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vikiviko (m)
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Ernest Oknwkwo was as "user friendly" as computer keyboard in braille and added spice to almost everything he covered or touched. He created and made the nicknames "Mathematical" for Segun Odegbami, "Chief Justice" for Adokiye Amasiemeka and "Chairman" for Christian Chukwu, household names. He was to Nigerian football at a most critical time, what Howard Cosell was to boxing, privates Vitale to College basketball or Keith Jackson to American rules college football, namely the voice of impartiality and pure athletic competition. Nothing more nothing less. The Al Michaels of Africa, Sir Ernest would not take no shit either (pardon my french or should I say american), No Sir not Lord Ernest! - and yes he would let you know in no uncertain terms that same afternoon if he thought that either a team or an individual player's performance was sub par.
To ad to his most unique style he also coined unsurpassed new football terms in any of the many native languages used frequently from his vast arsenal. Just ask the then Calabar Rovers and the then team members should still be able to tell you the meaning of the word "dive, in at least 10 tounges - thanks to his honor, who took gross offense to a flop in the 18 by a Rover forward (name witheld on request). A lackless Rangers team got to feel the wrath of his golden tounge during an attempt to run out the clock, and advance on the merit of a 0-0 tie against the Police of Senegal. He blasted their tactic and called their "give-me-I-give-you-trouble-come-Okala" mode of play boring and inept.
Talk about guts. Let me tell you this, Lenox Lewis would be sporting a new belt right now if my boy, had been a judge at that fateful night in Madison Square Garden and thats for sure! He also like a painter with brush and easel, relayed the soap opera that was Rangers v Mehalla. Remember the picture he tinged of "our boys" being forced to play on artifical turf late at night and finally loosing in Egypt and then, the creme de la creme in the form of another outstanding peformance with the subsequent sequel and return match played in Enugu at high noon, more for the suffocating heat and the benefit of the visiting Egyptians in their dark away colours, than for drama. Who can ever forget his one line summation after it was all said and done? "Mehalla saw wahala" and then the sheer class of the man by remembering the victims of the same day stampede, during his very next coverage.
Then there was also his cool, calm and collected narration of the clash of the titans in the form of the classic IICC Shooting Stars series with their arch rival Rangers International. Both teams as we know it formed the foundations of the soon to be African Champion the then Green Eagles. The Rangers were a fully loaded Mercedes and their team featured just to name a few Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Okala, the Atuegbu brothers Andrew and Alloysius the "tank", as well as the virtual back line of the Eagles defence while the Shooting Stars were just as potent a force and presented a line up that boasted among others of Felix Owolabi, Best, Muda Lawal*** and the epitome of every defenders nightmare, the man-o-war Segun Odegbami. On the blast of the game whistle and true to expectations, they both set upon each other like a pack of crazed dogs to participate in what has to be one of the more entertaining eliminations I have ever witnessed, and not to beat my own drum, I have seen quite a few. I tell you this one was one hell of a dandy and regardless of who you supported, as the game unfolded your respect for the other team only grew and grew under the coaxing of you-know-who. He never lost control or strayed from focus of the overall picture, which was may the better team win and may there be no injuries to any of our Eagles, period. Though I now know who he wanted to win, he never insinuated it even once!
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akinalabi (m)
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Which true Nigerian football fan will not
remember Ernest Okonkwo?
Maybe the younger fans won't know him
though.
Today, we admire the likes of Andy Gray,
Archie McPherson, Martin Tyler and co, but
the memories of Ernest Okonkwo is still
rife in our hearts.
I can't forget this statement:
"Uwem Bassey is on the ball. He beats
Christian Chuckwu, beats Christian Madu.
He has beaten two 2 "Christians", he must
be a Muslim.
He was a genius.
May his soul keep resting in peace.
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benedo (m)
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This was the man who popularised the term "INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE" witty, intelligent, and never a dull moment when he is on the commentaries during a football match, with his very vivid and spirited commentaries.
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benedo (m)
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This was the man who popularised the term "INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE" witty, intelligent, and never a dull moment when he is behind the mike, very boisterous syle of delivery,and of course the vivid images from his commentaries.
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sabak
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ERNEST WAS WHAT YOU WILL CALL A SOCCER AFFINCINADO, HE TOOK THE NIGERIAN FOOTBALL SCENE BY STORM, AND HELD ITS RAPT ATTENTION BY A LEGENDARY GIFT OF THE GAP
ETIM ESIN, HE SHILLY-SHALLYS,
HE DILLY- DALLYS, HE TRIES TO BEAT ONE MAN,
BUT ONLY SUCCEEDS IN BEATING HIMSELF
THE SUPER EAGLES ARE GATHERED IN THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE
THEY SEEM TO BE SAYING, OH LORD GIVE US THIS DAY
FINIDI THE FINISHER
GANGLING YEKINI
DEFENCE MARSHAL YISA SOFOLUWE
UCHE OKECHUKWU, THE GENTLE GIANT
STEPHEN KESHI, THE BIG BOSS
ELASTIC ELAHO
WE CAN ONLY TRY TO RECALL IN BITS, IT BEHOVES HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE SPORTS BROADCASTING PROFFESSION TO PUT TOGETHER A COMPENDIUM OF HIS WORKS, TO ASSIST THE NEAR COLOURLESS COMMENTATORS WHO HAVE LABOURED OVER TIME TO STEP INTO HIS HUGE SHOES.
