Haruna Ilerika, the Soccer Wizard: October 27, 1949 – December 4, 2008

By Kola Johnson

In his hey days as a footballer,Haruna Ilerika,the soccer wizard of those good old days – the golden age of Nigerian soccer – bestrode the Nigerian and African continental soccer scene like a Colossus.

The distinguished soccer Immortal, born on October 27,1949 in their family house at Bornu Way Ebute-Metta area of Mainland Local Government,in Lagos State,where he also lived and answered the call to glory,15 years ago, on December 4, 2008,was described and aptly so,by ex International,Segun Odegbami as the most distinguished figure in the history of secondary school soccer then known as the Nigerian Academicals.

To be sure,in those days when secondary school soccer was at the zenith of its fame and glory,dominating the wave of popular zealotry, which resonated like a contagion through the vast national space,in proportion hitherto unprecedented in the annals of Nigerian soccer,Haruna Ilerika,the diminutive stormy petrel had no equal or comparison.

Imagine for instance,the Zumuratul Islammiyyah Grammar School which he attended.It was at the backwaters of unreckoning not only in the academic arena,but in sports too.However,it was a tribute to Haruna’s uncommom prodigy and superlative stature that Zumuratul won the then highly prized Principals Cup for the first and only time ever,even to date.

Thus the moment Ilerika crossed over from his former school,Lagos City college, where he was an Assistant Coach,in 1969,to Zumuratul Islammiyyah Grammar School,the hitherto unknown school became an instantly celebrated household name not only in Lagos State,but across the entire federation,shaming and humiliating eminently soccer greats in those memorable good old days, like the famous Kings College,Igbobi College,Saint Gregory’s College,Methodist Boys High School,CMS Grammar School, Baptist Academy,Eko Boys High School,and even the highly dreaded soccer giant like Saint Finbarrs College,Akoka.

The name “Zumuratul…”dramatically acquired a talismanic ring,as the hitherto unknown secondary school terrorised well known names in the game, reducing them to a jelly.

In those memorable days,the fear of Zumuratul Islammiyyah Grammar School and the fear of Haruna Ilerika was the beginning of wisdom.

Often so great,were the contagion of soccer fever, unleashed by this iconic soccer hero,that the fanatical mass of his esctatic cult followers which dominated soccer spectatorship in those days,waxed songs begging him to have mercy on his opponents.

In view of his unrivaled exploit in the arena of school soccer,it was not surprising that the Stationery Super Stores,the darling club, commanding the fanatical emotion of the greatest mass of devotees in the soccer landscape of Lagos State, immediately “grabbed” him into the fold.

His sojourn in the Super Stores marked the zenith of his soccer glory,as the premier Lagos based club dominated the soccer waves,not only in Lagos,the hot-bed of soccer,but also across the vast national space

This diminutive stormy petrel soon added a novel sensational dimension,with his oracular prophetic authority.In those days,at the approach of any great encounter, Ilerika will issue a stern warning to prospective spectators to be early enough to the field,or else they will be missing the early goal which he will be scoring in spectacular style.

This soccer wizard and magician,as Segun Odegbami and Adokiye Amiesimaka aptly dubbed him,will go ahead to predict the timing of his prophetic goal,and prophetically,he will hit the net,with a terrific stunner, as prophetically predicted in the very nick of time.

This trend of habitual early goals,soon became the vogue to the extent that the teeming mass of football buffs had to prevail on him to please try henceforth to always delay a little, for them to have a maximum run,for their money.

Ilerika himself corroborated this in an interview, when he remarked:”I can still remember when I captained my team, Zumuratul Islammiyyah Grammar School to the 1970 edition of the competition against Igbobi College.I said a day to the match that any spectator who failed to enter the stadium in time, will not see my first goal.I thank God today,that the goal I scored that day,set a record that is yet to be broken by any school boy.I scored in the 30th second and I was admitted into the national team in 1971.

This dimunitive all time legend will surely be remembered for his memorable exploits at the 1973 edition of the Second All Africa Games.

The explosive celebration of soccer which featured at that epic sports fiesta, offered one of the earliest medium to behold the departed soccer maestro stamping his charismatic authority in the continental arena of African soccer.

In his tribute, celebrated writer,columnist and Chairman editorial board of the Nation Newspapers, Sam Omatseye,recalled that at the commencement of the games,all he was expecting to see,wielding a supreme sway at the soccer arena,were familiar Field Marshals like Jossy Dombraye and other formidable authorities in the game – only to stagger at the incredible sight of the smallish soccer dynamo dominating the field of play,with amazing ease and dexterity.

