In 1998 when the then Military Governor of Imo state, Col. Tanko Zubariru completed the construction of Dan Anyiam Stadium, it was greated with long ovation.
The Multo-purpose stadium located along Wetheral, Road, Owerri, Imo state named after Daniel Anyiam the first Vice-Captain of the first Nigerian National Football team then known as Red Devils later Green Eagles and now super Eagle served as the venue for the opening and closing, ceremony for 1998 National Sports festival tagged “Imo 98” along side several other sporting facilities packed inside the stadium community which was constructed under the watchfully eye of a late Icon, prof. Celestine Onwuliri who was the commissioner for information, culture, Tourism, youth and sports.
Before now, the Grasshoppers International stadium, the Basketball, Volleyball, Lawn Tenis Courts and the hockey field all packed in one environment including the Indor-Sports Halls for Squash, Gymnasim, Indo, Karate, Wrestling, Weightlifting and many others served their purpose during and after the biannual event lasted about one month and did throw Imo state into National and International line-light.
Mr Leo Ozurumba, who was as at that time the Imo sate Sports Council Director of Sports was saddled with the onus and responsibility of taking care of the activities happening around the arena alongside the stadium manger.
Enough of the history of this edifice and lets get to the meat of the matter for which purposes the structures and the faculties inside Dan Anyiam stadium was build, but that is not actually the meat of the matter.
As you may have noticed or observed the topic of this write up is the night life in Dan Anyiam stadium which will be raying behind scenes of what happens during dark hours in dark alleys after games and the normal sporting activities.
Let me also quickly add here that after the 90’s and as we entered the y2k era, lots of eateries and relaxation joints started springing up here and there to add to the favourite Ofe Owerri and ugba joints that characterized the entire land of Owerri capital city owned by Owerri nchi ise.
As sporadic as it was and because the stadium were sporting activities take place also encourages and goes-
With the spectators catching fun around available joints and many other enjoying activities that be found as lots eateries and joints began to rear it’s head around the stadium arena.
Before 2007, when the immediate past Governor Chief Ikedi Ohakim came into power, the stadium community in Owerri was gradually turning into a market environment with different kinds of eatery centers and fast food joints tat were also beginning to displace some of the sporting facilities and it’s activities.
The worrying part of this entertainment invasion inside the sporting arena was the kind of activities that started occurring especially in the Night when the business of these eatries, joints and fast food centres are at it’s peak. Infact I can recall vividly on one occasion when yours truly attended an all night church program that took place inside the Grasshopper International Stadium and I observed that some female athletes the sports council were trading their body for money and for a paltry plate of pepper soup, Nkwobi and some bottle of drinks.
This is not to say here that there were no allowed eatries and joints supposedly operating in the arena, but the notorious
activities that were occurring then gradually was turning our sporting arena into a brothel.
Most of the joints then like, mess 77′ and ‘Tata Fish” attracted so much patronage to the extent that it’s staff were taking turn’s as some were working during the day time wile the other group will take their’s in the night.
As a result of these the night hours in the stadium community
Practically attracted a believe of activities as Imolites and it’s visitors made the joints their resting place after work to enjoy the delicacies and other extra services also offered by some waitress and female customers mainly students.
The Governor Chief Ikedi Ohakim after receiving various complains and haven accessing things himself decided to call for a drastic change by banning all joints from operating inside the stadium community.
The action obviously did not go down well with some people especially the business owners who apparently did put in a lot of money into setting up the joints. The worker who were mainly athletes were also angered by that decision and the customers who also felt that sporting activities do go hand-in-hand with entertainment.
Barely two years after sanity was restored to the stadium community, the ugly incidents have started rearing it’s had once again especially during night hours and the authorities will have take another drastic decision in other to avoid a situation were the area turns to a brothel again.
If you take a careful observation of the subject place in question at night, you will in deed be marveled with the kind of activities that go on inside the stadium community were future stars are supposed to be and were state, national and international activities take place.
The joints are gradually returning back to the stadium and the sex hawkers are equally beginning to perfect ways of catching their customers.
But we must not mistake the purpose of this piece to the beautiful joints in the stadium community that serve not just sports men and women nice meats, rather we should be thinking of how to ensure that the unscrupulous elements that have decided to destroy the image of the state with their nefarious activities are check meted on time before it gets out of hand once again.
The stadium authorities especially the security outfit or personal must as a matter of fact work round the clock and ensure that those who have decided to turn some corners of the stadium into sex zone are apprehended and prosecuted.
If the athletes are court it is my single opinion that such person be sacked from the council to serve as an example to others, let us re
