It is not every one that is gifted the opportunity of spending an entire 24 hours (without an agenda) in the company of the Governor of a State in Nigeria. It is a rare privilege.
A Governor’s Lifelong Love Affair With Football
Five days ago, a Governor, a friend for decades, sent me a video. It was of him taking the Kick-off at a novelty football match. In the video, he ‘sold a dummy’ with a perfect ‘leg-over’ dribble before gently kicking the ball.
It immediately reminded me of me, eons ago! The ‘leg-over’ dribble was my trade-mark. Christiano Ronaldo must have photo-copied a page from my book of football tricks.
I would take on defenders on the right flank. My move is a creation of Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun – a quick feigning of the two feet, pretending to go one way and then the other over a stationary ball in a dance movement executed to the beat of inaudible lyrics playing in my head – ‘gbabi, magbabe’.
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The movement is followed by a swift dragging the ball with the outside of either foot to one side of the defender, and racing after it. When successfully executed, that movement would take me past a defender to the front of an opposing goal, or to the goal line for a measured pull-out, or a cross to any one of waiting heads.
The Governor was a disciple of ‘gbabi, magbabe’. Thats why he sent me the video.
From Football Admiration to a Lasting Friendship
We were introduced to each other by a mutual female friend in the early 1990s. The very young and very handsome man at the time, told me how as a student-footballer in Ibadan, because of me, he played on the right flank; like me, he wore the number 7 jersey; like me, he practiced the ‘leg-over’ dribble religiously and, as a result, earned a place in his school’s first team. For that reason, he became beholden to me!
After that, we socialized a little before he disappeared from my radar.
Governor Ademola Adeleke and Segun Odegbami during their 24-hour meeting in Osogbo discussing football and friendship.
Some years later, we met again in the USA.
We played together in a regular Sunday-Sunday football match in the New York/New Jersey area with several ex-national and international Nigerian football players that had migrated to the USA for their studies and would congregate every Sunday for football. He was one of them.
It was on that occasion that I confirmed his earlier claim. He was, indeed, a dashing winger on the right flank, dancing mesmerizingly with the ball, feinting right and left. What was clear also was that age had taken its toll. The leg-overs were now blunted, and I could only still see remnants of old possibilities!
If I recall properly, the players in that group in the US included Humphrey Edobor, Fatai Atere, Dehinde Akinlotan, Tajudeen Disu, Roland and several other former Nigerian players I can’t recall now. The Governor was in that company.
In the mid-1990s, we were introduced to each other in Lagos. We partied and socialized around Ilupeju and Ikeja GRA.
He told me that in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, he was a passionate supporter of IICC Shooting Stars FC in Ibadan. His love for some of the players (particularly yours Truly) fueled his early ambition in the game. That love for me has, apparently, sustained through time till now.
On the eve of the Korea/Japan World Cup, along with Dele Momodu and a few of their other friends, they hosted us (members of the Nigerian football delegation) to dinner in a Chinese restaurant in London.
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What was common was that every time we met he would fill me in with a few more missing gaps in our old relationship as in a crossword puzzle, always unearthing interesting stories buried in the archives of my mind. I have always been flattered.
Since he became Governor almost 4 years ago, we only spoke and chatted a few times online, and crossed paths at a few social events.
Governor’s Invitation Leads to an Unforgettable 24-Hour Experience
This week, from the blue, he sent me his old video. In the few short seconds of that video, he did the ‘gbabi magbebe’ movement. It is the equivalent of ‘jogo bonito’ in Brazil, or ‘tiki taka’ in Spain – dance steps converted to a dribbling skill.
I told him my view on it. He ‘ordered’ me to report immediately to Oshogbo for breakfast the following morning. It was a most welcome command. I reported as directed.
He was waiting.
For the next 24 hours, he gave me his full attention!
My surprise is that he turned out to be an encyclopedia of Nigerian football. I never knew this about him. He recalled pages in the history book of football in Ibadan, in the national teams, and about matches (local and international) from the 1970s to date. He knew dates, names and events like the palm of his hand. I was mesmerized.
Later that day, even as we drove in a Coaster Bus with some friends and a few of his staff to and from Ile Ife to rendezvous with the Oni of Ife at a social event that he had been invited to, his reminisces of Nigeria’s football past dominated our conversation throughout the trip, interspersed with his response to the youths in various villages along the way that came out to the streets to wave to him in salute and apparent support. They knew his convoy!
I watched him in awe and amazement, and wondered about for his power of recollection. It was uncanny.
Football Memories, Music and Moments of Friendship
It was an incredible experience for me to observe him closely. Throughout our day together, it was very obvious that the man loves his music. Most of the time, in the house and in the bus during our journey to Ile Ife, there was the enchanting music of Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey and, occasionally, of Davido, playing solemnly in the background. He knew the lyrics of most of the songs and would occasionally sing along. But he did not dance!
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We returned to town shortly before full nightfall. We moved out doors and had dinner and some refreshment under the stars in the open courtyard in front of the Government House lodge. It was an honour to be so specially feted, to share communion with him, a few mutual friends and people that freely joined to enjoy his hospitality and endless stories on Nigerian football.
It was a beautiful night. It left a sweet feeling in my heart. It was a setting straight out of ‘Tales by Moonlight’ with a pure and genuine friendship on full display.
Friends: Dr. Segun Odegbami and Governor Ademola Adeleke
As the evening wore on, more people came and punctuated the setting with news of some political developments on the streets. Without missing a beat, he masterfully juggled the conversations, keeping an eye on the political field whilst ensuring that our evening was neither disturbed nor distracted.
Even at almost 2:00am we were having so much fun we did not want to part.
I had spent the entire day without a break in the company of a Governor in office. One of his aides whispered to me that the man had never held any such event for anyone.
The following morning, I arrived his place for breakfast. A large crowd was already waiting in front of the front-yard, most clad in political party clothing.
We spent an hour together before I left.
A Glimpse Into Leadership Beyond Football
For the first time, he veered a little from football and sports and told me about his works in the State, his mission to impact the lives of his people and to make them happy. He told me about his vision and the place of the youths and of sports, with ongoing infrastructural developments to drive the programs.
I left Oshogbo close to noon, almost exactly 24 hours since I arrived, feeling that for the first time in the almost 50 years that I had known him, I was able to peer beneath the veneer of a ‘dancing governor’ and got to know the real person, a good man at heart, a man without airs, a man with great love and concern for his people, a man passionate about music, dancing and football, a jolly good fellow that loves to sing always in praise of His Creator for the blessings upon his life.
Thank you for the experience and the honour, your Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke!
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