Chapter Thirteen
The teams began arriving at about 3pm, the soccer field looked some-what like a bike rental or repair shop, they were in a heap as each player got on to the field, Olumide handed each player a corresponding color of their team’s jersey, the trial warm up referee was from their schools graduating team. Mr. Iwajomo had agreed to supervise their warm up leading to their Saturday match. These players seemed particularly eager to get on the field. Perhaps they simply loved playing; perhaps it was the thrill of seeing old classmates again after almost a year after graduation, perhaps putting on the jerseys, again reminded them of their love for the game. But Olumide guessed something else gave that additional eagerness and motivation. Their would be full scholarships to the Ipetu boys vocational school and 2 half scholarships to be awarded immediately after the ceremonies at the end of the game and the festivals on Saturday.
Daramola finally got his results, so he also can apply for the scholarship. Daramola said he felt hopeful and had more energy to play the match on Saturday. The teams; all on the field started their warm up routine’s together as one group, the coach putting the teams through their light drills and workouts. They completed laps around the field followed by stretches and so forth. Then their was specific drills for full backs, and goal keepers, and forwards, and special drills for left and right defense positions, until every man on the field was dripping with sweat, as they tried to whip their rusty muscles and feet back into shape.
The closing ceremony began promptly on Saturday at 10.30 am. The soccer grounds, an old village pitch, its grass had recently been trimmed, the goal area directly in front of the goalie’s net, indicated signs of continuous usage; the center half field showed scanty grass and more sand and dirt than grass. The freshly laid boundaries, sawdust overlaid with a light drizzle of white paint; the football field looked different new and ready to host a match. A slight
Wind was slapping through the nets in the goal posts. There were small flags at the four corners, at the center point on both sides, and another at the middle of the kick off point. Players were not in sight, visitors were beginning to arrive.
The speaker’s podium stood out amidst VIP chairs spotless, starched and ironed gold cotton covered the podium and the VIP tables to the left and right of the chairman’s table. Trophies, Certificates (rolled up with tiny gold ribbons), small gifts wrapped in little boxes. The entire place was festive by design. Soon members of the farmers co-operative began to arrive and in less than thirty minutes all the VIP seats were filled. The produce display stands showed “exceptional and specially selected produce items’. The program feature a description of and awards for (1) the wining produce, (2) the winning farmer, (3) the cleanest and most outstanding and most organized farmer (4) the most efficient use of seeds (5) the most promising farmer.
Also scheduled to receive awards were the most promising talents after the soccer match; (1) four full scholarships for the players, at the number 1 spot a 4 year scholarship, at the number 2 spot a three year scholarship, at the third and forth spots two years each full scholarship. Also there will be supplemental gifts for selected players. First commemorative trophy for the winning team (a tradition the event program claimed will be continued after this year). And countless pots of food and drinks proclaimed the last item on the program. This years program chairman and committee chair, stepped to the podium, promptly at 10.30 am appearing from behind the podium as though he appeared from nowhere and headed straight for the microphone as though totally unprepared, but without any hint of hesitation; He began with such rapid and deliberate speed, you had the impression of a slowly starting locomotive, revving now and slowly gathering momentum until it reached a desired speed, and you could not help but stay on board at the risk of being left behind throughout the length of the event, he got everyone attention. It worked like a charm.
“My fellow farmers and co-op members, our most respectable invitees, VIP’s, council members, his royal highness! Boys and Girls! Our annual cooperative celebration is finally here! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome to all of you! Adjusting his ‘Agbada’, traditional suit, and adjusting first his left shoulder and his right, followed by a slow deliberate sweeping glance over his left and right without hesitation or break in speech, he said triumphantly, as though this was not an annual event “Let us begin! Mr. Ogunbeshin continued as he addressed the guests and fellow farmers, ‘a glance at your program (a single full length piece of paper) also includes a soccer match’, indeed our celebration this year is different. It is special; it is I can assure you, going to be spectacular’.
‘So let us begin by introducing this years program chairman a farmer whose dedication and hard work we all cherish, a man whose friend I am proud to be; the leading wholesaler of seeds in our town and our beloved council secretary, Mr. Egbesanmi Ijadoye. The guests cheered and applauded as Mr. Ijadoye made his way to the podium. His signature cap drooping conspicuously, his gown, a flowing spotless turquoise blue crisp and starched to perfection. His brown leather sandals polished and glistened. Clearing his throat and glancing all around him “Welcome’, he began ‘we shall not boast to you this year as in years past. ‘We shall let the produce speak, yell and sing loud to you’.
