BOSTON GLOBE PUTS A HIT ON BULGER'S INFORMER?

Icheoku says by outing the informer that led FBI to fugitive former Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger (left), the Boston Globe has unwittingly pawned up Anna Bjornsdottir (right), the former Miss Iceland, to the mafia and pretty soon, she might be sleeping with the fishes? 

Icheoku does not know what the Boston Globe wanted to achieve by divulging the identity of such a high-risk informer; but whatever be the case, they succeeded in pointing Mafia hit-men directly to Reykjavik. Icheoku is afraid that her $2million reward money might not be enough to provide and ensure her a round the clock security and protection from the made-men, wise guys? What a betrayal of confidential information by those with knowledge as well as Boston Globe that calls for DOJ's investigation; or is the Globe owned by the Mafia boss, just asking?

SHAREEF ALLMAN, HIS CRY FOR HELP WENT UNANSWERED.

Icheoku says in as much as we do not ascribe to the taking of life of another under any circumstance including the present taking of lives of two workers, we make bold to say that Shareef was pushed before he jumped. Hear him "There's some racist people at my job. They're messing with me," as he complained to a friend of the treatment he was receiving at his job wherein he is the only black employee truck driver. 

As is usually the case, he is now being described as a "disgruntled employee;" and thankfully they have not used the term "an angry blackman" just yet in addition? Such accusations are easy to make and so is the placing of such singling-out labels quick to stick; but no one has ever asked or tried to find out why "that blackman is angry;" or who, similarly situated in his position would not be if always ignored and treated with disdain as not being good enough? 

Most always, once you take the life of another in America and a manhunt ensues, the law enforcement agencies would not spare your life as they would shoot to kill upon sighting you. In this case they claimed that the dead suspect was "crouched behind a vehicle in the driveway of a home and displayed in a threatening manner his firearm?" Icheoku says we have heard such police narrative before, so it was not a surprise ending since 47year old African American male, Shareef Allman, became 'a dead man on the run' when he pulled his gun and killed those his co-workers. It was only a matter of time before he was tracked and dispatched to the world beyond with no questions asked. 

His former employer, Lehigh Southwest Cement Permanente Plant in Cupertino,  California according to him, is a racist establishment which employs him as the only African America truck driver in the company and he faced constant racism and repeated epithets until he snapped and became an enraged animal killing three fellow workers and wounding several others? Before that incident Shareef Allman had severally complained about the disparate treatment he is receiving at his work-place including punishment for offenses that are disproportionately applied just because of the color  of his skin? Icheoku says any average Joe African-American male working or who have ever worked in the US somehow could relate to the experience shared by Shareef Allman of what transpired at Lehigh Southwest Cement Plant? That it lead him to the deep-end is quite unfortunate as he could have simply just walked away. Such unconducive work environment becomes more painful because most times the management is aware of what is going on but either chooses to ignore it and do nothing; or ask such victim-employ to put up or shut up and in some cases to leave the kitchen if he cannot stand the heat? 

Icheoku says breaking the law or taking the life of another is not the answer nor would it ever stop such racist environments in American workplaces. The solution is for the management to intervene as early as possible and call parties to order and in some cases fire such racists co-workers before it creates such blood-letting environment. Shareef Allman's act was cowardly as he had other options including quitting his job and/or  filing complaint with the appropriate authorities and agencies. What a pity that this latest killing at a work-place will not be the end of an employee with axe to grind snapping and doing something stupid at a work-place or some racist co-workers continuously taunting  minorities in their work-places to such extent that they would lose it - their mind that is. His death in the hands of the hunters sent out to stop his madness and help end his misery has at least brought to an end to the tension in surrounding cities and neighborhoods that one pissed-off but certainly "not disgruntled" employee was out there with a gun, seeking vengeance.

MITT ROMNEY IS IN A CULT AND THEREFORE UNELECTABLE - PASTOR JEFFRESS.

 Dr Robert Jeffress, the senior pastor of Dallas-based mega-church, the 10,000-member strong First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, has declared presidential wanna-be Mitt Romney of Massachusetts a satanic cultist and therefore cannot be elected president of a Christian America? According to the pastor, Mormons are not Christians hence Mitt Romney whose faith is Mormonism is not a christian but a member of a cult - demonic cult, one may add? In his statement, the pastor said "Do we want someone who is a conservative out of convenience, or one who is a conservative out of conviction? Do we want a candidate who is a good, moral person, or one who is a born-again follower of Jesus Christ? We understand Mormonism is not Christianity and thus the difference between somebody who's moral and good like Mitt Romney and a true born-again follower of Christ, like Rick Perry. I really think the decision for conservative evangelical Christians right now is going to be, do we prefer somebody who is truly a believer in Jesus Christ, or somebody who is a good moral person but he's a part of a cult. It's not politically correct to say, but it's true. Mormonism is a cult. And for those reasons, besides Governor Romney's lack of consistency on social issues, I think Rick Perry is the most electable choice among Christian conservatives." 

