Today in the world, Sports is the highest employer of labour, and pays the highest wages to individuals. Most sports men and women in various sports like Athletics, Football, Soccer, Volley Ball, Basket Ball, Hockey, Car Racing, Boxing, Weight Lifting etc can pay the monthly salary of American President, Senator Barack Obama without “shaking”.
You may wonder why these Athletes are earning such mouth-watering salaries! Every job has its own risk, but Sportmen and women exert their energies and risks their entire Bodies everyday.
While a civil servant can be in office till seventy years, Sportsmen, especially those in soccer which we call football here, can not be as fit as fiddle the moment they clock thirty years. Therefore, that is the reason they earn all they can when young as the party will not last long.
When I was growing up in Owerri, Imo State in the seventies, sportsmen and those in entertainment Industry were seen as no do wells and rascals, which led most parents to stop their children from such professions.
Today, the rejected stone has become the foundation of the House, as Sportsmen, Film Actors, Musicians etc rule the world in terms of high incomes and popularity.
However, one thing certain is that if some people had not held forth till this time that these professions are now “reigning” such professions would have gone extinct, especially in Imo state.
Therefore, some people in Imo state paid the high price when sports was just seen as an entertainment, unlike now high pay is attached to it.
Even under this condition, these Sportsmen gave their life for the game, just for the passion they had for the game and the state. While the “gate keepers” made money, these Sports men relished the accolades they received from their fans on the streets.
This was the scenario when we grew up in Owerri. Then, the only stadium in the town, the old stadium at Tetlow road, was covered with ordinary Zinc.
To attend matches was “do or die”. As kids, we dug holes under the zinc fences from where we enter the stadium, daring the stern looking soldiers who guard every inch of the Zinc stadium.
Today our children talk about clubs millions of kilometers away, reeling out the names of the players they have never, and may never see in flesh and blood all their lives.
During our era, who looked for heroes that you will never see? Our heroes were near and touchable. We saw them everyday in Spartans, Trojans, PNT Spiders or even Ministry of Works Football Clubs where Kanu Nwankwo began his football career.
Most of these heroes who carried Imo state on their shoulders without commensurate salaries are now dying unsung, because we prefer to respect Sports men and women in other countries. What a shame!
Recently, one of the great sons of Imo state, who made the state proud in the sports arena, Mr Goody Eke died without even an Obituary announcement from the Government, announcing the exit of this sports star who played for the Flying Eagles of Nigeria, Flash Flamingoes of Benin, and Iwuanyanwn Nationale of Owerri.
If it were in over-seas, it would be said that Goddy Eke died after playing at the highest level. Yes, because he donned the National Colors of the Eagles.
When he was buried last week at Isiekenesi in Ideato South LGA, not a single representative came from National Football Federation NFA. Though the Imo State Commissioner of Sports came, all he brought was the promise that he will sponsor the surgery of late Goddy’s daughter. And Eke died as a coach with the state’s sports council.
Eke is even lucky that Government sent a delegation. That was because he worked for the state government. What of other Imo Sportsmen and women who served the state but could not end up working for the Sports Ministry? Such ones died without any mention, yet they were selfless citizens who committed their youthful energy for the state.
With all that is happening today, I cannot but continue to feel nostalgic of our days, when things were working. Not now that we think that things are moving in the right direction with Coloured Televisions, Handsets, “Blue Films”, Nude Musicians, Naked Girls advertising such products like Cocoa Yam. You ask, what relationship has a cocoa yam with Nude ladies?
In other lands, the younger ones are thought of the past in the school curricular so that they do not lose touch with their history. The reason is that if you do not know where you are coming from, you can never know where you are going.
Native Histories that were thought us those days have been discarded for European stories. Your child can tell you the name of American President, but does not know the name of his council chairman.
How many of our children know that Chioma Ajunwa is from Imo state and was the First Nigerian to win an individual Gold Medal in Olympics?
There was Black and White Televisions then showing Brazilian games with their Zezes, Peles etc, but it will be an abomination for me that Spartans was playing Enyimba of Aba and I am at home watching “Oyibo Match” on television.
Then we had strong football teams across Nigeria that you will not fail to attend matches at our beloved old stadium, with the zinc protecting spectators who paid ticket.
