When Victor Ezeji called me a little over two weeks ago to ask if I was willing to be part of a memorial football match to mark the 30th year of Igeniwari George’s death, I was shocked.
Shocked because I could hardly believe it had already been thirty years. I asked, “Is it thirty years already?” and Victor laughed, confirming it was.
I didn’t hesitate. I immediately told him I would love to be part of it. He then explained that four of them, friends of Igeniwari were organizing the memorial: Victor himself, Apollos, Daniel, and Tobinson. I didn’t waste any time agreeing.
Victor may not know why I said yes so quickly, but here’s the truth.
I did not know Igeniwari George personally.
As a graduating secondary school student in 1987, I had already heard of a midfield player called Finidi George. I also knew he had two elder brothers, Prekebina and Alari. Alari played for Sharks at the time, before moving to NNPC FC of Warri and later to Cameroon. Then came Finidi.
I watched Finidi countless times in that Sharks team of 1989 alongside the likes of Yusuf Hussaini, Noel Anyanwu, Kayode Solomon, Amadi Nnadozie, Sunny Iseokwima, Osagie Eson, Kennedy Okogba, Fubara Owonaro, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze, Missah Ibrahim, Boma Thomas, Collins Etebu, and Loloo Nwike. Finidi stood out as the star. To me, there was no one like him. I didn’t care what they said about how good Alariwas, it was Finidi I admired.
So you can imagine my disbelief in 1993, after Finidi had gone to Calabar Rovers and back to Sharks, when I was told about a certain Igeniwari George — fresh out of secondary school, who supposedly had the talent to be even better than Finidi. Better than Finidi? Impossible, I thought.
I argued endlessly with my friend, Amainye Ibama, who broke the news to me. How could anyone be better than Finidi? But Amainye was convinced. What puzzled me, though, was why Igeniwari wasn’t playing for Sharks. His elder brothers had, so why not him?
When Monday Sinclair left Sharks for Rangers in 1994, he took with him Igeniwari George and Albert Yobo. I was pained that such a gifted player would be taken away from Port Harcourt. When Sinclair was later sacked and returned, neither Igeniwari nor Yobo came back with him.
I still followed the young man’s progress closely, right up to the U17 World Cup in Ecuador. Then, suddenly, the news broke: he was dead. Killed while chasing his dream of becoming a top footballer.
What happened to him?
The story was that in a heated match between Rangers and Stores in Ibadan, an 87th-minute penalty, hotly disputed by Stores players was converted by Hamlet Eze. The Stores players refused to continue, and a pitch invasion followed. Police were called in to control the chaos.
The Rangers bus had already left the stadium but got stuck in traffic. Then, out of nowhere, a gunshot rang out. Igeniwari was hit in the back. The first hospital they rushed him to had no water for surgery, so he was taken to another, where he died.
According to Tosan Blankson:
“George, I still remember your last statement. Governor Sir, I won’t die. But you later gave up the ghost. Rest on brother. Amen!”
Eye openers for me
It was at my first meeting with the guys that I learned how close he and Victor Ezeji were, and that Victor himself could have been signed by Rangers that same 1994.
I also got clearer details about how he died, especially from Tosan Blankson, who was in the Rangers team bus that fateful day. I heard heartbreaking stories of the burial, where soldiers allegedly unleashed mayhem on mourners, even on close family members.
Over the past two weeks, I’ve heard stories from friends of Igeniwari, journalists, family members, and others who followed the events. And through those stories, I almost feel like I knew him personally.
Nothing can bring back Igeniwari George or ease the pain his family have carried since that dark day of September 9, 1995. But being part of a group determined to immortalize his memory feels like a victory in itself.
Rest in peace, Igeniwari George.