Icheoku says wonderful as a house divided among itself is destined to collapse; and now that Republicans are devouring themselves, the Democrats and President Obama should stay on the sidelines and watch the Republicans implode for good. So with all the Mormon votes now lost by Rick Perry, let us see how only the fundamentalist Christians are going to pull the rabbit out of the hat and put him in the White House in 2012. A very divisive people giving Christianity and Jesus Christ a bad name; how dare they brand another man's faith and convictions cultism; but hey it is the South and they hold weird views on so many things. These are the people who see abortion of fetus as murder yet they joyfully execute adults in their prisons all the time and Icheoku wonders whether to this people, blood clot is now more of a human life than a fully grown adult? Anyway, it is gratifying to know that MItt Romney is a cultist and America does not elect cultists as president? So President Barack Hussein Obama's second term, here we come!

GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION BID, STILL NO FRONT RUNNER?

Bachman won in Iowa; Cain won in Florida; Romney won in Michigan and now Ron Paul wins Value Voters vote in their party's ongoing spread-out make-believe straw polls, prelude to the nomination of the Republican presidential candidate. Icheoku says what this trend shows is that none of the candidates has what it takes - a strong conservative appeal and pull, to take on President Barack Obama in 2012. Good news!

APPLE FOUNDER STEVE JOBS, SUCCUMBS!

Icheoku says the man who put some powerful tools of modern technology in the hands of millions world-wide has finally succumbed to his debilitating, terminal illness; which saw a fully grown adult man depreciate in weight to less than seventy pounds.

He was 56 years old and if to live is to live your footprint in the sand of time, then Apple's departed alter-ego, Steve Jobs, left one heck of a giant's footprint and by doing so, has forever transformed himself into legend. He lived. He underwent surgery for killer pancreatic cancer in 2004, he received a liver transplant in 2009 and survived for seven years against his doctors' odds. 

Steve Jobs helped develop so many products which has become both iconic and status symbols; and heavens owe it to him to welcome him with trumpets for putting smiles on so many faces and making humanity connect with one another more conveniently. He put unquantifiable catalogue of music, libraries and the Internet in hand-held devices and/or in our pockets, among his numerous accomplishments. According to one obituary, "Rarely has a major company and industry been so dominated by a single individual, and so successful. His influence went far beyond the iconic personal computers that were Apple’s principal product for its first 20 years. In the last decade, Apple has redefined the music business through the iPod, the cellphone business through the iPhone and the entertainment and media world through the iPad. Again and again, Mr. Jobs gambled that he knew what the customer would want, and again and again he was right." Icheoku says thankfully for men of letters, no better eulogy so succinctly spoke of the genius for whom the world mourns. Steve Jobs was indeed very effectual and his life very effective. 

Admitted his exit will initially shake Apple group but Icheoku strongly believes that just like Ford, Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and other great inventors and innovators of the past, whose inventions and products became better with time following their exits, Apple would only become better; as capable hands and visionary egg-heads abound therein to take it to the next level. Even Christianity became stronger with the passing of Jesus Christ as the Apostles, now bereft of their mother-hen, became more brave to do whatever it took both to survive and thrive following the visit of the Holy spirit during Pentecost according to the Bible. The Apple group and its products will not be an exception as Steve was to a large extent just the alter-ego and necessarily the only tinkerer therein; so they will be fine in his absence and will continue to innovate and churn out products that are both eye poppers and head-turners. 

His was the story of another college dropout like Bill Gates, who succeeded in life. Steve was a Buddhist and an adopted son of an American father and a Syrian mother. Although he died at quite an early age of 56 but like most trailblazers in history, he was old - Jesus died at 33, Martin Luther King died at 38, etc; but he entered immortality with his products and will now live forever. And as Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said and Icheoku agrees, Steve 'uniquely combined an artists touch and an engineers vision to build an extraordinary company' which made products that are both art and functional known as I-this, I-that; admitted no one really knows what those "I" stands for? Adieu Steve!

SARAH PALIN DREAMING, SAYS SHE WILL NOT RUN IN 2012?

Icheoku says so she really thought she could be America's president, leading the free world? What an ego-intoxicated daughter of Eve this pretty faced Alaskan wild life killer is, to think that she possesses the necessary gravitas and the mental wherewithal to be president of the United States of America? 

Anyway, being delusional is part of being alive and Icheoku gives prop to the all beauty and no brain Sarah for also thinking that the presidency of America is an all comers beauty pageant? But for Senator John McCain, no one would have been  ever bothered about one Sarah from the Alaskan wilderness junketing through the mainland and feeling the waters of a possible run for the White House. Good enough she has sampled the populace and the news is not good as no serious thinking and minded American would entertain the idea of such a dumbo becoming the commander in Chief of their armed forces. So she made the most natural face-saving political about-turn there is - announced that she will not seek the GOP nomination for President of the United States in 2012. Icheoku says she would have added "nor any other future time whatsoever!"

AMANDA KNOX, 'TOO GOOD AND TOO SPECIAL' TO REMAIN IN PRISON?

Icheoku strongly believes that Amanda Knox walked because she is a white American girl and therefore simply too good to remain in prison just because of an "ordinary" British girl that was murdered, at least with her complicity? If she did not physically drive the knife into the victim herself, at least she watched as whoever the heartless murderer was, butchered Meredith Kersher and she failed to intervene? At minimal there is a legal guilt by her omission to prevent the commission of the crime of murder or even as an accomplice to murder that aided and abetted the commission of the crime? 

