By PATRICK ABANG Calabar –
The Mr Football Foundation has been lunched in Calabar, the Cross River State capital through a book lunch, chronicling the life and time of the first Secretary General of the Nigerian Football Association, (NFF) and the first executive committee member of FIFA and CAF.
Speaking at a Church service at The Duke Town Presbyterian Church in Calabar over the weekend, the first son of the football icon, Chief Oyo Orok said lack of the political will in Nigerian political system did not allow his father to be immortalized despite assurance by those in authorities that Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo (Mr Football) will be remembered for his contributions in African football.
He said: “The greatest misfortune that has befallen my father, is to come from this part of the World”.
“Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo died 14 years ago on the 10th of September 2008 exactly 14 days after his 86th birthday, he would have been 100 years old by Saturday August 27th 2022 if he could have been alive”.
“Though he may be dead, but he continues to lives in the minds of those who cherished him”, he said.
In a welcome address, the Chairman of the occasion, Senator Andrew Uchendu, who is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, University of Port-Harcourt, said the event is coming 14 years after his transition to eternal glory and in the year of his posthumous centenary birthday.
Senator Uchendu, who was represented by Dr Asuquo Ekanem, said the Essays of Mr Football is a compendium of articles of the late Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo containing 207 essays with 286 pages.
He said: “Let me at this point renew the call on both the Federal and Cross River State Government to immortalized this great son of the state for his contributions to the development of football within and outside the African continent”
“This they could do by naming a football team or stadium facility after this great icon, the man deserved to be so honoured”
In their separate remarks, the Deputy Secretary General of NFF, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, Chief Kenneth Nwocha of Delta State Football Association, who represented the President of Nigerian Football Association President (NFF) Mr Gregory Abang, 2nd Vice Chairmen Cross River State Football Association, assured that the NFF was working seriously to ensure that the late Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo was immortalized because so much has been said about him.
Earlier at the Church service,the Minister in charged of Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Duke Town, Rev.Akil Mbe preached on the topic: “Looking for a skilled Man/Women, with reference from Bible book of Gen. 4: 1-14, Acts 9: 36-43.
Rev. Mbe said “when you understand your skills, nobody dare you as Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo understood his God’s giving skills”.
Highlights of the event was the book launch on the Essays of Mr Football and the unveiling of the tombstone at no 14 Edgerly street Calabar,
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