‘We are eager to know who will receive these prizes: (1) The farmer of the year (2) The most promising farmer (3) The most outstanding produce (4) The overall best performing farm (5) The second best performing farm (6) The third best performing farm (7) The cleanest and most efficient farmer’.
‘They had a shortage of seeds in modu village, our farmer of the year went there the same day and invited modu farmers to borrow or buy seeds’, raising his voice he added ‘in the middle of the planting season’. ‘When that storm washed off some of our farmers roads in Ipetu, in Ijesha and in modu, he opened his storage for neighbors to get supplies until the roads became dry. His yams are amongst the first to be harvested and you know as well as I do, they are always sold out in no time. When you take a bite of his corn, you never stop wanting more, whether it’s directly off the stalk, boiled, or smoked. Please join me in congratulating our generous, kind and hard working farmer of the year Mr. Lademo Elemosho’. The crowd seemed both to approve and elated; they cheered and applauded as Mr. Elemosho strolled to the podium to receive his award. ‘I thank the committee fro recognizing my hard work, may the rains be kind to us this planting season, may God be kind to all of us, may we be as healthy as out crops have been’.
He concluded as strolled of as comfortably as he had come, waiving a folded certificate and small envelope, his winning; the crowd cheering wildly. As the applause receded Mr. Ijadoye raised his voice, and announced the produce to claim the most outstanding prize, naming the farmer whose soil was so fortunate to grow such produce, the farmer approached and collected his award. Again the crown cheered. And the awards continued, it appeared that the awards actually made the Town of Ipetu the central city of the region, made the planting season less ordinary and made farming a little more exiting.
To the surprise of the farm community Mr. Ogunbeshin had crept back to the second position, attracting such praise as relentless, mysterious energy, never fading, determined, a true winner, and a remarkable leader from the secretary Mr. Egbesanmi Ijadoye. The third overall wining farm prize went to Mr. Leke Elemosho. The cleanest and most efficient farm prize went to Mr. Yomade Oshinkanlu, who came up to the podium to accept his prize, without a hint surprise, all smiles. He thanked the council for recognizing his efforts, “If it’s clean, you will not hesitate to eat, and I am one step ahead’, he joked and the crowd responded, ‘Yes, yes’, “I have only two hands, if I throw it all over the place theirs more work for me and harder for God to find and make grow! So I simply try to lay it all out properly’. The crowd could not hold itself together ‘thank you very much’. The crowd cheered. Mr. Oshinkanlu stepped off the podium.
The last price was now received and Mr. Ijadoye showing no signs of exhaustion said ‘now my friends, his highness, VIP’s, boys and girls we give you a chance to view our mouth watering produce and sample many of them’. He concluded triumphantly, both hands raised as though he would lift the guests out their seats from a distance. The momentary silence was soon filled with peoples combined voices which sounded like a combined murmur, they began milling around, and visiting the produce stalls, tasking samples, asking any questions that came to their minds, some wanting to buy some of these prized produce.
Almost forty five minutes passed, Mr. Ogunbeshin came up to the podium and raised his voice: ‘as you know, this year a special event is being added to our celebration, our very first soccer tournament. The match will begin in 20 minutes, our first soccer tournament, have a drink, stretch your legs; it’s going to be a lot of fun’. He concluded and left the podium. The hum resumed soon the referees appeared walking towards the middle of the field. The three men each held a soccer ball; they talked and seemed to be surveying the field as they walked, they made their way to the center of the field and stood in a semi circle.
Soon the players appeared on the field each group on opposite sides at a distance looking colorful; soon some broke out in a run and began warming up. Mr. Ogunbeshin came forward again drawing attention to the field encouraging the crowd to move a little further from the sides and that the match is about to begin.
Olumide and his team mates began moving towards their respective positions, the two captains Olumide and Baderu, stood facing each other as the coin was tossed up and came down heads first. Olumide’s team won the first kick and the east side with their backs to the rising sun. The referee and his assistants nodded and the lines men took their spots. The referee and his assistants nodded and the lines men took their spots, the referee saying cheerfully, ‘they don’t look rusty to me! Let’s have a good game! The referee pointing at Daramola and Olumide and touching the whistle to his lips; he blew once, and they were off to a good start.
Daramola quickly finding and passing the ball to ‘Eganyeri’ on the outside right as both ran forward switching sides quickly ‘Eganyeri’ found Olumide who now was being heckled by ‘Alakija’ on the outside left for the opposing team quickly getting the ball under his feet, turning his back first as though to run with the ball and then turning around swiftly in a surprise speedy dribbling run, he got past Alakija and Opebi their central defense and found Daramola again in a good position on the inside left he stood a very good chance of scoring their first goal.
