Sport is the highest employer of labour in the world today. And it is also the highest paid on planet earth. Therefore, time was when parents prevented their wards from participating in the trade. Before, those who got involved in sports were seen as drop-outs and never-do-wells.
But today, parents are persuading their children to get involved in any type of sports, as the consequences are stupendous riches through endorsements and salaries.
However, among all the sports in the world, the game of soccer is the most popular. It has become the opium of its followers, who are ready to bet even their wives and children for games.
Because of the large followership, the game of soccer has been modernized by its organizers and sponsors to attract spectators who troop into various stadia in all parts of the world to catch fun and celebrate their stars.
As the game has made some players popular and rich, so also has it made many countries rich and popular. For instance, whenever a country like Brazil is mentioned, the reply is Pele and Soccer. When you mention Argentina today, the response will be Leonel Messi.
Therefore, football is not only big business, but has also assumed important position in the world politics. Today FIFA and CAF individually are richer than many countries of the world. And since sports (soccer) plays a very prominent role in world politics, not many countries take the game of soccer for granted.
Apart from garnering foreign currencies for nations, it also places their names in the world map.
When I was growing up as a kid, I never knew about Senegal as a country, but I was aware of Police FC of Senegal, Cannon Yaunde of Cameroon, Ashanti Kotoko, and Hassacas of Ghana, etc.
These teams those days engaged our dear Spartans Football Club of Owerri, which was formed immediately Old Imo State was carved out from East Central State. We also had the Trojans FC which was eclipsed by Spartans.
Knowing the importance of sports and soccer, all administrations in Imo state then including Military sustained Spartans FC to the extent that the club became a thorn in the flesh of older teams like Rangers and Vasco Dagama of Enugu.
I am talking of the era of sports gurus like Sir Jerry Enyiazu, Dan Anyiam, Isaac Nnado, Chief Nzerem, Tobby Madu, Leo Ozurumba etc. Then Spartans FC was the first “Church” for all growing youths in Imo state, and its matches were a must watch.
The administrators combed the entire Nigeria to fish out Imo sons plying their trades in other teams. Goody Ebomuche was fished from Standard of Jos, Amadi Nwokocha was poached from Sharks of PH, Harrison Mecha, Johnny Nwadioha and others came from Rangers of Enugu, Leonard Nkwocha (Atila) from Enyimba, Frank Njemanze from First Bank, Paul Uzokwe ACB, Emiliano Momokobo from Cameroon, David Adiele from Bendel Insurance etc.
These gentlemen administrators later raided Enyimba of Aba for IK Madukairo (Man Mountain) Idika Aku (Pele), Emma Ajunwa (Terror) Ben Akanu (Picolo), Nicholas Ukadike (Thunder).
The new players joined the likes of Peter Erege, Ugo Harrison, Cardinal Ugwuegbu, Eugene Ohuabunwa, Kevin Unwana, Goddy Agbarakwe, Evans Ukwuegbu (Mpoto) Sunny Ikwuagwu (Hadur) Sydney Ugorji, Obed Ariri, Ben Nwosu (Zico), Ramsome Madu, Sylvester Anozie (Bahama), Kelechi Emetole (Caterpillar) and others.
At this time, soccer here was played for nothing but commitment to the game and patriotism. Those of us who followed Spartans caredless of foreign clubs.
How can you miss a match between Spartans FC and Enugu Rangers, or Vasca Dagama, or Asaba Tex, or Ewokoro Babes, or Bendel Insurance, or Racca Rovers of Kano or Shooting Stars of Ibadan or Stationary Stars of Lagos or ACB of Lagos, or even PZ of Aba? What of Leventis of Ibadan and Calabar Rovers?
How can you be absent at Old Stadium Owerri, when Chimchim Pepe will be roaring and juggling round the stadium during the half time to pep up the supporters? How can you miss the “Greater Tomorrows” that will dazzle the spectators before the main match! Those at home “hooked to” IBS for Agwu Nwogo, Sam Rose Anyaugo, John Nwogu and Chris Abiaziem for live commentaries.
Then suddenly, football as we call it here, became a big business that employs the players full time as professionals. The late Chief MKO Abiola kick-started the trend by floating Abiola Babes of Abeokuta, which swept all good players whenever they were found and they were paid mouth-watering salaries.
As an aspiring politician with loaded Bank vaults Abiola knew what a football club could do to his popularity across the nation. And predictably, Abiola Babes FC sky-rocketed MKO’s name to high heavens that he became a house-hold name in Nigeria.
As our own dear brother and leader, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was also eyeing the Presidency, he adopted the MKO formula by taking over the Spartans Football Club and its name changed to Iwuanyanwu Football Club of Owerri.
Chief Iwuanyanwu sought for one of the best football administrators in Nigeria, Prince Lemmy Akakem and handed him over the Club. The Prince from Orji in Owerri North LGA, beckoned on Chief Uche Ejimofor to become the Team Manager.
It did not take long before Iwuanyanwu FC gave Abiola Babes the fight of their life, and conquered Nigerian Football, before putting Africa in its pocket.
Hardly any player that was popular in African continent then that did not pray to lace his boot for the Owerri based Club.
The Coaches were “White men” and professional footballers from African Continent stormed Owerri begging for their signatures to be included in the club.
“Minor things” like Team Bus, Training ground, Quarters and other logistics were little matters. The team traveled first class to matches, and had living quarters at Ikenegbu Owerri where I usually visited my Stars, Edward Ansa and Benji Nzeako. Their training turf was located at Naze, where we visit to watch their “practice” sessions.