But an Italy, eager to please America, used its appellate court in the same manner the mullahs in Tehran did with the three trespassing Americans, to free an imprisoned all-American white-girl, earlier convicted by a jury which heard the evidence of her culpability first hand. With the added media blitz that held Italian judiciary hostage for daring to hold an American white-girl responsible for her "crime", it became just politically incorrect to continue to retain Amanda Knox behind prison walls in Italy and she was set free? When OJ was found not guilty, they still wanted him convicted; but here was a person who was convicted of a crime but hell no, she does not belong in prison? Icheoku says who knows whether additional buttons were pressed or some phone-calls placed and received to facilitate the result recorded. 

Anyway whatever may have been the magical waters under the bridge that flushed convicted Amanda Knox out of Italian prison, one thing remains unchanged - her knowledge of what transpired that night the British girl was brutally raped and murdered as well as her conscience will keep her company for the rest of her life. Further if stories of ghosts are real or those Halloween ghostly stories of the haunted are true, then Amanda Knox have another thing coming as her present regained freedom might eventually turn into daylight nightmare with Meredith's ghosts shadowing her every move for the remained of her life or until she confesses or is pushed to jump off some bridge somewhere. The bible tells us that those who kill by the sword dies by the sword and there is no rest for a guilty soul until the dead is avenged. All these postulations presuppose that she is complicit in the murder; otherwise her freedom is deservedly earned and her ordeal calls for an apology and compensation from the Italian prosecutorial authorities.

Thankfully, CNN Headline News anchorete and presenter, Nancy Grace, has added her voice to the existence of probable cause for the prior conviction of Amanda Knox which has now been inexplicably over-turned. According to Nancy Grace, a great miscarriage of justice was done in freeing "murderer or murder-accomplice" Amanda Knox, who she said remained rightfully convicted for the crime of murdering Meredith; admitted she has now been freed by an Italian appellate court. In Nancy Grace's own words, she said, "I was very disturbed, because I think it is a huge miscarriage of justice, I believe that while Amanda Knox did not wield the knife herself, I think that she was there, with her boyfriend, and that he did the deed, and that she egged him on. That's what I think happened. I think that people in general, including myself, want to believe good about other people and the population wants to believe that Amanda Knox is innocent. They want to believe that and I don't blame them, I'd like to believe it too, I just happen to know the facts." 

Icheoku says however that Nancy Grace did not or failed to disclose the private facts which she knows to support her assertion that Amanda Knox was guilty as earlier charged and convicted or that her boyfriend actually wielded the instrument of murder? Except of course an inference could be drawn that 'Nancy Grace was a percipient witness to the murder of Meredith Kercher and is also telling the world that women are incapable of killing people?' Few weeks ago, a southern California woman chopped off her husband's phallus and technically killed him, so which Nancy Grace still says that women are too wimpish to drive a knife into a human body or is Amanda Knox not that type of woman and on which facts would such assertion be supported? Icheoku says for the heck of dragging out Nancy Grace's argument, any woman capable of keeping the company of a "murderer" might as well be capable of committing the murder herself - the Bonnie and Clyde twosome example?

As  a lawyer which she is, Nancy Grace would have swallowed the benefit of doubt pill that the appellate court's overturning of Amanda's initial finding of guilt was founded on the existence of some reasonable doubt of her actual complicity, and not because of any other ulterior or primordial considerations? Were these doubts to pervade our society, then it is finished for what we hold dearly in common to be a truism, that those black-robed men and women will always do right and just for the society being the reason why they exist. But hey, Nancy Grace, as always will have and hold her opinions and they are usually very pointed and sometimes fixated; and not necessarily what others might want to hear in a politically-correct environment where people tend not to tell you what they are really thinking for fear of stepping on your sensibilities.

For a refresher, Amanda Knox is the American white girl convicted alongside her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, in the 2007 killing of British housemate in Italy, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher; and now set free by an appellate court which overturned her sentence. Yet a black-man was just recently given the death-injection in Georgia despite a mountain of evidence of his lack of culpability and you wonder if pro-color justice is a universal thing as Icheoku wonders if Amanda Knox was of any other race, whether her fate would have been the same? Anyway, that is the reality of the world we live in and an Italy whose prime minister, Uncle Berlusconi, not too long ago, wished that President Barack Hussein Obama was rather tanned, since the notion of a black American United States president was very hard to swallow among some Caucasians? Strangely, Amanda Knox's springing from Italian prison is another example of Orwellian Animal Farm re-lived; but the family of the deceased should find solace that there exists also a prison called conscience, which although has no immediate physical confining walls but is more punitive?

KATHY SCRUGGS LOTTERY WINNER, IS SHE SAFE?

Icheoku is just paranoia about certain things and hopes that our fears are not founded with this black Georgian woman who just won the lottery. Already they are saying it was "mistakenly" won and you wonder how somebody who purchased two different tickets could have "mistakenly" win the lottery? 

