The Nation Newspaper

Category: SOS

  • GODWIN OBAJE: I’m adapting to life in Tunisia

    Taofeek Babalola

     

    Former Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) highest goal scorer Godwin Obaje has revealed he is adjusting to life in Tunisia and expecting to make his name in the Tunisia Ligue Professionnelle.

    The former Wikki Tourists of Bauchi goal poacher, who joined the Tunisian side JS Kairouan as a free agent in September, in an interview with The Nation, said he’d been making use of an interpreter in order to communicate with the locals as a starting point for his assimilation of his new environment.

    “The language barrier is one aspect I am trying to adapt because it is very difficult to communicate if you can’t speak French or Arabic but there is one or two people that I can communicate with that will understand and interpret the language to me. But I am adapting to life in Tunisia little by little,” Obaje said.

    But the former FC IfeanyiUbah forward is very lucky to have a Nigerian in the team which is making things easy for him.

    “I am not that lonely here. At least there’s a Nigerian in the team that we can talk to each other on a regular basis. His name is David Udoh; younger brother to Kingsley Udoh who won Under 17 World Cup with Golden Eaglets in 2007. We relate with ourselves very well,” he said of his experience in the club.

    Aside the language barrier, the Nigerian striker is also battling with the weather condition and food in Tunisia. He is taking solace in spaghetti and rice which is the only food he can eat conveniently in Tunisia for now.

    “Yeah, at least there’s spaghetti and rice which is the only food I can eat without complaint. Yes, I am trying the local foods too. I am getting used to their food and I just have to adapt to it.

    “We are approaching winter now and it is a bit cold but I am coping with it.”

    The former FRSC and Mighty Jets attacker scored his first Tunisian league goal on his debut against CS Sfaxien in his team’s 2-3 home defeat.

    “I have played three games now and scored one goal in my debut game against CS Sfaxien. We lost 2-3 at home in the game. I came in the second half to equalise when we were losing 1-2 but we eventually lost the game.

    “Our position is not good on the log so we are working hard to bounce back from this weekend game. We are playing away against Monastir FC and, by God’s grace, I will try my best for the team to be on the scoresheet. But winning is more important to me as a team even if I didn’t score,” he said.

    Comparing the NPFL to Tunisian league, Obaje said: “The league is very competitive because if you don’t play well you can lose a game, it doesn’t matter whether it’s home or away game and it is very fair. No home advantage and it is a very open league for anyone to win.

    “Life in Tunisia is not difficult unlike in Nigeria. Especially, we don’t travel long journey (on the road for league matches) unlike in Nigeria. It is not stressful but the league is physical too like Nigeria.”

    Obaje had in the past saw his dream to Russian club Spartak Moscow hit the rocks after two weeks’ trials but he still nurses the ambition to play in Europe after his two-year contract with JS Kairouan.

    “I join them (JS Kairouan) as a free agent. When my contract remained one season with FC Ifeanyi Ubah, they gave me on loan for the one season to Plateau United. So after the season ended, I collected my paper from Ifeanyi Ubah as a free agent.

    “I am not praying to stay here for a long time because my target is to do his best by God grace and get a bigger offer.”

    Since he completed his move to Tunisia, Obaje has played against fellow Nigerians who are also plying their trade in the Tunisia league. One of such players is Kingsley Idowu, who played for Lobi Stars of Makurdi before he sought a greener pasture in the North Africa country. Idowu is a player of CS Fax of Tunisia.”

    The Kogi State-born star is also relishing another chance to face another former NPFL striker when his side faces Monastir FC who is expected to feature former Lobi Stars striker Anthony Okpotu in their squad.

    “Yeah, when we played against CS Fax, it is only Kingsley Idowu I saw. I think in our next game we are playing against Monastir, that is the club of (Anthony) Okpotu. It is very good and I feel happy at least I will meet another Nigerian player. It is not a new thing for us because we have faced each other in Nigeria several times. It is just like a reunion and we will be happy to see each other once more.”

    Obaje left his wife and son at home when he moved to JS Kairouan but he said he misses his family.

    “I am missing them no doubt about it but all the same it is all for good. But I do miss them. I do communicate with them on phone and mostly video calls and it is helping me to cope a bit.”

    The 22-year-old, however, advised the League Management Company (LMC) to improve on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). He enjoined the club sides in Nigeria to make the league more conducive for the players in terms of welfare and travelling by road on a long journey.

    “There is no doubt that the League Management Company (LMC) has been doing their best to make the league grow. But there’s room for improvement, they can do better. My advice to clubs in Nigeria is to make sure players are taken care of in all aspects; especially making the long journey on the road is very difficult for players to give out their best in the league. They should try to provide a more conducive way for players in terms of the journey so that they can rest well and give out their best because the league have very good players,” concluded.

    Obaje started his football career at the FRSC Abuja in 2014 before he played for the Nigeria National League (NNL) side Mighty Jets in 2014 from where he moved to Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in 2015 for his first season in the NPFL and won the league highest goal scorer in the second season with the Big Elephant before joining Ifeanyi Ubah in 2017. He had a one-year loan spell at Plateau United in 2018.

  • Tammy Abraham: UCL goal, my best birthday present

    Weeks after scoring his first Champions League goal for London club side, Chelsea, England player of Nigeria descent, Tammy Abraham is still talking about it.

    “It’s a special day for me and I don’t ever want to forget it, he enthused while reflecting on the essence of the strike that came on his 22nd birthday.

    Abraham said he celebrated long into the night with his colleagues and parents.

    The goal coming on the biggest stage in club football, the Champions League, after the couple he has amassed in the Premier League, against French club, Lille, where another youthful Nigerian, Victor Osimhen is making wave, was yet another feel-good time in Chelsea’s youth revolution.

    It is complete with solid performance and three points against Lille to get Chelsea’s European campaign back on track.

    Abraham took to his twitter handle to post pictures of his conquering night and videos during his post-match interview with Chelsea. He could not contain himself in the interview as he smiled and laugh a lot unable to hide his pleasure and marking his birthday in a special way. “It is a moment to cherish for e ver. It is inspiring,” he wrote.

    “Fantastic birthday! What a way to celebrate! A goal, three points — it’s massive! We knew we had to win. That was the performance we needed.”

    Beforehand, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard had played down the importance of the game, but it still felt like a must-win. Lampard’s tactical changes and substitutions made that clear as well, pushing for the win in the second half instead of settling for just a share of the spoils.

    And of course it was once again done with a core of homegrown youth all playing big roles, many of whom were just starting to prove themselves at a much lower level this time last year. That journey has not been lost on Abraham, who assures that they’re all still just getting started.

    “Before the game, me, Fikayo, Mason, and Reece were saying how last season we were all in the Championship, Reece was saying how he was fighting for relegation! And now we’re in the Champions League, which has always been a dream to me. I said that to the gaffer before the game, too, and to get that first goal … incredible! All the emotions running through my body then, and still now!

    “It’s an unbelievable feeling. And it’s just the start! We always believed that one day we could all be in the first-team. We dreamt it, and we made it happen! Give credit to the boys, the manager, the staff — they’ve given us the opportunity. [And] it’s just the beginning, as I said, we have to keep working and I think we’ll get better and better!”

    Playing with the main team still feels like a dream to Abraham, who said he has received inspired words from his seniors and Coach Frank Lampard.

    “Coach (Lampard) has strong belief in his boys. He kept talking to us about how great we would be if we put our mind to it. He has a wining mentality and that is what we have in mind too.

    “We always knew that once we maintain a positive attitude we could achieve a lot and this is just the beginning. And we’re just getting stronger and stronger as the season gets on. Hopefully we can get more wins and be right up there,” added Abraham who has notched eight Premiership goals so far.

  • Sanni Lulu: God ordained my impeachment as NFF president

    Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president and All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant in Kogi State is a patriot and fighter. And two happenings in his life have proved him to be a nationalist and a social crusader rolled into one.  First, after serving at the apex of Nigeria football administration between 2006 and 2010, he has quietly established and run one of the most efficient soccer academies in the country.

    In his words: “When I became NFF president in 2006, one of my cardinal objectives was to ensure that I develop the grassroots program. Unfortunately, I tried my best and kicked off the programme around 2007-2008 with the U-13 which was launched in Cross River state.

    “ It was through the project  we got people the  likes Kelechi Iheanacho and all those boys because we put them together in a place and ensure that they blend to form a formidable national U-15 team.

