By KATE OBODO

Prince Gordon Ogbe is the Team Manager of Warri Wolves. In this interview, he discloses to Hi Groove his love for  good clothes and how his love for Jeans and short sleeves makes him the cynosure of all eyes.

Having featured in football competitions during his primary and university level, he relates his experiences as a  footballer among many other issues. Excerpts:

Growing up

I have fond memories of growing up. I came from a family where education was a priority. My parents gave birth to three children and out of three, I was the most gentle. Because of that;  my mother nicknamed me“Reverend Father”.

Childhood memories

I remember vividly the day I was scolded by my father. He flogged me mercilessly because I refused to go to school. What happened was that on that fateful day, I had prepared for school but could not find my bag. I was searching for it when my mother saw me. She wondered why I had not gone to school, having being set long before then.

*Gordon

At the backyard where she was, she had a cup of cold water in her hand and being close to her, she poured it on me. I didn’t like it so, I refused to go to school that day. When my father came back home and was told, he flogged me mercilessly because he never compromised with education- I would never forget that day in a hurry.

Venturing into football

I actually started the football trade on the streets of Ogunu. I teamed up with other teenagers to form a youth club called Ogunu Settlers FC where we horned our raw skills. By the time I got into Secondary School, I had made a name for myself as a top striker.

I used to score with both legs. Aside that, I could also  scored with my head. While playing for Hussey College and because of my scoring ability, a journalist with the Observer Newspaper took note of me and nickname me ‘The Man-Mountain’.

I actually came into limelight in 1975 when I led my school, Ikegbuwa to lift the then prestigious Headmaster’s Cup at the expense of Nana Primary School.

I was in primary three when I broke into my school’s football team. When my father discovered that I was interested in football (because he had wanted me to complete my education),  he advised me not to rely only on football. He wanted me to also take my education seriously so that at the end of my footballing career, I would have something to fall back on.

I took his advice and went on to get a University degree and continued playing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t  take my passion for football to a professional level due to a chronic leg injury which ended my football career untimely. Apart from that, I could not have risked travelling abroad for trials because my father wanted me to go to school. But I thank God, education has really paid off even as the Team Manager of Warri Wolves.

My daily routine

I start off my day with a morning devotion. After then, I go for training and watch my team train. As the Team Manager of Warri Wolves, I ensure that everything is intact. And after the day’s activities, I go home to my family. I don’t go clubbing.

Outside sports

My life revolves more around the game of soccer. But whenever I am off duty as the Team Manager of Warri Wolves, I spend more time watching sports programmes, particularly football.

Smoking/Drinking Habit

Coming from a good Christian background, smoking has never appealed to me. As for drinking, I drink sometimes although I don’t have a special brand. My mood determines the brand. I could go for an event and take Star, Heineken or any other drink that appeals to me. This is because my father advised that I shouldn’t stick to a particular brand as it would attract the wrong set of people to me.

Fashion

Fashion is a lifestyle and good business as well. I’m a fashion conscious person and I love fashion a lot. My love for fashion emanated from my elder brother who always dresses well. He has a good  sense of dress and colour combination along side quality attires.

Having stayed with him for sometime, I learnt to appreciate fashion more than I used to. As a sports man, I often go sporting with good combination of colours. Working with a new general manager of Warri Wolves, Mr. Tony Rafua, has also helped to improve my dress sense and people tend to appreciate me wherever I go. Most times, I prefer to wear Jeans and T.shirts with canvass, shoes or trainers or as the occasion demands. I also like good and quality perfume.

Mode of dressing

My mood does not really affect what I wear. Again, I don’t wear my clothes more than once- I don’t repeat dresses.

Me and Women

Ladies admire me a lot because of my dress sense and my social approach to people. But I don’t maintain intimacy with any of them.

Meeting my Wife

Meeting my wife was love at first sight, all thanks to my grandmother who paved way for our meeting. On the day we met, my grandmother who was a business woman was returning from the market. Behind her was a beautiful lady carrying my grandmother’s bag.

Then, my grandmother came close to me and whispered in our dialect saying; “this is your wife”. I was amazed and went to her to take the load off her. Seeing her for the first time, I could not take my eyes off her. She was 19 years old then. Then I told her I’d like her to be my friend but she said “not now”.

We became friends but lost contact when she left the country for Spain. Few years later, as fate would have it, I was able to contact her again through her sister. I knew I didn’t want to lose her so, I quickly proposed to her and she agreed; the rest is history.

Idea of a good home

A good home is where there is understanding between the couple. It is also where both parties are able to live together as friends.

Best meal

I like black plantain and pepper soup with fish sauce. I also like Banga soup with Starch or Eba.

I also enjoy fruits- my best fruit is paw-paw and pineapple. I prefer them sliced and I usually take them first before my meals.