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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com
SPORTS Friday, March 28, 2014
Heroes Of Igbobi College’s Barbwire, who
Ebitimi By Adeyinka Adedipe TATIONERY Stores’ fans will forever remember Collins ‘Barbwire’ StheEbitimi among the club’s heroes, who made the Adebajo Babes darling team of Lagos. Where as the team was already one of the best known sides in the local scene from the late 1960s to the 1980s, Ebitimi was one of the ‘gang of marauders’ that ensured that no team left the Onikan Stadium without bruises in the 1990s. The Flaming Flamingoes were just at the height of their fame when the hard tackling Barbwire entered the scene. When Ebitimi was signed by the club as a free agent in 1989, Stationery Stores was going through a sort of renaissance with the then Coach Ofoukwu looking towards the youths for the rejuvenation of the side. That era ushered in such youthful stars as Joe Ashinze, Golden Ajeboh, Eddy Okoyomo and Ike Shorunmu, among other stars, who came in to take over the mantle left by such departing stalwarts as Annas Ahmed, Wakilu Oyenuga, Olumide Banjo and Godwin Obiyan, among others. Ebitimi’s inclusion into the fiery Stationery Stores’ defence was the final piece in the jigsaw that defied every opposition. Many fans wondered how he performed so well with his small stature. He employed acrobatics and sliding tackles in playing style, which endeared him to the management and fans of the
team. Although the former defender made his name as an outfield player, not many know that he actually started his football career as a goalkeeper. According to Ebitimi, once he tasted action as an outfield player while playing for a Lagos’ grassroots side, Formidable Babes, he left the goalpost for good and concentrated on being a good player. The native of Bayelsa, who was born in Surulere, could play anywhere in the defence and this versatility was an advantage for any team he played for. Shouts of ‘Barbu’ the short form of his nickname, Barbwire, rent the air whenever he put on the gold and red jersey of Stores. He was highly adored, but his career started at the Demonstration Primary School, Onitolo where he came into contact with organised football in the 1970s. Ebitimi however said that it was on the streets of Surulere that he picked up his skills even before going to school. He said: “It was on the streets that I actually learnt to play football with other kids of my age. Even before I got to school, I had started playing Jeun Jeun (playing for token) at different playgrounds around Surulere.” At Demonstration School, his small frame belied his ability and it took him time to find his way into the school team. But all along, he never lost hope, as he got inspiration from the likes of Lateef
Owolabi and some senior boys who saw the potential in him. He excelled in the inter class competitions and got the opportunity to train with the big boys, while forcing his way into the school team with beautiful displays when he was in primary four. By the time he got to Primary Six, he had become one of the top players in the school. “When I got into primary six, I became of the senior players alongside Segun Fatupe, Babatunde Joseph, Nduka Ugbade, Atta Rigogo, who later became the goalkeeper of Federal Housing Authority FC in Lagos. Ebitimi’s love for football cost him his food several times, as he was forced to drink garri whenever he got home late because before then his family members would have finished the food. However, unlike other kids, whose parents did not like sports, his mother didn’t bother if he played football as long as he did his household chores whenever he came back home. But his brothers and sisters were against his playing football, nevertheless it never prevented him from being a regular feature in his school team. “Though my brothers and sister saw nothing good in playing football, it didn’t stop me from playing for my school where I played against the likes of St Thomas, Elizabeth Fowler School, St John Primary’s School, but of all these schools, Salvation Army were our fiercest rivals because they equally had talented players.” In 1981, tragedy befell Ebitimi, when his mother died and he had to go and stay with his elder brother, Abiki (who was a Police officer) in Abeokuta. He enrolled in St John’s Secondary School in Kuto, but he didn’t enjoy success with the school team, as they failed to qualify for big championships due to lack of quality players. “I played football in Abeokuta, but my school, St John Secondary School didn’t do well at inter school competitions,” he added. He experienced a change of fortune when he left Abeokuta for Lagos and joined the Ansar Ud Deen College in Isolo in class three. In one of the games for Ansar Ud Deen, Ebitimi played against Igbobi College and he became a target of many schools. “Playing against Igbobi College brought me recognition and I became one of the most sought after schoolboy footballers.” According to Ebitimi, he had wanted to play for Igbobi and when the opportunity presented itself, he grabbed it with both hands. “I joined Igbobi College when I was in class four and that opened a new chapter in my academic and sports career. “Igbobi College had this special way of treating their school team players. We had a camp, which we retired to before and after training and the principal would always ensure that we were in class for lectures. I joined the likes of Fatai Atere, Taju Ajide, Temo Jatowe, Robert Oligbo, Vincent Onyema, Lawson Alastore, who later played internationally.” The crowning moment in the Lagos Principals Cup came when he won the tournament in 1985. For Ebitimi, it was an unforgettable experience, which still lingers in his memory. “It was a very exciting moment because that was the first time Igbobi College lifted the trophy. It was big celebration in the school and we were all happy that we had finally won the trophy. We all got automatic promotion and our names were inscribed on the wall to inspire those coming behind us.” After that successful outing in 1985, he was back to the competition in 1986, but lost to St Finbarrs in the final. Ebitimi described the loss as a painful one, but noted that football is all about winning and losing. In the squad, he was the oldest and played alongside Atlanta 1996 gold winning goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, Sule Aweda and so many others. “I was not happy we lost the trophy. That was my final year at Igbobi College and I had hoped to win the trophy for the second time as a parting gift. But it did not work out,” he said. On leaving the school, Ebitimi came back as the assistant coach of the team to lift the trophy in 1987 with Dosu as the team’s goalkeeper.” Explaining how he got the nickname Barbwire, he said: “We went to play a friendly game with an Army team while at Igbobi College and I played the left full back. Our opponents had a tough defender who played at right full back. He was the one that was called Barbwire, but during the game I tackled him hard and he fell down. The students reasoned that if I could bring down the Army team’s hard man, I deserved his name, and that was how the students started calling me barbwire.” While doing well in football, he did not lose sight of his academics. Ebitimi said that he trained hard when it was time for training and didn’t miss class when it was time for academics, adding, “apart from being a good footballer, I was also a good student.” His club career started while he was at Ansar Ud Deen College, when he played for UAC FC (Broad Street Millionaires). After UAC, he went to Concord Press in 1986 and left for Hoescht of Otta.