    ” But somehow Nigerians did not key into my vision. I wasn’t truly satisfied with the level of achievement and participation of states. To make it work we introduced N500, 000 grant to the states for the very first time in the history of Nigeria football.

    “ The money was taken from the FIFA fund and send to all the states to ensure that this grassroots project works. But man proposes but God disposes. It didn’t work the way I like and I think God knew my pains and it was one of the things I put into action on leaving NFF.

    “I put my time and resources into the project and established FOSLA Academy. By 2010 when I left the NFF I had started the primary school and by 2011 I added the secondary school. I thank God because the academy is almost eight years old. Our target are orphans and children from the less privilege homes and the essence was to actually identify talented children who love the game of football and needed to be supported to go for educational programme.

    “ FOSLA was to lay emphasis on developing their talent and also improving their educational standard. In the course of doing this I had the opportunity to attracting the paying student, people who are well to do in the society. They loved the project and decide to patronize it.

    “So we have the rich and the poor in my school. It is a very difficult task but we are working so hard to blend them together to be a united family. It has also been helping to reduce the gap between the poor and the rich but I give God the glory that they are excelling both in academic and football programmes. In Federal Capital Territory (FCT) they are constantly the champions in all categories of age-group football tournaments.

    “We have three sets now in the University, about 50 of them and they are on full scholarships. We want to fully prepare them for the challenges of life. And with God on our side, I believe government, stakeholders and those in high positions can key into this Nigerian project.

    “I am not in a hurry to send them abroad and I’ve been appealing to them to be patient because once they are able to finish their University programmes, they can excel and play in any category of football in the world. In abroad, you see U-16 boys playing for Premier League clubs. If my boys are good they can play for the national teams at any levels. If you love Nigeria and you think about it you must encourage anybody who is willing to support the development of this country, so it is a collective effort.

    “Their value will also rise when they finish from University and when they can win major tournaments, their values will be higher. That is our dream. And it is for all to benefit from; the children, their families, the school, and Nigeria.”

    Secondly, after he was controversially removal from the NFF board in 2010, Lulu fought relentlessly to clear himself of any wrong doing as president.

    For eight years he was in and out of court up to November 2018, when the Appeal Court in Abuja cleared him of any complicity or wrongdoing in the N2.2billion corruption charges leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    “The impeachment which they did was an ordained impeachment. Nigerian shown that they love me and returned me unopposed but the evil doers say I should go. And God said; ‘you have to go because you have reached your peak at football administration.’ Move to the next level.

    “ Having been cleared of any illegality and any wrongdoing at NFF by court, the people now came to me and asked me to be their gubernatorial aspirant in Kogi state. I came into that contest because God wanted me there. I am a successful man in my first time in politics.

    He said he has also forgiven his detractors.

    “As a man who is Godly and believes you have to forgive when God says this is the way to go, then you have to leave it to Him. That is the best way to receive favour. I have been tutored to be patient and God has rewarded me and vindicated me. “All that happened during the eight years was to show the people that Sani Lulu is in this condition but God has the final say and He has lifted me above all my detractors. I keep saying this; God must have punished those who plotted to bring me down and has lifted me up. I am smiling now and I have gone ahead to contest for election in my state. That is a sign that God is at work. And I believe that God has not finished his work. God has a better future for me.”

    A down to earth man, Lulu (meaning a special pearl), said politics is a bigger platform to continue his social work and crusade and he went down memory lane to talk about his antecedents from soccer politics to Kogi politics;  and what the future holds for him.

    Passion for football

    I am a citizen of this country and specifically born in Zaria- Kaduna state. I grew up in the society fully exposed to local football based on the passion I had for it and it was difficult for my parents to manage me. At that time my parents wanted me to dedicate my all to education.

    I was always going to play and watch football and In Zaria then, there was Zaria Rangers, a very powerful and prominent team who were always champions. The team had prominent players like Ismailia Lulu, John Bull and others. As I grew up people recognized me because I was always in the stadium; and one of those in primary school and everywhere I go they began to call me ‘Lulu Junior’, because they say I play like Lulu.

    I grew up playing football at whatever level I was placed, I was already playing for the senior team at primary school level. I went to Secondary school in Warri Federal Government College, and by the time I was in Form 2 I was playing for the school team.

    So, that name followed me as my nickname up to my University level. But the significant part of me is my given name Sani Abdullahi until something happened in Form 4 when I was preparing to go to Form 5. My ambition was to go to School of Basic Studies in Zaria. I told my parents and was sure that my results would take me to the school. I went through the results when I was in Form 4 and I saw so many, about three, four Sani Abdullahis on the result sheet. My principal was a white man Phil Davies and I had to meet him to tell him I was scared because in my school there was Sani Ibrahim and me Sani Abdullahi and in the result many Sani Abdullahis.  I told him that I would like to introduce my nickname Lulu. I never knew the significance of Lulu until I had effected that change Sani Lulu Abdullahi and when I actually became a man after University the name Lulu was part of my certificate. It was when I finished university that I realized that Lulu in Islam  means ‘a special pearl’ I wanted it to be a nickname but God wanted it to be in my name. It followed me up to this moment that I did everything that I did. It has made me to be a great footballer. It has made me to help that greatness to develop the society.

    God has used me to bring my own little best to transform my society. And it is that same thing that I am also saying that I can use the power of the game God has given me to also extend my services to other arena and basically if you are playing football, you will play politics. I asked myself how can I fix this services at a higher level and that is why obviously, having gone through all the challenges, people say we were impeached, but for me I look at it from a positive end.

    Scorecard of current board of NFF

    Well, for someone who has come from this environment, it would be unfair for me to start criticizing the same system. As a politician the opportunity that I have had to feel the people, it gives me great worry and basically I want to recall when I was there several times we had no money but I always say Nigeria must be protected. Government has created a platform to give us grant. It may be grossly inadequate but we must sit down to prepare our plans on what to do. So, you must protect government by not rubbishing them. However there were challenges going-between government has created problems for us but we try to manage it may be due to my background as a public servant.

    That was the advantage I had. When I was coming to NFF people said Sani Lulu is going to operate like a public servant. He would not be loyal to the system but I came in and gave my best to the government and gave my best to the people and this gave the result. For a better NFF you have to be transparent to carry everybody along. You have to know where your resources are coming from and prioritize. I want to believe this current NFF board is blessed because they have got so many sponsors and so I heard so many sponsors are going out of it too.

    They should sit down and operate with what is available and they will get the result. Remember there was no money during my time but I qualified for nine FIFA tournaments and I challenged FIFA that I was the only one who did that in the whole world. It is not easy but God just kept on blessing me. When you render your services to the country you will not need to expose the country’s shortcomings and you will get result even from the players.  I remember when we were going to the 2010 World Cup qualifier in Uganda. The boys were to branch in Tanzania to play a friendly match. I’ve told them that because there was no money I would not pay money for any friendly match. But when they got to Tanzania, they said they made 9m Shillings which is about 6000 Dollars. So, I told them to share the money among themselves. Kanu (Nwankwo) was the captain and he told me that it is not for him but for the boys. Before you know it they were holding me to ransom. At that point they were on their way to Uganda for the qualifier and they threaten not to go for the Uganda match.

    Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi led them and I called him to find out how many of them want to go. He said 13 of them that seven said they won’t go, especially the ‘big boys’. I called Bolaji Ojo-Oba, who was in Nigeria and told him to quickly assemble seven home-based players to meet us in Uganda.

    They were to get their visa at entry point and that they would meet me in Uganda. Before, you knew it, the coach told me that the ‘big boys’ are apologizing and would come to Uganda. They pleaded and at a point Ogunjobi started pleading for them. When they begged for some time I gave them condition to come back to the team. And we played the match. So, you must be firm and forward looking.

    Kogi Politics

    It’s not my making. Why did I even become NFF President? I don’t beat my beat my chest to boast that I am this because God has been parting ways for me. When I was serving the Federal Capital Territory (F.C.T) and due to my tireless service to F.C.T they said ‘Lulu you must go to the NFF board’ I said that I’m not willing to participate in it so they manage me and God used them to make the impression that I’m supposed to be here and I started to think of joining the board in 1996.

    God made me the President of NFF. In-fact, I think I pleaded with God not to be the president because I wasn’t ready to carry Nigerian’s burden and I feel everything is destined by God and I went into politics because God thought I should not be in football for life and that’s why in 2010 I decided to run for a post to continue and God said no. So, my going into politics was not intentional but that the people wanted me to come fully into politics and they actually came out to demand and pressure me.