MAY HIS SOUL CONTINUE TO REST IN PERFECT PEACE.
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Eziachi
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Oh! How can anyone that know something about foodball in Nigeria forget the one and only evergreen Ernest Okonkwo? The man was a genius, a class act and Mr total football. I stll remember many heartaches from Green Eagles but Ernest will always put a smile on your face. Many good memories of this golden son of African football, a legend. Had Ernest Okonkwo been born anywhere else except Nigeria, he would had been immortolized and iconised but how many youths today knew about this legend or even heard about him?
In those days, we use to put the match on TV in a mute mode so that we can listen to Ernest Okonkwo on the radio. And whether your team won or lost, the last thing you will like to hear was Ernest signing off back to the studio in Ikoyi. Who can forget the many memorable matches like Ranger vs IICC African cup winners cup semi final 1976? Rangers vs Mehalla of Egypt? Green Eagles vs Tunisia in 1978, when Godwin Odiye scored an own goal and Nigeria failed in their bid for the '78 world cup in Argentina? Green Eagles vs Morocco 1988 semi final nation's cup penalty shoot-out?
In that match he did canonized man of those moment- Sam Wasky Okwaraji or how he teased the youngest eagles's player that day- Folurunsho Okenla, who found himself taking a penalty kick without a choice because the kick was so prolonged that even tha goalkeepers take turns to score against each other as every kicker kept scoring.
But two matches that remind me Ernest Okonkwo all the time was 1974 FA cup (I think) when an unknown non league team from Ilorin took everyone by surprise and reached the final only to be beaten by Rangers and what was ironic was that this club known a ALUSHALAND ROCKS fielded 11 players of which ten of them were Ghananians. And Ernest commented that they were celebrating maybe more on the streets of Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi than in Ilorin when they won their semi final match.
But his finest was his introduction of the one hit wonder in the person of Dominic Iofar to the Nigeria footbal scene. The year I think was 1986 FA cup and again another northern team took everyone by surprise and reach the final. The team in question was BCC LION OF GBOKO. And in that team was a seventeen year old wonderful kid- Daniel Amokachie. The team also boast of the Kparko brother of Moses/Tarfa. Ernest through his finest of words practicaly invited Iofar, Amokachie and Moses Kpakor to the national team.
These were the days, when there was a little ray of hope for Nigeria, but unfortunately today, everything has gone to the dogs. Shame!!!!!!!!!
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Akolawole (m)
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But two matches that remind me Ernest Okonkwo all the time was 1974 FA cup (I think) when an unknown non league team from Ilorin took everyone by surprise and reached the final only to be beaten by Rangers and what was ironic was that this club known a ALUSHALAND ROCKS fielded 11 players of which ten of them were Ghananians. And Ernest commented that they were celebrating maybe more on the streets of Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi than in Ilorin when they won their semi final match.
But his finest was his introduction of the one hit wonder in the person of Dominic Iofar to the Nigeria footbal scene. The year I think was 1986 FA cup and again another northern team took everyone by surprise and reach the final. The team in question was BCC LION OF GBOKO. And in that team was a seventeen year old wonderful kid- Daniel Amokachie. The team also boast of the Kparko brother of Moses/Tarfa. Ernest through his finest of words practicaly invited Iofar, Amokachie and Moses Kpakor to the national team.
Good memory 1) How old are you to have remembered 1974?  , you might likely to be the oldest Nairalander [ No offence meant] 2) Daniel was unknown in 1986. Leventis played Abiola Babes in 1986 final with ibadan team winning by Friday's own goal. Amokachi was NEVER a wonder kid, he was a benefactor of federal character and the new Eagles Restructuring in 1989/1990. Hewas playing for Ranchers bees then. |
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Eziachi
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Oh! How can anyone that know something about foodball in Nigeria forget the one and only evergreen Ernest Okonkwo? The man was a genius, a class act and Mr total football. I stll remember many heartaches from Green Eagles but Ernest will always put a smile on your face. Many good memories of this golden son of African football, a legend. Had Ernest Okonkwo been born anywhere else except Nigeria, he would had been immortolized and iconised but how many youths today knew about this legend or even heard about him?
