13022021 - We'll retaliate - Fulani Association Chair

30— SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 13, 2021
Yisa Sofoluwe:
...advice for Rohr
…His recipe for football development is Nigeria
By Jacob Ajom
NIGERIANS woke up to a rude shock
Wednesday morning, when news of the passing of one of
the country’s most gifted football players of his time, Yisa
Sofoluwe broke out. He died Tuesday evening at the age of 53.
As a defender, the late Sofoluwe was a striker’s nightmare.
When he led the lines, the Green Eagles defence was impregnable.
His reputation bellied his smallish stature as he was so good
that late ace sportscaster, Ernest Okonkwo nicknamed him,
Defence Minister. His ability to read strikers movements in the
vital area and timely tackles, separated him from the rest. Yisa
was a delight to watch as he made defending looked easy. He
gave his all at both club and national levels.
Yet, Yisa was grossly under appreciated, under valued and
unrewarded. By dint of luck, Yisa Sofoluwe came at the wrong
time in the nation’s football history. Unlike their successors who
won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and went ahead to
represent Nigeria at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Yisa’s group
remained largely unsung, despite their sterling record in Africa.
Two consecutive AFCON final appearances and two silver
medals in 1984 and ’88 are still not considered good enough by
an unappreciative nation, to give them their due honour. This
awkward but prevailing situation has made it look like
administrators of the game in the country are making deliberate
efforts at obliterating one of the finest chapters in Nigeria’s
football history.
Despite not having been appreciated, Sofoluwe bore no grudge
against any individual or state as he remained ever grateful to
his fatherland for providing him the platform with which he rose
to stardom.. “No matter what, I still thank God and Nigeria for
making me who I am today. I am a happy man because from
nowhere, I became a national and international figure, with lots
of fans. I am happy,” he told Sports Vanguard in an interview
soon after the two friendly games involving Nigeria, Algeria
and Tunisia, Sports Vanguard spoke with the former Nigeria star
and this was what he told us.
His impression after Nigeria lost 0-1 to Algeria and drew
1-1 with Tunisia in the international friendly matches played
last year:
Looking at the current national team, Sofoluwe said the
problem with today’s Eagles was the continuous changes in
the team. “Too many changes to the team and this can cause a
problem, especially, in the defence. I don’t think the
whiteman(Rohr) knows these players much. Maybe by
changing the team frequently, he believes he might one day get
it right. I did not enjoy the match they played against Algeria.
But I think the Tunisia match was better.
“My fear is in the World Cup qualifiers. We don’t have time
for too many changes in the team. He can start working with
the players he has already identified. All other teams are looking
at us, Everybody wants to beat Nigeria. That is why we have to
be very careful.”
Before the double-header against Sierra Leone, Sofoluwe
warned against underrating opponents in the qualifying
group:
Aware of the threat posed by Lesotho, The Republic of Benin
and Sierra Leone in the impending AFCON Qualifiers, the
former defender warned that there were no longer minnows in
world football. “Those teams are very strong,” he said. “To
avoid disgrace, we must tighten our belts very well”
On grassroots football development
He, however, expressed concern over the quality of players
available for national team selectors. Sofoluwe said, “It is what
Late Chief MKO Abiola and late
Yisa Sofoluwe at his wedding
we have that we are using now. We need to go back to
grassroots football. That is what football playing
nations are doing at the moment. In England, Holland,
Germany and other nations with football cultures that
is what they are doing; developmental football. They
train their youths to become good footballers. That is
the only way we can help our football.”
In as much as he frowned at Gernot Rohr’s penchant
for over dependence on foreign-based players,
particularly, players from the diaspora, Sofoluwe
sympathized with the German tactician because, in
his words, the domestic league which should be
producing players for the national team was not
functioning. He reasoned, “I believe Rohr is using the
best Nigeria can offer for now. The league is not okay.
No coach would invite a player who has not kicked a
ball for more than six months to the national team. It
is not done. It will be very difficult for players in the
domestic league to feature in the national team
because there is no football here at home.”
Humble beginning and the role of SWAN
He recalled his humble beginning. “I started
playing football at St Jude’s Primary School, Lagos
Mainland. After my primary school, I went to UTC
Training School where we were taught different trades
like painting, internal decoration and the like. I was
detected by scouts from ITT Football Club of Lagos. I
played there for two years,1981 and ’82.”
Yisa’s lot rose in bounds when he was identified by
sports writers as a player with a lot of potential.”I was
recommended by members of SWAN (Sports Writers
Association of Nigeria, Lagos chapter) to coaches of
the U-20 national team. They were playing qualifiers
for Mexico ’83 FIFA U20 World Cup.”
He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and
when he reported to camp, the team had Ivory Coast
as the last hurdle to the World Cup. He impressed
the coaches so much that he made the team that
travelled to Abidjan for the first leg.
“We held them to a 2-2 draw and when they came
for the return leg, we beat them 2-1 at the Nnamdi
Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu. With that victory, we did
not only emerge as African champions but we also
qualified for the Mexico ’83 tournament.”
At Mexico the Flying Eagles, under the guidance
of late Coach Chris Udemezue, and parading the likes
of Ali Jeje, Paul Okoku, Amechi Otti, Patrick Udoh,
Wilfred Agbonivbare, Benson Edema, Tarila
Okorowanta, among others could not get past the
group stage. They lost 0-3 to Brazil, drew 0-0 with the
Netherlands and defeated USSR 1-0.
With that encouraging outing, some of the players,
including Yisa Sofoluwe were promoted to the senior
national team.
He recalled, “When we came back from Mexico, six
of us, including me, were invited to join the senior
team, the Green Eagles who were preparing for the
1984 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.” Coach
Adegboye Onigbinde was in charge and was assisted
by coach James Peters
“In Ivory Coast, we played to the final but we were
beaten 3-1 by Cameroon. We were a young, promising
but inexperienced side. Basically, we lost to a more
experienced Cameroon team.”
Breakthrough
On their return from the tournament, Yisa was
snapped up by one of the glamourous clubs in the
country at the time, Abiola Babes Football Club of
Abeokuta, owned by billionaire business mogul, late
Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. At the
club, Sofoluwe said he enjoyed his best football as it
marked the high point of his career. “We were playing
both the Challenge Cup and the League
simultaneously. We won the Challenge Cup twice and
were runners-up on two other occasions. We lost the
FA Cup in 1984, won it in ’85 after beating IICC 2-1 in
Kaduna in the semi final. I scored the opening goal,
they equalised and Rashidi Yekini scored the winning
goal. Chief Segun Odegbami was the Team Manager
of IICC, while late Best Ogedegbe was Team Manager
of Abiola Babes. In 1986 we lost the final to Leventis
United and won the FA Cup again in ’87.”
He said the defunct Leventis United were the only
club that gave Abiola Babes the toughest competition.
“Only Leventis United gave us a tough time. They
defeated us in the 1986 FA Cup final at the national
stadium Lagos and the following weekend we
defeated them in Ibadan in a league game. It was a
tough match. We beat them 2-1. They were other teams
though, but Leventis United were the team to beat,”
he said.
Nineteen-Eighty-Eight was another AFCON year
and Nigeria qualified for the tournament with
Sofoluwe being a prominent member of the squad. With a squad
that was largely comprised of players that prosecuted the ’84
tournament, Nigeria entered the competition as one of the
favourites. The Eagles did not disappoint as they clawed their
way to the final. Again Cameroon stood between them and their
second AFCON trophy. It was a match most Nigerians would
hate to remember. “We played out our hearts in the final and
scored what we thought was a good goal but the centre referee
disallowed it. We lost 0-1 and everyone in the team felt we were