What a relief for Enugu Rangers Veterans, many long forgotten by the same people whose Civil War tears were wiped away by these former combatants who lost in the battle field only to bounce back honourably in the field of play.
This man, Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu State will make Heaven, if only for recognising the contributions of these Heroes past. He is not like the swashbuckling South – East politician who pretends to work, just to be praised to high heavens by sycophants.
Mba meticulously avoided controversy, moved straight to the heart of justice and delivered an epic judgment. All Rangers Veterans, 109 of them, irrespective of nationality or state of origin,will henceforth receive favour from the Enugu State government. And this has been signed into law, ozigbo ozigbo ( with immediate effect).
By this action, another Igbo leader is loading. Anyone who carries Rangers on his head will always be reverred by the people. The Flying Antelopes do not represent only soccer.
They are the life and soul of the Igbo spirit, Never Say Die. You cannot extinguish the Igbo zeal and determination to survive.
We must keep educating the world about Enugu Rangers, the club that dominated Nigerian football for one decade, from 1970 to 1980. The Nigerian Civil War ended in 1970, the Flying Antelopes emerged from the ashes of that Genocide.
Rangers won the first Nigerian League, the Amachree Cup, in 1971. When the League was updated in 1972, the Easterners were as good as champions until Mighty Jets and Bauchi Wunti went into a strange accord that was ratified by the Nigeria Football Association.. Wunti had not lost a game at home. Jets needed seven goals to rival Rangers. It was 1-1 at intermission. Wunti let in seven goals in the second half to lose 8-1.
At the second All Africa Games, the Green Eagles won their first Continental title. The substantive captain was Godwin Achebe, the Rangers Skipper. One of the coaches, Dan Anyiam, was Rangers manager. The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Jerry Enyeazu was the founder of the Enugu club.
There was no Challenge Cup in 1973 due to the First National Sports Festival. Rangers supplied the bulk of the East Central State (ECS) Spartans squad that won the gold medal by defeating Might Jets’ Benue – Plateau State 1-0.
In 1974, the Coal City team began a journey which ended so well that no Nigerian club has been able to get anywhere near the record. Rangers won the Challenge Cup, beating Jets 2-0 in the grand finale. They also grabbed the National League, without losing a game, thus becoming the country’s first Double Champions.
Rangers retained the Challenge Cup in 1975, defended the league trophy successfully and got to the finals of the CAF Champions League ( it was called African Cup for Champion Clubs). It was the first time by a Nigerian side.
Rangers won the Challenge Cup for the third time consecutively, in 1976. This record is yet to be equalled by any other team. To crown it all, the Flying Antelopes have not gone on relegation in the Nigerian top tier league. The only team in this category.
The Flying Antelopes earned a Continental laurel, the African Winners Cup, in 1977. They did not lose any of their 10 matches even when the last game was played in Yaounde. They dethroned defending champions, Shooting Stars, who did not win their last game in Yaounde, a year earlier.
In 1978, Rangers Captain, Christian Chukwu led the Green Eagles to a second African Nations Cup bronze, at Ghana 1978. The first medal, a bronze, came at Ethiopia 1976 under Chukwu’s tenure.
To cap it all, Chukwu captained the Eagles to their first African Nations Cup title, in 1980. It was the first time a Nigerian would be voted CAF Player of the Tournament. It went to the skipper himself. Goalkeeper Emmanuel Okala was chosen as 1978 African Footballer of the Year, by the African Sports Journalists Union (ASJU).
There was the Rangers touch all over Nigerian football. When ECS Spartans retained the National Sports Festival soccer gold at Lagos 1975, the captain was Chukwu. At Kaduna 1977, Imo State Trojans were champions. Their Skipper, Harrison Mecha, played for Rangers, until 1976. Trojans retained the gold medal at Oluyole 1979, led by Kelechi Emeteole, a 1977 Flying Antelope.
Mbah is a Redeemer. He is a Man of History. Rangers were as good as CAF Champions League winners in 1975 but were failed by Nigerian officials represented by Oyo Orok Oyo, member of both CAF and FIFA Executive Committees and the NFA.