A particularly unforgettable moment in that memorable fiesta,came about,as Ilerika dribbled three Guinean defenders in quick successive runs, with a quick pass to Sunny Oyarekhua who wasted no time in netting in the second goal in the explosive grand finale that saw Nigeria bagging the Soccer Gold medal.

Another historic moment in his eventful soccer trajectory was the 1976 edition of the African Cup of Nation’s, in Dire-Dawa Ethiopia, often regarded as the Battle of Dire-Dawa because of the terrific awesomeness of that keenly competed soccer battle.

It remains an eternal tribute to the memory of this soccer hero,that he left Ethiopia, affectionately endearing himself to the teeming mass of spectators,converging from various parts of the world through his prodigious bunch of skills.

Of this particularly epic encounter, Ilerika will be remembered for his two-goal equalizers against Egypt.In the seventh minute,Mahmud Al-Khatib had put Egypt in the lead.However in the thirty-fifth minute,Ilerika netted an equaliser.Two minute to half-time,Usama scored another goal to put Egypt in the lead.Again, Ilerika scored in the sixty-second minute making it a draw.Mudashiru Babatunde Lawal netted the third goal that saw Nigeria bagging the Bronze medal.

Such was the wizardry with which this prodigious soccer artist dazzled the Ethiopian soccer zealots,that as the Nigerian team were about departing the field of play on that occassion,a beautiful wealthy Ethiopian lady among the VIP class of spectators,who obviously could not contain her admiration,walked into the bus,where the Super Eagles were already seated,removed her 22-carat gold hitherto hanging on her neck,and in a rare show of honorific admiration decoratively hung it on Ilerika.

In a tribute during his ten year remembrance,Kunle Solaja,a popular sports writer wrote: His diminutive stature belied his immense dribbling skill.Ilerika stunned opponents with soccer artistry as a one-man artist.He combined rare alertness of thought,fleetness of feet, dazzling close ball control and body swerving dummies..

In an aptly perceptual numerological game play,he observed that the diminutive left-footed mid-fielder was born in 1949,the year Balogun made his International debut for Nigeria,just as Balogun died in 1972,the year Ilerika made his International debut for Nigeria.

Segun Odegbami described him as a soccer magician who could literally do anything with the ball.

In the same supernatural portraiture,Adokiye Amiesimaka described him as “sheer magic” in view of his mystifying soccer feat and “one of the greatest ball dribblers Nigeria ever produced”.

Ilerika himself seemed to have corroborated this when in one of his comments he remarked:”Had I been opportuned to go to Europe to play professional soccer,I’m sure I would have been deported for dribbling the Europeans to death….I would have bought all the houses in Lagos”.

Sam Omatseye, Chairman editorial board,the Nation newspapers rated him above both the legendary Thunder Tesilim Balogun and the celebrated J.J.Okocha.

In the course of an interview when confronted with a comparison between him and Okocha,the prodigious dribbling machine remarked:”Let me refer you to one AIT programme two years ago,when the same question was asked.I quickly responded by saying that nobody can compare sleep with death.The type of football we played in those days,I tell you was classic,go and ask.If you were opportuned to watch me play in my days,best of luck,but if not,too bad, because that was the end of true mid-field soccer in Nigeria”.

Indeed,from every available indices, Ilerika stands out not only as an enigma,but an enigma within an enigma.Throughout his heroic Odyssey as a footballer,he never struggled with the ball.Rather,he dominated with ease,mastery and supreme confidence,dictating the pace and manipulating the ball to the affectionate admiration of all,despite his petite stature,and the fact that he was an exclusive left-footer,which otherwise could have placed him grossly disadvantaged,quite unlike Thunder Balogun,a formidable six-footer, ambidexterous with both legs.Yet,never did he (Ilerika)for once sustain any serious injury on the field of play.Here therefore lies the legend,enigma and prodigy,of one of the greatest soccer technicians that has ever lived.His outstanding place in the pantheon of the Soccer Immortals couldn’t have been more amply attested to,than in Ebenezer Obey’s melodious tune in which he sang praises of the distinguished soccer maestro.

It wasn’t for nothing too,that in that epic tune “mase ri talenti re mole” the juju maestro,having mentioned Thunder Balogun,the next name that immediately came for mentioning was the legendary Haruna.The Soccer Wizard who had made an indelible footprint on the sand of time.

Fifteen years ago today,since his demise on December 4, 2008, Haruna Ilerika remains ever indelible in memory.His likes rarely come in generations.

Haruna Ilerika has gone, whence cometh another.

May his soul continue to rest in peace.

KOLA JOHNSON IS A WRITER AND JOURNALIST.