Sports

The UEFA Champion’s League, which was formerly the ‘European Cup’, was originally a knock-out tournament open only to the Champions of Europe’s Domestic League. The winner was then rated the European Club Champion. The League was introduced in 1955, it was organized by the Union of European Football Association (UEFA), from which the League got its present name in 1992.

Chelsea Football Club, a professional English Football Club which was founded by Gus Mears in 1905 had been participating in the UEFA Champion’s League since 1999 when it made its premiere, which happened to be the Club’s 86^th competitive season, eighth consecutive season in the FA Premier League and 94^th year as a Club. In the 1999 season, Chelsea made a good performance. It opened the season with a 4-0 win against Sunderland. Its good performance steered up the interest in Europe. Chelsea’s premiere amazing record in the group stage became glancing. Chelsea was leading Group H with 11points as a result of its outstanding performance. Chelsea made a way for itself to the quarter final, where it met with the Spanish Club, Barcelona, at the Stamford Bridge, London. This marked the fourth time that the two clubs will meet. Chelsea under the influence of their then manager Gianluca Vialli was able to win the first leg against Barcelona. Chelsea found the net three times while Barcelona found the net just once. Unfortunately, Chelsea met with its defeat against Barcelona in the second leg of the quarter final at the Nou Camp where Barcelona found the net five times and Chelsea found the net just once. The defeat led to Chelsea’s misfortune in 1999 season of the UEFA Champion’s League competition and was unable to get to the final stage. The cup was eventually won by Real Madrid after winning against Valencia.

In 2003-2004 season, Chelsea fortunately had another opportunity to participate in the UEFA Champion’s League. With a team work spirit, Chelsea made it to the semi-final where it met with the French top tier Football Club, AS Monaco (Association Sportive de Monaco). Unfortunately, Chelsea lost at a 3-5 aggregate to the French Club.

An astounding season came around in 2007-2008 where Chelsea made an amazing record. It never suffered a single defeat at home. Chelsea paved the way to the final stage of the UEFA Champion’s League for the first time following its victory over the Romanian Champion, CRS Cluj in a 2-1 win. The great day manifested itself, Chelsea is playing in the final stage with Manchester United, making it the first time in the history of UEFA for two English Football Clubs to be participating at the final stage of the competition. The Ground Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex popularly known as Luzhniki Stadium had accommodated about 67,310 people. The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland was assumed to have a population of around 17.5million people on television to watch the final match. The match was a tough one, the two Clubs dragged it to a 1-1 draw even after extra time. Chelsea lost a 5-6 on penalties to Manchester United. Chelsea tried its best to emerge as the winner of the UEFA but couldn’t make it. Chelsea got a prize of about €4million for participating in the final competition.

It was said that “winner never quit and quitter never win”. Chelsea seemed to make this saying its anthem as it continued to participate in the UEFA after series of defeat, hoping that one day, it will be the lifter of the UEFA Trophy and emerge as winner. There came a season that Chelsea seemed to have proposed to be its season of victory. 2011-2012 season turned to be well for Chelsea, it made it to the final stage of the competition again, making the second time of getting to the final stage after losing the first attempt to Manchester United in 2008. The final stage was ready to begin, Chelsea was to play against Bayern Munich of Germany at the Allianz Arena, Munich. Bayern Munich happened to be the first Club to participate in the final stage of UEFA in its country since 1984. Following its struggle to get to the final stage, Chelsea had defeated Napoli, Benfica and Barcelona. Bayern was very lucky to find the net in the second half through Thomas Muller but fortunately, Didier Drogba, who won the UEFA Man of the Match of the season, find the net for Chelsea. The two Football Clubs was on a 1-1 draw after extra time which called for the two Football Clubs to participate in the deciding penalty shoot-out. Chelsea was lucky to win 4-3 against Bayern Munich and for the first time, Chelsea lifted the UEFA Champion’s League Trophy.

It happened like a dream, Chelsea in 2020-2021 season made an amazing record. Chelsea became the first Club to lead its Men and Women’s Team to the final stage of the Champion’s League in the same season. The season made it Chelsea’s 107^th competitive season, 32^nd consecutive season in the top flight of English Football, 29^th consecutive season in the Premier League and 116^th year of existence as a Football club. Chelsea in the first leg of the semi-final played a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid. The second leg of the semi-final led to Chelsea’s victory as it won a 2-0 against Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge, London. Chelsea found its way to the final stage where it played against Manchester City at Estandio do Dragao, Porto. Chelsea luckily won 1-0 against Manchester City which made it to emerge as the Champion of Europe in 2021.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s incredible, what a fight” Thomas Tuchel, the present Chelsea’s manager said. He added that: “We made it 1-0, I didn’t know what to feel actually. Still, I had the feeling, this would be different. I told everyone that before. I just had a good feeling every day that we would touch the trophy in the end”.

