“The lanky ebony black goal-hungry Ranger is ranging alone in the goal area of the Water Corporation Football Club of Ibadan. Can the one-man riot squad make it four for Rangers. A hatrick ie one, two, three goals are already in his kitty. Ifeanyi Chukwu means nothing is insurmountable to God. Four goals are also not beyond the ability of Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika. It is a goal… Goal number four for the indomitable Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, all scored by Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika”. Guess who was running the commentary. That was the commentaries of Ernest Okonkwo while pairing with Tolu Fatoyimbo in the Radio Nigeria Ibadan commentaries on the last match of the 1981 National Division One Footbal League match at Ibadan. Incidentally, that was the match that sent Water Corporation to the lower division in fact into oblivion.
In those old days, every Saturday, Nigerians glue to their radios for league football commentaries to ease off weeklong tension. Nowadays it is no longer so. Who is responsible for this deprivation of weekend happiness? An investigation showed that the commercialization of everything in Nigeria is responsible. Could it be true that as there is no free lunch in Europe, there is no longer “free” programme in our radio stations? Is the insinuation that Igboman loves money now being copied verbatim by the Nigerian government? When I now listen to league football commentaries every Saturday from BBC, Radio Cameroun, Radio Accra, I begin to wonder if these radio stations do not know the value of money or commercialization. When a nincompoop learnt how to chew stick, even broom for sweeping the room, is not spared. Nigeria and commercialization of radio programs.
Perhaps, what is most fascinating and endearing about football commentary, is the ability of the commentators to give accurate analysis of the second to second, minute to minute account of the proceedings. Ernest Okonkwo for example, had a unique football commentary style, which enabled him to use the appropriate qualifying adjectives for his characters. He coined names like Emmanuel “Man Mountain” Okala, Aloysius “Blockbuster” Atuegbu, Christian “ Chairman” Chukwu, “Mathematical” Segun Odegbani, Kelechi “Caterpiller” Emetole, “Midfield Maestro” Mudashiru Lawal, “Justice” Adokiye Amasiemeka, Uwem “Harmattan” Ekerika, Sylvanus “Quicksilver “Okpala, “Commander” Louis Igwilo, Sylvester “Bahama” Oparanozie, Benedict “Surugede” Ugwu, Idowu “Slow Poison” Otubusin, “Shortish” John Benson, “Dimunitive” Amaechi Otti, Nnamdi “Policeman” Anyafo, Davison “Okada Air” Qwumi, Daniel “The Bull” Amokachi, “Penalty Specialist” Christian Madu, “Masters of Long Throw” Moses Otolorin and Nwabueze Nwankwo, “The Man with Bullet Shot” Emmanuel Osigwe etc. A typical snippet of Okonkwo’s commentary style ran thus “… he beats Christian Chukwu, Christian Madu and Christian Nwokocha … he beats three Christians in a row … Who is this man? He must be a moslem. Oh, he is Shefiu Mohammed sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed. In one occasion Ernest Okonkwo said, “After ninety minutes of play and extra time, the match has ended one goal apiece but a winner must emerge. Five players have on each side been selected to take the penalty kick. The players are praying to their God to give them this day but it is not who prays more but who plays better.
The special tribute paid to Ernest Okonkwo does not mean that he was the only commentator in Nigeria those days but to refresh our memories on the vitality of the game via football commentaries. In those days, commentaries were run almost from every radio station be it Federal or state. In Radio Nigeria Lagos, besides Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folaronsho, Bisi Lawrence, Sebastine Ofurum, Kevin Ejiofor, and Walter Batuyi held the ace. Radio Nigeria Enugu had the likes of Richard Asiegbu, Emeka Odikpo etc. The scintillating voices of Agwu Nwogo, Samrose Anyaugo, John Nwogu and Christopher Abiaziem thrill the listeners to the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri. The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Enugu was privileged to have Peter Edochie, Joe Martins Uzodike while Edo Radio Benin boasted of Emmanuel Egharevba. From time to time as the commentaries reverberated, I tuned to Radio Nigeria Ibadan to listen to Tolu Fatoyimbo and others whereas Cross River Broadcasting Service where Edem Dike was mesmerizing players of Rovers Football Club of Calabar from Eta Egbe to James Etokebe would be the next station to tune to. Those days, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Radio Plateau Jos usually ran commentaries in English alongside Hausa language. Whenever my darling team, RANGERS, travelled to those places, I steadfastly listened to the commentaries whether or not I understood Hausa language. One thing was certain, when a goal was scored, I did know from the shouting of the commentator and the player of the ball vis-a-vis his position in the football arena. By the time I finished listening to these commentaries, my “Samedi Sour” (Saturday evening) would have been well spent.
What has gone wrong with Nigeria and football commentaries? Could the loss of interest in watching Nigeria league matches by football fans be attributable to the stoppage of running live football commentaries? For one, commentaries catalyze the action on the field of play, enthuse morale of fans, and help to curtail poor officiating, make listeners and fans know the names of players and how skilful a player is among others. I never saw Emeka “404” Onyedika play football but his description as “404” tells me he was a swift sprinter in the field of play. The description of Daniel Amokachi as a utility player by the commentator when he was still a youth-player with Ranchers Bees of Kaduna prodded me into wanting to see him play which I, of course, accomplished by watching Rangers/Ranchers Bees match at Temporary Stadium of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). In all, Nigeria football fans want the football commentaries back, is the bottom-line of this write up for our league matches to be lively once again. Therefore, NFA or NFF, Radio Nigeria, State Radio Stations, MTN, Globacom, Starcom, Zain, Coca Cola, Seven-Up, NIPOST and other sponsors of our football, it is the wish of all Nigerian football fans that football commentaries return to our radio stations not withstanding this commercialization policy. If it is possible to include television coverage, it will also be most welcomed. No matter how small the dance-floor may be, there is always space for the drummer
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
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Nice peace. It is the way to go. Many thanks
ReplyDeleteNothing more needed to be added. Except perhaps to say the best possible way to immortalize Ernest Okonkwo is to improve our league and return football commentaries to our radios
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