At the end of the Civil War, soccer was not for the weak in the East Central State. All the stars were experienced soldiers and played like they were still in the battle field. Training sessions also sounded like war. That was how Nwabueze ‘ Bulldozer’ Nwankwo faced Patrick ‘ Powerhouse’ Ekeji.
The East Central State team, Spartans, was preparing for the First National Sports Festival billed for Lagos in 1973. Coach Dan Anyiam, the first Indigenous national team coach and a Biafran Army major, took the team to camp at the University of Nigeria Nsukka.
Nwankwo and Ekeji came from different Enugu clubs, Rangers and Vasco Da Gama respectively. The former played as a defensive midfielder, the former as a full back. Both had the same mission: to travel to Lagos and get something for selves and state.
Ekeji captured one of the training sessions in his book, ‘Odyssey of a Green Eagle’. It was more like judo and karate as he was forced to assert himself.
“At one of one of our pre-final selection training sessions, my side was pitted against Nwabueze Nwankwo’s. He was one of the ‘senior boys’ in Rangers.Much as I may have become visible, I was still timid in my relationship with the ‘ big Rangers boys’. I was not yet city wise.
” Nwabueze Nwankwo, a defensive midfielder for Rangers usually had the role of ‘terminator’ of troublesome opponent attackers and he was good at that. In due course, I learnt the long throw-in skill from him,” Ekeji wrote.
Bulldozer did all he could to intimidate Ekeji and was making real progress. Coach Anyiam watched as the war of bones continued. It called for his quick intervention.
“Nwabueze ruffled me so much I almost ran away. In fact, I was on the verge of pleading with Dan Anyiam to let me go. I guess Dan saw through me as well as read the intentions of Nwabueze. At one of his vicious and dangerous tackles on me, Dan stopped the game, warned him but reminded him that I would grow one day.
” I picked up courage after that. When he next came at me once again like a bull, I gave it back to him square and good. He took a long time recovering from the injury. We were now equals, he respected me after that,” Ekeji added.
The duo made the team to Lagos and eventually won the gold medal after defeating Benue Plateau State, represented by Mighty Jets of Jos 1-0. Goalie Emma Okala saved a penalty for the winners.
Bulldozer was a captain in the Biafran Army. Ekeji had tried to join the Air Force bit was rejected because of his navel. Eventually he joined Biafra Army Signals (BAS). The two fighters did not know that they both saw action in the Mid-West.
Ekeji later switched from Vasco to Rangers in 1978. Unfortunately, he did not meet Nwankwo who had quit a year earlier after a barren draw with AS Police of Senegal in an African Winners Cup quarter finals game in Lagos.
Bulldozer passed on earlier this month. Also known as Pet Panco, his former Rangers friends and fans have continued to eulogize the man whose presence made some opponents tremble in the field.
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Sam Onyeaka began the downpour of tributes, from the US : “Rangers should give him a majestic burial. Capt. Nwabueze Nwankwo of the defunct Biafra Army was a great footballer, vigorous defender, built for the game of football. One can easily match him with Dick Tiger for his body building. He took the lead in our marathon runs.”
” I heard he forbade any of his kids from playing football until they earned a degree. I am proud of him and his kids too for listening. He wanted anyone after him to be wise.”
Charles Okonkwo joined from the United Kingdom : ” Very masculine and built like a bull. On few occasions that I met him, I was overwhelmed and intimidated by his presence and personality. Aside from this intimidating presence, he always had this friendly gap toothed smile that endeared many outside the field of play.”
Okonkwo also known as Hurricane, played for Rangers and Green Eagles. He dug into Bulldozer’s past. ” Nwankwo joined Rangers in 1970 from Benue Plateau Bombers,Jos. His soccer career began in 1959. Between 1965 and 1966, he was with Abakaliki Wolves. The man also played for Eastern Rovers and ECS Spartans.”
Nwankwo did not forget his Abakaliki past. In his Rangers years, there was one tough team from that town, known as White Angels. He went back to Abakaliki to work as coach of Ebonyi Angels. One of his players, Mohammed Sule, is still on mourning.
Fidelis Atuegbu, one the famous Five Atuegbu Brothers also reacted from America. According to him: ” What a character. What a personality. He paid a price for his expressive nature while fighting for the welfare of younger players. He was unceremoniously forced to retire for speaking out.
” I recall the jovial ball thrower who was full of pranks back in the days. The Enugu Rangers of yore usually stopped by our house in Jos, whenever they were in transit to any of the far North cities.”
Pat Ikeagu who won the World Schools Cup with Christ the King College,Onitsha at Dublin ’77 was not left out in the outpouring of emotions especially since his elder brother, Foster Ikeagu and Bulldozer got on well.
His words : ” My late brother, Foster Ikeagu, will also call him Pet Panco. Whatever that name meant, I could not say. During my school days, I fashioned my game somewhat after Pet Panco because I liked his toughness, grits, determination and raw strength. His work ethics spoke volumes of his role during the Biafran War which he took part in.”
Donnie Emeka Ikpa remembered how as a kid, Nwankwo admonished him and his play mates on the need to face their studies using the phrase, ‘ gubakwanu akwukwo ( read your books).
” He was a veteran of everything Igbo ( Biafra and Enugu Rangers). A tireless worker in the off season and before every game,” Ikpea submitted from his US base.
Grand Patron of Ex- Rangers players, Sir Benson Ejindu, Ezeomeogo of Oba while mourning the dead is also thinking of Bulldozer’s family.
“He was a good husband and father. I am short of words. The Rangers family will always be with the family. We have to also take care of those these Rangers heroes left behind. I am in contact with the daughter of another departed player, Luke ‘ Jazz Bucana’ Okpala. She lives in the US with her husband, Ikem ‘Ayaya Potential’ Ude, who played for Udoji, Enyimba and Nigeria”, Ejindu said from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Nwabueze Peter Nwankwo, from Orofia, Enugwu Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State was born in 1944. He won the Amachree Cup with Rangers in 1971and two more League titles in 1974 and 1975. He was a three – time Challenge Cup winner with the Flying Antelopes. Bulldozer also played for the Green Eagles. He will be buried in Enugwu Ukwu, on Friday February 5, 2021.