Abraham Shakespeare of Florida, a blackman, once won $30 million in lottery prize only to turn up later dead and entombed in concrete behind his girlfriend's yard? Hopefully the latest lottery winner in Georgia will stay safe and utilize her winnings in the best possible productive way. Goodluck Kathy; and may your luck not bring you untoward sorrows but joy and happiness. May be it was a payback for the wrongly convicted and recently executed blackman in Georgia for a blackwoman to now win the lottery in Georgia?

PRESIDENTIAL MEETS, WHAT DO THEY REALLY TALK ABOUT?

Icheoku sometimes wonders what the heck in the world do presidents talk about behind closed doors whenever they meet; especially Nigerian presidents with American presidents, whenever they are privileged to be invited to the White House? Icheoku is deliberating this thought in view of those seemingly intractable problems facing Nigeria which to America and the rest of the advanced world is not really much of a biggie, having encountered and conquered similar problems during their years of progression to modernity. 

Put in another way, why can't Nigerian presidents via these presidential meets, tap from the wealth of experience of these advanced countries which have since figured out how to draw rings around such problems which still constitutes Nigeria's 800-pound gorilla in our midst? Icheou says if these countries, through their shared experiences of the past, have devised and mastered solutions to Nigeria's current seemingly daunting problems, why does our so leaders or presidents so called, not exploit such forums as their private meets with presidents of these advanced countries, to seek and harness solutions to Nigeria's still existing and recurring many problems? All they have to do is to put the American President or British Prime Minister on the spot during such meetings and extract firm promises on their countries helping Nigeria resolve its many problems. Such Nigerian president should follow up such meets with a press conference and announce to the world what their hosts' commitments to helping Nigeria are; and let such host president or prime minister recant it or fail to live up to the promise.

Icheoku is surprised that visiting Nigeria presidents do not determinedly broach such issues of helping Nigeria with their host presidents or prime ministers; and even beg them to please help Nigeria solve her many debilitating problems. There is no shame in begging and it takes a humble mind to admit to one's shortcomings/handicaps and then ask for assistance.  Any audacious and courageous patriotic president of Nigeria, who wants to do good by the Nigerian people, would always use such opportunity of a meet to seek assistance from these advanced countries to help Nigeria travel their own journey of developing their own country.  But unfortunately, it would seem that various Nigeria presidents do not exploit this diplomatic avenue beneficiary and fruitfully; and are merely content with the photo-op that follows it? 

Icheoku sometimes queries whether these Nigerian presidents are too coy, naive, shy or even too proud to "beg" for such favors; knowing the haughty genes running inside the average Nigerians' gnome. Sometimes too, Icheoku is forced to believe that these Nigerian Presidents are awe-struck and dumbfounded being in the presence of these White-men presidents and prime ministers of these advanced countries to even voice an opinion; talkless of making some demands or requests? They are simply put, held spellbound at the presence of their colonial masters and are wary of offending them by saying certain things that they may not ordinarily want to hear? Or could it be that these Nigerian presidents are simply too stupefied during such meets to make any meaningful demands of what it is their country wants in form of assistance from such advanced countries? Such presidential meets it would appear is a forum where Nigeria presidents are given handouts of what those  advanced countries want out of Nigeria; and how they would like certain things to be done by the Nigerian president as would be beneficial to their own countries, especially in the areas of oil and gas? Any close observation of Nigeria presidents emerging from such meets often depicts an image of a little misbehaving child who have just been scolded and reprimanded by her parents or superiors; and asked to go and sin no more? 

For instance, the biggest engineering country in the world - the United States of America, a friend of Nigeria, could easily have been cajoled by a deft and crafty Nigerian president into helping resolve the intractable engineering challenges of Lagos-Ibadan and Ore-Benin roads; or the second River Niger bridge which could be easily finished in a matter of weeks or at worst just under few months? What about the West-East road which the terrain is inhibiting its completion, or the South-North rail-lines or even the under-producing Kainji dam? Icheoku have witnessed civil engineers perform timely construction magic with roads and bridges the world over especially in the United States of America; with some principal  engineers in some construction companies pledging their lives should their work ever fail for want of quality. Icheoku hereby challenges Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan to beg the American President Obama for help with those impassable roads in Nigeria and see those roads put in good pleasurable use for the next twenty years without any major repair work or damage; talkless of a complete non-motorable failure, provided adequate maintenance culture is imbibed. Or better still, let Jonathan beg Obama to help give Nigeria the elusive power supply and have Nigerians "powered" uninterrupted for less and very few power stations. Nigeria's electricity power need is very minimal comparatively and could easily be supplied with uninterrupted power minimally. 

But every engineering project in Nigeria is left for Julius Berger which in the world of engineering, has not secured a berth in the lofty shores of proven engineering marvel or feat; yet in Nigeria, because of the manner of commandeering every business as a monopoly, it is all Julius Berger or nothing? Of all the engineering wonders of the modern world, Julius Berger cannot point to any with their "prized" logo on it, but in Nigeria they enjoy a near-total monopoly of major construction projects and you wonder why the roads and bridges in Nigeria are in despondent state? Icheoku is not saying that Julius Berger does not do a "good job," but that they should have some viable competition to fight for all those jobs that is usually theirs for asking or sometimes unsolicited. Nigeria government should liberalize that sector of the economy and allow some other engineering firms and companies to move into Nigeria for business. That way, Nigeria's engineering sector will be better with services rendered in order to attract future contracts and not as a monopoly who knows that the government has no other option. 