    We worked in NFF where there was no money and we were successful and also left lots of money. We left our mark where there I no money. Coming to politics where there is money I know I would do better and even earn more than when I was in NFF. If I can use the little money given to me to invest and develop the NFF, I can do even better in Kogi State. I had no fear knowing it all required determination and seriousness.

    APC Governorship Primaries in Kogi

    Well, Nigerians know what took place and everybody knows what I did there and that should be remembered in history. Politicians told me I needed money to contest but I told them I needed nothing to contest, I am grateful I participated wholeheartedly because the little I spent is nothing compared to what the politicians are spending. Every time they told me you have to carry money around but I said no that the people we rule are the people protecting us so throughout my time in the public sector I never for once spent public money corruptly. I only share the little I have so as not to build a corrupt system. I have seen the good side and bad side of politics so it’s a great thing and God is telling me to still exercise patience. I know he still has a lot in plan for me.

    Contesting again

    I told you before that I will never beat my chest to say I want to contest for anything, I have seen from all indication that the people love me and I have seen from all indication that God has showers me with mercies and blessings. That is why I came out of all this a happy man. What happens tomorrow is only in the hands of God Almighty so I’m waiting for how God will guide me and the people to serve me better in all that I want to do in life.

    I am still in politics but I am not too happy because what I use to say before I cannot say it now because of the bitter lesson I have learnt. I want to talk about it but God is saying hold your peace. Politically, there is something I want to vomit but God is telling me don’t vomit it yet. So, I’m leaving it because I love my God. And if I love my God then I love the people. So, I’m holding my peace for now.

    Electoral Act

    There is nothing in Nigeria that shouldn’t change, even the Electoral Act. But the most important thing is our attitude and character. We need to give our best because even if everything is good our attitude and behavior can destroy that good thing.  So, let’s first of all change our thinking. If you want to be up to date in the society you must keep changing your system. Nothing is static for a willing and developing Nation but first of all the primary way to address is with good attitude and character.

    Patriot & Philanthropist

    I love my country and want to give it more than what it needs because I grew from this system and would love to go back and give back to the system. I don’t know how you described your philanthropist but all I know is I love to give my people from what God has given me and I derived joy in spending from what I have and also when I spend it on people.

    Life philosophy

    I want to give my best to God at all times and anybody who loves God will always love his follow men, so I don’t want to hurt the people unless they do otherwise, if you love to serve God you will never want to hurt anybody.

    Unwinding

    When I am unwinding I love companionship. I love people to be around me. My father told me before he died that when I was a child I don’t like to be alone. When I was between one and three years, he wrote behind my birth certificate that ‘Sani Lulu does not want to be left alone on the bed because he cries.’ It was when I grew up that I realized that the reason why I love to see people around me. If I am alone I won’t be happy. When I say I need people around then I mean people who are like me or think in a way like me. I love seeing everybody.

    Favorite club

    In Nigeria my favorite club is FOSLA Academy and I like Manchester United because of Sir Alex Ferguson. He has the right attitude and he achieved so much for that club and somehow he is still in the club that’s why I love it even though they are not doing well in Premier League this season.

    I used to like Enyimba FC and like I always say,  Nigerian club must privatize. Enyimba is a great team and I am a fan. But it has to improve itself because these are teams that are dependent on the government and you can’t grow because government comes, government go and it depends on the incoming government if he likes football.

    But when a team is privatized; decisions are taken by the board. That is why teams like Chelsea are high up there because there is continuity.

    The government of Nigeria should begin to tell them to stop depending on them and privatize themselves to be independent, I was already doing that in the NFF and that was how I got people to support NFF but that doesn’t mean I didn’t work with the government. I was given the freedom to operate and I repaid the government with success.

  • GODWIN KIENKA: How we dragged Venus, Serena Williams to Lagos

    Seven years after world renowned tennis sisters, Serena and Venus Williams’ paid a historic visit to Nigeria, GODWIN KIENKA, ITA Director, finally reveals how he managed to convince the legendary duo to come to Nigeria. He spoke with Adeyinka Akintunde.

     

    The visit of tennis super stars, Venus and Serena Williams, in 2012 remains fresh in the memory of Nigerians. The sports icons were in Lagos to inspire women and youths to follow their dreams and achieve success.

    While in Nigeria, they had an interactive session with girls from selected schools in Lagos and also played against each other at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club.

    The brain behind their visit, Godwin Kienka, director of the International Tennis Academy (ITA), said their visit to Nigeria was in response to a campaign against the bad publicity black players were suffering. Though he refuses to take credit for bringing the ladies to Nigeria, he, however, revealed that he started the process of achieving that feat.

    “I cannot claim that I brought them when they finally came, but it was me that started the process. I was covering international events, so I set up a magazine called the Tennis Africa Magazine, which was promoting black players all over the world

    “They really appreciated it, and we became family, because the father was appreciative of the fact that Serena and Venus Williams, James Blake, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and others, were not getting the kind of credit that they needed to get.

    “The Williams sisters were seen as ‘black monkeys’ and all kinds of bad pictures in Europe. The Tennis Africa was the one countering those bad images and they were shocked that that kind of magazine was coming out of Africa. I could ask anything and they would do it. So, when we wanted to bring them to Nigeria, they were close to getting into the plane and coming from Dubai when Serena fell sick, after playing her last tournament. So that initial plan was botched.

    “Then some promotional company took it up from there and followed through and brought them a year or two after. They raised the funds in good time, but the stage had been set. We are glad they came, and whatever impact they made is left to be seen. We are glad that they visited their motherland,” Kienka said.

    He speaks further on growing up, passion for tennis and other matters. Excerpts:

    Growing up and passion for tennis

    Some of us were lucky to belong to parents who were into sports and education. My father was a school headmaster, but we lived in missions where the sports facilities were readily available to us. You come out of the staff quarters and you see the fields and courts. I was also very lucky to have my father posted to schools where there were very good sports facilities; the primary schools had football fields and volley ball courts, the missions had tennis courts, so it was very easy for me, and it was a very early start, being introduced to all sports, not just tennis. We did every sport in my family, very early in life. Football was everybody’s sports and we were good enough to play for our schools and clubs.

    In the secondary school, I became my state (Rivers State) captain. We did the all secondary school tennis championship and I was in class three or four, and I won it. That was where it started.

    We had good coaches. To see how organised it was then, the state coach was coming to my school every weekend (because we had two tennis courses then) to coach me. My studies were not affected.

    When I went into the university, I had a choice to play football or tennis. We had a friendly and I went with my school (University of Ibadan) to the then University of Ife.

    After we finished football and we came back, the coaches took all our football kits, boots, but the tennis team had all their rackets and kits with them, such that the next day, they went to training with them. I was angry, and I went to the tennis captain and told him that I wanted to join the team. He said there were five people in the team, that if I could beat the number four or five, I was good to go. I beat the number four, they were shocked and we did the trials and I beat my opponent too.

    So you see why I chose tennis, and I have not regretted it, because I went on to do my NYSC based on tennis. I had a year intensive coaching from one of the best coaches in Nigeria at that time, and became a top national player.

    Impact in Nigeria tennis 

    I don’t know about me being a ‘big name.’ I am only doing my little bits, working as hard as I am with the kids, because basically I had other options. I did not study physical education or coaching, I studied English grammar, literature and philosophy at the University of Ibadan. I did masters in public administration, human resources management. I have done post graduate courses in sports administration, but nothing like coaching.

    But I was working for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and I was covering international events like the Wimbledon, the US Open and all that and I saw the opportunities that were in sports. You see parents guiding their children, so I was more interested in what were happening at the back scene and I was following the parents, coaches, working with these young players, and talking with them. We had to devote our time to make the children the stars that you know today. I came back and I was in the middle of changing jobs from NAN to Total, then I told my patron and mentor that I was going into tennis for children. He was shocked.

    Here I am today, we have had a Clara who won the national at 14, we have had MaryLove. Through our programmes, who had also gotten to the finals at age 14 at the senior level and is now preparing to become a pro; we had a programme where we had all the genius. We can tell who the geniuses are from ages 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.

    Our aim was to get teenage champions, and we did that with Thomas Otu, Joseph Imeh, Sylvester Imawo. That generation came through all the ITF circuit tournaments that we started when they were 10 and 12. So we broadened the phase.