It is indeed an irony of fate that the renowned football radio commentator happened to fall within the category of the little known as far as his personal life was concerned. Ernest Okonkwo was born in 1936 at Nando, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, the amiable sports commentator attended the local primary school, before proceeding to the then famous Government College, Umuahia in Imo State for his secondary education.

Ernest made football commentary smoothing to all ears in his heydays.

He joined the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) as a programmme Assistant before being trained at the Australian Broadcasting commission between 1964 and 1965. He later became the head of the Outside broadcast Unit of the (FRCN).

To the latter generation of sports followers in Nigeria Ernest Okonkwo’s name may not ring a bell. But to the older ones, the broadcast Journalist represented the best in the running of sports commentaries on radio. Most of our present day soccer fans who throng viewing centers on daily basis might not be able to appreciate the lexical prowess of our dear Ernest Okonkwo who was rightfully described as a wordsmith, who, he actually was.

The days of Ernest  Okonkwo on the Air waves were the days when people would put their television sets on mute and prefer to listen to Okonkwo’s commentary on Radio, He was a creative mind who had the unique style of running commentaries giving appropriate qualifying  adjectives to each person whether player, administrator or referee. He was indeed a heavyweight in the broadcast industry.

Ernest was factually the soul of every game and Nigerian league was always alive with his voice running like wild fire describing both the ball and the players on the field of play.

Someone rightly said in the form of a rhetoric that Ernest Okonkwo died with the league football commentary because ever since his death, the country has not produced any other that can surpass his style.

Some people argued and still argue that if Ernest Okonkwo were from a different clime, he would have been immortalized. To immortalize him of course is the sports community’s expectation from the Federal Government.

Despite the brilliance of Ishola Folorunsho, Sebastine  Effurrum, Kelvin Ejiofor, Tolu Fatoyinbo, Yinka Craig, Henry  Akinsoyimi, Ernest Okonkwo stood slightly apart and ahead, shinning just little brighter in that constellation of stars that turned running sports commentaries on Radio into an art form and made listening irresistible.

According to some unrepentant soccer fans of those years, Mr. Okonkwo was different. He gave players new names, reflecting certain outstanding or defining characteristics in their lives.

In the 1970s through 1980s despite the dominance of world class musicians across the globe, Ernest Okonkwo’s radio commentaries were considered more melodious (and this is not an over statement) to listen to, than the best of music.

He gave appropriate Nick-Names of sort to brilliant soccer maestros like Segun Odegbami (Mathematician), Adokie Amiesimaka (Chief Justice) Yisa Sofoluwe( Dean of Defense)  Sylvamus Okpala (Quick silver) or even other expressions like Christain Chuckwu taking an “Intercontinental ballistic missile type  of “Banana shot”; he  gave him the appellation (Chairman)” for his commanding and leadership style on the field of play.

Emmanuel Okala (Tallest) for his imposing frame and physical stature. Alloysuis  Atuegbu stocky, short but powerfully built was (Blockbuster).

Interestingly Amiesimaka served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State after his retirement from football. Really prophetic.

There was (Idowu Otubusin) (Slow poison), Elahor  (Elastic), Kelechi Emetole (Caterpillar), all became household nicknames in Nigerian football.

Let us consider this rhythmic description of the match between Rangers of Enugu and Raccah Rivers in 1979 his words. “he beats Christian Chukwu, he beats Christian Madu, he beats Christian Nwokocha he beats three Christians in a row , who is this man? He must be a Muslim oh! it is Shefui Mohammed, sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed”.

Such was the power of description and coinage of expressions that former National team left winger Adokiye Amiesimaka appreciated in the doyen. He emphasized in a publication that the Media Tribune of the Abuja National Stadium should be named after Ernest Okonkwo.

As a budding Radio Presenter in Radio Nigeria Ibadan, I could not describe in vivid details what passed through me the day I met Ernest Okonkwo, When he breezed into our broadcasting House Complex at Oba Adebimpe Road Ibadan, Oyo State. In his heydays, I was expecting somebody with an imposing  stature with all the paraphernalia, but the gentle man came with a simple school bag strapped between the two shoulders behind and asked me to take him to Adamasingba stadium. Simply dressed, soft spoken and unassuming. What a humble posture. Indeed some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have the greatness thrust upon them. Ernest Okonkwo really achieved the greatness, which at long last was finally thrust upon him. Okonkwo was like a colossus in his chosen career particularly in radio sports commentary from 1957 when he joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) till August 7, 1990 when he breathed his last, having served the Broadcasting Industry meritoriously for 33years.

The Great Ernest Okonkwo was married to Mrs. Joy Okonkwo, he had five children, two boys and three girls.