SEPTEMBER 7, 2013
Emmanuel Obasuyi
He was one of the explosive forwards in Nigeria before he suffered a horrific broken leg during a cup game between old Bendel State and Lagos at the Ogbe Stadium, Benin in 1978.
The injury denied Emmanuel Obasuyi the chance to win the 1978 FA Cup with Bendel Insurance, after helping the Benin club to reach the semifinals. Bendel Insurance defeated Shooting Stars 2-0 in the semifinal and beat Enugu Rangers 3-0 in the final to win the title for the second time.
Obasuyi, popularly called Shakara, was a shadow of his former self when he was finally off his crutches. He was no longer the player whose dribbling skills, power, drive, clinical finish and relentless work-rate made him one of the most feared strikers in Africa.
Shakara lost his place in the Super (Green) Eagles as Brazilian coach Otto Gloria, who took over from Tihomir Jelisavcic (Father Tiko) in 1979, got a capable replacement for him.
Nigeria hosted and won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations under Otto Gloria and the Shehu Shagari administration gave each member of the squad a house in Lagos in addition to cars, money and national awards.
The squad consisted of Christian Chukwu (captain) Segun Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Tunde Bamidele, Okey Isima, Best Ogedengbe, Emmanuel Okala, David Adiele, Kadiri Ikhana, Felix Owolabi, Adokiye Amiesimaka, Aloysius Atuegbu, Godwin Odiye, Ifeany Onyedika, Sylvanus Okpala, Henry Nwosu, Moses Effiong, Charles Bassey, John Orlando, Martin Eyo, Shefiu Mohammed and Frank Onwuachi.
“I cried when they were given houses, cars, money and national awards for winning the Africa Cup of Nations,” Obasuyi told our correspondent in Benin recently.
“I don’t like to remember that day but it will be in my memory forever.
“I would’ve made the squad if I wasn’t injured. The majority of the players that won the Africa Cup of Nations were my teammates.
“They knew I would’ve played in the tournament if I had recovered fully from injury and back in top form at club level.
“I regret featuring in the match where I sustained the injury. I didn’t want to play but coach Alabi Aisien begged me to play. I was about hitting the ball into the net when I was hit by an opponent.
“I won’t blame him (Alabi) for the development. It happens in football.
“But I was surprised that my (Eagles) teammates forgot about me after they were rewarded by the government for their efforts.
“No one gave me anything or visited me. I hold no grudge against anybody for the development.”
Shakara was discovered while playing for Arinze Primary School in Benin in the sixties. He later played for Niger Commercial College in the city as a goalkeeper.
“I fell in love with the game because my uncle, Orlando Aigbangbe, was also a great player,” Shakara said.
“He was a utility player and he was the captain of the Benin team. I loved his movement on the field and I decided to follow in his footsteps.”
His father wanted him to study accountancy in the university but Sharaka went against his (father) wish to join the army after the civil war.
“I decided to join the army after I was molested by a soldier in Benin over a girl,” he said.
“I felt very bad and I decided to join the force with the aim of getting revenge on the guy.
“My parents were very angry when they were told that I had joined the army.
“I didn’t disclose my plan because I knew they would do everything possible to stop me.
“But sadly, I neither met the soldier that molested me throughout my military career nor the girl.”
Obasuyi soon came into the spotlight when his head-turning performances in the army team earned him a call-up to the armed forces team.
He said, “I was outstanding in a friendly match between the armed forces and the Green Eagles at Ibadan and Father Tiko invited me to the national team.
“I started as a goalkeeper with the armed forces team. I became a striker when our coach had problems in the department.
“I did the job very well and the coach commended me. He played me in the striking position in subsequent matches and I nailed down the spot.
“Playing in various positions in the armed forces helped me a lot when in the Green Eagles.”
Obasuyi could not honour Father Tiko’s invitation to join the national team because he had been selected for the national squad to represent Nigeria at the CISM Games in Damascus, Syria, between May and June 1977.
“In the opening match of the tournament against France, I scored two goals in 15 minutes,” he said.
“The pitch was designed for the competition and I scored the first goal on it. The record is still there.
“The game ended 2-2, and the same player scored their goals.”
After the competition, Obasuyi joined the Eagles to prepare for the 1978 World Cup qualifiers. Nigeria, Tunisia and Egypt were grouped together for round-robin games for the single ticket to represent Africa at the World Cup in Argentina. Tunisia won the ticket.
Obasuyi did not stroll into the first team as John Nwadioha and Godwin Iwelumo were on top form and Father Tiko depended on them for goals.
