Team Manger of Invincible Angels FC, Gboko, Benue State, Engr George Igbana has fired warnings to former players and products of the club not to burn the bridge that they used to cross.
In his words, Igbana stated that “sometimes I wonder the amount of allegations people levelled against us as being criminals, the players that we even sacrificed ourselves for hardly comes back to show appreciation to us for our efforts to them. Picking them from the grassroots, placing them in schools, monitoring their progress, standing in as their parents in the times of needs, buying football kits for them and nurturing them to stardom.”
He traced back the history of women’s football in Benue State as he implored players to be appreciative of all the sacrifices made for them to rise to stardom.
The history of women football in Benue State dates back in the early 90’s when Benue Queens played in the then Nigeria Female Amateur and Professional Leagues. Mummy Grace Iyorhe was a pillar among that generations both as a player and official/sponsor, she is still very much alive and can tell it in plain language that running women football was not moin moin.
The first group of people who founded female football in Nigeria were Elder Eddington Kuejobola, Late Chief Larry Eze, Mr.John Pinowei, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Princess Bola Jegede, Rt Hon Alhaja Omidiran, Late FIFA Ref John Saiki were among the private and few government owners that started female football in Nigeria.
In the late 90’s and 2000 we now had the likes of Coach Emmanuel Osahon, Mr. Smart Kigbu, and my boss Apostle Chur Jr MichaelRandy who started Invincible Angels which I became an integral part of.
The aim according to him was to harness the abundant talent in the young girls and redirect their energy into a more meaningful course. To uplift girl-child from the merely marriageable and farming hand/ tools to become football stars in future and be able to cater for their families even if they later got married.
“With no savings in the bank, no previous football playing or management experience, we sat down and started writing letters upon letters to well meaning Benue people intimating them of our visions and goals. We were sometimes embarrassed by some of these highly respectable people who accuse us of taking advantage of the desperate desire of these young girls to play football and sexually abuse them.
Even some parents did not help matters, they sometimes sent us away from their houses when we use to go for permission so that their daughters be allowed to train in the evening with the other girls.” – the team manager said.
“I don’t blame some people for such ignorance but the group of people I am most angry with are the players that passed through Invincible Angels FC Gboko.
The list of players is endless but I shall mention those who have become household names today; the likes of Soo Adekwagh, Linda Terdoo Kpamber, Francisca Mlumun Ordega, Loveth Ngusurun Ayila, Sandra Nguyum Chiichii, Mary Anam Imo, Alice Oya Ogebe, Mabel Effiom, Patience Kalu, Juliet Iorliam, Sandra Aernyi, Lillian Mwuese Tule, Charity Dooshima Tarnum, Paulina Orshio, Paulina Ali, Rita Tsebee, Princess Adoo Yina, Caroline Hembafan Ayatsea, Blessing Nkor, Rejoice Nguvan Atetan and Felicia Imojime.
“I stand to be corrected that, Invincible Angels FC Gboko is the only women football club in the North Central Nigeria and the whole of Northern Nigeria that has produced 98% indigenous and prolific players who are still making waves in the Nigeria Women Football League and are spread all over the world today.”
“I would have rather remained silent but what has been coming out from the fake news reporters is what caught my attention and reaction. Rumour mills has it that some players of Invincible Angels FC have generated money to the tune of N9, 000,000 and given to Apostle Chur Jr Michael Randy to build a house got me curious.”
“I want to know, how many players have been able to buy a ball and donate to the club?
Maybe one or two might answer yes I did.
How many have donated jerseys, the simple answer is: Linda Terdoo Kpamber alone did that.
Maybe it could be the N5, 000,000 that the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency Dr Samuel Ortom, directed to be released to Invincible Angels FC Gboko for the 2017/2018 Nigeria Women Professional League when I, in company of Francisca Mlumun Ordega paid a courtesy visit to the Governor. Miss Francisca Ordega pleaded with the Governor that government should take sponsorship of Invincible Angels FC to reduce the burden on Apostle Chur Jr Michael Randy.
Francisca Ordega sometimes donates her boots, jerseys and some other assistance to the younger players of the club.
How many other players have done that as well?
Even when some of them come home during season breaks, they prefer to train with men and give men their jerseys. You may be surprised to see MEN wearing women jerseys and training at J. S. Tarkaa Stadium Gboko. I began to wonder, are these not the young girls that we were receiving insults and all manner of harassment from people on their behalf?
Those playing in Europe will even prefer to lodge in hotels and host the same Gboko boys that use to call them prostitutes in a drinking buffet at choice spots, What an irony?”
Football is capital intensive we all know, to make the system work, the personalities mentioned above sacrificed their comfort zones, sold their personal properties, took bank loans, slept on bare floors so that their players could rest properly in hotel rooms for the next match.
MOLATsportgist 