Meet Kaduna’s ‘diehard’ Barcelona fan
In the world of football, there are fans, and there are super-fans. But then there are some who describe themselves as being ‘die-hard’ fans, like Idowu Sobanjo, who lives in Kaduna. Of Ijebu extraction, his love for Barcelona Football Club transcends mere watching of the club’s matches, as he talks and lives Barcelona.
Football Club Barcelona, commonly known as Barcelona or Barca, is a professional football club based in Barcelona, in Spain.
Around Kaduna, there are many football lovers, but Sobanjo is exceptional because of the importance he attaches to the club he loves, so much so that he painted his house and named his street after Barcelona.
Heading to Kauna South from the North, after the bridge along Yakowa Expressway, by the right is a street named ‘Barcelona Avenue’, within Karji, a community in Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna State. The first building on the avenue, roofed, fenced and painted in Barcelona’s colours, is Sobanjo’s.
The structure, Daily Trust gathered, will serve as a place of business.
Just a few steps down the street is Sobanjo’s residence, also painted, roofed and fenced in Barcelona’s colours. The gate of the house is also designed with Barcelona colours including red, blue, yellow and green. Even the flowers and kerbs mounted around them depict the team’s colours. There is a Barcelona crest hung on the fence, and two others at strategic spots.
The structures have become points of attraction to passers-by. Some residents have even become Barcelona fans because of Sobanjo’s passion.
Interestingly, a Manchester United fan is raising his own structure close to Sobanjo’s. He joked to Daily Trust that upon completion of his own, he will also flaunt his team’s colours and crest. “Enough of the intimidation,” he laughed.
Sobanjo who is popularly known as ‘Barcelona’ in the area, said he has been a fan
of the club since 1992. Before then, he used to support Nigerian football team, Abiola Babes. “Barcelona’s style of play and teamwork is the major reason for my passion for the club,” he said. He retired last year from the Insurance Industry, and now works with a family business in Lagos.
Sobanjo’s love for Barcelona knows no bound. “I want my club’s name to be heard all over Kaduna state. A diehard fan will always be proud of his club name, flag, logo, colours, players, coaches and management. I am proud to be a Barcelona fan,” he said.
Commenting on why he painted his house and everything around it Barcelona colours, he explained that the colours are a great match. Asked if he got opposition from neighbours when he was naming the street, he said: “There was no opposition from any quarters, everybody including the Village Head likes it.”
He added: “My wife is a Barcelona fan, and my kids used to be, but now they are Arsenal and Real Madrid fans.”
Sobanjo’s caretaker, Tersui who is also a Barcelona fan said people usually come from time to time to take photos of the structures, adding that they will go and replicate same in their areas.
A welder in the area, Solomon, said he became a Barcelona fan last year when he started doing some welding work for Sobanjo. “If he were around in Kaduna when Barcelona scored its recent 6-1 against Paris SG, it would have been party galore in the area,” he said.
Not only men got motivated by Sobanjo’s loyalty to Barelona, but also the women. Mrs. Joy Barnabas, a Cameroonian who lives in the area, said she has become a Barcelona fan because of her neighbour’s show of love for the club. “I also like the club because of Samuel Eto’o, who is also Cameroonian,” she said.
Another resident, Mama Samuel, described how everyone who passes by the Barcelona house stares in awe. “It takes a very passionate fan to do all of this,” she said.