Sports in Anambra State, 25 years after!
The giant strides of Anambra State since its creation on August 27, 1991, have reflected positively on all spheres of life in the state collectively, sports inclusive, though the few heights attained in sports seem more like individual efforts than collective.
So, as the drums are still being rolled out for a huge celebration that after 25 solid years, Anambrarians can beat their chests and scream Eureka! as they have every right to be counted as Silver Jubilliants!!!
The new State won the 1991 Manuwa Adebayo U-17 Football Competition in Ibadan in her first year of creation and added another in 1992, the National U-13 Football Competition. The bulk of the victorious 1993 U-17 world conquering Golden Eaglets were groomed in the State, at the Rojenny Games Village. And a few of the players are indigenes. But thereafter, the laurels took a leave and the individuality of the Anambrarian came to life.
By 1993, Anambra State became the only State in the Federation that had three football teams in the Nigerian Premier League – Udoji United, Jasper United and later, Gabros International that today is Football Club Ifeanyi Ubah – all individually funded.
In the track and field, individuals like Innocent Egbunike of Africa and Queen of Sprints, Mary Onyali held sway. Later, the likes of Francis Obikwelu, who naturalised as a Portuguese, Uche Emedolu and Vivian Chukwujekwu brought us laurels, with the State standing aloof.
In football, Udoji United won the Premier League in 1996, with Jasper coming second; a feat they Jasper, achieved twice. Hence, Anambra had two teams playing in the Continental in 1997, yet none of our governors/administrators ever came to the Rojenny Stadium to inspire the teams. In the same vein, Anambra has produced some of the finest football referees for the country within this quarter of a century – Late Prince Donatus Mbaezue, Barrister Jude Obikwelu, Late Innocent Enemuo and FIFA-badged Callistus Chukwujekwu.
The ladies are not left out too. Nkiru Igwenagu, FIFA-badged Grace Agudosi and Bright Oranyelu – though all retired but not tired.
Anambra State experienced a staccato growth due to the short tenure of most of her governors, especially the Military Administrators (1991 – 1999) who were removed hardly before they settled down to form a good Sports Policy for the State. It may therefore be said that the State, in a bid to meet up with other States, being among the youngest and the least developed then, decided to leave sports development to individuals than develop a very strong sports policy like the neighbouring States of Delta and Imo.
The various governments that piloted the affairs of the State, starting from the first Military Administrator, Navy Captain Joseph Abulu up to Colonel Emmanuel Ukaegbu, none served for up to three years but Colonel Michael E. Attah, who completed three years (9th December, 1993 – 21st August, 1996); even the first civilian elected Governor, Dr. Pius Chukwuemeka Ezeife, lasted less than two years (2nd January, 1992 – 17th November, 1993), as the palace coup of General Sani Abacha truncated the light of democracy. Little wonder none gave any serious attention to sports in the State.
The entrance of the present democratic dispensation from 1999 (to 2003) with Dr. ChinwokeMbadinuju brought more abandonment and confusion for sports in the state. The then Football Association Secretary of the old Anambra State and later Director of Sports, present Anambra, Dr. Cyprian Amuzie believes that “apart from the achievements of 1991-’93, nothing more was actually done, except that we participated in the female football competition and the National Sports Festival with nothing to show for it.”
The Chairman of the State Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr. Damien Egwuonwu, thinks otherwise. He believes that the State had fared a bit in sports not minding the unsteady leadership she experienced in her early years. “But for the initial teething problems, the old Amasea Stadium in Awka served the State. Later, schools sports festivals rotated among the rural areas and the State still came tops among the first 5 or 10 each time the National Sports Festival was held.
It was Governor Ngige who gave a stadium a serious thought. But politicking however, eat deep into structural sports development. But the tartan tracks added to Rojenny by Governor Obiano saw the State host her 1st National Athletics Championship. And this was what the State needed to move on. At the last Dike/AdeboyeAdeleke Championship, Anambra performed very well. The State produced a gold medallist at the last Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010. Her name is Ifeoma Nwoye and she even was part of the Rio Olympics.
“Two elite athletes, Obinna Metu and Ogochukwu Ogomegbunam, were recently sponsored abroad for training by the State Governor. We hosted the first South East Volleyball Championship at the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium, Onitsha; the State Football Academicals kicked off last year, for all secondary schools. In December last year, the Governor sponsored All Traders’ Cup, as a measure to help create a strong bond among the traders from all parts of the country who were home for the Christmas break.
“The last National Schools Sports Festival in Oturpko, Anambra came second behind Cross River, while Lagos was third. And we won three out of the six football trophies at the event. At the heel of this, the Governor Obiano Soccer Competition for the 21 local governments of the State is about to flag off. All we are praying for is an enabling environment for a better 25 years.
“Coming to combat sports, we have also not fared badly. At the last National Schools Sports Festival in Oturpko, a boy of six, by name Somtoochukwu Izukanne won gold in judo. And this is the first time an athlete of that age won gold since that event featured some 30 years ago. He competed in the Under-10 category. The State has honoured him and given him a scholarship. It was unique.”
It was the arrival of Dr. Chris Ngige (29th May, 2003 – 17th March, 2006, a stadium was started. Unfortunately, Governor Peter Obi, the first governor to serve two terms and experienced double truncations, (17th March – 3rd November, 2006; 9th February – May 2007; and finally reinstated in June, 2007, was so much concerned with other issues that he did not complete the stadium. “And that stadium was to afford the State the opportunity to host both the National Sports Festival and other sporting events that would place us in the fore front of the sporting states in the country. The stadium has provision for training pitch, basketball courts, hockey and volleyball pitches, standard swimming pool, tartan tracks and hostels. But it is still where Ngige stopped. My joy anyway is that the land is still there,” Dr. Amuzie added.
