his selection, all that is needed now is the support of every Nigeria to enable him succeed. It is not going to be easy or a smooth voyage without the tempest; but hey, sea going vessels are not made for the safe harbor so all hands must be on deck to navigate this baby to safety and see Nigeria Eagles winning soccer laurels once again. 


For Coach Samson Siasia to succeed in his new assignment, certain conditions must be made right including allowing him the freedom to do his job. A necessary concomitant to this is the free hand to operate:- to choose and select his team without the undue pressure of quota system by NFF officials, trying to field their favored players especially in international tournaments just for the mouth-watering dollar allowances. Siasia's weapon of choice for their resistance should be the media and he should never be timid about this but must scream on top of his lungs each time they foray and let Nigerians know that his arms are being twisted and by naming the very official involved. Failure to so alert Nigerians of such undue pressure will come back to haunt him should he fail on his national assignment, as the same officials will be the ones leading the charge against him to sack him as a failed coach. This vocalized protest is imperative and Siasia must use it as a weapon of mass destruction against all those roadblocks militating against Nigeria's Eagles' attaining soccer pinnacle in world.


Further, Siasia must not be shy at using the proverbial jackhammer on any unruly or disrespectful player who might be tempted to look down on him or otherwise question his authority; a thing which they would not ever contemplate were the coach of a light pale skin - the never going-away colonial tinged mentality. Stephen Keshi had a similar experience when coaching Togolese national team when their Adebayor (Manchester City) would not obey his instruction and was pivotal to his being sacked eventually. Siasia must be allowed to weld the big stick on any player no matter how highly rated or deep pocketed; and none of them should ever be allowed to demean his new office or undermine his authority. Siasia's power of discipline must be explicitly inked in the contract and must not be amenable or subjected to any overriding superior authority in the NFF or any other whatsoever. The buck of mentoring the Eagles should squarely lie on his shoulders, period.


Also the contract between Siasia and NFF must be firm and the fixed term of four years should be made subject to renewal at the expiration of the stated term based on performance. By this proviso, notwithstanding the lack of performance or under-performance of his within the contract period, he must not be fired or have his salary or allowance withheld; but must be given time sufficient enough to turn things around. Icheoku is talking about a real contract with all the 'ts' and 'is' properly crossed and dotted and such contract as would be easily enforceable should the Nigeria usual factor creep in somewhere down the road. In the event the NFF become adamant on letting him go before the expiration of his term, they should be made to pay a hefty penalty and vice versa Siasia, who should be made to respect the full term of the contract putting his best effort forward.


The Nigeria Football Federation must be prepared to rest its fate fully on the indigenous coach and be ready to swim or sink with it; and should never mete out to Siasia the Amodu treatment whereby a coach who qualified the Eagles against all odds for South Africa 2010 was later sidelined for an incompetent pale-skinned coach Lagerfield who later proved a monumental disaster at South Africa 2010. Coach Siasia must be made comfortable just like those white coaches who have lead Nigeria's Eagle in the past both in remuneration and perks of office; including things and officials to work with. To this effect, there should be a functioning department at NFF purely catering for the needs of the Eagles and their coach to ensure that the usually attendant bureaucracies are cut away and that the new coach gets what he needs to do his job and succeed; and when he needs it. Siasia should also be exposed to international coaching seminars and workshops world-over in order to learn more tactics as well as fine-tune his own coaching skills - simply put, the NFF should invest heavily in this experiment of an indigenous coach and see it turn a profit for Nigeria football. Even attending some European, Asian and South America Football Associations league matches and competitions especially the finals will not hurt his continuing education in football coaching.