    Now we have good junior programmes, tournaments and good junior transition programmes which we are advocating for all the sports to adopt. So once you have a transition programme, it takes time, but some of them will come through.

    Nigeria future stars 

    Oh yes, as I said, it takes a while; but we have good potential if we start at a very early age who can make the top 50, or top 20. We have MaryLove, we have Oyinlomo. For the guys, we have Edna, Philip Abayomi, Jebutu, and others. The rest may get into the ranking, but if we work hard on these ones that are below 17, by the time they are 25 they could get into the grand slams, and then the ones coming behind them are even better. We have Serena Teduwo, Nene Yakubu, Oiza Yakubu and others; they are more likely to go further.

    Once we have a transition plan, the people coming behind will get better until we hit the point when we have great talents.

    I am interested in the young ones because that is the future of tennis. The older ones will have to keep helping them stay competitive because they are the target for those we are producing from behind. At age 25, to 30, there is not so much they can do any more. It is like football. Why are we not doing well in football? It is because we are promoting so much over-aged players. Our U-17s are already 25, our U-21s are already 28. By the time they finish doing well at that level, they are done. You are only cheating yourself. It is called pyrrhic victories.

    But if you have a true programme like I have established in tennis, then you still keep those ones there, that is why you have the national tennis league which provided a lot of competitions. And they were making good money, seven million naira for the winning team.

    My aim is to make sure that the national senior champion can make like 10 million naira a year, comfortably. If he is number one at the end of the year, he should be able to make enough money.

    We will get there, if we continue with the tennis league. Most of them are becoming millionaires, they earn seven to ten million, and the sponsors pay them sign-on fees, so they are very comfortable. But they provide target for the junior ones coming up; most of the teams now have juniors in their teams. It was Oyinlomo that won the league two years ago, when she beat Sarah in the finals. As a junior, she beat the number one player in the country at the NCC.

    With that kind of integration, you get the junior ones to play against the senior, and you use them as targets to see how far they can go. We can access how far the junior will go when they compete against the seniors, so that works.

    It has to be like a pyramid; you have a big base of juniors and hope that some of them come to the top.

    Tennis family

    My children were national champions at the junior level before they left for America. They were all captains of their school teams in America.

    Meeting his wife 

    Unfortunately, I did not meet my wife on the court. People think that is where it should have been, but I have another passion and that was where I met her.

    Philosophy

    Do what you can, and leave the rest to God.

  • Daniel Igali: Running wrestling with my resources not easy

    By Olalekan Okusan

    Daniel Igali is one of the respected wrestling buffs globally right from his hey days as an athlete and even now in retirement. The Olympic gold medallist has also taken the fortune of wrestling in Nigeria to a great height with some of the country’s wrestlers getting international recognition. A member of the United World Wrestling (UWW) Technical Commission Igali noted that that the performance of Nigerian wrestlers at the 2019 World Championship in Kazakhstan is a pointer to the fact that the athletes are primed to win medals at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. He spoke with Olalekan Okusan.

    Since becoming the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali has indeed lifted the fortune of the sport in the country. Apart from his passion to see the sport grows, Igali has been working hard to ensure that Nigeria is among the top wrestling nations in the world. Since his emergence as the helmsman in charge of the sport, Nigeria wrestlers have been rated among the top in the world with three medals at the World Championships.

    The Olympic Games gold medallist believes sports need the support to help empower the youth.

    He said: “Without a doubt, sport in Nigeria generally doesn’t get the needed support and wrestling for sure maybe gets 20 percent of the support it ought to have at out of 100 percent. So there lies our problems and we have athletes in this country and I like to generalize as I don’t want to talk only about wrestling.

    “ We have athletes and we should be capable of winning minimum of five medals at every Olympics, if we are a serious country. With wrestling specifically, we have not traditionally had the needed funding and sometimes it’s quite disheartening.

    “I think we need to continue the appeal to individuals and corporate bodies as well as government at all levels; the local government, the state and the federal. And I want to make this point very clear that people should not think that sponsorship means you have to spend millions and millions of naira to be a sponsor.

    “I personally consider myself a sponsor of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation because on occasions when I have the opportunity to travel I buy wrestling shoes and shirts for the athletes.

    “Sometimes I support with tickets to go for competitions as well as money for transport and upkeep of athletes. If we have a company that is prepared to give wrestling shoes, shirts to all the athletes, that is funding. If we have one catering company to feed our wrestlers for two weeks in the training camp that is funding and sponsorship.

    “ If we have a bank that is prepared to give an athlete living wages like N100, 000 monthly to support with their training, that is funding and that is what we call sponsorship. So sponsorship at all levels is what we need to encourage.

    “The moment the government brings in about 50 percent of the needs of the federation and we get about 20 to 30 percent from the NOC, and we get the others from sponsors, this will surely help the sport.

    “I can assure you we have abundant talent in Nigeria. We can also train the coaches, referees and get our people to go to international boards by contesting and wining. With this we are represented at the highest level of decisions making in sports and once we do that, people will start understanding that Nigeria is a serious country.

    “Let us not be deceived, people broad are not interested or know who the president or governor in Nigeria is, if you call Nigeria, it is not the politicians that they know; it is our famous sports people. Often times it is our famous musicians, novelists and academia.

    “Countries need to have priorities by looking at the talents and the people who go outside to brighten the image of the country. That is why it is important that sports are funded and that is why it is important that Wrestling, the only sport which over the past six years have won three world championship level medals, needs to get the needed funding,” he emphasized.

    Igali is not satisfied that Nigeria is yet to pick an Olympic medal but he is determined to make this a reality at Tokyo 2020.

    With less than a year to the start of the world’s biggest sporting event in Japan, Igali believes Nigeria has the wherewithal to make it to the podium in wrestling.

    “I think our prospect of winning Olympic medal comes down to preparations. We have a few injuries during the 2019 World Championships with Odunayo Adekuoroye twisting her knee.

    “Blessing Onyebuchi also twisted her knee at the tournament, so we will give then some time off and we will make sure they have physiotherapists and medical services available to them to ensure that they are fit. Our plan is to bring them back in few weeks as we are going back to Yenogoa in Bayelsa.

    “We need to go through all our matches to make the needed corrections and maybe have a one or two week camp to make those corrections so that they are fully addressed by knowing what to do in tight decision.”

    However, Igali believes with proper funding for training, medal at the Olympic Games will come without much hassles.

    “We need funding for the team and my view is that these athletes need to compete a lot more and I would be very happy if someone like Adekuoroye could have between 25 to 30 matches before the Olympics which is about six to seven tournaments. Virtually everybody on the team needs between 20 to 30matches. If we can get that for them I can almost be rest assured that on a good day we would have couple of medals not even one because they have the talents and the opportunity at this time to win medals. We just need to get to the point where we get them adequately prepared for the Olympics.

    “The Olympic is just what it is for a reason as it is every four years and everybody gets ready for it and now in this multimedia age, the moment you wrestle everybody has your tape. Everybody goes back to scout you. They go as far as even measuring how fast your double leg is for reaction times. So it has gotten down to a science and we also have to be part of it as we also have to do the same thing. We need to get our medical team ready for our athletes; we need to gather our team ready in terms of what the team need because athletes at this level have to live in the best circumstances to be able to do well. At that level, it is one point, and that is why what Odunayo does is amazing and that just shows the level of her quality as an athlete. I have every confidence that our athletes are capable to win medals, and on our part as a federation, as well as the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, we need the needed fund to execute this plan.”

    Despite returning home with only a medal at the 2019 World Championship in Kazakhstan, Igali said: “My general assessment on the performance of our athletes in Kazakhstan is very positive. The athletes wrestled very well in fact I returned from the tournament with a renewed hope and vigour that the future especially the immediate future is very bright.

    “We won with six athletes made up of five females and one male. Out of the five female, Adekuoroye won a bronze medal and qualifies for the Olympics after a combined score of 42score and conceding only seven points in the whole tournament. Adekuoroye was very outstanding as she was completely dominant in virtually every match that she won including the bronze medal match. So I have no doubt that if we continue our preparations, we are medal hopeful in Japan. Blessing Oborududu was right there almost got the Olympic ticket unfortunately she finished seventh as one the top six qualified automatically. However, if anyone of the six athletes that had qualified in her weight category is tested positive to drugs then Oborududu automatically comes in. Mercy Genesis placed 18th, Onyebuchi Blessing was 14th, and Aminat Adeniyi was 13th.

