CMS Grammar School, Lagos lived beyond the ordinary in 1975 when they scored six goals in every game of the Principal’s Cup from Round One to the Semi finals. Their hitman was inside left, Adokiye Amiesimaka.
The Bariga Bombers met their match in largely unknown Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikeja in the grand finale. The Landers were just six years old and put their opponents in a deep blue funk.
Gbenga Ogunnoiki, an Omu – Ijebu prince, belonged to the Second Set of the Maryland school, having passed out in 1974. He watched the duel and from apprehension, the day looked good.
Bariga Bombers led 2-0 at the end of intermission. When play resumed, Landers began to land deadly goals and drew level. Ogunnoiki pinched himself to feel that it was no day dream. His school went ahead 3-2.
Adokiye and his team mates fought hard and when it looked like History was in the making, Bariga Bombers equalised nine minutes to time.
In overtime, CMS Grammar School went ahead. Maryland Comprehensive School responded. Bariga Bombers were just lucky to score a fifth goal to lift the trophy with a 5-4 scoreline.
That was a spectacular performance by the Roman Catholic school against the more experienced CMS, founded on June 6, 1859 as the first secondary school in Nigeria.
It turned out to be the only match Bariga Bombers failed to score six times on their way to glory. In the semi finals, they bombed Ansar-Ud-Deen Grammar School 6-2. Amiesimaka netted three of those goals.
Bariga Bombers had a solid squad that included goalie Kenneth Agboola Vigo, defenders Ladimeji Lamuren, Toyin Majekodunmi, William Akpabio and Godwin Enuoyinbo.
Other team members were James Martin, Olumuyiwa Gay, Murtala Onigbanjo, Okon Okokon, Maxwell Akpan and super sub, Akintola Enilobobo.
It is remarkable that Coach Tunde Osho used these twelve players all through the competition. Onigbanjo, better known as Scoro, was such a fine dribbler that he got a call up to the national team.
Enilolobo chose the nickname Germany but it was pronounced Jaamaani. Gay was Bobby Gay. Amiesimaka had not appeared on ace commentator Ernest Okonkwo’s radar. So he was neither a pupil lawyer nor Chief Justice.
Landers team was made up of keeper Nosiru, Kunle ‘Shabale’ Joshua, Collins ‘Jeun for Stamina’ Akinselure, Emmanuel Sawyerr, Tony ‘ World Five ‘ Obinkwo, Boma Emmanuel Hart, William Banigo, Bobby De Henry, Rasheed Baruwa and one Ghanaian called Kofi.
The squad had more substitutes than CMS. Newton Ricketts, the reserve goalie had joined from Baptist Academy ( Baptacad). Ganiyu Ongbono, Taiwo Afini ( Bob Finnih) and Toriola Adewale were there.
The secret behind Landers rise was principal, Mr. Anthony Omoera. He was vice to Irishman, Father Dennis Slattery at the elite St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, a powerful force in schools sports.
Omoera, who lasted from 1972 to 1976 changed the face of Maryland and even turned convention upside down in the bid to sing a new song.
Ogunnoiki explains : ” Omoera transformed our sporting landscape. He recruited players from all over Lagos and Western States and at age six in 1975, we got to the final of the Lagos Principals Cup. Not a small achievement for a new school.”
The footballers lived like kings and for the first time, boys lived inside the school with the girls. The Reverend Sisters who founded the school made provisions for male students to stay in hostels outside the premises
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” The footballers were untouchable”, Ogunnoiki told me. ” They could neither be beaten nor punished by the teachers. Only Omoera had power to to discipline them. Athletes in general were highly favoured and they rewarded the principal with outstanding performances “.
Omoera brought national Table Tennis coach, Solomon Bamgbade to Maryland. That was how Gbenga Taiwo became a Nigerian junior International. Ogunnoiki was outstanding in ping pong.
The schools Relay Teams were the best in Lagos. The girls quartet of Mercy Ben Bassey, Vivian Jacks, Yetunde Vaughan and Ruth Benamaisa earned much respect. Bassey represented the country. Benamaisa is not the same as the popular broadcaster.
One student that was at Maryland, Khairat AbdulRazaq, did not show so much interest in sports. Her brother, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq would later come to Lagos in 1973 to play soccer for the Kwara State Junior team at the first National Sports Festival, Lagos ’73.
Khairat AbdulRazaq later became Senator Khairat AbdulRazaq – Gwadabe. The governor of Kwara State, is the same footballer, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq.
After winning the Principals Cup in 1975, Adokiye led CMS Grammar School to retain the trophy in 1976. Ganiyu Ongbono, had crossed over to Bariga from Maryland. Amiesimaka also gained admission to the University of Lagos where he studied law.
His debut for the Green Eagles under Father Tiko turned out to be a harvest of goals. Nigeria gave Benin Republic a 7- 0 drubbing in February 1977.
Ernest Okonkwo was right in dubbing Amiesimaka Chief Justice. The lawyer became Director of Public Prosecutions in Rivers State, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General.
He also delved into the media as a braodcaster with Radio Rivers Two and columnist with Punch Newspapers.
Many of the school players moved on to acquire education. Dr. Muyiwa Gay, after studying Medicine at the University of Lagos, moved to Syracuse New York as a renowned Psychiatrist.
Kenneth Agboola joined the Army and retired as a Brigadier General. Many remember his days as Director of Military Training at the Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna.
He led Cadets of the 57 Regular Course to Gashua, headquarters of Bade Local Government Area in Yobe State on an exercise codenamed ‘ Operation Desert Fox’. It was a One – Week assignment in June 2010, around Yusufari.
Toyin Majekodunmi retired from the Army as a Major. Taiwo Afini became a politician and rose to the position of Chairman Ajeromi Local Council Development Area, Lagos.
Some now live in the United States. James Martins is a Clinical Psychologist. Emmanuel Sawyerr and Yetunde Vaughan are also doing great.
Adokiye continued with soccer, playing for African Continental Bank, Rangers and Sharks respectively. The height of success came in 1980 when he won the African Nations Cup with the Green Eagles.
Emmanuel Sawyerr featured for Nigeria Airways. Afini was at National Bank. Boma Hart is playing in the Lord’s vineyard as a pastor in Port Harcourt
Ogunnoiki is a journalist, businessman and devout Roman Catholic. His wife was also at Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School. Their daughter, Maria, who turned 22 recently caught the bug. She is a Lander.