Teams then include Bendel Insurance of Benin, Standard, and Mighty Jets of Jos, IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan, Vasco Dagama and Rangers of Enugu, Stationary Stores, First Bank, National Bank and ACB all of Lagos, Ewekoro Babes, of Abeokute, Racca Rovers of Kano with Baba Otu Mohammed, Asaba Tex with Agwo Nnaji.
That towering Goal Keeper who puts own a black cap which we accuse him of hiding his “juju” .
We had Dic Bees of Kaduna, PZ, and Enyimba of Aba, Spartans and Spiders of Owerri, Element of Ubomiri, Mbaitoli LGA, Calabar Rovers, Sharks and Eagle Cement of Port Harcourt etc.
These were the old clubs until new ones started emerging. They include Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Leventis United of Ibadan, Flash Flamingoes of Benin, where Goddy, the Elder brother of Kanu Nwankwo was the Captain until he broke his leg and could not continue with football, Abiola Babes etc.
In the Imo state owned Spartans was array of stars, managed by Coach Isaac Nnado, with the late astute Administrator, Chief Jerry Enyiazu as the policy maker.
As kids, it was a delight to watch our heroes display their football prowess. Spartans Football Club of Owerri became so powerful that it could demolish almighty Rangers of Enugu.
This was because, the management of Spartans combed the entire Nigeria to poach Imo born footballers, and blend them with the home grown ones.
When Rangers is playing Spartans, some people go to the stadium a day ahead in order to get seats.
There was one particular match played at the Old Stadium and the zinc caved in, and the match was postponed.
It was then shifted to the newly completed New Stadium at Wethdral road, yet the arena could not contain the spectators.
Another match that shakes foundation of Imo was usually that between Enyimba of Aba and Spartans, until their strong men like Ike Madukairo, (Man Mountain) Emma Ajunwa (Terror) Nicholas Ukadike, (Thunder) Idika Aku (Pele) Ben Akanu (Picolo) Leonard Nkwocha, (Atila) were all poached by Spartans.
Goddy Ebomuche was also brought home from Standard FC of Jos, as Goal Keeper, Ben Zico Nwosu from Calabar Rovers, Jonny Nwadioha and Harrison Metcha from Enugu Rangers, Monday Ibekwe form ACB, Frank Njemanze from First Bank Lagos etc.
Apart from these players, our darling Spartans paraded an array of stars. They include home grown Sylvester Oparanozie (Bahama), John Anyagwa (Tanya) Ramsome Madu. There was Amadi Nwokocha from Sharks of Port Harcourt , Goddy Agbarakwe, Sydney Ugorji, Cardinal Ugwuegbu, Evans Ukwuegbu (Mpoto),Peter Uchegbu, Peter Erege, Sunny Ikwuagwu (Hadur), Ugo Harrison, Kevin Uwana, Alphonsus Dike, Kelechi Emetole (Caterpillar) Eugine Ohubunwa, Jerry Chukwueke, Emiliano Momokobo, (from Cameroon but now naturalized Imo Man)
Others include Mike Obi, Blow, Obed Ariri and his Brother, and others.
As young boys growing up in Owerri, apart from the Library, which Governor Okorocha has demolished now, the stadium was our second home.
We became what was called “Greater tomorrow”. We show cased our skills before every major match in the stadium.
When we visit the stadium in the mornings before training, we watch the sprinters do their thing.
I can remember the twins from Egbu Comprehensive Secondary School, Ebere and his brother, Obioma who ruled Imo state in 1,500 metres. There was also Chijioke Eregbu.
I remember Ibrahim Tonica and Eddy Ndukwu (Terror) who were all boxers. Ndukwu mesmerised us then with his 4040 Peugeot car, which he usually hung his gloves at the back.
There was one Tashie, a wrestler, who later became a coach with the Sports council.
All these people mentioned, and others contributed in sustaining and building sports, not only in Imo state but in the entire world.
Today, many of them have died, without more than a mention in the Beer Palours in the Stadium complex.
This trend must not continue. While we emulate Oyibo people in watching their Football Leagues and other sporting activities, including in celebrating their heroes, when shall we develop our sports and celebrate our heroes?