Enugu should have hosted the last leg of the finals against Hafia. The NFA ruled that that there was a CAF clause compelling the last leg of the finals to be held in the country’s capital. It was wicked. Enugu had an airport, a five – star Hotel Presidential to host CAF officials and the stadium could have been worked on after the boys beat Mehalla in the November 8, 1975 semifinals.
Hafia was not an ordinary side. African champions in 1972, they had Cherif Souleymane, African Footballer of the Year, 1972. There were Papa Camara, Cham Ousmane Tolo, Jacob Bangoura, the three Syllas of keeper Abdoulaye, Morcire, Bengally and Mony Kone.
Rangers trounced Mehalla of Egypt in Enugu in the Enugu leg of the semifinals, so they could have played the final in Enugu. The North Africans lost in the 1974 finals to CARA of Congo and the last leg was decided in Mehalla, not Cairo. It was the same injustice that befell Shooting Stars in 1984 when they played in Lagos instead of Ibadan.
The Oluyole Warriors lost to Zamalek. Two years earlier, Asante Kotoko of Ghana fell to Ahli in Kumasi, not Accra. Again, the 1983 finals was concluded in Kumasi. The Porcupines avenged the 1982 defeat. Their coach was the Nigerian, Ibrahim Sunday.
NFA failed Nigeria in 1975. Hafia did not win an away match until they beat Rangers 2-1 in Lagos. The Guineans lost 2-0 to Vita in the second round, succumbed 2-0 to CARA in the quarter finals and got a 1-1 draw against Lome 1, in the semis. The Flying Antelopes waited for Enugu to be confirmed as venue until they were forced to fly to Lagos, less than 24 hours to kick – off.
Fatigue set in after Mathias Obianika’s first half penalty. Hafia rallied to a 2-1 victory in the second stanza. I cannot forget the words of Petit Sory, scorer of one of Hafia’s goals, when we met at Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi, in 1990.
“Where is Okala?, he screamed. “We dreaded him but I was happy I beat him.” Hafia had won the Conakry first leg 1-0 through N’Jo Lea’s goal. Rangers could have cancelled the deficit if the second leg held in Enugu. That was where they beat 1974 finalists, Mehalla 3-0, after slumping 3-1 in Egypt.
What Mbah has done is to wipe the 1975 tears. He has also healed the injury of 1978. Rangers would have been undisputed African champions if Hafia had not chickened out when both sides were billed to meet in Libreville, Gabon, in a match involving 1977 CAF Champions League winners, Hafia and 1977 African Winners Cup champions, Rangers.
The Guineans stayed away. Rangers had to face an improvised Gabonese National team and won 5-2. Host president, Omar Bongo, looked at the trophy tagged Cup for African Solidarity but the organisers, Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) held it back, instead of ruling that Hafia had been walked over.
All those Flying Antelopes, living or dead, who were denied rewards, can now smile. Mbah has done it. For this wonderful gesture, Mbah will earn a second term. That is my proclamation.
Ndigbo should also thank Mr. Peter Obi, who began the recognition of Rangers Veterans when he was Anambra State governor. This formula was adopted by his successor, Willie Obiano. Incumbent, Charles Soludo magnanimously selected 70 of the ex – players for pension.
One more thing. Mr Governor, yes, Peter Ndubuisi, son of Mbah, should set up the long awaited Rangers Hall of Fame. To run it effectively, there must be a Board of Trustees, made up of Igbo from different divides, and a Director – General who will report directly to the Enugu State Chief Executive. The Hall of Fame should be an independent parastatal. I have been in touch with Rangers fans, fanatics and Veterans. Ejike Ekwueme, ex – Rangers, ex – Calabar Rovers, ex – Acada United and former Jetimo defender, sent words from the United Kingdom commending the governor and praying that other governors across Nigeria will adopt Mbah’s New Deal.
Obasi, a member of the editorial board of Vanguard, wrote this piece originally for his column Sports Flakes, in the newspaper.
