Tag: football

• Says best way to manage football tense moments is to watch with 50-50 expectation

President-General, Nigerian Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, speaks on his nearly fifty years adventure supporting the Super Eagles and other Nigerian football teams at home and across the globe. He also shared his recent AFCON experience in Cote d’Ivoire and some of his close shaves with death on the beat with Gboyega Alaka.

At well over 70, you look so sharp and trendy; what have been the secret for you?

There is no secret in ageing; it’s just God’s grace, God’s blessing. It is by the grace of God that one grows old and looks youthful; and that is what has happened to my life, aside the fact that I don’t do what I cannot manage. I don’t drink, and I don’t smoke. I really don’t even womanise. And I don’t put my hands into what I cannot manage or look for what I cannot get. God has given everybody that opportunity to be whatever they want to be but He has not given you the right to look for what He has not blessed you with; and if you force yourself to look for what He has not blessed you with, then you’re looking for trouble.

You have been active going everywhere, supporting Nigerian football for forty years; you were even in Cote d’Ivoire; are you not tired?

No, I am not tired. I love what I’m doing, and I’m always filled with joy when I’m doing it; so I really don’t get tired. Besides, I can never get tired of doing it for my country. I love Nigeria so much and I believe that every Nigerian, be you a boy or a girl; a man or a woman, must give your best to the good and positive image of our country. Take a look at this Nigerian flag on my shirt; it’s on all my clothes and I’m probably the only Nigerian who dresses like this. It is borne out of my love for Nigeria.

Interesting how you espouse so much love for Nigeria in an age when many young people, even the not so young, are quick to vilify and even curse their country? What message do you have for such people?

I do know that there are problems in the country; but when you curse the country, then, the more problems we may have; and whatever problems we may have, you are involved. Your children will be involved; even those yet unborn will be involved. So the best thing is to calm down, pray to God that Nigeria sees better days and better years ahead. Nobody wakes up in the morning and places a curse on himself, so why curse your country? We need to pray for Nigeria. Even if you move to any other country, whether the United States or the United Kingdom, you are in the first place a Nigerian, and you have family here – whether immediate of extended. Even if you die overseas, your people will bring your corpse home; and even if they don’t, a time will come when people will ask your children about their father’s grave site.

You were in the stadium during that AFCON semi-final match against South Africa; Nigeria lost so many people in that tension-soaked match, but here you are, a veteran of so many football ‘wars,’ still standing tall. How have you managed those tense moments?

First and foremost, I want to thank God for my life, for seeing me through all these years of many  ‘football wars’, violence, hooliganisms and the rest. It is God’s spirit that has kept me. If I cast my mind to how I became a member of the Supporters Club, it believe it was borne out of God wanting to use me. I was at the National Stadium, Surulere in 1977, when IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan were to play Bendel Insurance FC in an FA Cup semi final match; I got into the stadium after paying N4 but I couldn’t get a seat and had to stand. Before I knew it, I was taken off the ground and throw in the air. I landed on the concrete and before I knew it, over 50 people were on top of me and I couldn’t breathe. But through the grace of God, I was saved. Indeed, the first half, I couldn’t watch because I was under the concrete slab. It was the breeze that was coming from outside the stadium that saved me. After the first half, I came out and I was given a small seat. Even after the match ended, I was still uncomfortable and remained in the stadium for over one hour, shaken. Later at home, I heard over the 9 o’ clock news on television that 32 people died in the stadium. That was when I realised I could have been gone, and I thanked God for saving my life. I have seen so many football ‘wars’, whether in Nigeria or outside. Whether we’re winning or losing, I’ve been in the thick of things. However, nobody is a wise man. Only God gives wisdom. Nobody knows tomorrow; so I want to appreciate the lives of those that died on that day. I pray that God gives their families the fortitude to bear the loss. It was a big sacrifice for Nigeria.

Is there any technique to disengaging one’s emotion from the game?

There is; and I’ll tell you. I used to be very emotional, but there was a day in 1984, when Shooting Stars were playing Zamalek FC of Egypt in an African Champions League final and I fainted as a result of the tension and everything. The press took my photo, and the next day, I saw my picture in the paper with the caption: ‘The lifeless body of Dr. Rafiu Ladipo. The day the Nigerian flag refused to fly.’ Thereafter, I adopted a formula, which is to always go to the stadium or watch any football game with a 50-50 frame of mind. You may win, you may lose; and if you lose, don’t lose your life. If you lose the match, don’t lose your head. Anybody who goes to a game with over emotional frame of mind or fanatical, is not doing himself any good – because blood pressure can rise at any point in time. I cannot afford to be over emotional because I’ve done it over. For forty-eight years of my life, I’ve been doing this all across the world, so there is nothing new to me anymore. When we were going to play the final match against Cote d’Ivoire, I called one of my guys and said, ‘I am going to the stadium with a 50-50 frame of mind, we may win, we may lose. So when the match ended and we lost, I was singing with the Ivoirians, because they probably would have attacked us. I knew that having won, they would yell at us to celebrate with them. It’s just a game of football and it’s fun; somebody has to win, somebody has to lose.

