By Sir Dorn Cklaimz Enamhe
Sunday, 11th February, 2024, will remain a very SAD day for me.
It was not a normal day, it started with the thanksgiving mass for Peter, who was buried on Friday. You know Peter went to school with his mates and graduated with honors.
Peter left us with blessing his beautiful wife (a woman with the heart of gold) and their four wonderful children.
I didn’t want to lose my head, it was too much for me, seeing the children in church, knowing they won’t see their Dad again.
After church, some lawyers came to visit Marc (our head of chambers in Marc Enamhe & co) led by the NBA Ogoja bar chairman Lazarus Izabi-Undie and his Exco.
Me and Emma were drafted in.
Epas my best friend led my age grade (ishig’alection) to visit me and when we were done, he said to me, meet me at Igoli park let’s watch the match.
As we were walking through Ibadan street to Obubra street, Epass kept me up to speed with everyone’s history on the road typical Igoli boy.
He remebered who died before, who was caught stealing, who was outsmarting family members over family property, stranger elements who had become part of community, stranger elements who had become bad influence in the community and the new Yahoo boys in Igoli.
So I agreed to come out and watch with him, but I knew, right inside that I was scared of the outcome of the match.
I have dutifully watched the AFCON, and I loved the luck we were carrying along after every match.
When Ivory Coast lost out, I told my Ivorian friend, don’t worry, we will meet at the finals(my words proved prophetic).
I called Igobor, a lawyer, sportsman, and former Permanent Secretary in Cross River, and I said to him, can I have your son’s profile, and after a while, he shared it.
A few days ago, Cletus Obun public affairs commentator and former member of the Cross River Assembly did a post and put our son as a native of Edo state.
I replied him with a picture of Igobor and Iwobi’s father, then students of law at UNN whose children went to nursery schools and oyibo schools but kept their talents, were discovered and had always put Nigeria first.
But I was very sad, I think I’m still very sad, yes I am.
Why would our best not be identified with us?
Won’t anything good come from Cross River North?
Hon. Charles Adoga was the first northern Crossriverean to wear the national colors and play for Nigeria.
They won against Ghana in Lagos in the 50’s. Hon. Charles Adoga is 95 years old and all his mates like Teslim Balogun, Dan Anyiam have all been honored by their people apart from our own Chief Hon Charles Adoga (former member House of Representatives in the 2nd republic) and the man who brought cinema to the north.
Sunday night, I wanted Terem to wear the AFCON gold by all means. I wanted to celebrate him in WWNC.
I wanted to use him as a point of contact for so many talented sportsmen from our extraction who are hungry for exposure.
Terem’s grandfather played football but had a fall back in Engineering
Terem’s father played football and had a fall back in Law.
Terem is an Igoli boy. His grandfather, “Involvement,” was owner of Alada Guest House. His father played for Ogoja Black Cats, Vasco Da Gama, Enugu, El Kanemi, Calabar Rovers, and Enugu Rangers.
Terem is a product of:
A) Nigeria Youth Soccer Academy, Calabar.
b) Ciiquesports Academy, Lagos. c) Buckswood School, East Sussex, United Kingdom.
He started his professional career in Lithuania, where he played for FC Kauno Zalgiris and Riteriai FC for one season each.
He has since played for FC Kortrijk in Belgium, FC Lorient in France, and now plays for OGC Nice in France.
Let’s celebrate Terem. See how he changed the game in semi-finals when he entered the pitch.
See how his penalty kick made AFCON best goalkeeper look so unprofessional.
Congratulations to our own Terem Moffi. Silver medal winner of AFCON, and a FUTURE ASSURED.
Hope we will go back to the days when Governor Clement Ebri will leave Calabar, drive all the way to Obudu to watch Denisco FC of Obudu, or drive to Ogoja to watch black cats FC.
Sometimes, he played tennis after holding Exco.
Now you understand why I didn’t cry on Sunday.
Terem we are all so proud of you and the Super Eagles.
God got your back Amen
*Dc Enamhe, writes from Ogoja, Cross River State