    “So overall, we have a very good tournament as the results and the placing does not accurately portray the fierceness of the competition out there. We were again caught with some things that we will address. I believe that if we prepare accordingly, as we have about three athletes that have a good chance of qualifying to the medal rounds and hopefully even win medals at the Olympics if we train properly,” he added.

    “Also our bronze medal in was the only medal any African team won at the World Championship; the closest any other African team got was in the Greco Roman when an Egyptian wrestler who finished 6th position in his weight class qualified to the Olympic Games. So we only had two African athletes that qualified from the world championship to Tokyo 2020. Blessing Oborududu was the third highest ranked wrestler from Africa in this world championship so they did extremely well,” Igali added.

  • FESTUS EZELI: Mutombo made me dump medicine for basketball

    Adeyinka Adedipe on a face-to-face encounter with NBA star, Ifeanyi Festus Ezeli, as he speaks on his tough road to fame

    When Nigeria NBA star Ifeanyi Festus Ezeli left the shores of Nigeria 16 years ago a freaky face 14-year lad, he never knew he would one day become a basketball star.

    “My dream originally was to become a doctor,” he told The Nation during the Power Forward Basketball programme in Abuja.

    “When I left Nigeria as a 14-year-old, my family’s goal of sending me to the US was the opportunity to become a doctor. I was sent to live with my uncle in California who is a doctor, so he could mentor me.”

    Basketball was alien to him and his first time on court was a disaster. “My first time on the court at Yuba Community College was weird. It was different because you are playing on hard surface, unlike football which I was used to back in Nigeria. I remember I didn’t know anything about basketball like the ability to dribble and so on. All these things I didn’t know. I remember doing some drills before playing which was just warm up and I didn’t know what was happening. Drills that people have been doing since they were three or four years old were things I was learning at 16. It wasn’t easy. In my first game, I never knew that they switch court at the end of half time, so the first goal I ever scored was against my team. My team mates were looking at me like ‘who is this person?’ They were even telling the coach, ‘take this guy out of the court, he doesn’t know what he’s doing.’ But the coach left me on the court. The truth is that I had people who wouldn’t take me out of the game.”

    When he eventually settled down to play helped by a coach that believed in him, he still had a hard time choosing basketball as a career given that his parents spent a fortune to send him to the U.S.

    “When I became interested in basketball, I had to talk to my parents about my new found interest. It was a hard conversation because my parent spent a lot of money to send me to America, so they are telling you to do this thing that is a sure bet that you will be able to return their investment. Taking to basketball means you are essentially telling them you want to gamble with the opportunity of becoming a doctor.

    “I am sure the idea of playing basketball didn’t sound good to them but I am very lucky to have a very nice family that understood what I wanted to do. I am sure they felt my passion but their question was: ‘Are you really serious about this? Do you know what it’s going to take?’ They knew it was going to be a really tough journey.”

    His dilemma made him to confide in his mentor, the Congolese American NBA star Dikembe Mutombo. What the 2005 Hall of Fame awardee told him helped him settle for basketball ahead of a career in medicine.

    “I had a conversation with my mentor, Dikembe Mutombo, about my dream of becoming a doctor to treat people. He told me that he had built several hospitals in his country and that thousands of doctors have been employed because of him. He said: ‘You can be one doctor in one city but be cause of me there are thousands of doctors employed.’ That’s why I settled for basketball.”

    The 29-year-old 6.11ft speaks on other important matters: Excerpts:

    How Ezeli was discovered

    It is a long story. After classes one day in high school, I was waiting for my uncle to come and pick me home. At this point, I had already been dropped from the school basketball team because they said there was nothing I could do. While waiting, a man saw me and told the coach I could be useful to the team but the coach said no and that they already tried. He asked the coach if I could run and jump and he answered in the affirmative but the coach insisted that I couldn’t play at all. So the man told them he would coach me. Even when the man came to me and said he wanted me to play on his team, I told him I wasn’t interested, but he gave me assurance that he would teach me. So after discussing with my parents, they gave their consent. And in summer, I would travel with his team, play in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) games and that was how I developed my game.

    Coach and staying power

    I had a coach who believed in me. I can say how hard I worked and how resilient I was, but the truth is that I had people who wouldn’t want to take me out of the game even when I wasn’t doing well.

    Coach Keith Odister told me I had to endure the suffering to be successful. A lot of people just want to get to success without working for it but I am a living testament of what it means to work hard. It takes time to succeed because if you jump to success you wouldn’t know how to handle it; you wouldn’t know where it came from, you won’t know what it takes, you wouldn’t even cherish it, but, me, I value my success and that is why I came back to share it with people. I love my success story so much. I went through pains and I wondered why I couldn’t do the same thing my friends were doing. Today, I tell my story so that people will understand why it is good to work hard.

    NBA 2015 win with Golden State Warriors

    Winning the championship in 2015 for someone who started at 16, that they told can’t even play in high school but I went to college and getting drafted was achieved. For me to win the NBA with GSW is something I can’t put into words. It was good for people to see me hugging the trophy. I said to myself: ‘this is what all those sacrifices were for.’ It was surreal and it felt like I was dreaming. I didn’t want to sleep because I felt if I wake up, it would be all a dream but again it is also a testament that hard work pays.

    Relating with top players in the NBA

    I get to answer this question most of the time. We should not forget that we are all human at the end of the day. We play basketball for a living but it’s a dream come true to also be in the NBA for many of us. Despite attaining stardom, we are still human beings at the end of the day. We are all friends, we are all the same and we are paid to do what he has to do.

    Winning another NBA title

    That is the whole point of all the training we undergo. We all work so hard so we can win titles. So my dream is to win more titles, but firstly I have to recover from this injury to Nigeria as an NBA champion; I didn’t have that as a dream, a goal. I didn’t even know what basketball was and somebody helped me out and this is my way of giving back.

    Encouraging kids to play basketball

    I think this is a great step forward. Power Forward Basketball is good for them. The kids are in front of people from NBA and I am also here. When I go back people will ask me what I think about the kids. So, if they take advantage of the opportunity they have, you don’t know what can arise from it. My advice is that they take advantage of this chance.

    There are challenges in everything we do. Power Forward also has their challenges but that is the whole point of achieving something great. One has to face those challenges and work through them. I must commend Africare and ExxonMobil for bringing me for the programme. When they told me about the event, it was a no brainer and I am very im pressed with what I have seen.

    Settling down/changing the world

    I think everybody has a chance to change the world either for the better or for worse. We all have a chance to change the world. For me, it is always making sure every room I enter my joy is realising that when I leave that room everyone is better off.

    So the goal for me is to create an academy for kids to let them believe in themselves and make them achieve what they can achieve.

    My goal is to become a family man and I am lucky enough to come from a two parent home. My parents have inculcated in me true values. I am just looking for someone who gives love and she is ready to change the world like I want to do. So, when I find such person I will settle down

    Advice for NBBF/Nigerian fans

    I hope Nigerians know all the players need their support. The guys in America need your support as well. Show us love; we will always appreciate it and continue to bring back that love to Nigeria.

    The NBBF just have to keep working on infrastructure because nobody wants to play on bad surfaces. People will want to come and play and be part of a good product. I will be a part of it here in the nearest future.

  • MESSY AFFAIR AT NIS: Ex-Director fingered in Akinremi’s doctored file

    NIS HOD, Dr Francis Akinremi, is calling on the Sport Minister, Sunday Dare, to help recover his official file which has been traced to a former director of the foremost sport institute, reports Taiwo Alimi.

    The Head of Department Management Studies, National Institute for Sport (NIS), Dr Francis Akinremi, is in palpable fear few months to his retirement after 26 years in service.

    The PHD holder and national president of the Association of Proprietors of Football Academies of Nigeria (APFAN) is concerned about his official file that has gone missing since 2014, when he was chairman, Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI).

    “I am up for retirement in January 2020, and my official file at NIS has been missing since 2014. From my findings, it was not missing in transit but traceable to a high ranking officer in the institute who has doctored it and has kept it since 2014. My fear is that after I might have left NIS, the file could resurface and be used against me.”

    The Oba-elect (King-elect) of Ifetedo, a town in Osun State, opined that the doctored file could tarnish his image or be used against him on attaining the throne of his fathers in the near future.