Now a little digress on Stephen Keshi, admitted there cannot be two captains of a ship at the same time, but based on his prior records of performances as well as international coaching assignments in Togo and Mali, and having personally captained the Nigeria Eagles side in the past, Icheoku believes that making him assistant coach to Siasia will not be a bad idea. The NFF should offer Stephen Keshi the assistant coach position since they admitted that he interviewed greatly for the head coach job except that Siasia is who the masses in Nigeria wanted and preferred. So in some sarcastic speaking terms, Keshi was the runner-up of Siasia and should automatically get the number two position, except where he rejects it. Icheoku says populism is never a good anchor for any important decision making, but what will be in the best interest of the subject matter under advisement and in this case, football in Nigeria. Hiring a national coach for the Eagles should not have been decided on what is popular because sometimes the masses are plebianistic in their approach and like mobs, usually follows the flow. Resume and past records of performance and the commanding personality of the person would have been the most important deciding factors in choosing a new coach for the Eagles. But hey, a decision has been made, Siasia has been hired and Nigerians has to support the choice of their new indigenous coach and root for him to succeed.


Finally Coach Siasia should not rely solely on foreign based players to do the job required to be done with Nigeria winning footballing competitions but must also raise a home side that could effectively compete and vie for positions with their foreign based counterparts. The new Eagles waiting a rebirth should be a mixed bag, a potpourri of home-based and Diaspora players, each working to earn a place in the national side each time there is a tournament. If otherwise, then the argument favoring his hire will be defeated, since Nigeria might as well have settled for a foreign coach who could also assemble foreign players each time there is a competition. But Samson Siasia's job includes developing Nigeria football and working with the other coaches of the home FA to give Nigeria football industry a bang for their bucks. Why would sports bars in Nigeria be tuning to Barclays Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga or Conmebol  each weekend to watch other federations clubs when they can be doing that with the Nigeria league? Icheoku therefore says, the new indigenous coach must raise and rely heavily on the indigenous home-based players and help grow the industry. No position should ever be reserved for anyone player no matter how highly rated he is but each should be made to compete to earn their jersey and let the best always play. It will not be easy but it is doable; it will be rough but it could be smoothen; it will be tough but the strong will always find a way through or around it; and where there is a will there is always a way. On this note, Icheoku with the rest of soccer-loving Nigerians wish the new Eagles head-coach, Samson Siasia,  God's speed as he proceeds to restore hope to a hopeless Nigeria Eagles side that has for every intent and purpose been written off. Congratulations Siasia, all the best! 

NIGERIANS SUE TO BAN THE SALE AND USE OF CONDOMS!

 

Some HIV positive Nigerians have taken the government of Nigeria, its ministry of health and some NGOS involved in safe-sex condom use campaign to the high court because their use of condoms did not prevent them from being infected by HIV, the AIDS causing virus. In their prayer before the court, the plaintiffs which include one medical doctor are asking the court to issue injunction against the government and its agencies from parading and promoting condom as a safety net for HIV and to prohibit the further sale of condom or its encouragement or use since it does not prevent infection as claimed. Their grudge is that they were infected with HIV notwithstanding their meticulous use of the latex. Icheoku says whereas these plaintiffs forgot that HIV could be got through other means such as blood transfusion, it will be a hard ruling for the court to make in view of the world-wide position relating to condom and safe-sex. Moreover these plaintiffs did not adduce evidence to the effect that their condoms did not rupture or was not improperly positioned to render them ineffective. They did not also plead greater enjoyment of sexual intercourse by body-contact as a ground for their prayer. Anyway, Icheoku and the rest of the world will be watching closely to see how the court eventually decides on this peculiar Nigeria's condom litigation. It is instructive to note that the plaintiffs in this case did not indicate or say if they plan to call the Pope and former South African President Thabo Mbeki as plaintiffs' witnesses?

JOHANNES MEHSERLE, A WHITE RACIST KILLER-COP WALKS FREE?

 

Still wondering why black American males are perceived by their white counterparts as always angry; this sentence of white killer cop Johannes Mehserle is a very good reason. White policeman Johannes Mehserle (left) shot and killed a restrained and unarmed black Oscar Grant (right) without any justification whatsoever. First the trial was moved away from black people rich Oakland where the killing took place; second the white jury of Mehserle's peers found him only guilty of involuntary manslaughter and now another judge of his kind lets him walk? His sentence for killing a blackman, a mere 2 years with credit for time served and Mehserle had already spent about 292 days awaiting trial. Icheoku asks, is this justice or the type of justice that will make everybody feel equally protected in America; yet each time these white folks pretend not to know why the average black guy in America seem to be angry all the time. Injustice for one Oscar grant is injustice for every Oscar Grants in America. Were the scenario to be different and a black man killed a white policeman, it will be a death sentence without any options; but hey, this is America!