Sometimes Icheoku feels it is loosing its mind thinking about Nigeria's missed opportunities and those seeming impossibilities and problems of Nigeria which have readily available kindergarten-solutions; yet one sees all those pretenders to the crown of solution and problem-solving, pontificating endlessly without resolving those problems. If Icheoku were in a position, every minister or commissioner in charge of any department or ministry of government would have less than six months to prove that they can get the job done or be showed the way out. The money to do the job is there, so Icheoku does not understand their excuse, for year in year out, telling Nigerians they would soon have this and that but without ever delivering the promised result? Icheoku says if it means going to planet Mars to hire some aliens to do the job that needs to be done, so be it; but please just get the job done or their arse is history. But unfortunately, the Nigeria situation is so convoluted that it precludes really accountability and performance as tasked-offices are occupied by partisans who were simply rewarded for their contributions and support during the election, hence they see their respective assignments as goldmines to recoup and pay themselves first, before doing the job for which they were selected. 

Nigeria still have power problem in today's world when universities and colleges have their own independent private power stations and sometimes even sell power to cities and governments in the United States? Nigeria have security problems when institutions and colleges even have their own independent and private police forces and sometimes help cities and governments with their own policing needs as might from time to time arise and  which overstretches their own police force? Nigeria cannot maintain its three refineries when Koch Industries refineries are looking for where to sell their refined petroleum products and/or where to build new refineries. Nigeria Airways cannot maintain its few airplanes when United Parcel Service courier company has over four thousand continuously flying airplanes; and United and American Airlines have a combined total of airplanes in excess of eight thousand? Nigeria's national hospital is a glorified clinic when Kaiser group, a privately held hospital, employs over four thousand doctors with several state of art medical centers to die for and the list goes on and on. 

So with such recurring opportunities to smooch American presidents or British Prime Ministers or other world leaders, Icheoku asks why are Nigeria presidents not being more exploitative of such openings? Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar etc are all well developed, yet none of their citizens knows how to lift a tool since they do not work but are on permanent scholarship and gratuity; but their leaders have dutifully employed to good use their oil blessings, twisting arms and playing politics of oil to their country's benefit. Their engineering tasks are done by Western countries using abundant Asian labors, yet an ordinary road in Nigeria called Ore-Benin road has remained impassable and a death trap. Most recently it added a top flight Nigerian musician Dj Moph to its litany of victims and it is also important to remind our readers that eminent writer Professor Chinua Achebe became confined in a wheel chair as a result of a car accident on the same  stretch of roadway. But for Nigeria's oil, it is a free for all scramble, where the West "freely" take without giving back tangibles in return or should Icheoku say, the Nigerian minders could care less if dividends are ploughed back to the society. 

Icheoku asks what is the use of these meetings if nothing concrete is discussed and obtained therefrom towards helping Nigeria surmount its legion of problems? Icheoku wonders what President Goodluck Jonathan said to President Barack Obama during their last meets at the just concluded United Nations meeting in New York? Was he just like the dutiful servant, who listened with head bowed as Obama dictated to him what America would like to see become of his clay-footed administration in Nigeria? Or was President Goodluck brave enough to man it up to Obama and let America know that on his shoulders rests the fate of over 150 million blackmen and women of Africa who call Nigeria home and who expect the same good quality of life available in America. Did the president after Obama has finished asking about the menace of Boko Haram, plead with him for some assistance both in finance and manpower as well as technical know-how as he struggles with the hydra-headed blood-letting monster that Boko Haram Islamic terrorists has become? Did President "Goodlucky" Jonathan look President Barack Obama right in the eyes and say to him, 'Mr President on behalf of my people - the people of Nigeria, I want to report to you that Boko Haram has become an octopus which we do not have the necessary wherewithal to kill or cage and could you please rush needed aid to Nigeria as we struggle to put it under control?' Icheoku says Mr President should have added to whatever it was he discussed with Obama the following:- 'President Obama, please remember that US gets part of their oil from Nigeria and if Nigeria unravels, so would your access to cheap oil. So come to Nigeria's aid at this their hour of most need.'  What a day that will be when there will be a Nigerian president, standing tall in the comity of nations, who truly gets the back of Nigerians; and not one who is just pandering to those world leaders, whose commendations he values more than the "hold-his-feet-to-fire" criticism he gets at home.

FACE OF OGONI, FACE OF AGONY!

 Icheoku says something is inherently wrong in Nigeria and for Nigeria's leaders to allow or tolerate the degree of pillaging by oil companies in the Niger Delta, resulting in the despondency therein. A Kegbara Dere woman, Rivers State, Nigeria woman pictured, mirrors the agony of the people of Niger Delta South-South Nigeria, caused by oil. They are forced to live in subhuman condition with little or nothing to show for their God-given oil wealth, day in day out?