    “I have done everything under the civil service rule to unravel the file. I have written several letters to the NIS management, and governing council of NIS and the Sport Ministry and did not receive concrete closure to my case. I decided to take this course of action by crying out for the Minister of Sport, Sunday Dare, to come to my aid.”

    The most recent letters he did was directed at NIS governing council chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, and current NIS director, Dr John Dadi Mamud.

    “I have served the NIS for 26 years, (1993 to date) and rose to become an HOD, and I demand to see my official file which was last seen in the custody of Dr O.S.A Ikhioya.”

    So, how did he get to ascertain that it was in the custody of the ex-director?

    A report of the panel of enquiry/investigation on his missing file set up by the institute in June 2016 actually traced the file to Ikhioya and indicted him.

    The investigating panel headed by Mrs Mercy ‘Kemi Omezi was to look at the circumstances surrounding the missing file and advise the management accordingly.

    The panel submitted its report to the Ag. Registrar NIS on 5th April 2017 The committee ascertained that the file moved from registry to Ag. Registrar on 8th April 2014, to Bursar on to the Director to NIS Legal Officer, to Dep. Director and rested in the office of Director on 30th July 2014.

    Since then the file has not been seen or surfaced.

    To arrive at this, the panel interviewed Istifanus Abaris (NIS legal officer), Tistel Kamlong (PA to Ikhioya), Femi Kayode and Akinremi himself.

    Page three of the four-page report reads in part: “The Committee observed the following: 1. That the last office/officer the file was sent to was the former director on the 30th July 2014 after which there was no formal documentation of the movement of the file until it “appeared” in the replies from Dr Jimmy K.A and Mr Tistel K.G. 3. “That Dr O.S.A Ikhioya went with Dr. Akinremi’s file to the Council meeting of 23rd October 2014. 5. From the file movement records and enquires made in the course of time. It is pertinent to note that the last reference point of the file was with Dr. O.S.A Ikhioya’s office; the former Director/CEO of NIS.”

    The panel of enquiry in its conclusion and recommendation writes: “Dr O.S.A Ikhioya should be contacted to state the whereabouts of the file after the Council meeting of 23rd October 2014. He should also be made to answer why he refused to hand over the file to the Council three (3) man committee as alleged by the former Acting Registrar Dr (Mrs) Obajimi G.A.”

    Attempt to get Ikhioya to address the issue, however proved futile as he declined to comment on the missing file. “I don’t have anything to say,” he said.

    It is also worthy of note that since the panel of enquiry submitted their report, directors after him; Dr Eke Kingdom and Dr Mamud have not been able to follow their recommendation to the letter.

    The problem between Ikhioya and Akinremi started in 2014 when Akinremi, as branch chairman of ASURI, accused the then director of maladministration and appropriation of government funds.

    Alhaji Galadima, however, confirmed receipt of Akinremi’s letter. He said: “The case had been on ground before I came on board and when he wrote to us I quickly stepped into it. I think it was based on the grouse he had with a former director of the NIS and I called the Permanent Secretary and current director on ways to resolve it. And the recommendation was that the case should be settled and a new file opened for him. As I said, his grouse with the former director has been there for a long time and efforts have been made to settle it. You can reach the director to confirm what I’m saying.”

    In his reaction, Akinremi said he is not ready to accept a new file. “This file is government property but the document is mine. I want the file to be produced because it is not missing in transit. It was taken by somebody, and doctored to tarnish my image. My family and people are interested in this case because I am a king-elect and it could surface when I’m out of NIS. This is about my future, my family and my people of Ifetedo. I demand equity and justice.

    “If my file was traced to Ikhioya, then he must produce it and be made to answer for the act,” Akinremi added.

     

  • TONY NWAIGWE : Aguero better than Messi, Ronaldo

    London-based former Super Eagles forward and three times Nigeria Professional League top scorer, Tony Nwaigwe, in this interview with DESMOND EKWUEME, speaks on dearth of prolific strikers in our domestic football scene which rubs off on the national team, among other issues bordering on goal poaching which is his trademark. Excerpts:

    Where have you been all this while?

    In London and maybe I have been doing some things behind the scene. But truth is you have to be invited to contribute to nation building or in any capacity. You don’t just jump into the scene without being asked to do something. This has been the burden of some ex-internationals and it is a bane to our football development. Many people especially ex-internationals want to help out but the system does not allow them.

    What have you been doing in London?

    I’ve been doing a lot; from representation of sportsmen and women to management, and consultancy. I am also a pundit with Ben TV.

    You were a prolific striker during your playing days. Will you agree that we seem to be lacking such quality currently as compared to your time?

    Well, if we consider that Odion Ighalo was top scorer at Egypt 2019 AFCON with five goals then, you may agree with me if I say that there is no dearth of good strikers around. It is not often that strikers score up to five goals in major tournaments. Even at the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup, the top scorer Harry Kane scored six goals.

    However, you may want to ask when last did any of our strikers score five goals in a major tournament or competition like AFCON? In Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup, I think Ahmed Musa who plays more as a winger was our top scorer with two goals. So, one may be forced to argue that there seems to be a dearth in quality of strikers.

    So what is responsible for this?

    I think we must look at the production line. We must look at where and how our attackers emerge from. We seem to have lost touch with how we got these strikers before now. We may not be looking at the grassroots clubs which are the major source of supply to the NPFL teams and from there onwards to the national teams.

    Perhaps we wait for the players to just emerge like bolt out of the blues. No one wants to take the task of combing the nooks and crannies to hunt for the raw talents, discover and nurture them. Perhaps we all want quick fix. Perhaps we all want readymade. Perhaps we have to change our mentality of seeking or searching for players from outside our shores and focus on digging for raw gold here. By raw gold, I mean the talents. Perhaps, there are some things we have refused to do right. Perhaps, the strikers we have are overwhelmed by club duties that they get worked out before national team assignment approaches. Perhaps we are not selecting or picking the right strikers

    Are you satisfied with the performance of Super Eagles strikers?

    Like Oliver Twist, we will always ask for more even if they are excelling. But I must say that they are not where I would love them to be.

    Look around the world today, who is your ideal striker?

    I will always maintain that he is Sergio Aguero.  He supplies passes that produce goals to his teammates at club and national teams. He creates goal scoring chances. He scores beautiful goals too. He is so energetic that he covers for the midfielders yet does his job upfront. He is good with both legs yet very prolific in the air despite his height. He is equally skilful and always; a thorn on the flesh of defenders.  His work rate is high season in season out.

    But critics say Aguero is prone to injuries, do you agree?

    That goes to show his commitment and work rate. He does the job for his teammates especially in the attacking line and this exposes him to knocks.

    What of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?

    No two players are the same. These are top quality players but they have their individual styles and approach. Messi is highly skilful while Ronaldo is very athletic and energetic. Aguero is a combination of both even if this will sound controversial or debatable.

    What qualities make a striker prolific?

    He must be good on the turf and aerially. He must be good with both legs. He must take his chances because a single goal can win a crucial game for his team. He must be a team player full of energy to shuttle back and forth. He must be very aggressive yet imposing in front of his opponents. Ability to fight for all balls and win most is fundamental. Once he is in the penalty area, he must see himself as being advantageous. He must understand that the victory or defeat of his team after 90 minutes depends on him and his ability to score or not.

    Let’s go back to you. You scored many goals during your playing days…which would you say is your best goal?

    This is a tough one but I think it is my goal against ASEC Mimosas here in Owerri. It is during our Champions Cup tie. Benedict Iroha got the ball from the defence and raced down the flank. He had a defender in front of him but outwitted him with a beautiful footwork. He looked up and saw me rushing from the midfield. He flicked the ball near the penalty box. I met the ball in the air with a sweet volley which sent the stadium agog. It attracted a wild jubilation. I pick it till date as my best goal. It was full of artistry and skill.

    You had many twin strikers, which of them was your best pair?

    Sincerely, I enjoyed partnership with several forwards. It would be unfair of me to single out one as the best of all because we worked together even if in different games but for the same purpose. More so, the pattern, strategy and formation of the coaches then determined how I paired and played with them individually. From Ishaya Jatau to Mba Agbai and then Uche Agbo. I can go on and on. They were so many that brought fun to our team and my partnership with them. Great guys, I must confess.

    Which team or club brings you nostalgic feeling the most when you flash back your mind to your playing days?

