1.0Mathematical 7https://mathematical7.com/m7rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="nCcqQqrZvC"><a href="https://mathematical7.com/m7/owoblow-the-one-man-army/">‘Owoblow’ – the one-man army!</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://mathematical7.com/m7/owoblow-the-one-man-army/embed/#?secret=nCcqQqrZvC" width="600" height="338" title="“‘Owoblow’ – the one-man army!” — Mathematical 7" data-secret="nCcqQqrZvC" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://mathematical7.com/m7/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js /* ]]> */ </script> https://mathematical7.com/m7/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Owo_Blow.webp768729Tribute to Dr. Felix Owolabi at 70. I don’t remember the very first time we met. It probably was on the football field, during a football match. Thinking back now, it could have been in 1977, during the epic FA Cup match that year when my team, Shooting Stars FC, played against Raccah Rovers of Kano, the team that he played for at the time. I am not so sure again as I write this. It could also have been when he was invited to join us in the national team, the Green Eagles, in 1977, by Coach Father Yelisavic Tiko. Either way, his impact on the national team from when he joined was massive and instantaneous. He was a different kind of player, of a different breed. He was a serious football player playing as if his life depended on winning every match. He was left-footed, something the country was in short supply of at the time. Since the exit of Haruna Ilerika and of Adekunle Awesu, both left-footed players in 1976 and 1977 respectively, there was not a single left-footed player left in the entire national team. It was a great deficit to the team for a short while during which Nigeria, that was a master at wing play with fast runners on both flanks, had to improvise with Adokiye Amiesimaka, a right-footed player but who could effectively use his left foot. Adokiye was an undergraduate at the University of Lagos, but loaded with football credentials as a young player in the Lagos area. He was drafted to the Green Eagles from his inside-forward position to the left side of Nigeria’s attack, to fill the gap. No one missed Awesu again from the moment Adokiye stepped in with his mesmerizing dribbles and pinpoint crosses. Shortly after that, Felix Owolabi showed up on the national radar with a left foot that was deadly and packed with ‘venom’. Felix was extremely fast, with the ability to dribble even at top speed, cutting back the ball sharply, and accelerating away in the next movement. Slightly limited in height, and with packed muscles in his legs, he could swivel on a coin whilst dribbling. He was as strong as an Ox. When racing with the ball at his feet, he was the most difficult player to mark. The only way to stop him was to physically bring him down, or kick him to halt. He was fearless, could ride any tackles with the single mindedness to get close to an opposing goal through the shortest and fastest route and release one of his bombs in his left foot. He moves like a train meandering towards goal with the ball glued to his left foot. His attitude earned him the respect and love of fans and coaches.