THE RETURN OF ENUGU RANGERS

Rangers’ feat is a lesson in determination and perseverance, writes Sonnie Ekwowusi

That was ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu. He tries to send an intercontinental ballistic missile, but fails. But ‘Quick Silver’ Silvanus Okpalla comes to his aid; he turns round, changes direction and sends a diagonal pass to Okey Isima. Okey Isima chested down the ball and finds ‘Block buster’ Aloysius Atuegbu. Alloy controls the ball, dances with the ball and sends a short pass to Nwabueze Nwankwo who tries a lob but loses the ball to the opponent. A Mehalla player tries to advance through the right flank, but fails. And so it is Rangers all the way now. Mike Emenalo sells a dummy, does a round dribbling and makes a quick pass which landed in the opponent’s 18-yard box. Ogidi Ibeabuchi tries a header but fails, but the rampaging Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika, the true son of Onyedika, quickly gains possession now, turns round, beats one, beats two and takes a shot, and, my oh my! It is a goooooal! Goal No. 4 for Rangers. Fellow Nigerians! Goal No. 4 for Rangers International. Mehalla saw Wahala. This is the day the Lord has blessed. So, let us rejoice. Sebastian, did you see that goal?”

That was the baritone and sonorous voice of Nigeria’s best radio football commentator Ernest Okonkwo. That was the voice that ruled the Nigerian airwaves in the 1970s and 80s. That was the voice that pierced through the sky bringing succour and thrills to many football lovers in Nigeria. Ernest Okonkwo was a wordsmith. Together with fellow football commentators - Sebastian Offurum, Tolu Fatoyinbo, Walter Batowei and Kevin Ejiofor, Ernest kept many football fans who glued their ears to their transistor radios in the 1970s and 80s on the edge of their seats with his scintillating and masterful football commentaries. The darling football team of the 1970s and 80s was the indomitable Rangers International Football Club of Enugu. Rangers, unarguably, was not just a football club. Like Barcelona FC, Enugu Rangers was life. It was culture. Enugu Rangers was born shortly after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970. It was a symbol of hope for a “conquered people”. With their monies, property, schools confiscated after the civil war in 1970, Igbos first sought hope in God and thereafter in something which could revive their ingenuity, hard-fighting spirit and dogged perseverance. That thing was Enugu Rangers International Football Club (Flying Antelopes). Against their opponents in the football pitch, Rangers was not playing to win the match; they played to revive the drooping Igbo essence and Igbo cultural renaissance.

Enugu Rangers arch-rivals in the 1970s and 80s were ICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan (3SC Fooball Club) (parading “Mathematical Segun Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Idowu Otubusin, Nathanial Adewole, etc) and Mighty Jets of Jos (staring Sule Kekere, Baba Otu Mohammed, etc). In fact, the el classico at that time was Enugu Rangers V ICC Shooting Stars. Rangers and ICC supplied the bulk of players that featured in the national football team, the Green Eagles. Segun Odegbami recounts that for five years no football club in Nigeria could match the football dexterity and skill of Enugu Rangers. Theirs, according to Odegbami, “was a combination of grit, flair, determination and an uncommon fighting spirit. They won every available

THE RETURN OF ENUGU RANGERS, LIKE THE RETURN OF IJELE, THE KING OF ALL MASQUERADES, HAS REJUVENATED THE DYING JOY OF THE IGBO RACE trophy in Nigeria and went on to the African continent in search of the country’s first continental club trophy and came back close to winning a few times”.

Enugu Rangers won Nigeria National league six times between 1974 and 84. They won the Challenge Cup five times between 1974 and 83 and won it back-to-back 1974-1976. Rangers played the finals of Africa Cup of Champions in 1975 and narrowly lost to Hafia of Guinea. It was the match that earned Rangers left full-back player Silvanus Okpalla the sobriquet “Hafia” for doing a yeoman’s job at the defence. Enugu Rangers became the second Nigerian team to win Africa Cup winners in 1977 after ICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan had won it in 1976. The top legendary ex-Rangers players and soccer warriors who took Enugu Rangers to great heights and who also played for the Green Eagles were: Cyril Okosieme, Emmanuel Okala, Dominic Ezeani, Godwin Achebe, Christian Chukwu (Chairman), Patrick Ekeji, Dominic Nwobodo (Alhaji), Mathias Obianika, Christian Madu, Christian Nwokocha, Paulinus Ezike, Stanley Okoronkwo, Earnest Ufele, Nwabueze Nwakwo,(Mr. Long throw), Silvanus Okpalla (Quick silver), Aloysius Atuegbu (Block buster), Emeka Onyedika (404), Ogidi Ibeabuchi( Ogidi Nma), Okey Isima, Louis Igwilo (Commander), Harrison Mecha, Mike Emenalo, Foster Ikeagu, Nnamdi Anyanfo, (the Police man,or “Waskie); Charles Adimora, Ignatius Ilechukwu, Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika, Samuel Onyeaka, Kenneth Ilodigwe and Chimezie Ngadi.

But unfortunately, from 1984/1985 football season probably after the aforementioned legendary Enugu Rangers players had retired or quit the club, Enugu Rangers went into soccer hibernation. The club became a shadow of itself. The new Enugu Rangers players could not bite. Not only was Enugu Rangers unable to win any football trophy the club was almost relegated to a second Division Team in the national league. This trophy drought lasted for 32 years.

But penultimate Sunday a miracle occurred in the Nigerian football history. Enugu Rangers came back to life. The club walloped El Kanemi Warriors 4-0 to clinch the Nigerian Professional Football League for the 2015/2016 season. By clinching that title, Enugu Rangers returned to the centre stage of Nigerian football after 32 years of trophy drought and hibernation. Surely, the return of Enugu Rangers, like the return of Ijele, the king of all masquerades, has rejuvenated the dying joy of the Igbo race. The return of Enugu Rangers testifies that there is light at the end of a dark tunnel. The return of Rangers is a big lesson in the virtues of determination and perseverance. The return of Enugu Rangers is a reminder that hope is our greatest asset. We cease to live when we cease to hope. The overflowing joy that has accompanied the return of Rangers is a reminder that human beings are the wealth of a nation. The best treasures in life are not material things or electronic gadgets: the best treasures are human beings. Therefore the return of Enugu Rangers marks the return of the old treasure.

We hope that Enugu Rangers has returned to sparkle once more.