    Sure, it has always been Iwuanyanwu Nationale FC of Owerri where I won the League top scorer awards on three occasions.

    Back to Super Eagles, how do we improve on strikers’ performance in terms of goal scoring?

    The boys must be encouraged and motivated. The coaches must at all times decide the quality and criteria of players they want. Form and fitness are key considerations. .

  • IDOWU OTUBUSEN: I dumped a lucrative career in Horology for football

    We’re the first heroes of Nigerian football

    In his days defenders were built like Trojans. And 35 years after serving the Ibadan top club, IICC Shooting Stars, and Nigeria national team, the Green Eagles, meritoriously, Idowu Otubusen is still regal in statue and bearing. Age has done little to bend the over six-footer who played more than 300 games for IICC and, for 10 years, formed a formidable defensive line with Sam Ojebode, Joe Appiah, Sam Saka Abosey and Sam Asante, writes Taiwo Alimi.

     

    Nicknamed ‘slow poison’ due to his calming disposition under severe attack, he, for a while, stood strong beside (sometimes behind) Green Eagles captain, Christian ‘chairman’ Chukwu, Samuel Ojebode, Godwin Odiye, Annas Ahmed, and Sani Mohammed in the late 70s and early 80s.

    With a first degree in Horology from Yaba College of Technology, and a first class job with multinational company F Steiner in Broad Street, Lagos, the young Otubusen gave it all up for football.

    “My passion for football is above anything,” the Lagos-born Ijebu Ode prince said. “I started my education at Methodist Church Eleja in Oyigbo and finished at St. Jose College Ebute-metta. From there I went to Yaba Technical Institute then came back to Yaba College of Technology where I studied Horology. After that I started working at F Steiner Company. While I was at Yabatech I was part of the school team and played for the college throughout my stay. I was also playing for Nigerpool FC (Lagos amateur side). However, football was taking most of my time, so I resigned to face it squarely.”

    He quickly made his mark at Nigerpools to become a beautiful bride sought by leading Lagos clubs; ACB and Stationery Stores. But another deal came from Ibadan IICC Shooting Stars.

    “While I was playing for Nigerpool, I was also coaching Vegetable Oil FC, owned by a manufacturing company at Ojota-Lagos. The team manager of that club, one Adeosun, was a staunch supporter of Shooting stars. He walked up to me one day and said: ‘I will like you to join my club at Ibadan.’ At that time he was also working with the national team. He said that once I signed for Shooting Stars, he would ensure I get national team call up. As I did not want to sign for another Lagos team because of the rivalry, I agreed and he set up a meeting with Chief Lekan Salami, the then chairman of Shooting Stars, who I met at a factory in Ikeja. Upon sighting me, Chief exclaimed: ‘Ah, you this man, I have been looking for you and you walk in here without any pressure. Tomorrow morning just pack your bags and go to Ibadan.’

    If he thought the Ibadan move would be a walk in the park, he was wrong as he did not get to play in the main team for five months.

    “When I got to Ibadan, I was posted to train with the feeder team, Spitfire FC, until the coach told Chief Salami that my game was advanced than Spitfire. I was tutoring fellow players how to handle the ball. After some weeks, I began to train with Shooting Stars but I was not played in important matches. I became a permanent bench warmer and restless. I even thought of heading back to Lagos.

    His break came at a time not expected. “We had qualified for the African Winners Cup and a foreign coach, Allan Hawkes (Scotland), was contracted to take over the team. On his first day in Nigeria, an international friendly match was put together between Shooting Stars and Ghana’s Accra Heart of Oak to welcome him. In the course of the game, our central defender, Sam Saka Abosey, one of the Ghanaians in the team (the others were late Joe Appiah, and Sam Asante), was off key on that day and the coach just called upon me to warm up.

    “I was just sitting there with my boots off since I have been warming the bench for a long time. I did not think I would be used in an important match like this. Coach had to repeat himself three times before I made a move. That was how I warmed up and entered the game and the first thing I did was to pass instructions to the others and re-organised the whole defence telling them ‘you do this, you do that.’

    “We were two goals down when I entered but I was able to organise the defence and by the end of the half we had scored a goal. Captain Sam Ojebode was happy with my performance and he kept telling me; ‘Slow, well-done! Keep it up. You are going to take that position.’ The match ended 2-2.

    “That was my first game for Shooting Stars and after the game, coach Hawkes called me and on learning that was my first game with Shooting Stars, he said: ‘Slow, you are my number one player throughout this season. Before I write any other name on my list your name will be there.’ That was how I started playing and it was a nice journey.

    “I left a lucrative career in Horology to play football and I did not regret it. In our time we played with pleasure. We were playing for the name, the club, the state, and the nation. We were not after the money or anything. We were one family.”

    Otubusen blossomed in Shooting Stars and by 1984, when he retired, he had over 300 caps, three Premier League shields (1976, 1980, 1983), two FA Cup medals (1977 and 1979) and champions, Africa Cup of Winners’ Cup in 1976 to his name. The Africa Cup Winners Cup victory would remain indelible in the hearts of Otubusen, his teammates, coaches and indeed the whole Nigerians. It was the first time any Nigerian team was bringing a continental trophy into the land.

    Otubesen said the Shooting Stars ’76 set figuratively spilled their blood to open the floodgate of success for Nigerian football.

    “We were like a family. Even outside the pitch, we knew our family members and ate from the same plate. We drank from the same cup and trusted each other. Today, things are not the same. We loved each other. My teammates were Segun Odegbami, Kunle Awesu, Moses Otolorin, Joe Appiah, Sam Ojebode, Muda Lawal, Best Ogedegbe and others.”

    Sadly, more than half of the players in that historic team are dead.

    “The unfortunate thing is that majority of them are dead. That is the sad area. These are players Nigeria should honour even in death. Why? The glory of Nigerian football started with this club and this set of players brought the first trophy and honour to the country, both nationally and at club level. Shooting Stars were the first team to bring a soccer trophy to Nigeria and from then it has been glory upon glory. We deserve to be honoured even in death.”

    He added that out of the 16 main players in the Shooting Stars winning team, nine are late. They are Best Ogedegbe, (2009), Joe Appiah (2012), Samuel Ojebode (2012),  Dauda Adepoju, Muda Lawal (1991), Folorunsho Gambari (1981), Moses Otolorin(2014), Adekunle Awesu (1994) and Abai Adeleye.

    Those who are alive to tell the tales are Zion Ogunfeyimi, Sam Ashante, Sam Saka Abossey, Nathaniel Adewole, Phillip Boamah, Segun Odegbami and, of course, Otubusen, who at 75 is hail and healthy and still dreaming dreams.

    “I still play football but to a limit. I do exercises like brisk walking. I can walk up to 10km from Oke Ado to Challenge-Molete. I feel very healthy and don’t give room for anything to affect my health. Aside from football, I also play tennis and dart. Dart is a good game that cuts across age. With dart you can play as long as you can move your hand. It’s a game that awakens the brain and helps you think fast and calculate quickly. It’s a game of brain.”

    His dream is without limit and one of them is to impact into youngsters through his own football academy.

    “One thing I still want to do is to set up a football academy because I believe I can still give back to my society. With the right sponsor, I can pull it off. I’ve done a lot of coaching and I have great ideas on how to run an academy. Football is my life; what I have passion for. What I put my whole life into and will continue to do till I die. I may not be involved a 100 per cent. I will assemble young assistants and give direction. I just want to give back because I’m still strong.”

    Otubusen spoke further about his philosophy, love life, family and how he acquired his famous nickname. Excerpts:

    Philosophy

    I am a very simple person. I like to be honest with people and I want people to be honest with me too. I don’t like offending people. When you offend me I will call you and tell you; that is the end of the whole thing. I like making friends and majority of my friends are younger ones. Of all my friends, you cannot find my age mates. I like to mix with the younger ones.

    I was the oldest at Shooting Star. I like to promote peace. I don’t go with people that make quarrel; I don’t like where there is quarrel.  I’m 75 but at heart I feel 25 and you will find me in the midst of young people. I dress like a small boy because facially I may look old but in my heart I am young.

    Staying power

    That is a big question. I have been enjoying the grace of God. Honestly, let me just put it like that. Majority of my mates are dead. I have good children and they are always around me all the time. I visit my friends and we are in contact and I derive joy around them. Any time I feel happy, it affects my health. Sometimes I would travel to Abeokuta to see my friend, Segun Odegbami. We are like brothers and we pay each other visits. We enjoy our companies. I don’t sit at home. I go out and take time to socialise. If there is any football match I go there. I derive joy from that and it affects my health. My mind is free; I don’t keep anything there.