Look at her face of pain and suffering, with a stick for toothbrush and a skeletal body that is barely holding up. Yet the bellowing black smoke is gas being flared directly behind her hut and on her land making others rich while her condition  gets worse. One wonders what then is the benefit of having oil flowing in one's backyard if this image is all that is left of inhabitants of the Niger Delta area of Nigeria? If Icheoku were President Jonathan, a state of emergency or a Niger Delta 'Marshal Plan' would have since been declared to help these deprived peoples of Niger Delta wipe away their tears. 

Niger Delta's abject poverty in the midst of plenty and their plenty for that matter, since the oil is in their land, makes the case for a total rebirth of that part of Nigeria absolutely imperative. Icheoku says what is going on in the Niger Delta is simply unacceptable and it does not matter how many militants are on some government scholarship or skill-acquisition program - a total make-over of those communities and their people is required and now. Enough of this man's inhumanity to his fellow man - it is their oil wealth so give something back to them. It is only in Nigeria that someone else would be reaping the benefit of oil found in another's land. If elsewhere, such as Texas, USA, the Sheriff will come to town shooting with both hands from the hips. Icheoku urges you to just take one more look at this face of an Ogoniland Nigeria woman and behold a face of immense agony, reflecting a people whose only offense is being endowed with natural resources of fossil fuel which produces wealth they are not allowed to partake in? It is callous, it is depraved, it is inhuman and ought and should stop!

WARNING, POLISHING THE KNOB KILLS?

Icheoku says once again, medical research is out to panic the Monica Lewinskys of this world, as they have added oral copulation to those practices that will kill you? In addition to smoking and drinking, some crazed-out research fellows now says that 'cleaning the chalice and polishing the knob' will give you cancer of the mouth and throat aka Oropharynx cancer. 

Icheoku concludes that either these research people are agents of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine manufacturers and wants more commission from getting men also vaccinated or they are simply a bunch of sadists who are not happy seeing humans enjoy their life and are bent on frustrating any enjoyment whatsoever. No smoking, no drinking and now no polishing of the knob or cleaning of the vessel? Icheoku says it is better to die doing what you enjoy than to die miserable; afterall everybody gonna die, so what the heck of trying to live your life on someone else standards? To hell with these detractors and inhibitors!

ANWAR AL-AWLAKI KILLING, AL QUEIDA TAKES ANOTHER ONE ON THE JAW.

 Icheoku says the best rule of the thumb for anyone, anywhere in this world is not to mess with the Americans. They never forgive nor forget and will hunt you down no matter how long and how much it costs. Luckily the flying death-machine aka drone, never rests nor tires as it perpetually keeps all American enemies on their toes as any little mistake translates to their last breath on this earth. 

The latest harvest of this flying death-messenger is American-born, Yemeni-based, al-Qaida cleric turned terrorist, Anwar al-Awlaki, who was incinerated today alongside one other America wanted terrorist. They were spotted while making a quick dash through the desert in their vehicle to a meeting and were summarily dispatched to meet with their seventy virgins. Icheoku is impressed and says, may the good fight continue until all enemies of the United States are subdued. In case you forgot who this terrorist was, he trained and dispatched Nigerian diaper/underwear bomber, Abdulmuttalab, who wanted to bring down a Detroit bound airline last December 2009. Now one of the best military ssets of the United States will be fully honed on finding Egyptian born Al-Queida CEO Alman al Zawahiri for his own expedited dispatch to eternity. Congrats USA!

POLICIES OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES, OLD WINE IN OLD BOTTLES - DAVID AXELROD.

 Political operative and master tactician, the Democratic Party's answer to Republican's Karl Rove and the man whose political ingenuity put a blackman in "their" White House, David Axelrod, said that the field of Republican Party's presidential candidate wanna-be is greatly flawed. It is his position that all the candidates position on issues represent the tried and test but failed policies that put the straight-jacket on the US economy in the first place and would not change anything now. 

According to his analysis, although it is going to be a steep climb of a reelection for President Obama, but he shall emerge victorious admitted he may be a little scathed and that deregulation and tax cuts will not cut it. Analogizing further, Mr Axelrod said, "This isn't new wine and old bottles. This is old wine and old bottles." Icheoku agrees with this assessment completely, coming from a man whose mastery of the political terrain is enough to award him a double PhD therein. Now America, take your pick since those named presidential candidate wanna-bes are not offering anything new as a fix for the ailing economy.

DARK CLOUDS OF WAR, GATHERING OVER PAKISTAN?

Icheoku says it does not take a rock science of political analysis of international relations for any honed observer to know that a United States of America's military action or even invasion of Pakistan is a very imminent likelihood. If the government in Islamabad knows what they are doing, they should as a matter of great urgency start placating Washington DC immediately before they have a destroyed country left in their hands. 

