All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a room

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All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a room

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‘I locked up dead body of my daughter in a room and escaped to the stadium’ - Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy, 77, recounts adventure with IICC Shooting Stars

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By Gowon Akpodonor
08 January 2021 | 2:02 am

For an ardent Nigerian football fan, the name, IICC Shooting Stars carries a lot of weight. It remains one of the most famous clubs the country ever produced.

Shooting Stars was Nigeria’s first club to win the FA cup on club basis in 1971. It was also the first Nigerian club to win an African title, the 1976 African Cup Winners Cup. The Oluyole Warriors was also the first Nigerian club to win the CAF Cup donated by late Chief MKO Abiola in 1992. The club has great followers in Nigeria.

For many years, Shooting Stars, which metamorphosed from the famous WNDC Ibadan, produced players who later became national and international heroes. The likes of Segun Odegbami, Kunle Awesu, Muda Lawal, Folorunsho Gambari, Nath Adewole, Sam Ojebode, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Felix Owolabi, Mutiu Adepoju, Dimeji Lawal, Sola Akinwale, David Aigbovo, Ademola Bankole, Ogbein Fawole, Friday Christopher, Isiaka Awoyemi, Ken Ugorji, Ben James, Dotun Alatise and Golden Ajeboh thrilled fans with their God-given football skills at different times, and won several laurels including continental trophies.
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But telling the story of IICC Shooting Stars would be discourteous without giving credit to its supporters for their immense contributions to the club. One man, who has contributed largely to the success story of Shooting Stars is 77-year old Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy, a famous meat seller (Baba Eleran) in Ibadan.

In an updated interview with Real 3SC Fans And Supporters, obtained by The Guardian, the old man narrates his long relationship with the club.

“Since my youthful age, Baba Gani (referring to Baba Gani Elekuru) was our leader and he coordinated us anytime there was a match. We travelled with him far and near. For me, I see my support for ‘Sootin’ (an adaptation of Shooting with a native tongue) as the only thing that makes me happy. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I don’t womanise. My passion is only for the club,” he reveals.

Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy has his shop located in the heart of Oja’ba Market, a few metres away from the residence of the late Pa Ganiyu Elekuru, popularly known as Baba Eleran.

He says: “I copied all my stewardship to ‘Sootin’ from Baba (Eleran). He was a good leader, and he motivated me. Any time there was a home match in Ibadan, I joined the band of Alhaj Tatalo Alamu on (Baba’s directive) to entertain our players. All these added glamour and colours.”
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Memorable matches to remember
Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy recalls with nostalgia some memorable matches he watched in the course of supporting the Oluyole Warriors, saying: “I have seen many games of the club but some remain evergreen in my memory. Our second leg tie against Tonnere Kalala in the semi final of the Cup Winners, when ‘Sootin’ scored 4 goals to equalise and win via penalties to be in the final. I was at the stadium with other members. Also, our Challenge Cup final with Rangers FC, which was replayed in Kaduna.

He continues: “I won’t forget IICC/Bendel Insurance match in 1979. I escaped death. There was a blackout inside the stadium, and everybody was trying to get out of the arena. There was stampede at the stadium entrance. In fact, my legs didn’t touch the ground, as people’s shoulders kept me up. I got scared when I saw some fans being trampled upon. It was indeed a bad day. Our 1984 Champions Cup final defeat to Zamalek FC of Egypt was more painful to me. I lost my money and I lost my way. I didn’t realise what I was doing, and I was roaming the streets of Lagos unconscious of what was happening. We went to Lagos in convoy but returned to Ibadan individually.”

Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy speaks further: “Shooting Stars/Sharks FC Challenge Cup semi final in 1984 too was tough. Another match I won’t forget was against Water Corporation FC. The club was our eternal rival and anytime we played, we gave their supporters a lesson about supremacy. On this day, it didn’t take long before they scored two good goals against ‘Sootin’.

“On that day, one of our finest players, Segun Odegbami was writing his examinations at the Polytechnic, Ibadan, and he didn’t start the game. I accompanied Baba Ganiyu Elekuru to go and pick him in school. Immediately he arrived, and entered the game, he worked our equalisers and the game finally ended 3-3 on that day.