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, A BASTARD SON OF AN IGBO POLICE OFFICER?

Is he really who he said he is or has he been falsely parading himself as a Yoruba man and passing-off a Yoruba identity wrongfully, knowing fully well that he is not a bona-fide son of Oduduwa? Is he of a true birth or a lowly birth from an unwed lecherous mother dalliance with a drunken Igbo police officer which produced a son, who later became the real deity of Otta? Icheoku asks, is Nigeria's foremost derisive former head of government, Olusegun Okikilemo Matthew Aremu Obasanjo, truly a Yoruba man with an unbroken Yoruba pedigree, rooted and traceable to a full Yoruba ancestral lineage? This question has become imperative in view of the latest picture fiasco of a once lived Igbo police officer later turned Igwe of Onitsha, who to every intent and purpose could be said to have provided the specimen from which Olusegun Obasanjo was cloned, judging the close resemblance or carbon-copy image similarities of both men.

Or would this picture-semblance story, like all other controversies surrounding Obasanjo, end up in suspended haziness and never see the daylight of a forensic investigative conclusion or an admission of guilt by Olusegun Obasanjo himself? The unfolding and intriguing paternity story of Olusegun Obasanjo is something rooted in a prevalent continuing suspicions, rumors and innuendos; but not an ordinary fantastical fascination on the beginning of life of a man whose actions so negatively impacted Nigeria and Nigerians, that he is regarded by many as a leper in the country. It is also fueled by the lack of any meaningful and traceable lineage of his in Owu, Abeokuta, Otta and even in greater Ogun State in general, which situation is made worse by the non availability of his history that is replete with known kinsmen, kindred, brothers and sisters as well as other relatives. So if Olusegun Obasanjo is truly a Yoruba man, who and where then are his Oduduwa biological brothers and sisters; or did they all perish in a phantom influenza of no known date or records? How could this man with his epicurean accomplishment not have a retinue of men and women falling over each other professing to their connectivity by lineage? Is this two time head of government in Nigeria really a Yoruba man or did he use that subterfuge smartly to get what he wanted out of a fractious Nigerian society that rewards mediocrity and cronyism?

But if he is not a real Yoruba man and is truly of an Igbo heritage, why does he hate Igbo people with so much venom; and viciously fought the genocidal Yakubu Gowon's Biafran war against the people of Igboland? Why would a son, albeit a bastard son of Igboland so much desire to annihilate the group that gave him life during the war, except he wanted to exact his own pound of flesh for being of such a lowly birth and for his Igbo daddy not taking full responsibility for his birth and upkeep? But were the Igbo daddy to have acknowledged his birth and owned up to his paternity, may be there would never have been a worldly known Olusegun Obasanjo, a two time head of state of Nigeria. So in a way, Olusegun Obasanjo should be grateful for destiny which played its course in this way as planned and happier for his mother's waywardness in giving birth to him outside wedlock in Yoruba-land. Otherwise were she to have married this lucky-go Igbo police officer later turned Igwe of Onitsha and become an Okoro man, how could he have become what he is today? How could he have become head of state after Muritala Mohammed was assassinated or be allowed to fill out MKO Abiola's Yoruba aborted presidency. So in a peculiar ironic way, this SOB is one lucky bastard indeed that his lowly birth gave him prominence.