Icheoku had previously called for the dropping of some bombs on Pakistan as a lesson on how not to sabotage our anti-terrorism efforts in that God-forsaken region of the world. Now the case is gradually but steadily being made to sensitize Americans and the world on why America boots should be marching into Pakistan and it is gathering some wind. Their lack of good fate with helping the cause in Afghanistan is an open secret; they proactively support the ongoing terrorism ravaging Afghanistan; they are home to so many wanted terrorists; they harbored Osama Bin Laden until he was dispatched to meet with his ten virgins deep inside the dark Arabian sea; they have supported or carried out known terrorist act against America's interests in Afghanistan and last but not the least, they have been fingered in the 2007 murder of an American military officer, Major Larry J. Bauguess! Icheoku says if this litany of Pakistani's atrocious, bellicose and belligerent behavior towards America and against America's interest in that region is not enough provocation as would warrant some military action against a hostile country, which Pakistan has become, then nothing else so qualifies. And with the 2012 election around the corner, may be kicking of some balls in Islamabad might be a good way for a shot in the arm of the White House; or is Icheoku reading these ominous signs wrongly?

"I SEE GOLIATHS EVERYWHERE" - PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

 Akin to the child prodigy Osmet in the movie "Sixth Sense" who "sees dead people everywhere," Nigerian President Goodluck Ebelesimi Jonathan now sees Goliaths everywhere in Nigeria. Icheoku wonders whether the president is collapsing mentally to all those occultic powers constantly bombarding him in the spiritual realm or he is suddenly realizing that being a president is a "real hard-work?" 

According to the president, "there are very, very terrible Goliaths everywhere. There are Goliaths that can easily kill their mothers and fathers and even some of their children. And to stop government, they are willing to to do it. These terrible Goliaths would want to frustrate us. But, surely, with God, we will conquer them. Every Goliath has an exposed forehead. All the Goliaths that are stumbling blocks to the development and growth of this country, God will expose their heads for the stone of David." 

Icheoku says there could only be two known Goliaths in Nigeria at worst - Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, two men who can really become a stumbling block for the president if they so choose. So Mr President instead of seeing imaginary Goliaths everywhere, start devising a game-plan to cage them or shoot them down with your David's stone. It is about time you start real governing and stop seeing shadows or hallucinating about non-existent Goliaths that are supposedly hounding your government and making it impossible for you to deliver on your campaign promises. 

Please name those Goliaths who are stopping you from doing the work for which you were elected so that Nigerians could put them to shame them or help you slay them. Better still, If you cannot stand the heat, just get out of the kitchen or did anyone ever tell you it was going to be an easy job being Nigeria's president. Take a cue from the former US President George Bush who publicly admitted that the presidency is a hard work. So is Icheoku hearing the same from you, President Jonathan since the rest of Nigerians are not seeing those larger-than-life Goliaths stopping you from doing your work? The really problem here is an ill-prepared president who appears clueless on how to really shake things up for Nigeria to trudge on, now making excuses for his shortcomings? Mister President, icheoku says to you, just put aside the fear of whatever apparition you may be seeing as it is all in your head and start governing - no bogey man is out there to get you!

NIGERIA IS ON GOD'S AUTO-PILOT, SAYS PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN?

Icheoku says little wonder Mr President is gradually metamorphosing into another President Go-Slow like his late boss and predecessor President Umaru Yar'Adua. The President believes that Nigeria is now a theocracy with God at the helm of affairs and so he must wait for God to decide when things get done in Nigeria? 

Wonders shall never end that an "elected" leader of a people should possess of such stagnant pious mindset, waiting for a "God" to come and do his job for him? Icheoku says and hereby call on the President Goodluck Ebelesimi Jonathan to quit the office if he does not have the fire in the belly to understand that heaven helps those who help themselves. Nigeria is a democracy and not a theocracy whose citizens are eager to reap their democracy-dividends here on earth and from his good governance. God did not run for Nigeria's president nor was God voted for president by Nigerian electorates, so it will be a misplacement of responsibility to expect God to now do the job for which President Jonathan ran and was elected president. What a hilarious comedian Nigerians have for a president and you wonder why nothing is moving forward since since he assumed office as Nigeria's president, waiting for God to provide the much needed leadership that has  eluded Nigeria for too long? 

Icheoku thought that the president's legion of ministers and advisers are more than enough to do the job for him; but now he also wants God to completely take over as president and commander in chief of Nigeria? Continuing his thoughtless guffaw, President Goodluck Jonathan added that 'although he neither possesses the command of a military general nor the mean-streak of a despotic ruler, but he will change the country?" To which Icheoku asks President Jonathan, how and when since you are not in charge but God; and also a wimp cannot bring about desired change? What a day that Nigerians are forced by the man they entrusted with their leadership to nostalgically wish the do or die area father was still running things and not someone waiting for God to descend and take over the mantle of leadership from his unprepared and incapable hands.  

PUTIN'S SECOND COMING, NOT GOOD FOR RUSSIA.

Icheoku does not care a hoot whether or not Vladimir Putin is the best thing to ever happen to Russia after the invention of vodka; but for the former president and current prime minister to stage a comeback to the Kremlin as president is not one such aah moment for any impartial observer. It is rather a political revolving door from which nothing progressive ever emerges as an old leader is recycled yet again and in Russia. 


