It was a shock to many patriots of Imo State extraction when Heartland Football club Owerri Imo State was demoted to the second Division of the Nigeria League.
The reason for the surprise was that if there is anything that joins all Imo citizens together, as with the National Team, Super Eagles with all Nigerians devoid of tribe and Religion, it is the Heartland football club Owerri.
However, it is pertinent to note that Heartland football club is as old as Imo State, only that the football club changes name with each administration in the State.
Some of us who are football addicts that grew up in Owerri knew that the club has changed hands from one administration to the other since 1976 when Commander Ndubuisi Kanu was made the first Military Administrator of old Imo State comprising of today’s Abia and parts of Ebonyi States.
The first club Imo State had was named the Trojans which conquered other States at Oluyole 77. It was when the Trojans returned to Imo State that some of the players were drafted to form the all conquering Spartans football club of Owerri.
Spartans FC became the Imo State official football club then, even though there were the likes of Elemats of Ubomiri, Ministry of Works and P&NT FC, sponsored by NITEL.
However, every administration in Imo State indentified seriously with Sports development knowing that after the Nigerian civil war, the only area the Igbos could be guaranteed free hand and contribution, was in the area of sports, where only your talent can fetch you success, and not man-know-man.
Because of this situation, Igbos took to sports and Rangers International FC of Enugu debuted, and cleaned out all Football trophies available in Nigerian then.
Therefore, Spartans football club of Owerri followed the footsteps of their brothers, Rangers International FC, and before you knew it, Spartans has become a house hold name in Nigeria.
Luckily for the club, all administrations in Imo State took sports development as its pivot programme, until Gov Rochas Okorocha appeared in the scene in 2011.
Unfortunately, Okorocha’s regime seems not to reckon with sports development, simply because it is a sector where you spend millions of Naira, without physical presence, like building roads and class rooms etc.
Yet, sport is the easiest way to develop an environment, following the stupendous fund that chases the sector.
Today, sports have removed a lot of men and women that would have fallen pray to vices out of the streets, and made them Billionaires.
In the case of Ronaldo, he would have been aborted by the mother, who could not even afford the amount charged by the Doctor.
Today, Ronaldo is not only a Bread winner for the family, he is a global Icon, recognized by Kings and Presidents.
Because the incumbent Governor of Imo State Owelle Rochas Okorocha believes in physical structures Halls, Squares, Presidential Lodges, Statues etc, Sports in the State has suffered devastating blow to the extent that if not for a few individuals that cherish the sector, Imo State would have been producing criminals in their millions, than the footballers, Sprinters and other Athletes the State is now proud of.
For six years Okorocha has been in office, there has not been any Sports Talent Hunt activities, just like in the previous regimes.
The climax of this lukewarm attitude towards sports development in Imo by the Okorocha administration was when Heartland football club was humiliated and sent to the second Division for the first time since 1976.
This was a club that during the military regimes and that of Chief Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim made waves in not only in Nigeria, but in the African continent.
During Ohakim’s regime, the club nearly ruled African continent, if not for TP Mazembe of Congo Democratic Republic.
When Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu took over the club and it became Iwuanyanwu Nationale FC, it ruled Africa. But it is shameful that under Okorocha’s regime the club was demoted and very unfortunately, the Government did not bother.
Luckily now, the hard working Managing Director of the Team and his Management Team have returned the club to the elite league, which is something football followers in the State should rejoice about because it is not an easy task.
Those who think it easy should ask Calabar Rovers and Bendel Insurance where they are in the National League today after playing pivot roles in the National League Division one.
In short, God is on the side of Imo State, and even the Governor should have rejoiced more than others because it would have entered the history Books that it was under him that the State’s club was demoted for the first time since 1976.
But the question is, does Governor care? Does he bother about what the demotion of Heartland FC would have caused to his political career for eternity? He would have entered the Books as the Governor under whose regime Heartland FC sunk into oblivion.
A visit to Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri is repulsive. The sporting Arena has turned to a dilapidated and abandoned site. It is very clear to conclude that the Okorocha regime has no plans for the sports sector in the State.
Already, Bulldozers are busy demolishing structures around the Stadium, but Government has not bothered to step into the sporting arena and see things for itself. The revered Dan Anyiam Stadium has turned into an abandoned property.
Individuals have been acknowledging the triumphs of Heartland into the elite league, but not a word has come out from the State’s Chief Executive. As far as Okorocha is concerned, Sports, in his own understanding does not create wealth, and therefore his administration has no business funding sports in the State.
The biggest employer Labour cum youths anywhere in the world is Sports. When we were growing up in Owerri, football matches was the most entertainment sector in the State.
Thousands trekked to old Stadium, Tetlow Road to catch a clipse of Rangers International duel with Spartans. Spartans versus Enyimba football matches was like carnival.
At a time, Spartans now called Heartland FC, poached best players across the country which attracted tourists to Imo State.
I was happy when I attended the burial of former International, Shedrack Ajaero, recently and I saw live some of the stars who made football bubble in the old Southeast, still agile and paying homage to their colleague.
The likes of Emeliano Momokobo, Leo “Atila” Nkwocha, Lawrence, “Danjuma” Ukaegbu etc.
Also present was the man who made history by returning Heartland FC to the elite league just after one season in Division 2, Coach Ramson Madu.
At “Ajaee’s” burial at Uratta, I remembered when we used to play for Spartans “Greater tomorrow”.
Spartans line-up then had the likes of Jony Nwadioha, Peter Erege (who was buried last week) Nicholas “Thunder” Ukadike, Blow, Harrison Mecha, Ugo Harrison, Amadi Nwokocha, Godwin Agbarakwe, Frank Njemanze, Nwaiwu, Ike “Man Mountain” Madukairo,Idika “Pelle”Aku, Emma “Terror” Ajunwa, Evans “Mpoto” Igwuegbu. Goody Ebomuche,Peter Uchegbu, Eugine Ohuabunwa, Kevin Onwana, Cardinal “DontDirty” Ukwuegbu, Sydney Ugorji, Ben “Zico” Nwosu, Picollo etc.
Infact, Imo needs to bounce back and take the center stage of sports in Nigeria. Recently, the Governor of River State, Nyesom Wike was in Spain to sign a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Real Madrid of Spain on how to produce young talents of Rivers State extraction for the club.
But in Imo State, Okorocha is busy signing Memorandum Of Understanding (MUO) with President Jacob Zuma of Africa for his Rochas Foundation School.
It is not bad, only that each Governor in Nigeria has his own priority.