So story has it that a former Abeokuta then Western Region of Nigeria based police man later turned Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Okwudili Onyejekwe, allegedly dated Obasanjo's mother back in 1930s. He wanted to marry the pregnant woman but tradition forebode a prince and a future Igwe from marrying outside his own stock and Onyejekwe had to abandon his girlfriend, mother of Olusegun and the resulting child Olusegun in preference to the stool of his forebears in Onitsha Eastern Region. The then police officer however maintained some relationship with his baby-mama till he left for Onitsha to assume his royal duties but never officially or otherwise acknowledged paternity of little Olusegun until he died in 1970, further mystifying the birth of Olusegun Obasanjo. It was also reported that the late police man turned Igwe of Onitsha “issued a recommendation that facilitated Obasanjo’s enlistment into the Nigerian Army in 1958; but Icheoku is not in a position to either affirm or deny this. Olusegun Obasanjo should be man enough to man up and own up to his not so flattery lowly birth, admitted the police officer later turned out to become an Igwe, a Royal Highness. Icheoku asks further, why would a Ghanaian be the preferred biographer for Olusegun Obasanjo in his "Baba's story - Nigeria is 50?" Was Olusegun Obasanjo hiding something and needed some peanuts writer who would settle for anything and any recitals he is told by Olusegun Obasanjo and went for a foreign writer? Who collaborated his accounts and which records and in what library were the information sourced from. One conclusion is possible, Olusegun Obasanjo is up to no good and was proactively hiding something or suppressing some facts by hiring a foreigner, Ghanaian Abyna-Ansaa Adjei to write his biography with abundance of writers in Nigeria.

According to snippets of available information, the late police man later turned Igwe of Onitsha was a tough, stubborn, non-conformist, recalcitrant, mean, sadistic, wicked, cruel, domineering and quarrelsome person, notorious for his rabid mood swings and strength of character. Icheoku says the same character traits are bountifully present in Olusegun Obasanjo which goes to vouchsafe that he must have been sired by this policeman as alleged. Further, a close study of their features show that both loves and kept moustache; both has penetrating squinted eyes; both has stout short necks and flared-up ears; both has wide lips; both has broad African nose and both has prominent foreheads. It would also appear that both men cannot resist daughters of Eve very much as Olusegun Obasanjo was a product of illicit sexual liaisons Onyejekwe had with his mother while Olusegun Obasanjo himself, is a notorious he-goat whose love for women knows no boundaries that he slept with his daughter in-law, Mojisola Gbenga Obasanjo. Icheoku says these semblances are rather too many to be ordinary and goes to the root of the paternity question under advisement here; otherwise how could two men be this closely resembled and sharing same characteristics and features, which is not usually even common among Siamese twins, except it is as a result of gnome which was passed on directly from a father to a son.

Icheoku says it is not sufficient for Olusegun Obasanjo to just claim that he "was born in a village called Ibogun-Olaogun in what was then Abeokuta province"; but he should go further to tell the public by who, who his father was, whether he married his mother, his other brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties and other relatives. Obasanjo cleverly asserted where he was born but never mentioned by who or the marital status of his mother when he was given birth to. Icheoku challenges Obasanjo to name his parents and produce some photographic evidence of their existence, since 1930 is not such a medieval times that photographs never existed. Madam Olikoye Anikulapo Kuti was already very active politically around the same period and photographs of her exist, so Obasanjo must be prepared to back up his alleged parental existence with pictures of them or other collaborative records of convincing evidence.

Icheoku queries, if 'Obasanjo's father was the most successful farmer in their village at the time' as he claims, stories of his exploits should abound and be easily collaborated; except if he, Olusegun Obasanjo, in his childhood faintly recollections, mistook his grandfather, the father of his mother, as his own father. Many children born outside wedlock are usually inuandated with the mistaken-daddy syndrome and they mistake their grandfather or any man in the household where they were raised as their own biological daddy. Icheoku is aware of so many cases where such children grew up calling their mother's father dad and such may have been the case with our poor Olusegun Obasanjo, who is now trying too hard to straighten his crooked lowly birth. Further the story of Oduduwa and Oramiyan is taught in schools and even non Yorubas are familiar with this fable; so Obasanjo claiming that his daddy told him about Oduduwa and that his daddy heard it from 'Baba Alarobo as passed on from Baba Elesin is not a completely exculpating evidence as to his having a father who is a Yoruba man. Icheoku needs more evidence as to Obasanjo Yorubaness, as it does not lie in the mouth for him to just say 'I am Yoruaba' and that automatically and by itself, without more, makes him Yoruba.

