Joseph Ashinze remains the most colourful and enterprising goal scorer in the history of Nigerian football because of his trickery and precision style in front of goal. He was one of the players who raised the flag of the defunct Lagos, Stationery Stores Football Club darling team-high during his prime. He was a fast-mover and uncanny striker. Ashinze was so good that he won the local league highest scorer award thrice in 1987, 1988 and 1989. The achievement made former Super Eagles coaches look for him to play for the national team. But his dream of wearing the national colours during the 1994 FIFA World Cup in USA was dashed by a re-occurring injury. He shares his inspiring story with GBOLAHAN DADA.
In the beginning
I was born in Lagos 50-something years ago. I grew up in Lagos Island. I’m a real Lagosian. ‘Omo Eko ni mi.’ All my life is about playing football. I started early enough with the support of my parents who decided to settle here from Ibusa in Delta State. Playing around the suburb of ‘Isale Eko,’ I found the strength and the encouragement to forge ahead in spite of numerous challenges.
Lagos is like a home to me because I was born and nurtured on Lagos Island and Ebute Metta (West) now called Apapa Road. I was so excited about it.
Ambassador of grassroots football
In the early part of my life as a teenager, I knew that I would make a career in football and I pursued it vigorously with everything within me to succeed. I used to move from one football arena to another. From Campos Square, Lafiaji, Ebute Metta to Mushin Olosha and other parts of Lagos where ‘felele’ set football is played. I started the journey with the late Mudashiru Lawal. Playing football was the only language we understood. The more we played, the more we understood the language of the game. Naturally, I was just flowing in the game and goal-scoring later became a habit.
At St. Paul Primary school, Apapa Road, where I met Nigeria legend, Godwin Odiye, I exhibited my skills before furthering my education at Eko Boys High School
Natural striker
I want to bless God for giving me such a remarkable ability to make a mark in my generation. Goal-scoring always came naturally. No goalkeeper could stop me if I was determined to score. I worked very hard to get to that level because my football career started from the grassroots. No coach discovered me. It is God who gave me the strength and sense of purpose to discover myself and I worked towards attaining the height.
Football then and now
In my active days, footballers play with passion and raw energy. There were more skillful and determined players around but now, footballers are lazy and more money-conscious. In those days even without the cash, footballers loved the game than anything. For example, Stationery Stores recruited quality players without adequate sign-on fees. The players just wanted to play for clubs to launch themselves to stardom.
Considering the security situation in the country now, and the standard of the players we have, fans don’t enjoy football entertainment any longer. In those days, fans came to stadiums because of the players.
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