Unleashed: The Enugu Rangers Revolution (1970-1977)

[cic old boy]

Very powerful stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpCMNo ... e=youtu.be[/video]

[jette1]

wao!!! See delivery of emotion at the end. I directory experienced just a little tiny bit of the infrastructure management he talked about when as a high school kid I travelled with rangers supporters club from enugu to ibadan. one of my memorable life experiences
is this a current documentary and how old was this guy in the 70s. he comes across as an insider eye witness.
cic na you be dis

[cic old boy]

wao!!! See delivery of emotion at the end. I directory experienced just a little tiny bit of the infrastructure management he talked about when as a high school kid I travelled with rangers supporters club from enugu to ibadan. one of my memorable life experiences
is this a current documentary and how old was this guy in the 70s. he comes across as an insider eye witness.
cic na you be dis

The docu was made earlier this year and released in June.

[ukwala]

Very powerful stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpCMNo ... e=youtu.be[/video]

Excellent stuff . Missing that 1975 Africa Champions cup remains my biggest pain. I will never forgive the NFA under Sunday Dankaro for refusing Rangers' request to play the game in Enugu. Why not give your reps the best chance of success? It appeared that the civil war was still going on in some people's minds.

[1naija]

Another concocted tales by the moonlight about local champions.

[mcal]

...the successes of the Rangers team and the Igbo people still dey pain many till date.

[Sir V]

wao!!! See delivery of emotion at the end. I directory experienced just a little tiny bit of the infrastructure management he talked about when as a high school kid I travelled with rangers supporters club from enugu to ibadan. one of my memorable life experiences
is this a current documentary and how old was this guy in the 70s. he comes across as an insider eye witness.
cic na you be dis

He is in his late 50s. ED and I are in the same facebook group,and was school mate with a friend of mine.

[Bestplayer]

Very powerful stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpCMNo ... e=youtu.be[/video]

Thanks for posting. Very informative..

[Goldleaf]

Rangers International of Enugu was loved all across the country. The names of the players were household names on football pitches. You could be Okalla, Ezeani or Nwobodo or Abana or Obianika or Ekeji or you could be blockbuster or Madu or the Chairman Chukwu. You could be Onyeka, Iwelumo, Okoronkwo, Onyedika, Ngadi or Ibeabuchi. You certainly had your pick of all those names because you were just crazy about the squad. The team was just great!!

[Dammy]

Very powerful stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpCMNo ... e=youtu.be[/video]

Excellent stuff . Missing that 1975 Africa Champions cup remains my biggest pain. I will never forgive the NFA under Sunday Dankaro for refusing Rangers' request to play the game in Enugu. Why not give your reps the best chance of success? It appeared that the civil war was still going on in some people's minds.

I still don't understand why that match against Hafia was played in Lagos. It was very painful as that was the first time Rangers would lose a match that I was aware of. I thought they were invincible.

[ukwala]

Very powerful stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpCMNo ... e=youtu.be[/video]

Excellent stuff . Missing that 1975 Africa Champions cup remains my biggest pain. I will never forgive the NFA under Sunday Dankaro for refusing Rangers' request to play the game in Enugu. Why not give your reps the best chance of success? It appeared that the civil war was still going on in some people's minds.

I still don't understand why that match against Hafia was played in Lagos. It was very painful as that was the first time Rangers would lose a match that I was aware of. I thought they were invincible.

The first game Rangers lost in the entire competition was in the first leg semi final away to Mehalla of Egypt 1-3. In the return leg, Rangers took them to Enugu and beat them 3-0 to qualify for the final (Mehalla saw Wahala in Enugu). Having lost 0-1 away to Hafia of Guinea in the first leg of the final, Rangers expected to take them to Enugu and do a ‘Mehalla’ on them. Alas, the NFA declined Rangers request and insisted the match be played in Lagos. The perception in Enugu then was that the NFA and perhaps higher powers did not want Rangers to win and Rangers went to Lagos dejected and psychologically defeated. That was by far Nigeria’s best chance of winning the African cup of champions until Enyimba won it in 2003.

[Dammy]

Very powerful stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpCMNo ... e=youtu.be[/video]

Excellent stuff . Missing that 1975 Africa Champions cup remains my biggest pain. I will never forgive the NFA under Sunday Dankaro for refusing Rangers' request to play the game in Enugu. Why not give your reps the best chance of success? It appeared that the civil war was still going on in some people's minds.

I still don't understand why that match against Hafia was played in Lagos. It was very painful as that was the first time Rangers would lose a match that I was aware of. I thought they were invincible.