Such recycling of leaders is a common happenstance in third world countries but not in a country that supposedly prides itself as a top tier country in the world. A Russia that wants to be taken seriously and accorded its rightful place among the comity of nations should not so micro-manage its leadership that a single man should dictate its policies for twenty odd years, the expected future two term of Putin considered in addition to the previous eight. Evolution is good for virtually everything including the running of any government, otherwise ideas and polices become stale and stagnated and so does the polity itself leading to dictatorship. Simply put in another way, what is developing in Russia with the reported second coming of Vladimir Putin is a dictatorship glorified, pure and simple. So Icheoku asks, where is NATO on this development or are they waiting first for a Tsarist Spring to ensue before they do something to discourage or dissuade Putin with his planned return to Kremlin?


Why Putin and what does he wants to prove this time around with his second coming to Kremlin, assuming he ever left. Is Putin trying to say to the rest of the world that no one else in Russia can preside over mother Russia absent his petite self and you ask yourself was there no Russia before he was born and would Russia screech to a halt when he takes his final bow out from this earth. Icheoku does not get it nor does it want to get it that a country of more than 140 million should be so hypnotized by just one man as to willingly permit his playing ping-pong with their presidency and in a democracy; except that former President Mikhail Gorbachev had warned previously that what obtains in Russia is not a democracy strictly called but a form of power ping-pong between Vladimir Putin and whoever he picks as a sparring partner. How can a country so big and potential so untapped be taken hostage by just one man as to do with it whatever he pleases and the days of the Tczars was supposed to be since over? Why are those governments which accused former President Mubarak of Egypt of metamorphosing into a Pharaoh not by the same token raise some curiosity of a Czar Putin in the making or is it a case of some animals being more equal than the others? It is stupendously complicated and incapable of any meaning or rational understanding. 


When the world thought that Russia was turning the corner with the election of a lawyer president and that it would be a progressive onward march hence, here comes marching  back to the center-stage of Kremlin policy making, a security operative, steeped in the old cold war mentality and you wonder for what purpose? The world had gone through a lot of transition since the last time Putin was president including reduced tension in most of the world's hot spots; China has also become a strong emerging power fiercely nudging the United States of America and is content to occupy the number two spot and would not play any second place to either Russia or incoming Putin. So what is gained by a Vladimir Putin heralded return and second coming into Russia presidency, which he never really vacated but bidded his time as his boy Medvedev completed his assigned mandate or should Icheoku say held the fort while the boss waited on the sidelines. All those projection of power argument is nonsense and so also are those bare-chest display of a macho man on a horse-back as the world has since moved on from the era of Putin and it is not ready to slow down now for Putin to play a catch up. 


But it is not just Icheoku, how would Putin himself even feel coming back this time to meet with an entirely different generation of world leaders who have happened on the stage since the last time Putin was there? How would he feel to be seen as a "grandfather world leader" since all those other world leaders he earlier played the scene with have all retired now and enjoying their retirement from the world stage; and here he comes marching back to start learning all over how to schmooze and play with these new generation world leaders. Icheoku says it is akin to a student who refuses or never graduates from college and goes through matriculation each time with freshmen, while his colleagues whom he initially enrolled with have all graduated and moved on to some other ventures in life.


Icheoku says to Russians, your understandable love for Putin notwithstanding, his reemergence in the Kremlin is retrogressive and not what a forward-looking Russia needs at this time. Icheoku have nothing personally against Putin and admires his records; but says that since his reemergence brings nothing new to the table and is rather a distraction from a pure democratic march forward, it could and should have been avoided. At best he could have remained the man behind the scene calling the shots as a prime minister or the acknowledged boss of Russian politics and security. 


In making his intention known, Putin said, "I want to say directly: Medvedev and I reached an agreement between ourselves long ago, several years ago, on what to do in the future, on who should do what. But both I and Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev believe that this is far from being the most important thing -- who will do what, who will sit in what place. What is far more important is something else: how we will all work, what results we achieve, and what the citizens of our country think of this." Icheoku says what an arrogant and arrant nonsense of a statement for Putin to make as if himself and Medvedev owns Russia or are the only competent and capable Russians in a country of more than 140 million people to decide for Russians who shall occupy what position in their governance. The last time Icheoku checked Russia does not have a "Plc" or "Llc" or "Inc" as a suffix after its name and you wonder how a country which is not a public company could be run as one and by a man who sees himself as both a director and shareholder of "Russia Plc" with unlimited powers to decide who becomes its president and/or prime minister? 


The two Russian wise-men are trading places, with each taking over from one another just like a swap-meet; and you wonder what kind of democracy Russia really practices. It is a democracy-disgrace that such an arbitrary trade of offices between this two men of little stature and especially the return of a recycled Putin could be tolerated in 2011 Russia; yet Russia is not a third world country? Icheoku says every Russian should be ashamed of what their republic has become - a little polity that could be easily hijacked by a Putin, whose ego is such that you would think he is ten feet taller than all Russians and that makes him the only thing mother Russia ever desires and deserves. A time like this surely calls for an Arab-styled Tczarist Spring in Russia to usher in a much needed and long overdue rebirth of the polity or did Bolshevik revolution not take place in the old Soviet Union including the present Russian for crying out loud.