Daramola got the ball with the edge of his heels effortlessly kicking the ball as he came within sight of the goal keeper ‘Olabisi’, who stretched his arms, bent his knees as if spreading a net over the goal, trying to determine where or when the ball will be kicked. Daramola seemed to have decided against a long kick, he found ‘Karimu’ who did not hesitate and wasted no time as he got control of the ball, he came barreling down on the ball so hard that the crowd could hear a ‘snap’ and the ball flew directly at the goal,. And he missed the goal line by a few inches. The crowds attention was now completely grabbed, the y cheered!
It seemed that they were in for a very good game after all. “Olabisi’, the goalie on the west side lifted the ball high in the air and kicked, it landed on ‘Warayode’, the center forward, using his head to deftly land the ball, he picked it up with his left toe, kicking it forward with his instep past ‘Ekiti’ their inside right defense, and balance it with his right foot, he passed it on to Alakija, his outside left who appeared to be on a special mission to be the first to get to the eastern goal first, in his all out speed, he wasted no time as he switched from his left foot to the right, kicking the ball quickly as he ran across from his traditional south wing as he got inches from the goal box .
He hesitated, scanning the space ahead of him and opposing players sizing him up, he focused on the goal and it’s goalie, ‘Atitebi; Kayode was on ‘Alakija, deftly putting himself between the goal and the ball, ‘Alakija switched sides and lobbed the ball above Kayodes head, Baderu was waiting and crossed with the ball above Kayodes’ head; Baderu was waiting and crossed with the ball into the goal box, kicking the ball directly at the goal as it touched the ground! Atitebi the goalie, held the ball tightly as he went down face forward rolling onto the edge of the goal line, he laid there for a few seconds, got up brushed the dust off himself, bounced the ball off the ground twice; he looked out and spotted Karimu, kicked out the ball as almost the entire filed shifted onto the east side. And so it went. The two sides were tied 1- 1 at half time.
The captains served as coach and manage for their respective teams at half time, commending, criticizing, making suggestions, giving instruction as their teams rested and cooled off. The closing whistle was loud, long and hard. The loud roaring cheer was as sustained as the cheering at the scoring of the third and winning goal from Daramola. Olumide had gotten a surprise meeting between Mr. Ogunbeshin and the council secretary Mr. Egbesanmi Ijadoye, giving him the responsibility of handing out athletic prizes and gifts.
The secretaries voice raspy, loud and bold grabbed the crowds attention, ‘one little formality of the closing ceremony remains, my friends, boys and girls, his highness and VIPs’, he started, pausing to let his announcement to resonate, ‘hence’, he continued we shall give you yet another surprise’. To hand out prizes to outstanding players join me in welcoming a specially selected council member, Mr. Ogunbeshin, the crowd seemed truly surprised, the applause started in a hesitant scattered manner then exploded as Olumide approached with a large envelope in hand. He stood there for a while and promptly began speaking as the applause receded. ‘I hope we put up for you a good match, we had tough and worthy opponents.
It feels like we were back in school’, the crowd laughed. Olumide opened the envelop; He had listened throughout the prize awards and the style of all these simple people, yet he could clearly discern their un-apologetic stance, they each appeared to have a skill and a style. Farmers and common people but very hard working people, facing their life’s squarely.
He began speaking, trying to relax, thinking this is simply an award ceremony not the hard part; ‘Actually he said, the one who deserves your warm cheer and applause are the farmers, who are so determined to see us through to next year, to see us healthy, and well fed’. I have the unique privilege to award the prize for overall best performing farm to Mr. Egbesanmi Ijadoye, whom I ask to please return to the podium’. He handed Mr. Ijadoye, a sculpture and an envelope. Mr. Ijadoye received the prize waived to the crowd. ‘I am glad to have a successful farm, and grateful to you’, waving to the crowd, slight bow to his highness, ‘and thank you for loving to eat all of it’. The crowd applauded as he left.
Relieved that his first non-athletic task for the council went flawlessly, he continued with the athletic awards. ‘A three year scholarship is awarded to Baderu, to the Ipetu Vocational Boys School’, Baderu to was clearly joyful, running to the podium to collect his award letter. “A two year scholarship is awarded to Daramola… who also came running to the podium to accept his award. The two other athletes came forward to accept their one year scholarships.
Mr. Ijadoye returned to the podium ‘ now for the very best part of the ceremonies’, he said raising his voice, ‘we promised we will let the produce sing, dance and shout; we shall not boast! You must eat and drink, until you are filled, I can assure you’, he said radiating confidence and exuberance ‘you will not be disappointed!