The first game Rangers lost in the entire competition was in the first leg semi final away to Mehalla of Egypt 1-3. In the return leg, Rangers took them to Enugu and beat them 3-0 to qualify for the final (Mehalla saw Wahala in Enugu). Having lost 0-1 away to Hafia of Guinea in the first leg of the final, Rangers expected to take them to Enugu and do a ‘Mehalla’ on them. Alas, the NFA declined Rangers request and insisted the match be played in Lagos. The perception in Enugu then was that the NFA and perhaps higher powers did not want Rangers to win and Rangers went to Lagos dejected and psychologically defeated. That was by far Nigeria’s best chance of winning the African cup of champions until Enyimba won it in 2003.

Could the decision have to do with CAF regulations about playing the final in the capital? Shooting Stars played the final of the African Cup winners cup against Tonnere Kalala in Lagos the following year instead of Ibadan.

[ukwala]

Very powerful stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOpCMNo ... e=youtu.be[/video]

Excellent stuff . Missing that 1975 Africa Champions cup remains my biggest pain. I will never forgive the NFA under Sunday Dankaro for refusing Rangers' request to play the game in Enugu. Why not give your reps the best chance of success? It appeared that the civil war was still going on in some people's minds.

I still don't understand why that match against Hafia was played in Lagos. It was very painful as that was the first time Rangers would lose a match that I was aware of. I thought they were invincible.

The first game Rangers lost in the entire competition was in the first leg semi final away to Mehalla of Egypt 1-3. In the return leg, Rangers took them to Enugu and beat them 3-0 to qualify for the final (Mehalla saw Wahala in Enugu). Having lost 0-1 away to Hafia of Guinea in the first leg of the final, Rangers expected to take them to Enugu and do a ‘Mehalla’ on them. Alas, the NFA declined Rangers request and insisted the match be played in Lagos. The perception in Enugu then was that the NFA and perhaps higher powers did not want Rangers to win and Rangers went to Lagos dejected and psychologically defeated. That was by far Nigeria’s best chance of winning the African cup of champions until Enyimba won it in 2003.

Could the decision have to do with CAF regulations about playing the final in the capital? Shooting Stars played the final of the African Cup winners cup against Tonnere Kalala in Lagos the following year instead of Ibadan.

Not sure if such a regulation existed at the time but it stands to reason that such a justification would have been easily understood by all and the acrimony would not have arisen. Till this day, Rangers feel there were other motives behind that decision.

[Ayo Akinfe]

I swear Bendel Insurance are wicked! Agbonifo, Egbareva and Ogu, wetin una do Rangers for National Stadium that day to end their revolution no good oooo!

[Aswani]

. The perception in Enugu then was that the NFA and perhaps higher powers did not want Rangers to win and Rangers went to Lagos dejected and psychologically defeated. That was by far Nigeria’s best chance of winning the African cup of champions until Enyimba won it in 2003.

I am going to disagree with you on this Ukwala, these are seasoned professionals about to play an African Champions Cup final.

I think, if anything, they would have wanted to stick it to the NFA or whoever it was that changed the venue.

[Ezesportsworld]

NFA was more interested in the gate fees than Rangers winning the match

[Enugu II]

. The perception in Enugu then was that the NFA and perhaps higher powers did not want Rangers to win and Rangers went to Lagos dejected and psychologically defeated. That was by far Nigeria’s best chance of winning the African cup of champions until Enyimba won it in 2003.

I am going to disagree with you on this Ukwala, these are seasoned professionals about to play an African Champions Cup final.

I think, if anything, they would have wanted to stick it to the NFA or whoever it was that changed the venue.

Aswani,

Seasoned professionals or not, they remain HUMAN BEINGS and susceptible to similar effects. They are not robots. Here, you are believing you have a very important match in a friendly venue in Enugu and training for it.

As far as I remember, the change of venue came way too late and the team had to travel quite late to Lagos. The psychological effect of that had to be enormous, particularly in a crucial game against a team that was arguably the most dreaded in Africa at the time.

Bros, never underrate such odds.

[jette1]

wao!!! See delivery of emotion at the end. I directory experienced just a little tiny bit of the infrastructure management he talked about when as a high school kid I travelled with rangers supporters club from enugu to ibadan. one of my memorable life experiences
is this a current documentary and how old was this guy in the 70s. he comes across as an insider eye witness.
cic na you be dis

He is in his late 50s. ED and I are in the same facebook group,and was school mate with a friend of mine.

He delivered the events as an insider and as a witness with direct experience would which prompted my question on how old he could have been during the events. Not how how old he is now. This is how you guys flunk jamb and waec

[ukwala]

wao!!! See delivery of emotion at the end. I directory experienced just a little tiny bit of the infrastructure management he talked about when as a high school kid I travelled with rangers supporters club from enugu to ibadan. one of my memorable life experiences
is this a current documentary and how old was this guy in the 70s. he comes across as an insider eye witness.
cic na you be dis

He is in his late 50s. ED and I are in the same facebook group,and was school mate with a friend of mine.