Some Nigerians who experienced the tense atmosphere in the stadium during that final match have also said it was better Nigeria lost; that getting out of the stadium with victory could have come with some repercussion. Do you think so?

Yes, it may have happened. Because the stadium gates were opened for free for the Ivoirians, everybody had the opportunity to come. But we had to pay for our tickets. The NFF gave us 150 tickets, and I had over 500 people; so I had to purchase form my members. Unfortunately, when we got to the car park, they asked us trek a distance of about ten kilometres to the stadium. That was the arrangement; and it occurred to me that if we didn’t get to the stadium in time and take our space, we would not be able to gain access. And it happened. All the other people who could not trek and were waiting for shuttle buses couldn’t enter the stadium. I saw thousands of people who came into Cote d’Ivoire to see the match, but they could not enter the stadium, because even those who paid 500 dollars to see a game of 5000 CFA could not even access the stadium. So indeed the tension was there. Every Ivoirian in the stadium was wearing orange, unlike in Nigeria, where when you tell people to come to the stadium in green and white, they would come in Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal jersey and the rest. That is no patriotism. Patriotism starts from the belief in your country. Support your country. As a player, if you see the kind of crowd like the Ivoirians gave to their team and their unity and support, you as a player will be moved to make your country proud. Even when we scored them, they were still not perturbed and they came to score two goals to win. And when the game ended, we took it in our stride and celebrated with the winners. There was an occasion in London in 1994, when we went to play England. We entered the stadium with our drums and trumpets, and after they had beaten us 1-0, we were still beating our drums, singing and dancing, so their journalists who were surprised came to us and asked: ‘You have just been beaten, why are you still singing and dancing?’ And I told them, it’s a game of football, somebody has win, somebody has to lose. And if you lose a game, you don’t lose your head. From that stadium, they took me in their vehicle to BBC London to go and educate their English fans on how to support their team without being violent. I had five of such interview before I left England.

There were videos of Nigerian supporters, who on their way back from the stadium after the final match, were being jeered at; did you experience that as well?

I did, but like I told you, I was not angry with them. Rather, I started singing with them; and when they saw that I was singing with them, my men also joined; so they were hugging us rather than fighting us.

You are a global citizen when it comes to football; what would be your best football moment as a supporter?

I will say 1996 in Atlanta. In Atlanta ’96, we played the first round of game with Brazil and lost 1-0; we continued and progressed to meet Brazil again in the semi-final. At a point, Brazil was leading us 3-1; and then I had an inspiration from God to sing a song: ‘He’s a miracle working God, He’s the Alfa and Omega, He’s a miracle working God…’; 25 minutes to the end of the match, we were awarded a penalty and we lost it; and the player was even laughing. But I still had the belief that we would win the match, so I told my people to continue singing. I remember one of my members coming to me to say, ‘Egbon, are you not mad? How can you think we can still win this game even when we’re 3-1 down against Brazil?’ I told him not to worry, and we continued singing. Then we scored the second goal; and that was when the then Sports Minister, Chief Jim Nwobodo left his VIP seat and came to me and said ‘Dr, this song you’re singing; it’s like there is going to be a miracle today o’; I told him to watch and see. Then I changed my song to ‘I have a father who never fails…”; and before we finished that song, an equalising goal came; and then I changed my song to A ya chukwu naga za, … Give it to God, He will help you solve your problem. And it happened that we scored them 4-3 in Extra Time; and they started crying. That was when I did another song: When Nigeria beat Brazil; when Nigeria beat Brazil o, Bebeto start to cry…’. That was one of my best moments in football. And then came the final against Argentina. It went the same way, they were leading 2-1, the same songs were rendered and we beat them 3-2 to claim the gold medal. Nigeria claimed that gold first before any other nation. That is a thing of pride, a bragging right.

Back to the recent; there was this constant chant of Osimhen, as if he was the only one on the pitch; why?

The team was built around him, and having just won the African Footballer of the Year Award, a lot was expected from him. We were doing that to encourage him. Even though he was not scoring the goals, he was putting in his best and running all over the pitch, to the extent that the opponents were chasing him, thereby creating space for the likes of Lookman to score. Don’t forget, he even won two penalties for the team.

You were chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, and then you became President-General; tell us about the dynamics that got you here.

