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Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:41 pm
by ojafranpa
By Stephen Onyeukwu

Former Stationery Stores FC of Lagos defender, Ebitimi Collins, is dead.

The Ajegunle born player died after a brief illness, Per Second News gathered from associates.

Football is a game full of beauty. Wonder goals, slick passing, miraculous saves, mesmerizing dribbles and skill moves—poetry in motion if there was in sport. Not all players, however, approach the game with such care and respect. For Collins Ebitimi, rough pragmatism and sheer debauchery rule. Simply getting the job done takes precedence over aesthetics,—until someone gets hurt of course.

Collins, who was fondly called `barbwire` for his uncompromising style of play in his playing days, was a member of the golden years of the darling Lagos football club in the early 90’s.

The squad was notorious for its flair and unorthodox style of play. The team included Ganiyu Ajide, Teslim Fatusi, Arthur Moses, Julius Apelle, Ike Shorumi, Adeshina Shobayo, Precious Monye,Eddy Okoyomon, Ajibade Babalade.

The team won the league title in 1992 with Arthur Moses emerging as the top scorer. They however lost in the semi-final of the 1993 Champions cup to Zamalek.

He was a hard tackling and aggressive defender feared by strikers across the Nigerian football league.

Barbwire as he was fondly called obtained a notorious reputation in football circles for being a tough-tackling defender who loves a good foul.

In Barbwire’s world brutalism and physicality are valued over things like passing and more passing.

The soft spoken player is a different person off the field with friends saying he has a pleasant personality.

” He was very aggressive, I remember playing with him when he came to ilorin for trials with Kwara Utd, he was brutal with everybody, said a friend. ” That was the first time I met him….after that we played allstars at the National Stadium for sometime…I must say he has a good personality if you really get to know him

” He has a good personality off-field, said another fellow player. ” But he is “igbobi” on the field. Very aggressive and hard-tackling defender…..Even in training, he would not mind to take away your legs.

Fans and friends are writing farewell messages on the deceased Facebook page.

Don Kefe wrote, ” Rip to a veterant and friend of the allstars family. Only God knows where the bell will toll next, but we pray its far inbetween till very ripe ages.

” Barbwire sure deserve a solemn moment of respect and morning by the collective allstars family and football fraternity. My condolence to his family and everyone of us. God knows best.”

persecondnews.com

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:44 pm
by oloye
Damn.....another warrior goes down. RIP Barbwire. I am lost for words....

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:38 pm
by Toxicarrow
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
RIP Barbwire !

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:51 pm
by ukwala
RIP barbwire.

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:21 pm
by Obong
Barbwire The Hardman, Rest in Peace.

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:51 pm
by joao
RIP.
May God bless the family he left behind.

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:53 pm
by Cally
Commiserations to his family...

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:54 pm
by Waffiman
Barbwire, Rest in Peace.

My brother told me so much about you from Principles Cup, then Stores.

RIP.

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:34 pm
by theYemster
oloye wrote:Damn.....another warrior goes down. RIP Barbwire. I am lost for words....
RIP
Stationery Stores my favorite team back in the day.

Least they could've done is include a picture of him and mentioned his age. Do you know?

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:47 am
by The real deal
I remember watching this dude while playing SET off one of the streets about 2 blocks from Nat Stadium @ Ojuelegba. He was whistled for a foul against opposing strker. he proceeded to kick the ball so hard aiming for the head of the Lines man missing his head by a whisker while he was looking away. The linesman was also about 2 feet away from a concrete wall. If the ball had hit him,it coulda crashed his head against the wall and coulda been a DISASTER.... I was disgusted. Did not like him much after that...musta been 90 or 91

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 5:20 am
by wale1974
Image


Image

Image

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:30 am
by oloye
Collins was one of the nicest guys off the field. Back in the day i would entertain the boys in my house and then off to the club after games, especially the ones we have travailed the Nigerian.league together from the lower rungs and now made it to the top, we had some kind of strong bond, one that seems to say we made it to the top together.

Collins was lively and very funny, the guy who hardly says anything on the field suddenly comes alive.

Even after the game he remained sensitive, some 5 years ago, i received a.call from him out of the blues, he got my nunmber from someone and decided to give me a call just to hear my voice, he would call from time to time and we would chat. I have since found out that i was not the only one he did this to.

The personality of Collins reminds me of myself, the image i had on the field was a total contrast to the one off it,many struggle to reconcile the two.

Collins was a genuine likeable person, back in the day and in the game ,intimidation of the opponent was part of the deal,in a game where you are psyched up and told going into the field meant war. You need an image to go with it, many players like Collins, Omokaro, Eboigbe and yes even myself carved an image to mask an underlying softness.

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:47 am
by Ekorian
RIP Egbon " Babu Wire ".

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:32 pm
by Chief Ogbunigwe
The real deal wrote:I remember watching this dude while playing SET off one of the streets about 2 blocks from Nat Stadium @ Ojuelegba. He was whistled for a foul against opposing strker. he proceeded to kick the ball so hard aiming for the head of the Lines man missing his head by a whisker while he was looking away. The linesman was also about 2 feet away from a concrete wall. If the ball had hit him,it coulda crashed his head against the wall and coulda been a DISASTER.... I was disgusted. Did not like him much after that...musta been 90 or 91

Rest in Peace, Barbwire. Was known as a genuinely nice fella. Thanks for your contributions to Naija soccer.

Re: Collins 'Barbwire' Ebitimii is Dead

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:32 pm
by Chief Ogbunigwe
oloye wrote:Collins was one of the nicest guys off the field. Back in the day i would entertain the boys in my house and then off to the club after games, especially the ones we have travailed the Nigerian.league together from the lower rungs and now made it to the top, we had some kind of strong bond, one that seems to say we made it to the top together.

Collins was lively and very funny, the guy who hardly says anything on the field suddenly comes alive.

Even after the game he remained sensitive, some 5 years ago, i received a.call from him out of the blues, he got my nunmber from someone and decided to give me a call just to hear my voice, he would call from time to time and we would chat. I have since found out that i was not the only one he did this to.

The personality of Collins reminds me of myself, the image i had on the field was a total contrast to the one off it,many struggle to reconcile the two.

Collins was a genuine likeable person, back in the day and in the game ,intimidation of the opponent was part of the deal,in a game where you are psyched up and told going into the field meant war. You need an image to go with it, many players like Collins, Omokaro, Eboigbe and yes even myself carved an image to mask an underlying softness.
Thanks for this, Oga Oloye.