Until the final conclusive resolution of this matter, possibly with an open admission of Olusegun Obasanjo himself and personally as to his true paternity, Icheoku says questions will continue to be asked as to Olusegun Obasanjos's true ancestry. Obasanjo's asinine hatred and dislike of the Igbos of Nigeria can only go to one conclusion - his attempt at a pay back for feeling short-changed by an Igbo father who did not or failed or refused to acknowledge him as his legitimate son. But hey, when would this visiting of the father's iniquities on the entire Igbo tribe by Olusegun Obasanjo finally come to an end as he seems too doggedly determined to make the Igbos pay and continues to pay a price for the rejection he suffered from his biological Igbo father who abandoned him. But Obasanjo, if he were smart, should be thankful to his stars that a person of such a lowly birth rose up to become what he is today - the Nigerian version of the American dream, sort of? Or better still, could Olusegun Obasanjo agree to a DNA test since the sires of the Igwe Onyejekwe are still around and one of them is a pharmacist at Houston Texas United States of America or just answer the question, who is your daddy?

A DEMOCRATIC NO VICTORY AND VICTORY MID-TERM ELECTIONS?

Last Tuesday's Mid-term elections have come and gone, with it Democrats loss of control of the House of Representatives to Tea-Party Republicans. But amidst all the cacophony of an election lost and won, was the unsung victory of rational Americans who said 'NO' to absolute madness of the far right Tea Party anarchists. Americans wholly rejected extremism and irrationality as they said thanks but no to the candidacy of Nevada's Sharon Angle, Delaware's Christie O'Donnel, Colorado's Ken Buck and soon to be made official Alaska's Joe Miller. Unfortunately though, Rand Paul, the other extremist from Kentucky, managed to sneak through the dragnet into the Senate; but his lonely voice of madness will be drowned-out by 99 other voices of reason. Icheoku calls on progressives everywhere and other rational Americans who made this possible to celebrate their victory over extremism; and not to dwell too much on an election lost by Democrats since 2012 is almost around the corner to reclaim what was lost!

MID TERM ELECTION 2010, A VICTORY FOR RATIONALITY AND DEMOCRATS?

It was an election won and lost by both sides:- Democrats won for not loosing both houses as projected and Republicans lost for not winning both houses as expected.

The Democrats are happy for stopping the witch from Delaware, Christie O'Donnel, from getting to the Senate with her broom stick as well as the other crazed-out Tea Partier, Sharon Angle of Nevada, who was stopped cold from unseating the senate majority leader, Harry Reid. While Democrats mourn the lose of the House of Representatives and our amiable Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi, we should be popping champagne bottles for not losing our majority leader too and for also stopping the heinous Sharon Angle and Christie O'Donnel from bringing their extremist viewpoints to Washington.

Further Californians have said no to money-bags as they rejected billionaire Meg Whitman and her $150 million dollar campaign war-chest for the governorship and instead elected Jerry Brown, a tested and proven can-do former governor, former mayor and soon to be former attorney general as their governor in waiting. Happily enough the Democrats did not get shellacked as projected and for this we all should be grateful for the hard fight that was put up to stop the insurgent fanatical Tea Partiers, who wanted to take over Washington at all cost and by all means necessary including shooting their way into Washington to "take their country back to infamy?"

So with Christie O'Donnel and Sharon Angle now gone with the wind, Kentucky Rand Paul will not have the required support to push forward the Tea-Party crazed-out agenda to roll back the gains of the past years America. Until the next election, Icheoku says let the fight for the heart and soul of America continue but let the Democrats not be despaired by the outcome of this election as they came out better than expected and they should be very happy for the feat which they achieved under a very tough political climate. Icheoku says congratulations to the winners and urge the losers not to lose face but to be proud of who they are and what they were able to accomplish under the circumstance all things considered. To recap, democrats victory include re-electing their senate majority leader Harry Reid; stopping the Delaware witch Christie O'Donnel and also Nevada's Sharon Angle from coming to pollute Washington with their extremist ideological viewpoints. Stand tall Democrats for the night wasn't as bad as had been expected. Go for the future, go Democrats!

