GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola has
called for the revival of Stationery Stores FC of Lagos to
immortalise the founder, late Chief Israel Adebajo.
Fashola made the call at a
novelty match played by players of the defunct club and an All-Stars
side at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, to mark Adebajo’s 39th memorial
anniversary.
He said efforts should be made
by the family and friends of the late soccer enthusiast to ensure
that on revival, the club would be quoted on the Nigerian Stock
Exchange (NSE).
Fashola, represented by Wale
Oladunjoye, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Grassroots Sports
Development, said that quoting it on the NSE would guarantee funds
for its proper management.
"Stores was a club that
enjoyed wide followership that cut across tribes and ages in
Nigeria. It was a phenomenon in Nigerian football in the late 1960s
to 1980s.
"The family and friends of
late Adebajo should not allow the club to die. Rather, they should
revive it to immortalise him,’’ he said.
He said that when that was
accomplished, there would be a professional club in the country in
line with the dream of Adebajo.
Amusa Shittu, 75, one of the
pioneer players of Stores in 1962, could not hold back tears when he
recounted his experiences with the darling club of Lagos.
"This is one of the greatest
days in my life as I have seen different generation of players
coming to honour our late mentor.
"I am one of the pioneer
players of the club when it was founded in 1962. The players and our
chairman saw ourselves as members of a family,’’ said Shittu.
He recalled that in 1964 the
club won the Lagos Oba Cup and that in 1965 Adebayo engaged
professional players from other West African countries.
Shittu, known in his playing
days as ``Bulldozer’’ said that in 1967 and 1968 Stores won the FA
Challenge Cup.
Sanni Mohammed, a Ghanaian who
played for the Green Eagles in 1973, said that the best thing that
happened in his soccer career was playing for Stores.
``Though I am nursing a knee
injury, I had to come from Ghana to be part of this celebration. It
is a happy reunion for all of us,’’ Mohammed said.
Ex-international, Haruna
Ilerika said that if Stores is revived the empty stadium witnessed
during the national league matches would be a thing of the past.
Some other Stores players on
the occasion included Yomi Peters, Dan Ajibode, Sunny Ineh, Ebitimi
Collins, Godwin Obiyan and Lati Daramola.