Even after Chief Iwuanyanwu failed to clinch the Presidential ticket which later claimed the life of Chief MKO Abiola, he went on funding the team, and when Prince Lemmy Akakem left, Chief Ignatius Okeahialam stepped in to take over the mantle of the team’s top management.
However, because of political intrigues sometime around 2004 or 2005, then Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa “revoked” Chief Iwuanyawu’s ownership of the Club and rechristened it Heartland Football Club of Owerri. It therefore meant that the original owners, Imo State Government, has taken over its property.
Within the period Udenwa led Imo State, the Government sustained the Club to meet its obligations, though the Club could be said to have made some modest achievements within the period in review, the administration of Udenwa lived up to its promises, knowing that the Club was part of the Public Relations Department of the Government.
Because of the imputs Chief Jim Nwobodo made in Enugu Rangers as the Governor, his popularity soared higher than it would have those days.
Today if you mention Enyimba of Aba, everybody will chorus “Orji Uzor Kalu”
Therefore, in line with Udenwa’s policy, the Dr Ikedi Ohakim administration that succeeded it maintained the funding of Heartland Football Club. The then Governor later appointed an astute sports administrator, Chief Fan Ndubuoke to man the club. Infact, I signed the announcement of appointment of Ndubuoke as the Head of Heartland FC Management.
Ndubuoke swung into action immediately and the fortune of the Heartland FC changed in a short time, to the extent that one of the top soccer tacticians in Nigeria, Coach Samson Siasia was recruited as the Head Coach of the Team. However, Siasia did not last in the Team as he was ordered by the Federal Government to take over the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
All the pleas by Ohakim for Siasia to remain yielded no fruit as the Bayelsa born Football Technocrat believed that it was a national assignment to move to Abuja.
A few weeks after the Governorship election in the state in 2010, the Club won the Federation Cup. Unfortunately, rather than Ohakim, it was Gov Rochas Okorocha who was opportuned to receive the Trophy as the in-coming Governor then, even though it was Ohakim administration that funded and executed the outing.
After winning the tournament, rather than improve their fortunes, the travails of the club began. This was after the Governor rode on a Trailer with the Team in Owerri on a road show, acknowledging cheers from the crowd. All the myriads of promises made by Governor Okorocha to the “gallant soldiers” remain unfulfilled till date. The Club’s sign-on fees have remained unpaid. The salaries became an inconsistent pledge.
Every day, the Club cries for one thing or the other. When the shouting became too loud, the Governor one day paid a visit to the lads where he told them that money has been paid into Bank Account to off-set all debts the state owed the Club.
Weeks after, nothing happened. You ask the Commissioner for Sports, Comrade Emelu, the youthful politician will tell you that funds are coming, have entered the Bank, but not yet mature. The story remains a story till this morning.
Some times the players play matches on empty stomachs. When the team defeated Lobby Stars last year in Federation Cup, while the vanquished team went back to Makurdi with chattered flight, the victors from Owerri traveled back by road, on a rickety vehicle that broke down twice before they got to Owerri.
If you go to Heartland FC training these days, you will see that the team has lost its “Colour” and this is breeding psychological trauma on the lads, who may not be giving their bests due to the circumstances they have found themselves.
The highest of the shames from Heartland FC was when the team not only brought Odium to Imo State, but the entire Nigeria as it failed to honour its match in the CAF Confederation Cup against US Bitam of Gabon a few days ago. The team was leading with 2-1 goal aggregate in the first leg, but was walked-over when it failed to appear for the second leg in Gabon.
Till date, Imo people, the owners of the Club, are yet to be told why the Club disgraced the state. As I write, no body has neither been sacked to serve as a deterrent to others, nor has any body resigned.
Instead, what is in the news is that the State Government has donated a new Bus to the Team. And this was a promise made nearly two years ago. It was for lack of Bus that one of the players, Onyebuchi Onyefule was knocked down by a Trailer, while going to training on a Keke. And his leg was nearly maimed for life. He is still lying in hospital.
Now in the CAF history, Heartland FC has been entered as one of the unserious teams in Africa. When the Gabonese visited, they were two days ahead in Owerri before the match which ended 2-1.
The Government of Imo State, should inaugurate a panel now to unravel why the State and Nigeria was disgraced in Africa by Heartland FC. The people want to know what happened. The issue should not be swept under the carpet as usual.
However, let me use this medium to tell the present administration in the state that Sports, (Soccer) is real business. Apart from that, the exploits of Heartland FC can shore up the image of the Government. I had mentioned names of personalities the game of Soccer helped to put in limelight in Nigeria.
Football is also the heaviest employer of Labour. The Government should not be reluctant in funding the Team simply because it does not make millions every day from Heartland FC. Government is not all about cash and carry. There are areas Government must meet its obligations whether millions role in or not. And if the management is the problem, they should be flushed out, as no individual or group is bigger than Imo State.
Imo has just one team, and yet Government cannot fund and run it well. What of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta States etc that have more than one team in the professional league?
Since the Government is looking for things to sale and privatize, it should invite investors to come and take over Heartland FC, if it cannot take care of the team. Imo people will not hear that “Spartans” football Club is dead.
The spirit of our fore-leaders, who thought out this idea will not forgive us. For the sake of the souls of Jerry Enyiazu, Dan Anyiam, Isaac Nnado, Goddy Agbarakwe, Amadi Nwokocha and others departed, Governor Rochas OKorocha should please not allow Heartland FC to die. For the sweats of the Prince Lemmy Akakems, Uche Ejimofors, Ignatius Okeahialams, Kevin Unwanas, Kelechi Emetoles, Ramsome Madus, Sylvester Anozies and others that are still alive, Gov Okorocha should preserve this legacy for Imo state. Posterity is watching and waiting.