SHEDDING OF IGBO BLOOD BY IGBO PEOPLE, ALARMINGLY JUST TOO MANY!

Just within the last two weeks, Igbo people of Imo State, Nigeria, have witnessed four murders of their own sons and daughter by their own hoodlums/hired killers. At this pace and if not checked, soon and very soon, all the prominent men and women of Igboland would be wiped out of existence by reason of these wanton and reckless murders.

Icheoku asks when would this needless shedding of innocent blood abate or has the insecurity in motherland degenerated so much that ordinary disputations are now settled by the killing of one of the parties instead of the age-long kindred-based conflict resolution? What happened to a civilized way of settling disputes and would the authorities wait until a race is completely wiped out before seriously addressing this anomaly.

The latest victim of this wanton killing is a retired Assistant Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Dr. Adol Nwachukwu, who was gunned down in his vehicle while returning from a social visit to his ancestral home in Ehime, Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State. The bandits stopped his vehicle, walked up to him and casually shot him on the neck at close range before walking off leisurely into the night. As always, police blamed it on hoodlums and promised they are working on the case. Regrettably though, Icheoku is convinced that like all past political killings, that the investigation of the murder of Dr. Nwachukwu will soon assume room temperature and before too long, whatever investigative file or report that was opened in this case will start gathering dust in some storage unit of the police investigative department, abandoned.

Before this last killing and within the same two weeks period under advisement, some gunmen shot and killed a security guard, Mr. Ebo, a protest killing because his boss who is their main target eluded them. According to the narrative, the hired killers had come to kill the security guard's boss, Marcus Ebiziem, but he managed to escape their trap and feeling disgusted, they pumped several rounds of bullets into the guard killing him on the spot. Icheoku asks what is going on and when would the authorities arrest the spiraling out of control situation of insecurity in south east Nigeria Igboland. But does anyone really know the solution to this craziness or should the military come back to power as it is gradually looking as if the political class have failed the country.

The preceding week, a House of Representatives aspirant from Ideato North, the same Imo State Nigeria, Nze Sunny Ogbu, was brutally murdered near his hometown. According to the narrative, he had finished a campaign rally and was returning home when a somewhat supporters group stopped him to felicitate with him. But unbeknownst to him, they were a group of green snakes in green grass - hired killers waiting for an opportunity to earn their pay. Upon his alighting from his vehicle to acknowledge their greetings, some people from the crowd walked up and emptied a magazine into his bowel. The aspirant collapsed and died instantly with the gathered crowd scampering in all direction. To date, the police said they are working the case and Icheoku wonders when would the Nigerian police ever solve a homicidal case; yet the former Inspector General of Police Ogbonna Onovo was sacked allegedly because police under his command and control has failed to solve the insecurity in the country and you wonder if his replacement Ringim has done anything better to improve the situation and earn his new pay raise?

Following closely to this heinous murder is another callous murder of a female business executive and entrepreneur super-mart owner, Mrs. Amaka Onyeagwu who was killed in cold blood by some hired hoodlums. The story has it that the hired hands trailed the late Onyeagwu and shot her pointblank near her home in Owerri the same Imo State in a manner replete of a pay for a kill hired contract killing since nothing was removed from her. Icheoku is fed up with what is going on in Igboland and vehemently decries same as stupidity of those people hiring these bandits to do these killings. Whereas other nationalities are positioning themselves to assume leadership positions in the country, the ever restless Igbo people are busy killing one another in a blind pursuit of nothingness.

Icheoku condemns this madness of a people against their fellow people and wonder where the spirit of 'Onye-Igbo" or 'Nwa-afor" went to? Enough of this spillage of blood in Igboland of her people by her people on trivialities such as elective political offices or some other disputations. It is as shameful as it is abominable that brothers and sisters are killing one another in this manner; it is about time it stopped and Icheoku calls on the authorities in Nigeria both at Owerri and Abuja to put a stop at this madness now or forever be condemned as the people that let this madness spiral out of control. It is shameful indeed that the Igbos known for their love for one another are now killing one another in this barbaric manner. Enough is enough Igbo people of Imo State of Nigeria; Icheoku begs of you to stop killing one another!