Adekunle Joseph Awesu enjoyed a tremendous season in 1976, lifting the African Winners Cup with Shooting Stars and Nations Cup bronze with the Green Eagles. Two years later, he was at Clemson University in the United States.
Vincent Okechukwu Chika had a great run in 1977 with Enugu Rangers, who dethroned Awesu’s Shooting Stars as African Winners Cup champions. In 1978, he joined the Yankee train, ending up at Clemson University.
Chika is better known as Macbeth, the nickname that followed him from Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS) Onitsha where he won the East Central State Secondary Schools Championships, twice, 1975 and 1976.
Awesu last saw Nigeria in 1978 when he jetted out. He studied Law but was unable come home to see his parents before passing on in Airlington. Macbeth frequents home. He breezed into Lagos recently and would love to visit the Awesu family compound in Abeokuta.
Macbeth and I were together around the Murtala Mohammed Airport and what struck me was his passion for Rangers and love for buddies that played the game with him.
Macbeth said : “Awesu and I were together at Clemson. We lived like brothers. I would like to visit his family in Nigeria. When we got to the university, Obed Ariri had projected Nigeria and was a member of the school team before switching to American Football.”
Awesu, Segun Odegbami and Muda Lawal were at Housing Corporation, Ibadan in 1973. The trio joined Shooting Stars in 1974. All were part of the team that won the Second African Winners Cup in 1976.
Awesu and Muda left Odegbami behind as he faced academics at Ibadan Polytechnic. The duo made it to bronze at the Ethiopia 1976 Nations Cup. Awesu was outstanding as the best left winger while Baba Otu Mohammed dazzled on the right. However, only Haruna Ilerika could make the Team of the Tournament from the Nigerian representatives.
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Neither Odegbami nor Muda saw Awesu after his trip to the United States. There were reports that he became a recluse. Macbeth did not see that part of him. “He was awesome, we hung out together like brothers, ” the Flying Antelopes veteran disclosed.
Macbeth has respect for former Green Eagles star, Johnny Egbuonu, who made the National team in the 1960s straight from Stella Marris College, Port Harcourt and was given Presidential Handshake by Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah after a splendid performance against the Black Stars on Accra.
” Dr. Egbuonu saved me from knee surgery. He joined Rangers on return from East Germany as a Vet. Doctor. He simply asked me to climb steps as routine every morning and that was it. The muscles around my knew were rebuilt and I rediscovered my form,” Macbeth added.
It was fun watching Dominic Nwobodo and Kenneth Abana in Rangers colours and Macbeth insists that he benefitted so much from the senior players.
” Nwobodo picked me from the pack. I had no godfather. He was full of ideas, having also trained in Germany. Abana put some of us through. They were great. When Rangers defeated Borussia Mochengladbach 3-1in 1975, I had to join Gwongworo ( lorry ) in the night to Lagos and I was thrilled. The Germans came with about six members of their 1974 World Cup winning team.”
Three of his DMGS and Enugu Rangers mates attracted comments, he described Nnamdi Anyafo as unbeatable in the air. ” Anyafo is not a giant but you cannot outjump him, no matter your height. His partner in central defence, Emeka Ibekwe, a six footer, was called Hercules because he was very strong.
“Nwachukwu Onyekwelu, Igaliga, we called him Bulldozer. A guy with tremendous strength. He was unstoppable, not much football skills but moved like a train. I wept over the accident that took him away from us.”
Okey Isima and MacB were quite close. “A devout Christian, we had many names for him, Carlos Alberto, Holy Ghost or Arugo. Born in Kano, Isima grew up in Onitsha. We became like 5 and 6 from Our Lady’s High School, Onitsha days at the end of the Civil War.
“We changed schools but reunited at Rangers. We shared the same room all through our Rangers sojourn and finally settled in Iathonia, Georgia. He had played in Portugal, brought in by Christian Nwokocha. Sylvanus Okpala joined later.”.
Adokiye and Macbeth met in camp as Green Eagles invitees. ” We had great runs as team mates when he joined Rangers. There was this game against Stationery Stores, Adokiye laid a pass, too fast for me to convert. That was an outstanding match that I always remember, simply for not scoring in a perfect setting.”
He gisted me about the Rangers Fashionistas. ” Ifeanyi Onyejiaka spent time looking trendy. He was a good dresser. Ikechukwu Ezidinma and Godwin Gbenimacho were also in that class. Ignatius Ilechukwu was the quiet type. Not snobbish, he could stay with you without saying much.”
The bond with Arthur Ebunam remains strong. We talked about Kenneth Ilodigwe’s red card against Mehalla on November 8, 1975 in Enugu. An opponent had almost broken his bone and out of pains, Kendo hit him so hard. Humphrey Okechukwu, he described as a complete player.
While our outing lasted, Macbeth wore a white Rangers cap. He started in the Warri/ Ughelli axis as a pupil, before crossing over to Ogwashi Ukwu and Onitsha. From Morning Star and Onitsha Red Devils, the footballer chose the Angelic white of Enugu Rangers.