In those days, we use to put the match on TV in a mute mode so that we can listen to Ernest Okonkwo on the radio. And whether your team won or lost, the last thing you will like to hear was Ernest signing off back to the studio in Ikoyi. Who can forget the many memorable matches like Ranger vs IICC African cup winners cup semi final 1976? Rangers vs Mehalla of Egypt? Green Eagles vs Tunisia in 1978, when Godwin Odiye scored an own goal and Nigeria failed in their bid for the '78 world cup in Argentina? Green Eagles vs Morocco 1988 semi final nation's cup penalty shoot-out?
In that match he did canonized man of those moment- Sam Wasky Okwaraji or how he teased the youngest eagles's player that day- Folurunsho Okenla, who found himself taking a penalty kick without a choice because the kick was so prolonged that even tha goalkeepers take turns to score against each other as every kicker kept scoring.
But two matches that remind me Ernest Okonkwo all the time was 1974 FA cup (I think) when an unknown non league team from Ilorin took everyone by surprise and reached the final only to be beaten by Rangers and what was ironic was that this club known a ALUSHALAND ROCKS fielded 11 players of which ten of them were Ghananians. And Ernest commented that they were celebrating maybe more on the streets of Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi than in Ilorin when they won their semi final match.
But his finest was his introduction of the one hit wonder in the person of Dominic Iofar to the Nigeria footbal scene. The year I think was 1986 FA cup and again another northern team took everyone by surprise and reach the final. The team in question was BCC LION OF GBOKO. And in that team was a seventeen year old wonderful kid- Daniel Amokachie. The team also boast of the Kparko brother of Moses/Tarfa. Ernest through his finest of words practicaly invited Iofar, Amokachie and Moses Kpakor to the national team.
These were the days, when there was a little ray of hope for Nigeria, but unfortunately today, everything has gone to the dogs. Shame!!!!!!!!!
Very funny, I think I got some fact a bit mixed up, you were right, Iorfa and Amokochie played for Ranchers Bees and the Kparkor brothers of Moses and Tarfa played for BCC Lions of Gboko. As for my age, I am as young or old as I can be. |
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Eziachi
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Apart from Ernest Okonkwo, there few other guys then that were very good but maybe not a s the legend himself. Where are commentators like Paul Ogazi, Emeka Odikpo, Walter Oyatogun and Tolu Fataimgbo. Where are they now?
There are good players too, maybe not a household name but were very good players:
Jude Agada- Rangers
Increase Akuchie- Rangers
Bunmi Adigun- Leventis United
Uwakwe Eke- Spartans/Nationale
Justus Enwendu- Rangers/Nationale
Annas Ahmed- Racca Rovers
Babaotu Mohammed- Racca Rovers
Joseph Appia: Stationery Stores
Sankasa Aboseh: IICC
Felix Mensa Chukwuma- Spartans
Obi Onyama: Asaba Tex
Okey Isima: Mighty Jets/Rangers
Sylvanus Nsofor- Udorji/Rangers
Isaac Promise- Sharks
David Ngodihga: Sharks/Rangers
Leotis Boateng- First Bank
Kenneth Boardman- Rangers
These guys once light up my saturday afternoon, where are they now? probably dieing in poverty as we speak. Those are the days.
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presido1 (m)
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Uwakwe Eke- Spartans/Nationale
Nationale is the new spartans. I thought of starting a thread about this Ernest Okonkwo of a man two days ago, my bad i didn't. During his time how dear you listen to commentry from TV. My old boy will tell you to mute the Tele sharp sharp. He shout week in week out without losing his voice. The Guy was a legend. |
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tkb417 (m)
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@Akin alabi
man, how did u remember those words?
u dey try!!!
man, gone are the days when local footie was the bomb.
the Radio commentary by Okonkwo and later on emeka Odipo really added spice to our local soccer then.
Gone are the days man
players like Gideon Imagudu, Sunday Ilevbare, Monday Agbontaean, Baldwin bazuaye, Moses Kpakor, Isaac semitoje, Precious Monye, Patrick Pascal, Dominic Iofa, Lemmy Isa, Etokebe, Abdulai alausa, Pam Pam, Wole Odegbami, Bunmi Adigun, Boateng, Edward Ansar, Andrew Uwe, Bala Ali, Edobo Humphrey, Uwem ekarika and all i can't even remember
abeg where them dey? local footie don pafuka for real.
den still dey run commentary for radio nigeria?
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Akolawole (m)
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@TKB
Its Sam Pam
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tkb417 (m)
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@Akola
Lmao!!!
u no see the one wey i get right, na the one wey i goof u come see
Chei!!! Chelsea vs Man United never reach oooo
yeah ure right, Its Sam Pam.
i used to love local soccer then. My teams were IICC, Shooting, Abiola babes and later on Concord and Obanta/VIP
now i dey take style support Gateway but for real nothing for them
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