“When Peter Obi came, his interest was in developing a mini stadium; the Justice Chuba Ikpeazu and Godwin Achebe mini stadia. When the construction was going on, I happened to be in the management of Youth and Sports. We told the Governor that there is nothing mini about a stadium. The pitch, the tartan tracks and any other facility must be standard; only the capacity can be mini. The dressing rooms are not part of this Ikpeazu mini, the tartan tracks are six instead of eight, a lot of what makes a standard stadium are not at both mini stadia. Since then, instead of going forward, our sport has been moving backward.”
On infrastructure, Anambra seems to be among the least States that would ever dream of hosting even a state sports festival not to mention the National Sports Festival which is the bedrock of sports growth and development. But some individual efforts must be recognised. First, it was the late Power Mike Sports Centre in Ogbaru, built by the World Wrestling Legend, Dr. Michael Okpala that hosted a lot of the Premier League matches before his death and the subsequent selling of the arena by the family.
Anambra also has Rojenny Sports Complex in Oba, another individual effort that served as the main stadium for the three Premier League clubs at the extinct of Power Mike Centre.
Another individual effort from the State on infrastructure is the new stadium at Nanka being put up by Dr. Poly Emenike, a Lagos-based businessman. According to Amuzie, “the pitch is standard, there is tennis court and you have everything there. There is even a hotel being put up opposite. Work is still in progress and it is going to offer a very beautiful opportunity for sports growth if eventually completed.
“Come to Nnewi and see the kind of structures Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah is putting up. What the man is building would likely compete with any modern sporting complex globally. Indeed, let me tell you, Anambra State as a State hardly projects the image of the State via sports, because they hardly release money for training or events for athletes who win laurels for them. We allow other States to buy our athletes. Rivers State bought our javelin thrower and 100 metres boy. Indeed, two others have naturalised in Bahrain.”
The Team Manager of Udoji United, Chief Godwin Udoji, looking back had this to say: “Anambra State ruled football in Nigeria at a time. We had three football clubs owned by three individuals who wholly financed them. The State government did not give them any support those days, yet they tried and projected the State to some heights, competing with States owned club sides. It didn’t come easy at all. If the State had been supportive, we would not go down from three to one. But let us thank God, there is still Ifeanyi Ubah doing well.”
Chief Udoji further laments the present lack of jobs for our boys as “only one club cannot provide enough jobs for our young ones. Then, three club sides offered so much employment and excitement for the youths, reduced idleness and renewed relationships. The State hardly recognises past heroes/heroines and it hurts.”
And this hurting angle took us to speak with the Queen of Tracks, Mary Onyali, who, with her colleagues brought home a Bronze medal from 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the 4 x 100 metres relay; a bronze that was celebrated as a “Golden Bronze” – the first ever medal won by any Nigerian women in the Olympics, 40 years after the country first went to the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952. Onyali also gave us another Bronze medal at Atlanta ’96 in the 200 metres race; 100 metres Gold in the 1994 Commonwealth Games; ruled Africa 1991, 1995 and 2003 as 100 metres Gold medallist. In the 200 metres, she did same in 1987, 1995 and 2003; annexing the 4 x 100 metres relay team race from 1987 to 2003 at the All African Games. Yet, her reign as the longest sprinter in Africa, male and female, did not earn her any notice from her State even till she retired 2004.
Taking a deep breath, the Queen of Sprints agreed to open up at Anambra State at 25. Rhetorically she asked: “Did you see me at the Anambra @ 25 ceremony? Did anyone invite me? I started coming to Nigeria since 2006 to establish my company and get involved to develop my State. I reached out to my State severally; for some reason, they don’t deem it fit to accept my invitation. They say charity begins at home, right? I have tried so many times to tell them what I have; the package that I have to help develop sports in the State. And you just said it, ‘that there is no sports or sports history without Innocent Egbunike and me’. We reached out severally, both of us; he gave up and went back to the United States. But I am not the type to give up on anything I’m doing. A king is not respected in his own house. So, let the others that respect me, take my knowledge, my experience and develop their sports.”
The issue of honouring our heroes and heroines past looks like the real sore point in the chequered history of this dynamic State. But the Special Adviser to Governor Obiano on Youth Empowerment, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim explained that the State has not really abandoned them but that finance has contributed in limiting their efforts.
“The Governor likes things that are structured, just in his characteristic way of doing things. We noticed this not so full participation of these heroes past in our sports. And he gave us a mandate to get them involved. Atypical of it is the former Rangers and National goalkeeper, Emmanuel Okala, who is now a Senior Special Adviser. No gain saying that all of them shall come back, but there is always room for that. We need their technical know-how. The main issue is that of funding like I said before.
“But we said it that funding should not be an issue. When they come, we shall endeavour to create an enabling environment for them to strive; just like we are doing in agriculture. Government alone cannot fund sports in this country. It needs the private sector to get involved and the technicalities of people like you and the Mary Onyalis of this world to come. So, I don’t think we are running a closed door policy as such. Please, if there is anyone feeling bad, he or she should not please. The Governor has given a mandate that we should go and fetch them. They should start coming, because their space is still there and nobody is occupying it,” he said.
Scoring Anambra on my scoresheet for the past 25 years, they do not deserve a pass mark because, government has not paid attention to sports the way it is supposed to. But with the present administration in football led by Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, I am thinking that the days of glory are very much close at hand.
A sports promoter cum media personnel, Akonam Obiefuna is bothered that the State is not fully harnessing her full potentials. He would rather proffer a solution: “First, it is high time the State started appointing well-grounded but passionate sports people to run the sports ministry. Secondly, we need to have a Sports Summit to deliberate on the most possible way forward.”