I didn’t just become the chairman. I was the nation’s flag-bearer for 13 years. Anytime the team was playing and you see a man come out of the tunnel with the Nigerian flag, I was that man. I would go to the dressing room, interact with the players, I would even be the one to tell them when to come to the field. At that time, once you see me come out with the flag, know that the players were coming out. I was very close to them- whether it was the Odegbami’s, the Muda Lawal, Kunle Awesu, Christian Chukwu, even Jay Jay Okocha, Rashidi Yekini; so I rose within the ranks. First I became the Assistant Secretary; then I became the Acting General Secretary, Chairman, Disciplinary Panel; then I was elected chairman in 1990. And that was the time I had the opportunity to register the association. Before then, we were not registered. That is why, officially, I am the founder. I am also the chairman, Board of Trustees. I was also the one that took the Supporters Club to all the states of the federation. I ensured there were branches across the country and all across the world. By 1992, I went to Cote d’Ivoire to launch the Supporters Club there. They have eight chapters there. From there, I moved to Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Gambia, Togo, Republic of Benin… By 1995, I was in the United States of America; and then France, London, England, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain. I went there personally to galvanise Nigerians there and inaugurated chapters of the Nigerian Supporters Club there. Even in China and Australia; so that when we have tournaments in those countries, no matter the number we are able to take from here, we have huge numbers waiting for us there. Even in Trinidad and Tobago.

At a time there was a tussle for leadership. How did you manage that?

Having been chairman for ten years, somebody else who became the national chairman, while I got elevated by election. Because there were already chapters all over the world, there was this new leadership change that required that we have a President-General, who would be like a father figure to all the chapters; and you cannot rise to become President-General, unless you have been a chairman for two terms. It’s in our constitution. Somehow, some people felt that the man has become so popular, some even asked, why President-General? But those who opposed the President-General title then now want to become President-General today.

Read Also: Eight things to know about Mr. Ibu

Many also think that you make a lot of money from these things, which is why you don’t want to leave.

That’s the belief, but the irony is that I became the first national president of the Freight Forwarders and Clearing Agents in Nigeria in 1986; even before I became chairman of the supporters club. So I made my money from the ports. I was the person clearing for all the big companies: Dr. Mike Adenuga’s companies: Devcom Merchant Bank, Equitorial Trust Bank, Globacom; the Dangote Group, Arisekola Group. Because of my position as national president of the clearing association, I was so popular and respected, and I was making money. I was clearing 500, 300, 250 containers, 1000 vehicles for a lot of people. And that was how I made my money. How do you make money from a  club where a member pays N500 as monthly due? If we have 1,000 members, the maximum we would make in a year is six million. These are people who travel and I get them huge sums like N100million etc. How do I get the money? Through sponsorship. Because of the connection from my job, I brought people like Adenuga and Globacom into football. In fact we started with DEVCOM Merchant Bank. Incidentally, I also became a director of Equitorial Trust Bank. So my money was not made from football. In fact, you cannot be the leader of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club if you’re not rich. If you’re not rich, you must be influential, to look for money and sponsorship. We went to Cote d’Ivoire; people should ask how we got money to go. No government gave me money. Since we have been running Supporters’ Club, the only government that ever gave me money was Goodluck Jonathan, who gave us N50million when we were to go to Brazil in 2014; and we ended up spending N189million. I sourced for the difference. Of course I tell my members to pay 30 per cent of whatever it will cost them to stay wherever we go; the balance of 70 per cent, I raise from sponsors. Globacom sponsored us for almost 17 years, until they fell out with the NFF. Of course, I have others like Sifax;, they are into maritime, aviation and banking. The chairman is my brother and my friend. I just told him, you will need to sponsor us o. He asked what do we do? I said ‘Give me some money,’ and he gave me some money with which we made t-shirts. That’s why you saw Sifax on some of our t-shirts in Cote d’Ivoire. And people were calling him from all over the world, telling him they saw his company name on the Supporters Club vests on TV. Then he sent his head of corporate department, Muyiwa Akande, to come to Cote d’ Ivoire and meet me after making more t-shirts. He also gave me more money. Also, I was sitting here when I got a call from Nigerian Breweries Plc, Biola Wasiu; he happened to be my junior in secondary school. I am their president-general in the alma mater association. He told me my company will sponsor you. That is goodwill. They also paid for t-shirts. They also paid my national chairman, Rev Sam Ikpea’s air ticket and later my air ticket from Abuja to Cote d’Ivoire.

Indeed you have earned the goodwill serving the nation selflessly all these years. Like the Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh said the other day, anybody who does not know you does not have any business in sports.

I have taken those words of the minister as something I will use to propagate the name of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club. I thank the minister for saying that and I want him to live up to his words. If he truly meant his words, then he should treat our organisation, The Nigerian Football supporters Club, as such. Yes, there are several supporters’ club today, but how many of them has been able to achieve what we have achieved?