By Emeka Obasi
They were born as Spartans, stronger than Hercules.Before Imo, they belonged to the East Central State and were National Sports Festival champions, two times consecutively. These ones called Heartland look so hopeless in the league.
Governor Hope Uzodinma must save fans another heartbreak. Perhaps, he should go into the field and play again. A team known as Naze Millionaires will send a clutch of heart attack cases to their creator because their performance is so poor.
It is no more about Christian Obi, the players or management. Imo is involved and Imo means soccer. The records speak volume. Imo is the home of the beautiful game in Nigeria, from Titus Okere, the first Nigerian professional footballer to Dan Anyiam, first indigenous coach of the senior national team.
Elkanah Onyeali was the first Nigerian to score four goals in a game for the Green Eagles. Gideon Njoku emerged as the first to score a hat – trick at the National Stadium, Surulere. The most successful Nigerian footballer, Nwankwo Kanu, was bred in Owerri.
Chioma Ajunwa is the only Nigerian to have played soccer at the World Cup and advanced to win gold in a different sport at the Olympic Games. This shows how blessed Imo is with talents.
Heartland are on their way to the lower division. This is unacceptable. The recent 5-1 loss to Plateau United in Awka after coach Christian Obi’s peace meeting with players and management, did not boost commitment and confidence.
A walk down memory lane will help understand the stuff of the club. As Iwuanyanwu Nationale in 1988, the CAF Champions League ( then known as the African Cup for Champion Clubs ) would have landed in Nigeria, for the very first time.
The star studded team had Edward Ansah, Mike Obi, John Benson, Ransom Madu, Andrew Uwe, Toyin Ayinla, Godwin Eke, Friday Ekpo and Uwakwe Eke. With them were Uwem Ekarika, Samson Ozogula, Thompson Oliha, Lawrence Ukegbu, Cyril Levi, Mike Obiku, Luis Igwilo, Paul Uzokwe and a host of others.
Organisers of the Presidents Cup, South Korea invited the Super Eagles to the 1988 edition. The NFA decided to send Iwuanyanwu apparently because the senior national team was not available to.
Nigeria defeated the United States 3-2, thanks to goals by Igwilo and Ozogula, beat Iraq 2-1, with goals coming from Ekpo and Uzokwe but lost 1-0 to the Soviet Union in the semifinals. Hosts, South Korea won the Third Place match 3-2.
Leader of the Nigerian delegation, Bisi Lawrence, was so proud of Iwuanyanwu Nationale that he called a group of reporters together at the National Stadium, Surulere to announce that the team surpassed expectations, given the late invitation.
In Africa, the Owerri side humiliated Requins Atlantique of Benin Republic, home and away in the first round. Tonnnerre Kalara of Cameroon came in the next. With a 2-0 first leg advantage, Iwuanyanwu were tormented by George Oppong Weah.
It was his last game for an African side before moving to Monaco, France to begin a new life. Weah got a brace but the Nigerians got the ticket after a 3-2 loss. That result showed the character of the power packed bunch who went ahead to eliminate Africa Sports in the quarter finals.
Toyin Ayinla became a saviour at away. He scored in Benin Republic, scored the crucial goal in Cote d’Ivoire and did it again in Morocco against FAR in the semis. The first leg in Owerri ended 4-1. The return leg in Rabat favoured the hosts until penalty kicks.
In the finals against Entente Setif, Iwuanyanwu would have won if they had an Orji Kalu as governor. Unfortunately, Imo State governor, Commander Amadi Ikwechegh, a fellow Igbere man, did not know much about behind the scene soccer politics.
The NFA bungled by taking the first leg to Ibadan based on a non existent CAF rule that prohibited finals more than 250 kilometres outside a country’s capital. Algeria proved this by taking the second leg to cold Constantine, very far from Algiers.
Towering defender, Uwe, scored the only goal of the first leg on a hot afternoon that later turned cloudy as the Heavens opened up.
Uwe’s goal ensured that Iwuanyanwu became the first Nigerian club to win at home in the finals of the competition. Rangers were beaten by Hafia in Lagos, in 1975. Shooting Stars succumbed to Zamalek, again at Sportscity, in 1984.
On the way to the second leg, the Nigerians chose to train in Cairo, at a time the Egyptian capital enjoyed warm weather. The Nigerian Ambassador, Pius Ayewo, could not hide his exasperation. It took Chief Sebastine Williams to send synthetic boots from the UK.
If Iwuanyanwu officials had taken NFF Interpreter, Bolaji Ojo – Oba, along, Senegalese referee, Sene Badara, would not have issued Red Cards to Ekpo and coach Dmitris Theophanis. West African officials were happy that one of them would handle the game in Algeria. Bureaucratic ignorance failed the Naze Millionaires.
Enyimba got the message and won the trophy twice, much later. The Elephants and Heartland are twins, formed at the same time, in 1976, by Chief Jerry Enyeazu. Rangers, their elder brother, won the African Winners Cup in 1977. Heartland lost in two continental finals, 1988 and 2009.
Uzodinma knows this story. Heartland should go back to their old name, Spartans. They are too precious to be relegated, for the second time. It must not happen under a governor who played soccer at Festac, Lagos.
