By Tony Ubani, Group Sports Editor

At the risk of being immodest, it was one of the transfer deals of that season  – in the realm of sports journalism, that is.

I am delighted to have joined the Vanguard as a reporter-cum-footballer to bring honours to the bride of Nigerian Newspapers. 

Vanguard had hit the ground running with its refreshing package of news, photos and sports which was my main attraction.

At the time, even before the astronomical rise of prices of foodstuffs beyond the reach of the poor, sports had often served as a pathway to escape poverty for numerous individuals, distracting them from the worries of the world with a sense of camaraderie, excitement and sometimes, a little dismay. 

This was before the advent of betting, which has provided another dimension to the increased enjoyment of sports with the potential to make a profit.

More importantly, though, and most crucially, perhaps, were my exploits during the days of the Oba Akran Cup for Media outfits in Nigeria. I was the most sought-after journalist who combined skill on the football pitch as well as a flair for writing sports stories. 

The sobriquet, MARADONA, explains how good I was, even though they did not name me twice (like they did to Jay Jay).

I was torn on the flesh of the Kirikiri Warriors (as Vanguard’s football team was known). Then, I was with the indefatigable AGIDINGBI TIGERS (Daily Times). Many times, Vanguard came close to victory in the Oba Akran Cup. The team had the illluck of meeting Daily Times, which ultimately spelt doom for them with yours sincerely as their tormentor-in-chief.  

I still remember the catchy headline of Vanguard after one of those outings when they lost to Daily Times 0 -1. The following day, however, Vanguard turned defeat into victory with a mischievous headline that read ‘Daily Times escapes defeat’.  It was then that Chris Okogie and Ikeddy Isiguzo plotted a transfer deal through Michael Anibeze (Onochie) that saw me move from Agidignbi to Kirikiri. And the transfer was magical. It was after my arrival that I led Vanguard through its most glorious period. I still remember the infamous knock on the head by Tony Okonedo (Coast to Coast) in Vanguard premises when he learnt I had joined Vanguard. ”You this boy, so you have joined us after mesmerising us on the field of play”.

On the desk, the men behind the reportage of sports in Vanguard stood out. They had eagle eyes. These men made sports in Vanguard a must-read. Athletes and footballers made Sports Vanguard a daily companion. Sports administrators buckled up to escape the searchlight of Vanguard reporters. Men like Chris Okogie (orginator of Outraged column), Ikeddy Isiguzo(Crisp Shots), Abimbola Akinloye (At Large), Onochie Anibeze (Onochie’s Diary), Chuks Ugwuoke, Emma Huesu (a polyglot), Eyobong Ita (Gloves Master), Philip Ahante (General) etc. They were simply good in person and character. I felt magnetically attracted to them and Vanguard. They also dressed modestly without wearing company’s handout T-shirts and polos with their logos boldly written on them. As it was the norm, then.

Working in Vanguard means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power. What’s more, we believe open quality journalism leads to a freer world. Sports Vanguard has remained a beacon of hope for athletes and the oppressed. The welfare of athletes/footballers has always remained our priority.

Sports Vanguard has kept the light of its pioneers brimming with in-depth articles. We expanded and pulled away from the main Vanguard daily to become SPORTING VANGUARD. A daily sporting newspaper that changed the narratives of sports reporting. The newspaper, within it’s short time, shot into reckoning with the vendors and its numerous readers all over the nation. But like John Darnielle said, ‘’good things never last’’. Sports Vanguard has no doubt remained a Bible of sorts and has remained in the forefront of covering both big and small tournaments in its refreshingly different style.

One other unique aspect of Vanguard is the Monday editorial meetings, where all the departmental heads converge to interrogate ideas and arguments. It’s not all about jaw jaw. After all the brainstorming, the management graciously opens the Vanguard Canal, where they serve sumptuous buffet to the editors. I can confess that the buffet helps in the great number of persons who attend the meetings to indulge in the ultimate buffet experience. A highly placed government official once attended the meeting where he was grilled by the editors. At the end of the exhaustive meeting, he was beckoned to eat something at our famous Canal. He refused but was persuaded by our former GM, Gbenga Adefaye. Once he stepped in and saw several dishes from which guests served themselves, he shouted ”Buffet ni!”. Apparently, he never expected that a newspaper would roll out such a delicious menu list that made him savour every mouthful at the buffet.

My journey in Vanguard is not all jolly. During these years, death created a vacuum and plucked some beautiful souls away from us. Emma Epong (bilingual) and Sylva Eleanya (ace photographer) died and left us. Grief sits like a weight upon my soul as I remember them. 

Beyond all these, Vanguard remains a family. And the memories we make with our family are everything.

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