    Journey to Green Eagles

    It was during the era of Chief Akioye, the then National Sport Commission chairman. He recruited seven coaches from Yugoslavia. Their leader was in Lagos, the then headquarters, and posted the rest six to the regions. Their job was to raise a team from their zones and six teams now assembled in Lagos. You can imagine six teams and about 20-25 players multiplied by six.

    They will now play themselves in Lagos and the best 30 possible and probable will be picked. That was how we got into the national team. That was how I entered the national team. It is not the same now when a coach will just concentrates abroad. Our coaches stayed in Nigeria and scouted the local clubs. It was only Clemens Westerhof that stayed in Nigeria and that accounted for his success. No more monitoring.

    That is why the local league has suffered seriously. When was the last time a Nigerian team got to the final of the African Cup of Champions and Winners Cup? The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been politicised.  You can imagine Segun Odegbami, Jay Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo going for the presidency of the NFF and somebody from nowhere wining. In our days, whenever Ivory coast, Guinea, Algeria and others were playing Nigeria, they knew they were coming to work. We now struggle with the likes of Rwanda, Uganda and what have you.

    Love life

    I met my wife while I was playing for Spitfire FC through a younger friend called Lawal. He had a girlfriend where my wife lived and on one occasion when I followed him to the house, I was introduced to her friend. I never knew she was going to be my wife. We courted for a few years before we got married in 1967 and we are blessed with good children. My grandchildren are showing great potential and by God’s grace we are going to see another Otubusen in soccer limelight soon.

    ‘Slow Poison’

    I got the nickname from Lagos playing street football in Shomolu. We used to ‘felele’ (street football) which people loved a lot. It was being played all over Lagos, Shomolu, Bariga, Isale Eko and other places. On Saturday and Sunday hundreds of people would come out to watch us at Olaleye field in Shomolu. I used to be a striker and goals came easily to me. One day after scoring another goal, a young boy, Moshudi Giwa, was saying’ ‘this boy is slow but very poisonous. He is slow poison.’ That’s how everybody began to call me ‘Slow Poison.’

    Now, people don’t call me by my real name. Even in the house and church they call my wife ‘mama slow.’ That was how the name spread to school, the whole of Shomolu, Bariga, Onikan and onto IICC and Green Eagle and all over the world. Whenever I communicate with my friends they don’t call me my name, it’s ‘Slow.’

  • WILFRED NDIDI: Why I went back to school in UK

    Ranked the best tackler in the world by a stats website whoscored.com, Nigeria and Leicester star Wilfred Ndidi is set to tackle the next phase of his career. To effectively do that, he told Taiwo Alimi he must first equipped himself by returning to the University.

    At only 22 and the world seemingly at his feet, Leicester tough tackler Wilfred Ndidi is already thinking about the future. His recent enrolment and admission to study Business and Management at De Montfort University (DMU) was born out his strong inclination to secure a bright prospect for himself after a career in football.

    Ndidi whose career has blossomed since moving to England in 2017 with World Cup and Africa Nations Cup appearances for Nigeria is eyeing a prospect in football related business in retirement.

    Ndidi moved to England when he signed for Leicester from Belgian side K.R.C. Genk and has aspired to return to school ever since.

    He said: “Since I moved to England I’ve been nursing that ambition to return to school to acquire new skills. It’s something I always to do because the opportunity was not there in Nigeria for me. I had the desire in Nigeria to continue my education in Nigeria but the opportunity was not there. I spent much of my time playing football.”

    Ndidi put his plans into action last year when he volunteered to work with the University located in Leicester.

    “I remember some of us (Leicester players) manning the university’s hotline and getting the opportunity to speak with students applying for clearing at DMU.  My club has a good relationship with DMU, and we joined the university staff to answer calls from students looking for advice on their course. “We made an acquaintance of Vice-Chancellor of DMU Dominic Shellard, who was happy to have us. He made us feel at home and I thought if I apply there I would not have any problem blending in.

    Of course we received many calls from Leicester fans used the opportunity to say hello to us. It was an enjoyable moment.”

    Ndidi noted that he won’t be the first Premiership star to school at MDU.

    “Ji Sing Park, former Manchester United star study Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, here and even played for the school. DMU has a robust relationship with Premiership players and that is how I got the idea to also study here.”

    To Ndidi’s excitement, his decision to acquire a university degree was greeted with greater excitement from his colleagues, Leicester management and his parents.

    “When I broke the news to my parents I wanted to expand my scope of knowledge by returning to school, they were greatly excited.”

    Happy parents

    “They are really proud but for me. Education is very important because growing up in Nigeria I wasn’t in school and then seeing other kids not been able to go to school because their parent could not afford it. It is just a personal thing for me that I want to expand myself and know a couple of things and understand.”

    They treat me nice

    “The environment is really amazing, though I come [to school] been cool, no one knows when I step into the class and go. Sometimes I park further away from DMU so I can take a walk onto campus. I really like it.

    I’m satisfied with the cooperation I’m getting from the teaching staff of the institution. Instead of sitting at home after training I come to DMU for my classes. The teachers have been amazing; they really try and help me understand.

    Rather than just reading books they take time to explain things to me and they very well understand my training Schedule. I can come and go out as I like and they are really helping me and I’m coping quite well.”

    Why Business and Management? Ndidi’s informed that his bigger plan revolves round this course.

    He plans to set up a soccer academy which would help young Africans improve their football talents and at the same time keep them in school. “Back home (Nigeria) so many kids aren’t able to go to school because their parents can’t afford it. I want to set up a football resort where people can stay and play football while getting an education at the same time. I think it’s really important to try to learn things outside of your normal life. I want to do something that I can be fully part of so it’s important I know something about business and management, even though I’m still going to be in football.”

    Married life

    Ndidi feels divine that he’s doing well for club and country and don’t want to take it for granted hence the reason he wants to give back to African kids. “It is inspiring that my name has been linked to the very best in Europe, at least in the area of tackling. I got married to my friend and woman and the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt was memorable. For me whatever is happening I always say I am lucky enough that I am one of the few privileged to have played football. There are a lot of stories of how footballers from where I come from have made it big due to the talent but for me, I believe it’s my hard work and the luck that God has given me.

    “I am just being real here – to come from where I come from, to be playing in the English Premier League and doing well. I don’t want to take that for granted. I’ve got to give back.” Ndidi also thinks that his club is playing well and will finish better than last season.

    Leicester target

    “Leicester City can finish in the English Premier League top six this season,” he stated.

    “We narrowly missed out on Europa League ticket last term. Top six? I would say top three [is possible] but we have to get the points out of the games before we can place ourselves at the top.

    “After the draw against Chelsea we knew we could have won that game. It’s a mixed feeling for me because in the first half we were not up to it. We tried to comeback in the second half, with better spirit and we tried to push forward. As I said, it was a mixed feeling because we should have got the three points even after the first half. We competed well and that goes for other matches too thereafter.

    “My goal came at the right time too. We’re not here to compete, we’re here to contend. All of the guys have a good spirit and we know what we want this season. Getting this point, we’re not really happy, we’re kind of sad because we dominated the second half which could have brought a better result for us. Yes! We could have won the match.

    “We’re really pleased. I keep saying, the first half was really bad. I feel bad about it. There are lots of positives for us in the second half. We’ll try to take it to the next game because we know we can actually do it.”

    The Nigerian still remembers French player N’Golo Kanté like yesterday.

    At the time of his signing, Leicester were struggling under the weight of being such unlikely Premier League champions. Kanté, so integral to that remarkable triumph, was long gone. Nampalys Mendy and Daniel Amartey had both tried to replace him but failed.

    In the last Premier League season, Kanté clocked up 130 successful tackles and interceptions combined at Chelsea while Ndidi ended with 153, more than any player in Europe’s top five leagues.

    “I just go out there to do whatever coach tells me and I guess I do it well and that is why I keep coming back. When I came here (Leicester) I told myself that if I played very well then someday I would also be remembered as a great. I want to say that I’m close to that now.”

    He also remembers Leicester marksman James Vardy in a special way. “Vardy is certainly one of the reasons why we are playing well. In the whole of England few strikers are like him. He’s smart and fast. Vardy for me is up there,” Ndidi added.