Odiye, still loved abroad, by EMEKA OBASI

Godwin Odiye was Green Eagles’ most dependable defender in 1977. He was so good that senior colleagues, Christian Chukwu and Sam Ojebode, took risks venturing upfront, convinced that the left half back was equal to any attack.

During an important World Cup qualifier against Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles in Lagos, Odiye was left all alone as Tarekh Dhiab broke loose. In the defender’s bid to head the ball out of danger, keeper Emma Okala could not stop the round leather from entering the Nigerian net.

It was an own goal. Odiye’s error, a normal occurrence in the game, was the lone goal that won the match for the visitors. Nigeria could not qualify for the Argentina 1978 World Cup.

Odiye left for the United States in 1978, straight from the All Third All Africa Games in Algiers. Andrew Atuegbu, one of the famous Five Atuegbu Brothers, was of help and the defender ended up at San Francisco University (SFU) to team up with Fidelis Atuegbu, the youngest of the five.

Fidelis drew my attention to Odiye recently while commenting on a Facebook post. What thrilled me was replies sent in by people from all over the globe, some of them his mates at SFU or Greek American, a semi professional club.

Glenn Van Straatum, from Suriname, wrote : “Odiye was one of our four best players in the 1978 NCAA Championship team which was loaded with players from 17 other countries. Above all, he was always a humble person, a great and loyal teammate and friend to all of us on the team.”

According to Steve Haas, ” the man had the heart of a lion on the field and a gentleman, off the field. Nothing but respect for Godwin. Goalkeeper Rafael Suendermann described him as “one of the best defenders I ever had in front of me.”

Ghana Black Stars Munich 1972 Olympian and Pele’s New York Cosmos buddy, George Lamptey, calls the defender, ” the Legendary Odiye, World 6″. Odiye was at SFU with compatriot Tony Igwe, also known as ‘ World 2’.

Don Murphy was blunt. “A great player and always a class person. Playing against him, one year in Balboa, I was never kicked so hard in my life, so next season, I joined the Greeks and we became friends.”

Odiye, an Eko Boy of Esan background has not forgotten his Nigerian roots as exposed by Ajit Rana, a Nepalese. “I had the opportunity to work with him coaching the California North Olympic Development Programme. He is an absolute gentleman.

“Players loved him. He taught the kids to cheer ‘shobe he, shobe he ( oshobey hee, oshobey hee ) kakadu kakadu iboza ( kpozaa ). I don’t know what that means but the players loved it. He coached my son too.”

What a coincidence that it was the same fear for their future, through a haggard looking Victor Oduah, that made Fidelis Atuegbu and Odiye travel to the United States for further studies in 1978. Odiye rushed back to Lagos when he saw the former Eagles captain in Benin. Atuegbu could not believe that the man he sighted in Lagos was Oduah.

Odiye got another shocker when San Francisco University played against Andrew Atuegbu’s professional side, Oakland Stompers, in the San Francisco Super League. Fidelis, Tony Igwe, Alex Nwosu and Odiye, all played against the senior Atuegbu.

From the blues, Andy went after his younger brother, gave him a fair, wicked tackle that uprooted Fidelis from the ground. By the time he landed, what he got from elder brother was ‘Welcome to America’. Odiye asked Fidelis,” are you really sure you guys are brothers?”.

Fidelis never played against his three other brothers, Mathew, Andrew and Aloy, in Nigeria. While they all played for Mighty Jets of Jos, he chose Standard of Jos. As a Black Star, Fidelis faced the second son of the family, Nicholas when Jets battered the Youth team.

Odiye and Atuegbu, attended Roman Catholic Schools. The former moved from St. Paul’s Ebute Metta to St. Finbarr’s, Lagos. The latter left Holy Ghost Juniorate, Ihiala, for Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha.

Odiye won the Lagos Principals Cup with St. Finbarr’s in 1973. He bagged gold with Nigeria Academicals at the First Nigeria/ Ghana Sports Festival, Lagos ’74. Captained by Nnamdi ‘Stability’ Egbukichi, the team had keeper Andrew Laari, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Francis Nwosu, Francis Ossai, Rasheed Badmus, Moses Nweke, Dangerman Iwugo, Olufunto Adebayo, Remi Oguntimoju and Joe Aniedobe.

Fidelis believes Nigeria lost to Tunisia in 1977 because Eagles were divided along ethnic lines. He wondered why the NFA allowed the African Winners Cup semifinals duel between defending champions, Shooting Stars and eventual champions, Rangers, to distract the national team.

The youngest of the Atuegbus played for Hellas, alongside Toye Hunter, Levi Ajufo, Tony Eke and Tony Udensi. Another notable team mate was the Brazilian, Roberto Magellan, nicknamed Robertinho.

Odiye was at Tough Rangers, Nestle and National Bank, all in Lagos. His brother, Eugene, also played soccer. An African Nations Cup gold medalist in 1980, he is married to Debbie, an American and they have twins, Odion and Omon. Their third child is Ema.