From Ibarapa to Lagelu, Oke Padre to Challenge, tears flowed freely as much as bars were filled. It was Saturday July 12, 1986. The ancient city of Ibadan was in mourning. Shooting Stars fell off the Premier League. That was also the day, Leventis United won the League for the very first time.
Shooting Stars means so much to the average Ibadan man. As IICC, the team won the Africa Winners Cup, in 1976. That was the first time a Nigerian club would lift a continental soccer trophy. Another record was about to be created in 1984 in the CAF Champions‘ League until Zamalek aborted the dream in the finals.
It was unbelievable that this Ibadan team would be relegated, for the very first time. It happened. Captain Ademola Adesina had the embarrassing task of leading the elite club down the soccer ladder.
In another part of the town, Leventis United, hosted a big party. Moved from Lagos as Iddo Tigers, Ibadan turned out to be a better base. John Masteroudes brought in compatriot, Theophanis Dmitris from Greece to manage the team. He was ably supported by an ex-Shooting Star, Joseph Ladipo [Jossy Lad].
Leventis rose fast. In 1984, they won the Division Three League, in the very first attempt. In 1985, the club captured the Division Two trophy. The import was that the new club won the league three times consecutively, in three different divisions. Skipper Mathew Onyema could not have been happier.
His team mates included Ghanaian imports, keeper Edward Ansah and full back John Benson. Others were Andrew Uwe, James Etokebe, Bunmi Adigun, Wole Odegbami and Uwem Ekarika among many others.
Governor Adetunji Olurin was not in Ibadan when Shooting lost to Zamalek in 1984. The helmsman was Oladayo Popoola who disbanded the team after that disaster. It turned out to be Segun Odegbami’s valedictory game. Olurin presided over the relegation of the Oluyole Warriors.
A sad moment indeed. Ibadan had a rich soccer tradition. By 1985, clubs from the town, whether as Lions, Rovers, WNDC or IICC, had won the Challenge Cup seven times [1959,1961, 1966, 1969,1971, 1977 and 1979]. Between 1959 and 1961, Ibadan played thrice consecutively in the Challenge Cup grand finale, losing once.
As Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, made soccer more alluring by building the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan. Star players like Ayo Adeniji and Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun added class by graduating from players to coaches.
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Adeniji was at Ibadan Grammar School as a student. Just like Harding Ekperigin [who was also a notable national athlete] and Saburi Biobaku [then known as Bisiriyu] were at Government College, Ibadan. Biobaku is more remembered as the Second Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
When the UK Tourists were picked in 1949,Ibadan produced one of the four players from outside Lagos. He was reserve goalie, Isaac Akioye. The other three were Keeper Sam Ibiam, Port Harcourt, Olisa Chukwura, Abeokuta and John Dankaro, Jos.
Ibadan became the first town after Lagos, to host the grand finale of the Challenge Cup, in 1972. Insurance and Mighty Jets of Jos had ended it 2-2 in Lagos before the replay was moved.
In 1977, Ibadan became the first Nigerian town to have two international clubs representing Nigeria in continental tournaments. While Shooting Stars defended the Africa Winners Cup until they were knocked out in the semis by Enugu Rangers, Water Corporation got to the quarter finals of the CAF Champions’ League.
Ibadan was home to prominent administrators. Chief E.A. Ogunsola established Hercules Football club in 1937. Then came Lekan Salami with Shooting Stars, E.O. Omitola with Agric. and Chief Sylvanus Akinwunmi and Cudjoe Alakija.
July 12, 1986 was not a very good day for many of these men. Shooting Stars were dimmed. They rose again to win the CAF Cup in 1992. They fell again. Today they are in a lower division.
