Charles Ajunwa
When my late Dad in the early 80s was transferred from Aba to Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, as Stores Manager at the then Golden Guinea Breweries Limited located along Aba Road, my siblings and I never had an inkling that one day the whole family would move from No.2 Crowther Street to my Dad’s newly built house in the village to reside permanently. From my village, Umukabia Okpuala, it takes approximately 20 minutes or less to reach Umuahia.
Going or coming back, I must pass through the main road from Umuawa Alaocha Village, which is not only shorter but also closer to my village. This is Mr. Football’s village. My secondary school teacher hails from that village. He is one of those who greatly influenced my life.
When I finished my primary school education at Umukabia Central School, I later gained admission into Ohuhu Community Secondary School, Amaogwugwu, where Mr. Football, whose real name is Ejikeme Ikwunze, taught us agriculture, health education, and was in charge of the football teams.
He was also good at sciences and arts, and commercial subjects, which he delivered effortlessly.
In and outside the classroom, Mr. Football was worshipped like an idol. He impacted our lives positively. He delivered it effortlessly. During breaktime, instead of going for lunch, other students and I would gather at the school’s roundabout under a tree canopy where Mr. Ikwunze lectured us on the history of football, current affairs, and other subjects of interest. He stands tall as a living encyclopaedia of football.
His love for, and devotion to football gave him the sobriquet ‘Mr. Football,’ as he can take a whole day to teach football history from ancient Greece to the most recent happenings without looking at any book or getting tired. I picked interest in history as a student because of Mr. Football’s teachings. And I ended up studying History at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), where I graduated with a Second Class Upper Division.
After my secondary education, I remained in touch with Mr. Football, who, anywhere we met, would always introduce me to his friends. “Meet Charly, my student,” is his short of way of introducing me, which he does with pride. He would continue by saying that he taught me in secondary school, which leaves me chuckling.
As providence would have it, after over three decades, I reconnected with my teacher, Mr. Football, who served as Special Adviser to then Abia State Governor, Senator Theodore Orji, on Sports. I was Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
Mr. Football’s humility is infectious. At every given opportunity, he would tell the Governor, ‘Charly is my student’. This left me flabbergasted. Nothing can make Mr. Ikwunze change his style. I discovered that it makes him happy that his investments in those of us that passed through him yielded good fruits, and not wasted.
On his Facebook, I found out that he has 1,670 friends. This says a lot about his personality and character. He relates with people a lot. Eighty to 90 per cent of his Facebook friends might likely be his former students whom he impacted their lives in different ways.
The Umuawa-Alaocha-born teacher is an international figure in Nigeria’s sporting community. Apart from being a sports columnist who contributes articles to several international sports magazines as well as Nigerian Newspapers, including THISDAY, National Ambassador, Vanguard, and Daily Champion, he also features as a sports commentator on several stations such as Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), BCA Radio, Abia Television and Pacesetter Radio.
As a football historian and statistician, Ikwunze has authored several books on the subject, including Olympic Football Tournaments, World Cup 1930-2010 – A Statistical Summary (self-published source), and World Cup Biographies. The football prodigy have some of his works recognised by FIFA and found in FIFA’s Libraries. Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, acknowledged Ikwunze’s works as being valuable contributions to football history. Also, former President of FIFA, the World Football Governing body, Joao Havelange, in congratulatory to Ikwunze when published his book, ‘World Cup, (1930-2010) A Statistical Summary’, penned down these world: “I thank you for your beautiful words when I was at the Presidency of FIFA and be sure that I will keep them forever. From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much.”
Ikwunze has had a career in public service, first as a teacher in a public school and later as a sports administrator. He headed the Abia State Sports Council as Director of Sports for nearly a decade, a position which enabled him reposition and develop several games. He was a member of the 9-man Presidential Committee on reform of Nigeria Football set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Presently, Mr. Football who is not tired, works at Retired Directors of Sports Abia State. Ikwunze, who may likely be in his early or late 60s, still plays soccer and maintains his trademark beard, which often intimidates opponents on and out of the pitch.
To my teacher, Mr. Football, congratulations on World Teachers’ Day. Indeed, you’re a teacher like no other and a teacher for life. A teacher par excellence.
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