El Capitano

[Cally]

It was on the third ask by the GM that I did agree to accept the captain’s band. I did some soul searching, I prayed over the decision, and I suppose I was able to find something in my own ego which challenged me by asking me- Are you a coward? I hated the answer that stared me in the face. But before I took up the offer I asked the GM to allow me do some consultations with the players. The first person I sought out was Alum, I went to his house and told him what was going on. I said look if you feel I have betrayed you let me know I will turn the offer down. I told him it was important to me I get his blessings. He gave me his blessings without any hesitation, for that he won my respect and we remained good friends till his passing away.

The second person I needed to consult was Moses Kpakpor, if I can get his blessing it does not matter what the others have to say. Moses at this time was just coming back from a nasty fracture that put paid to his plans to travel out to play in Belgium. He was at the time a player/coach, that was how the team tried to accord him the respect he merited in the team. We lived on the same street, so I strolled down to his house. I told him also what was going on, I told him my fears. I said look I am from another part of the country, I don’t play politics, I don’t know how to, all I care about is football and this club. This is the responsibility the club is asking me to shoulder, I am not going to deceive myself that I can do this without help and I need your help here, I need your backing, without it I will be exposed. Just like Aule did,, he gave me his blessings. Armed with these I walked confidently back to the GM’s office and said to him…Sir I am ready!

Looking back now, I must give all the glory to God for granting me the wisdom to lead the team successfully. One of the biggest pressures that I faced was making sure that I lead the club to win something during my tenure, not when it was coming on the back of the successful tenure of my two predecessors. I was under intense scrutiny from the fans right from the time I was announced the captain of the team. You see, both of Moses and Aule who led the team before me all won major trophies and what one could describe the first of the first or milestones in the history of the club. Moses led the team to win the first major trophy by the club, the 1989 FA cup, and apparently it was the first time in 50 years any team from that part of Nigeria last won the cup. When Aule lifted the Mandela cup in Tunis after beating Club Africaine in the final in 1990, it was the first time for the club. As a result I had a big mountain to climb. When in 1993 the referee blew the final whistle to signal the end of the FA cup match in which we beat Plateau United by a lone goal, I broke down in tears on the field, few except my fiancé at the time knew why. It was a big burden off my shoulders, at least I had something to show. But the best was yet to come, this I say because in the following season (1994), the team won the Premier League for the first time in its history and we also won the FA cup, doing the double in the process, which also was the first in the club history. By winning the FA cup the third time we also retired the cup, the first in the club history. I also led the team to win the Community Shield, also the first. What more can I ask for?
After all said and done I was not under any illusion that this could have been done without the help and support of the players, leading these gentlemen remains the greatest and perhaps the most memorable achievement for me. Every other thing pales into insignificance…….

Much respect, Sir.

[wanaj0]

Oloye, Thought you went to Methodist Bodija. Never knew you went to St Anthony's!

[oloye]

Oloye, Thought you went to Methodist Bodija. Never knew you went to St Anthony's!

Started my high school at Methodist high school orita challenge in Ibadan, did my first 2 year before we moved to Ilorin and St Anthonys

[Dammy]

Oloye, Thought you went to Methodist Bodija. Never knew you went to St Anthony's!

Started my high school at Methodist high school orita challenge in Ibadan, did my first 2 year before we moved to Ilorin and St Anthonys

Oloye, was your family part of the exodus that left Ibadan for Ilorin at the creation of UNILORIN?

[oloye]

Oloye, Thought you went to Methodist Bodija. Never knew you went to St Anthony's!

Started my high school at Methodist high school orita challenge in Ibadan, did my first 2 year before we moved to Ilorin and St Anthonys

Oloye, was your family part of the exodus that left Ibadan for Ilorin at the creation of UNILORIN?

Noooo Dammy, never even knew I would attend Unilorin. Was living with my granny who retired at the time and was asked by her daughter to move down to Ilorin, since Kwara state was home to her. My grandma took Lokoja as home, so moving to Ilorin was like homecoming for her.

[ojafranpa]

Oloye, Thought you went to Methodist Bodija. Never knew you went to St Anthony's!

Not Bodija... na express.

[oloye]

Oloye, Thought you went to Methodist Bodija. Never knew you went to St Anthony's!

Not Bodija... na express.

There is another one at Bodija as well, but na the fake Methodist when it comes to football

[green4life]

Baba Oloye, thanks for sharing!