But Obasuyi kept knocking on the door and his consistent performances forced the coach to include him in his first team plans.
The Benin-born quickly endeared himself to the fans with his all-action displays and Father Tiko began to have problems deciding who to start in the top striking role between Obasuyi and Nwadioha.
Shakara had joined Bendel Insurance and was their leading striker in the domestic league.
Obasuyi said, “In our first World Cup qualifying game against Egypt in Lagos, we won 4-0. I came in the second half.
“In our 0-0 draw with Tunisia in Tunis, I replaced Nwadioha. I played very well and was unlucky not to have scored.
“The coach was impressed and made me a regular starter in the team. But in our 3-1 defeat by Egypt in Cairo, I replaced Muda Lawal in the second-half and assisted Iwelumo to score our goal.”
Obasuyi grew in confidence after the encounter and his performances in other games for Nigeria and Bendel Insurance increased the clamour among the fans for Father Tiko to start him ahead of Nwadioha against Tunisia in Lagos.
“Before the game (against Tunisia), I was starting matches, but I was surprisingly dropped for Nwadioha. It was a big mistake,” he said.
“Chukwu came to my room to inform me that Nwadioha would start the match. He said I shouldn’t be disturbed by the late change.”
Nwadioha started the game and missed great scoring opportunities. Odegbami also failed to convert the chances that came his way. Tunisia won 1-0 courtesy of an own-goal by defender Godwin Odiye. The North Africans qualified for the World Cup.
Obasuyi, who was substituted with Nwadioha very late in the encounter, could not help the Eagles achieve their aim.
“I could’ve converted one or two of the scoring opportunities we had If I had started the game,” the 1978 premier league winner said.
“I was introduced late and I didn’t have much time to help the country. It was very unfortunate.
“I believe the decision by the coach to drop me from the starting line-up was politically-motivated.
“The coach could’ve been under pressure from the Nigeria Football Association officials and some of my teammates.
“The NFA also contributed to our defeat. They raised the ticket prices for the match and the fans protested.
“Some of the protesters came to the Nigeria Institute for Sports (in Lagos), where we were camped, a day before the game to disturb us.
“They threw stones at us when we went to the canteen. The police were called to protect us from being harmed by the protesters.
“When we arrived at the National Stadium (Lagos) for the game, we were attacked by hoodlums who threw stones at our bus.
“But they burst into rapturous applause when the Tunisians arrived at the stadium for the encounter.
“When we got to the pitch, we were received by a scanty crowd. We were booed by our fans, who applauded every move made by our opponents.We became jittery and lost focus.
“I regret not playing at the World Cup and not winning titles for the country.
“I think I deserved to win something because I was a good player.
“I had a good relationship with my teammates. Okala was my closest pal in the Green Eagles. Chukwu, Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Ekeji, Adokiye and others loved me because of my dribbling skills.
“I remember Ekeji crawling on the ground after dribbling past him in a practice match between the Eagles and Enugu Rangers. Ekeji played for Rangers in the game.
“Rangers were preparing for a continental game and played against the national team.
“After the match, the late Muda Lawal started calling me Aje player (magical player). Till date I don’t what he meant by the name he gave me.
“It’s a pity nobody in the Nigeria Football Federation remembers me. In other countries, ex-internationals are respected but the opposite is the situation in Nigeria.”
Obasuyi, who is currently the Head Coach of the Edo State Football Association, regrets turning down an offer to play for a club in Michigan, United States, in the 70s.
He said, “Football became one of the popular sports in the US with Pele playing for New York Cosmos and clubs in the country wanted talented players.
“I got an offer from Detroit to play for them but I rejected it because of my father. He was very old and I wanted to be around to take care of him.
“But I regret the decision today. I could’ve accepted the offer to play in the US and arrange for someone to take care of my father.
“I would’ve made money from football in the US and living big today.
“However, I thank God for everything He has done for me and my family. I’m very grateful to Brown Ebewele (former Edo State Commissioner for Sports) for giving me a job. He brought me back to football after I’d been forgotten. I owe him everything.”
Obasuyi called it quits with the game in 1982 after Alabi dropped him from his squad.
He said, “Alabi probably thought I was against him. He refused to include me on the list of players to be given cars by the club. He later recommended my transfer to the headquarters as an office worker.”
Obasuyi, who has five daughters, says he has no regrets not having a son to follow in his footsteps.
“My girls are not interested in football,” he said.
“I’ve no regrets not having a son because my girls are doing very well. They don’t give me problems.
“I could have a son and he becomes a cultist or a troublemaker. My girls are very disciplined and I thank God for making me their father.”
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