Politics in Lagos veered off track in the last Presidential elections when a phantom group apparently representing parochial interests stormed the Okota area of Lagos and disturbed the electoral process. Soccer legends, Emma Okala and Segun Odegbami, did not see it coming.
The intention was to disenfranchise voters from the South-East political zone. It was a strange move since the belief was that voters from that part of the country were going to vote for the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, instead of President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling APC.
Absurdity at its best. Two Fulani slugging it out while some uninformed Yoruba turned against Igbo. Funny enough, the Lagos APC spokesman, Joe Igbokwe, is Igbo, from Nnewi, Anambra State.
Okala is Igbo, Odegbami is Yoruba. They played together for the Nigerian senior national soccer team and were in the 1980 African Nations Cup winning team. The duo saw themselves as Nigerians and would have been disappointed that just because of politics, someone could just wake up and ask a group of fellow Nigerians to leave Lagos.
Both players shared room all through their stay in the Eagles camp. They are still buddies. During the 1980 Nations Cup in Lagos, Okala who sat on the bench all through as reserve goalie, told Odegbami that he was going to hit the net in the grand finale against Algeria. They discussed tactics before every match.
Odegbami lived up to Okala’s prediction and was celebrated by fans who showered him with a lot of money. When ‘Mathematical’ got back to the team’s hostel, he handed over part of the money to the goalkeeper.
Okala was the nation’s number one goalie before the tournament and was even voted African Footballer of the year in 1978. Just before the 1980 Nations’ Cup, the Brazilian coaches of the Green Eagles moved Best Ogedegbe, Odegbami’s team mate at Shooting Stars, Ibadan, to the number one spot.
While some Igbo and Yoruba fans fought themselves over the development, they did not know that both goalkeepers remained friends. Okala gave Ogedegbe some tips which helped the latter all through the competition. Before every game, Okala would sit down with Best to strategize. The session continued at the end of every match.
Ogedegbe acknowledged the older keeper’s contribution in his famous quote: “Okala is better than Best.”
Among the players in camp there was nothing like Igbo or Yoruba politics. They saw themselves as one. And the good thing was that the coach was Otto Gloria,a Brazilian. Even when a Yoruba official of the team showed ethnic inclinations, Okala, Odegbami, Ogedegbe and Captain Christian Chukwu remained close.
Otto Gloria and physical trainer Rao Carlesso, had heard so much about Okala before they arrived Nigeria and wanted to honour him even if they felt Ogedegbe was in a better shape.
Before Eagles’ second group game with Cote D’Ivoire which ended goalless, the Brazilians asked both teams to mount a guard of honour for Okala. The towering goalie stood up as everyone cheered.
Then came the grand finale. With Eagles leading Algeria 3-0, Coach Gloria wanted to introduce Okala. As the keeper stood to warm up, an official, of Yoruba background, opposed the move. The Brazilian was shocked. When the coach could not have his way, he walked out of the stadium in anger.
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At the end of the game, Okala and his Yoruba team mates and buddies went to town to celebrate the country’s first Nations Cup triumph. The forces of division failed woefully. And those Eagles have remained friends till today.
They all played in Lagos and no one asked anyone to go back to the East and play. Nigeria was the key word. Unity of purpose, that was their focus.
In what appeared like a war between the Igbo and the Yoruba, the players doused tension. It was in the semi-finals of the 1977 Africa Winners Cup between Enugu Rangers and Shooting Stars of Ibadan. The Oluyole Warriors were defending champions. And the opportunity to enter for that competition in 1976 was offered by the Flying Antelopes who were double champions.
Rangers had Chukwu, Okala, Aloy Atuegbu and Ignatius Ilechukwu in the Eagles camp. Shooting had Odegbami, Ogedegbe, Sam Ojebode and Muda Lawal there. All eight stars were very close. The first leg in Lagos ended in a barren draw. The second leg had to be moved to Kaduna because of tension.
Another scoreless draw was the result. During penalty shoot out, Odegbami, came face to face again with his pal Okala. He shot wide. Rangers won 4-2. In the night, all players forgot their differences and were out drinking and eating ‘ishi ewu’. That was the spirit and we expect our politicians to learn from these great sportsmen.
At the 2018 Nigeria Football Awards in Lagos, Chukwu asked Odegbami to speak on his behalf. He visits and stays with Odegbami in Lagos. Odegbami spends time with Okala in Enugu. They have never talked about being Yoruba or Igbo. They are Nigerians and move about to see their respective families.
In 2018, Adokiye Amiesimaka, a member of the 1980 African Nations Cup squad, paid cash into the accounts of all his 21 team mates. He is a Lagos Boy who hails from across the Niger. He did not pay the Yoruba players less than he paid their Igbo colleagues.
I think we should send Okala and Odegbami to those who because of politics, try to sow seeds of discord. The first hat-trick at the National Stadium, Surulere was scored by Gideon Njoku, an Igbo. He was not threatened with ‘deportation’. When Francis Nwosu won the Adebajo Cup with Lagos Academicals in 1974, he was not seen as an Igbo boy. When Okenwa Ezikpe won boxing gold for Lagos, he was hailed as a Lagosian.
Politics should be played like sports. That was why Peter ‘Eto’ Amaechina led Stationery Stores Lagos to Challenge Cup victory in 1968. Godwin Achebe captained Lagos NEPA to Challenge Cup glory in 1965. And when Tony Igwe, Austin Ofuokwu, Peter Aneke and Sam Opone played for Nigeria during the Civil War, they were not asked to leave Lagos.
