This week, I take time out to reflect on a personal experience, as I serve a chronicle of two trips that I embarked on to Owerri, Imo State in three months. The first was from February 1st to 17th and the second April 12th to 23rd, 2026.
Both trips were at the behest of a former players’ agent, Victor Macdonald, who is now a clergyman based in The Kingdom of Eswatini – a small monarchical country that shares borders with South Africa.
He contracted me to write a biography of a prominent personality in Imo State (names withheld) – on an assignment for which I worked alongside fellow-veteran sports writer, Afolabi Gambari, a prince of Ilorin and nephew of the highly popular Dr Ibrahim Gambari. I fondly call him ‘Afo,’ and he refrains to me with ‘Femo,’ as we share a bond dating back to 1996, during my days at Complete Sports.
Together in February and April this year, we enjoyed the hospitality of Pastor Victor Macdonald in his palatial country home at Irete, on the outskirts of Owerri, the capital of Imo State. He took care of transport to and from as well as feeding and accommodation for a total of five weeks – spread across both months – during which time Afo and I busied ourselves with frenetic typing on our laptops every afternoon as well as up till midnight almost every day.
It was work, but also so much fun, as both of us are ranked among the best wordsmiths that ever graced Nigerian journalism, not just sports writing. I put it that way with all sense of humility, while also recalling the adage of a lizard that drops from the tree to the ground and nods its head in silent acknowledgement, tacitly implying: “If no one hails me, I will praise myself.” A refined expression also points out that the best sound of the trumpet is the one you blow by yourself.
Having stated that, I dare say it was fun working once again with Afo, despite some heated debates we had in knocking out ideological differences, especially in the choice of headlines and from which angle to roll each chapter.
That’s how it has always been, as we earlier worked together on the biography of a politician in Eswatini and an autobiography that were also brought upon us by Pastor Victor.
Interestingly, this was the first time that Afo and I would actually share so much time together while working on a project; but the fun we had went way beyond knocking creative words together on the ‘lapy,’ it included getting opportunities to see sights that had previously been distant and somewhat alien to us.
For me, it was the opportunity to refresh memories with the route from Lagos to Eastern Nigeria – which I first enjoyed as a ‘youth corper’ at Umuahia, Abia State from Novemver 1992 to October 1993. These latest trips turned out to a true eye opener – though I had earlier gone back to Umuahia for a courtesy visit sometime in 2001 as well as taken two journeys on Macdonald’s invitation in 2011 (first with my wife and later with some fellow-sports writers for a grassroots football competition he organised in the countryside).
My latest two trips to the south-east helped me come abreast with the bypass at Benin City (which means travellers no longer need to drive through the Edo State capital while going to The East) and I was also able to see the newlook Niger Bridge from Asaba to Onitsha.
Fortunately, I escaped the ugly sight of heavy traffic on that route (night and day), until my second return trip this past Thursday (when I spent four hours between Ijebu Ode and Sagamu alone, then got home at 11:30 pm).
I give thanks to God for journey mercies on both trips, especially as we also had to travel within Imo State to get interviews with acquaintances of the personality whose life story we were putting into a book of 20 chapters.
We met royal fathers, village elders, a native doctor, a chief priest, a former judge, a governor’s former chief of staff, and family members (including very intelligent grandchildren) of our protagonist in the biography.
We enjoyed the various sights of Owerri – Garden Park, Douglas, Amakohia, Fire Service, Holy Ghost College, Naze, ITC, Orji, Wetheral Road, New Owerri, etc. There was also a visit to Macdonald’s alma mater, Township Comprehensive Secondary School, Amaifeke (TCSSA), where I had the pleasure of interviewing a budding footballer named Sixtus.
Mentioning that interview reminds me of the many stories I was able to put together for Sports247 during each of those trips in the space of three months. There was an exclusive interview with Imo State commissioner for sports, a special focus on abandoned Samuel Okwaraji Stadium in Orlu, his locked up family home at Umudioka, the amazing discovery of a really promising midfielder, Victor Chijindu of Chika FC (during their training session at Orji Primary School) and Chidera Ezeakor of Comet FC (Heartland’s under-15 squad).
All said and done, my two trips to Owerri in three months helped me recharge myself mentally, make new friends (especially Prisca of Imo State Broadcasting Corporation), gain new knowledge about Igbo culture and acquire an appreciation of the values of grassroots football outside my comfort zone in Lagos – all thanks to Pastor Victor Macdonald of God’s Glory Ministries (GGM) in Mbabane, Eswatini … may The Almighty bless you more.