“Honestly, players like Segun Odegbami, Kunle Awesu, Muda Lawal, Folorunsho Gambari, Nath Adewole, Sam Ojebode, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Felix Owolabi etc would work out winnings for the team anytime there was difficulty.
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Another close encounter with death
He recounted how he cheated death in Ile-Ife. “We followed IICC Shooting Stars to Ile-Ife for a match against Amicable Insurance FC. The game was going on when the wall suddenly collapsed on us. We had few casualties, but Allaah spared me. How will I forget the match against Tornadoes from Oyo town at the Olubadan Stadium?

“It was a Challenge Cup final, and Felix Owolabi scored the only goal before the thunderstorms that uprooted the roof of the stadium. The experience was scary. I didn’t know how I escaped the rowdiness.

How I kept my daughter’s dead body till evening
Perhaps, one major risk Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy took in the course of supporting Shooting Stars was locking up the dead body of his daughter in a room till evening to watch an encounter between Shooting Stars and Stationery Stores.

He recalls: “The build up to the match between Shooting Stars versus Stationery Stores was massive. Coach Bebe, a top class tactician was coming to the Liberty Stadium. As members of Supporters Club, we were prepared.

“Although my daughter, Afusat, had been ill, it never crossed my mind that she would die. We had had a meeting a day before the match on how to conduct ourselves. I was detailed to coordinate the drumming, singing and dancing. But in the morning of the match, I lost my daughter around 11:45 am.

“It was painful but more painful was the thought of missing the crucial match against Stores. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind that I should brace up to control the situation.
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“Then, I planned that her mother should be taken care of, while I arranged how the corpse would be buried. With this, I locked the dead body inside my room and sneaked through the back door to the stadium. The atmosphere at the stadium was super charged. The thrills and frills temporarily overwhelmed me, and I forgot the loss of my daughter. Stationery Stores truly came to Ibadan for ‘real war.’ Despite deft security arrangements, their fans still managed to smuggle in some arms and machetes to foment trouble immediately after their 0-2 defeat.

“I was happy ‘Sootin’ won the match, and I returned home to bury my daughter. I won’t forget the reaction of my family members when I got home in the evening but I cared less since my team won. I love ‘Sootin’ with a passion.”

Although Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy agrees that the vacancy created by the death of his leader, Baba Elekuru, is difficult to fill, but he believes that few of the remaining lieutenants of Baba Elekuru are trying their best despite the old age.He reveals that despite his old age, he still watches home matches of ‘Sootin,’ and finds time to attend away matches that are close by.

The once-conquering Shooting Stars FC was relegated from the top flight Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to the lower division (NNL) in the 2016-2017 season. Since then, Pa Ganiyu Ade Fancy and other supporters of the club had been roving like sheep without a shepherd. “My prayer is that my club should return to the elite cadre soon,” he stated.

Source: https://guardian.ng/sport/i-locked-up-d ... stadium-2/
Last edited by Toxicarrow on Sat Jan 09, 2021 8:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Check out Sooting's website:
https://shootingstarssc.com/
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Re: All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a

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Nna, this story get as e be. :boo:

Wha choo looking at?!
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Re: All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a

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Folks were addicted to "Sootin" in those days!
I am happy
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Re: All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a

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Yours truly was at the stadium that night and got caught up in the stampede which happened at only 2 of the stadium gates. The gates were not opened at the start of the match but people climbed over from the other gates once inside seeing it was empty. When the match finished, we all started trooping out in total darkness (the lights went off at the end of the match) forgetting that the gates were not open and sadly the first set of people leaving the stadium at those gates were crushed to death at the bars which eventually gave way from the force of the crowd pushing on from inside. The screams and on that dark night were unbearable and I still haven’t forgotten till this day.

The same thing happened to me with my legs not touching the ground and being carried along by the force of the push. I was so small and was screaming so loud from the pain of being crushed by grown up men until I eventually lost consciousness for a few minutes (don’t know how long). I came back to life when I got my breath back after I was miraculously pushed out through the bent up gate bars. Baba God spared my life that day. And my parents were not even aware their son was at the stadium caught up in the stampede they were watching on TV. Well until I got home just before midnight after walking for over 2 hours. My cousin got home before me and confessed to my parents that we were at the stadium but he lost contact with me. My mum was standing outside our house when I got home, obviously praying and hoping that I will show up alive. Bless her.

