By Patrick Omorodion

I was at the Oleh Township Stadium in Delta State last Sunday for the Gulder 5-Aside Football competition where the Midwest representatives were to be picked for the national final scheduled for Lagos later in June.

While waiting for the final match between Campos FC and Apex FC both of whom have qualified for the Lagos finals, ex international, Edema Fuludu sauntered into the arena in company with veteran journalist, Ejiro Omonode, a consultant to Nigeria Breweries Plc on the 5-Aside competition. Fuludu was the guest of honour at the final natch.

Hardly had both men settled on their seats than banters ensued between them and yours sincerely on the piece I had written after Yekini’s demise early this month.

Ejiro was to corroborate my story that the late gangling striker complained to him in 1994 shortly after they returned from Tunisia where they won the Africa Nations Cup about an alleged gang-up against him by his Super Eagles team-mates.

Yekini

Fuludu, now a coach with Premier league side, Warri Wolves and a team-mate of Yekini at a time, would not confirm or deny the gang-up story but chipped in that Yekini’s undoing was his ‘selfishness’ as he never celebrated his success with or for his team-mates.

The thrust of our discussion that day was the role of the players union or association on the welfare of both active and retired footballers like Yekini. Fuludu at this point said that the problem with the players’ association was the players themselves as they always feel reluctant to contribute to the association’s purse.

He said because players have been used to always receiving money from government or other sources, they find it difficult to part with any token even if it is their subscription to the association.

Apart from the players attitude, Fuludu also blamed the division of the players association into two factions, the National Association of Nigerian Footballers, NANF and the Association of Professional Footballers of Nigeria, APFON headed by two warring friends, Harrison Jalla and Austin Popo respectively, for the neglect of players in distress.

He attributed the quarrel and subsequent parting of ways by these two friends that led into the formation of two factions of the association to ego and sit-tight tendency of both of them, adding that something could still be done to bring the two friends to a round table for an amicable settlement.

At this juncture both Omonode and Fuludu agreed that with a united players’ body, welfare of both ex-players and their active counterparts would be taken more seriously because the association would be able to approach the government, the corporate world and individuals alike to raise funds for its members welfare and other activities.

Drogba, an African hero
Penultimate Saturday, Chelsea Football Club, against all predictions, clinched the coveted European Champions League trophy for the first time in their history. The feat could not have been possible but for the fighting spirit of the entire team championed of course by Ivorian Didier Drogba, who the late Sunny Okosuns could have referred to as an African soldier.

Drogba’s doggedness gave him the edge in the midst of charging Bayern Munich defenders to nod home that million dollar equaliser with a few minutes left in the game to take it into extra time. Again in the penalty shoo-out, he clinically tucked in his kick after selling a dummy to the Bayern goalkeeper who dived the wrong way.

Drogba  has also chosen to quit Chelsea, and may be England, when the ovation is still very loud. That is the true path of men with honour.

Any surprise why the London 2012 Olympics organisers chose him, belatedly, to join in the Olympic torch bearers and run on the streets of London? Bravo Drogba, wish you well anywhere you choose to go and retire from the game that has brought you both fame and money.