SWAN’s Forgotten Heroes (Part 4)

• By Sam O’Femi Fasetire

I begin this fourth instalment of what has unexpectedly become a series about renowned though mostly forgotten members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) all across the country by confessing that I never thought it would extend up to this level.

I actually undertook the first task on a hunch. It was like a brainwave that I developed overnight to commenorate the passing of Dapo Sotuminu, but it has since extended into a series that twice ‘celebrated’ many of our late colleagues while the last one focused on our living legends.

For Part 3, I recalled how Nigerian cross-over singer, Patorankin put it right when he chorused: ‘Appreciate me, now that I am alive.’ I tried to do that profusely in Part 3, but it turned out that I had been quite forgetful about the achievements that have been enacted by a large number of esteemed members of the Fourth Estate.

That indeed brought to the fore the import of this series; butressing the fact that many of our members have indeed been forgotten. Sadly, since even we SWAN members forget our own, can we ever justifiably call on people in the larger society to remember us?

So, today (not as an afterthought but as an extension), I apologise to more SWAN members who are still alive and are truly worthy of being celebrated before they go to the great beyond.

Read Also: SWAN’S Forgotten Heroes (3)

In that regard, my first dot goes to a ‘master’ of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), Emma Jemegah, who even personally wrote and published a book on the domestic championship, thereby putting something in the library as a reference point in years to come for scholars and enthusiasts to cherish.

Along the line, I also recollected lofty published works done over the years by veterans like Kunle Solaja (The Sports Encyclopaedia) and Ejikeme Ikwunze (Mr Football). Sadly, a lack of enough space will not allow me eulogise them well enough, and as much as I would like to. Suffice it to say that Solaja, Ikwunze and Jemegah (as well as Mumini Alao, who I wholesomely celebrated in Part 1) have confirmed that SWAN members are not only good at writing on the pages of newspapers but equally adepth in putting several words, sentences and numbers together in books.

Incidentally, mentioning the Nigerian league also brings back memories of some great SWAN members who prefer to write about the NPFL instead of focusing solely on the national teams. An expert in that regard is Emeka Nwani (Mr Rangers) as well as Bode Oguntuyi and Harry Iwuala.

Tagging alongside them should be those who are good at speaking on everything worth talking about in the sports sector. In this aspect, I celebrate the like of Ojeikere Aikhoje, Michael Maiyaki, Miyen Akiri, Godwin Enakhena, Niyi Oyeleke, Toyin Ibitoye, Colin Udoh and Segun Ikuesan (Basketball Master).

One thing in common with them is that they all talk sports on television. So, let’s also remember some legends on vinyl and forgotten voices of the microphone … Shina Abimbola, Biyi Alabi, Sebastian Ofurum, Tolu Fatoyinbo, Walter Oyatogun, Tony Akiotu, Rotimi Bisiriyu et al. Some are late, many are still alive, and they all deserve spots in our hypothetical yet plausible SWAN Hall Of Fame.

The same goes for experts of grassroots sports reportage, who I will always adore as agents of growth in a field of journalism that propelled me into global limelight. For those who are still keeping the flag of Grassroots Sports flying (despite the incursion of corporate diversions and advertising limitations that now scuttle free coverage of events at the community base), I doff my hat for Akeem Busari, Seba Osoko, Sunday Akintoye, Jide-Ojo Olusola, Solomon Ajuziogu, Bayour Issah and Femi Amusan.

However, I must not end this series without celebrating esteemed sports writers who have proven over the years that ‘we can practise what we preach.’ So, not only can we script, talk and express images of sports … not only can we put the required information on paper, radio, TV or social media … we can also call the shots from huge leather covered desks in the comfort of four walls in air-conditioned offices.

Let’s celebrate our members who have done great jobs in proving that good sports writers can indeed be better as administrators. Step out for recognition: Fan Ndubuoke, Emeka Inyama (two icons from SportsLink newspaper), Ademola Olajire (Vanguard), Frank Ilaboya (Complete Sports), Paul Bassey and George Aluo (both from National Champion). I will also include Pastor Onyebuchi Abia (another icon of SportsLink) in this category, because of the great charity work he is doing with Kanu Heart Foundation and Godwin Enakhena (who has neen so successful with MFM in football and basketball).

However, at this point, I make a solemn charge to them all to think of the bigger picture. Why can’t any one of you or even all aspire to become the president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)?

Austin Okocha has recently been in the news regarding a likely interest in the job, Segun Odegbami has tried it twice in the past, but I think it’s now our turn as esteemed SWAN members to actualise our presidential acumen (not just being content with maintaining our inclusion in the NFF’s statutes regarding membership).

All stated, here’s where Part 4 comes to a close in our celebration of SWAN’s Forgotten Heroes – but something tells me number five might jolly well come up; because words alone are not enough to recognise the true worth of Nigeria’s huge array of sports journalists who toil day and night to keep the public abreast with happenings that unfold every second across the terrain.

*SWAN’s Living All Stars-B

1. Ademola Olajire
2. Bode Oguntuyi
3. Femi Amusan
4. Emma Jemegah
5. George Aluo
6. Ikenwa Nnabuogor
7. Akeem Busari
8. Ojeikere Aikhoje
9. Onyebuchi Abia
10. Michael Maiyaki
11. Emeka Nwani

Coach: Fan Ndubuoke

Assistant Coaches: Paul Bassey, Frank Ilaboya

Backroom Staff: Ejikeme Ikwunze, Emeka Inyama, Kunle Solaja

Media Officer: Colin Udoh