By Onochie Anibeze

Do you remember Veronica Oyibokia? She was the ebony black beauty that trod like a colossus on our tennis courts.

Remember her domination in the tennis scene? Very hardworking, very professional with unbelievable hunger to win. And she won, astonishingly. Her generation was probably the last set of female tennis players who really attracted good crowd to the tennis grounds. It was good from the era of Elizabeth Ekong, the first Nigerian to win Ogbe Hard Court.

•Veronica Oyibokia in one of her past matches

Then came the era of Esther Esebor, Cecelia Nnadozie, Ngozi Morah etc. Vero’s generation took over from them. Rolake Olagbegi had moved to the United States for further studies and only returned in 1987 for the All Africa Games in Kenya.

She won the gold and together with Oyibokia they won bronze in the doubles. However, what Veronica Oyibokia did on our tennis courts was amazing. She won tournaments and lived well on tennis. At the time tennis players lived well on their earnings. It was that good. Her closest rival was Nosa Imafidon. But there other good players. Aisha Adamu, Mary Amina, Titi Onashile, Emily Okereke, Ngozi Uwakwe, Osaro Amadin etc

That was also the era of Nduka Odizor, Tony Mmoh, Sadiq Abdullahi, David Imonitie, Remi Osho, Yakubu Suleiman and Innocent Mmodika. Then came John Atiomo, Paul Areh, the Segun and Rotimi Akinloyes, Kyrian Nwokedi, Ganiyu Adelekan, Nnamdi Ehirim, Abdulrahman Idi etc. From the 1980s to the 1990s tennis was a great sport and ranked next to football in Nigeria.

It competed well with football in terms of media coverage.

This was the time Veronica Oyibokia shone like a star. Now married with children and adding Iwebema to her name she wants to give back to the game that won her fame and created opportunities for her. Tennis earned her scholarship at the University of Benin and when she retired from the game she easily got a banking job. Now a business woman, her eyes are back to tennis.

Reconnecting with her even on phone was emotional as I screamed on knowing the caller. President of Athletics Federation, Solomon Ogba had linked her up with me and it really felt great speaking with a star that I once struggled to get a vantage position to watch her play. After exchange of pleasantries Vero Oyibokia Iwebema went “I want to give something back to the game that gave me everything.”

She has all the tools to really give back to tennis. She had the opportunity to train abroad while still active and even after. She has the skills and experience to help tennis. Sani Ndanusa, the Tennis Federation President would be lucky to have people like Oyibokia on the board of the federation. And that’s where Oyibokia feels she could be of help.

“We have to mentor the players. We have to make them know they have a great future, combining sports with education and they must know that nothing good comes easy,” she says. Training hard was all she knew at the time and she got the results. She hopes players can re-enact the doggedness of their time.“

They have to work and work and work. Then the federation has no choice but to run around for sponsors. We need tournaments and must go out to look for help. I believe with good media and transparency the sponsors will earn some mileage too. I really want to give back to the game that gave me everything.”

When elections are held into the board of sports federations, Veronica hopes to get on board. It is a move many will welcome considering her pedigree.