He delivered the events as an insider and as a witness with direct experience would which prompted my question on how old he could have been during the events. Not how how old he is now. This is how you guys flunk jamb and waec

If you know 2 out of 3 variables in an equation, surely you can derive the 3rd, no?

[ukwala]

. The perception in Enugu then was that the NFA and perhaps higher powers did not want Rangers to win and Rangers went to Lagos dejected and psychologically defeated. That was by far Nigeria’s best chance of winning the African cup of champions until Enyimba won it in 2003.

I am going to disagree with you on this Ukwala, these are seasoned professionals about to play an African Champions Cup final.

I think, if anything, they would have wanted to stick it to the NFA or whoever it was that changed the venue.

Aswani,

Seasoned professionals or not, they remain HUMAN BEINGS and susceptible to similar effects. They are not robots. Here, you are believing you have a very important match in a friendly venue in Enugu and training for it.

As far as I remember, the change of venue came way too late and the team had to travel quite late to Lagos. The psychological effect of that had to be enormous, particularly in a crucial game against a team that was arguably the most dreaded in Africa at the time.

Bros, never underrate such odds.

Thanks EII. The events leading up to the game could not have motivated the players in any way. Journalist Uzo Maxim Uzoatu in his article on Dominic Ezeani (link below) stated that Rangers even considered boycotting the game but were ordered to travel to Lagos by the then military governor. So the club wanted to boycott the game, the military governor ordered otherwise, the club chairman protested but had to give in, the players travelled to Lagos late on the day before the game.....suffice it to say that the match was played reluctantly under chaotic psychological conditions for the players.
https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/7 ... ll-by.html

Ezeani was flown back from America for the final of the African Cup of Champion Clubs against Hafia FC of Guinea in December 1975 after Rangers had lost the first leg by 1-0 in Conakry, Guinea. The Rangers team was holed up in Enugu, hoping to play the Hafia team in the Coal City, when the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) suddenly asked the team to proceed to Lagos a day to the encounter. There was even talk of Rangers boycotting the game when the new military governor Lt-Col. Atom Kpera who had just replaced the more charismatic Col. Anthony Aboki Ochefu ordered the team to depart to Lagos despite club chairman Jim Nwobodo's protestations. In a match played in such controversial circumstances, Rangers players could not believe their eyes when the referee disallowed the long throws of Nwabueze Nwankwo with which they had planned to dislodge the passing game of Hafia of Guinea. Ezeani and his mates tried as best they could in the oppressive circumstances, losing 2-1 in the end.

[cic old boy]

I swear Bendel Insurance are wicked! Agbonifo, Egbareva and Ogu, wetin una do Rangers for National Stadium that day to end their revolution no good oooo!

The Rangers team was a victim of fatigue resulting from undue overstretching by the NFA which subjected them to four gruelling matches within ten days. The long line of matches claimed Nwokocha who played Bendel half-fit. According to the commentator, Adewale Odunsi, skipper Chukwu was suffering from a groin injury, while Ameisimaka had not fully recovered from a previous injury. The physical strain was unbearable.

Perhaps, more devastating was the exodus mid-season of many Rangers players to the United States. Among those who left were: Nwachukwu Onyekwelu, Charles Adimora, Nnamdi Anyafor, Ignatius Ilechukwu and Okey Onwuekwe. This coupled with the abrupt departure of the team's Yugoslav coach, Zuti Branco created a vacuum which stand-in coach, Bob Odume could not fill.

From Rangers International (The story of Nigeria's all-conquering clubside).

[ogiso]

I didn’t know all the history shared here. Thanks for sharing. I was a young Yoruba boy growing up in Lagos who chose to be a Rangers fan. This of course opened me up to so much abuse - especially when Rangers beat IICC on penalties in the 1977 African Cup Winners Cup semi final 2nd leg in Kaduna (after two 0-0 draws). Why would a Yoruba boy support an Igbo team? For a young mind unclouded by tribalism the answer was simple - this was a great team! I remember the joy of winning the 1977 African Cup Winners Cup, but also the pain of losing to Haifa in the 1975 African Champions Cup final, and also the humbling by Bendel Insurance in the Challenge Cup of 1979. Great days for Nigerian club football.

[jette1]

wao!!! See delivery of emotion at the end. I directory experienced just a little tiny bit of the infrastructure management he talked about when as a high school kid I travelled with rangers supporters club from enugu to ibadan. one of my memorable life experiences
is this a current documentary and how old was this guy in the 70s. he comes across as an insider eye witness.
cic na you be dis

He is in his late 50s. ED and I are in the same facebook group,and was school mate with a friend of mine.

He delivered the events as an insider and as a witness with direct experience would which prompted my question on how old he could have been during the events. Not how how old he is now. This is how you guys flunk jamb and waec

If you know 2 out of 3 variables in an equation, surely you can derive the 3rd, no?

i actually have no variable. late 50s is not a variable relative to my question