Up Sootin!!!!
He continues: “I won’t forget IICC/Bendel Insurance match in 1979. I escaped death. There was a blackout inside the stadium, and everybody was trying to get out of the arena. There was stampede at the stadium entrance. In fact, my legs didn’t touch the ground, as people’s shoulders kept me up. I got scared when I saw some fans being trampled upon. It was indeed a bad day.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a

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Lolly wrote:Yours truly was at the stadium that night and got caught up in the stampede which happened at only 2 of the stadium gates. The gates were not opened at the start of the match but people climbed over from the other gates once inside seeing it was empty. When the match finished, we all started trooping out in total darkness (the lights went off at the end of the match) forgetting that the gates were not open and sadly the first set of people leaving the stadium at those gates were crushed to death at the bars which eventually gave way from the force of the crowd pushing on from inside. The screams and on that dark night were unbearable and I still haven’t forgotten till this day.

The same thing happened to me with my legs not touching the ground and being carried along by the force of the push. I was so small and was screaming so loud from the pain of being crushed by grown up men until I eventually lost consciousness for a few minutes (don’t know how long). I came back to life when I got my breath back after I was miraculously pushed out through the bent up gate bars. Baba God spared my life that day. And my parents were not even aware their son was at the stadium caught up in the stampede they were watching on TV. Well until I got home just before midnight after walking for over 2 hours. My cousin got home before me and confessed to my parents that we were at the stadium but he lost contact with me. My mum was standing outside our house when I got home, obviously praying and hoping that I will show up alive. Bless her.

Up Sootin!!!!
He continues: “I won’t forget IICC/Bendel Insurance match in 1979. I escaped death. There was a blackout inside the stadium, and everybody was trying to get out of the arena. There was stampede at the stadium entrance. In fact, my legs didn’t touch the ground, as people’s shoulders kept me up. I got scared when I saw some fans being trampled upon. It was indeed a bad day.
You didn't tell us about the flogging you recieved! :lol:
I am happy
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Re: All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a

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Dammy wrote:
Lolly wrote:Yours truly was at the stadium that night and got caught up in the stampede which happened at only 2 of the stadium gates. The gates were not opened at the start of the match but people climbed over from the other gates once inside seeing it was empty. When the match finished, we all started trooping out in total darkness (the lights went off at the end of the match) forgetting that the gates were not open and sadly the first set of people leaving the stadium at those gates were crushed to death at the bars which eventually gave way from the force of the crowd pushing on from inside. The screams and on that dark night were unbearable and I still haven’t forgotten till this day.

The same thing happened to me with my legs not touching the ground and being carried along by the force of the push. I was so small and was screaming so loud from the pain of being crushed by grown up men until I eventually lost consciousness for a few minutes (don’t know how long). I came back to life when I got my breath back after I was miraculously pushed out through the bent up gate bars. Baba God spared my life that day. And my parents were not even aware their son was at the stadium caught up in the stampede they were watching on TV. Well until I got home just before midnight after walking for over 2 hours. My cousin got home before me and confessed to my parents that we were at the stadium but he lost contact with me. My mum was standing outside our house when I got home, obviously praying and hoping that I will show up alive. Bless her.

Up Sootin!!!!
He continues: “I won’t forget IICC/Bendel Insurance match in 1979. I escaped death. There was a blackout inside the stadium, and everybody was trying to get out of the arena. There was stampede at the stadium entrance. In fact, my legs didn’t touch the ground, as people’s shoulders kept me up. I got scared when I saw some fans being trampled upon. It was indeed a bad day.
You didn't tell us about the flogging you recieved! :lol:
They couldn’t even flog me after hearing what I had gone through. My dad was just sitting there shaking his head, not uttering a single word. Probably blaming himself for taking me to the National Stadium Surulere numerous times to watch the Green Eagles. We were both at the Stadium on the famous bottle throwing stampede during the 1973 Nigeria v Ghana WC Qualifying match when Okala was seeing 2 balls and the Ghanians threw “werepe” at Yakubu Mambo who needed palm oil rubbed on his body to help him deal with the itching. We lost 3-2 with Kwasi Owusu scoring a hat trick. We were lucky to be sitting at the covered end when the bottles came flying in from outside the stadium. I don suffer for Nigerian football. :lol: :lol: :lol:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Weirdos
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1naija wrote:Weirdos


:rotf:
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Mscheeeeeeeeewwwww
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1naija wrote:Weirdos
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
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Re: All for 3SC: "I locked up dead body of my daughter in a

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Our internet Nigerians who only watch footy on flat screen TVs are now mocking the true supporters. Okay oh.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

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