Bonding - The joy of singing on match days

Sports was something that was expected of every student to participate in ACA. Unlike a world of today where it is more business driven and motivated by money and life changing careers, it was driven by history, passion and love for a sport. In some areas, the history was very strong. In other areas, the passion to succeed was strong. But there were areas where history and passion for the sports are so strong that the love for the sports overwhelms us. Athletics and football were such sports. Every kid goes into Physical Education (PE) twice a week to learn the theory behind all sports offered. The rules, the field of play and the stars of the sport. Form 1 was blighted with cramming theories around the length of a tennis court, the minimum size of a football field, the length of a handball court but the release are in the practical lessons where we participated. The ultimate? Chosen to represent the school and joining a set of boys on the school bus to a tournament

There were a privileged few that made school teams early in various areas but in sports, it has different spice to it. Once the team announcement is made,everyone starts to prepare via training and for the vain ones amongst us, what they will wear as accessories to their kit🙄. Trainers, boots, knee and elbow pads, spikes were scarce and a luxury but for those that wanted them, found ways to secure them.

On the day, the boys gathered around the school bus and those chosen are allowed to enter the bus. There are always 1-3 additional boys that will be taken for various reasons. Sub of a sub, affiliation with the team, or an encouraging factor to a star player. Once the bus is closed, then comes the highlight of any bus trip: the singing 🎶🎶🎶

It always starts with a spiritual song:

Mimo, mimo sokale wa o,

awa nlo, ko wa ba wa soro ijinle...

Adaba mimo sokale wa o, awa nlo,

ko wa bawa soro ijinle

Then to a semi spiritual song:

Holy water, holy water re, holy water, emu fifun

Ekiti mu nibe, o nso Akure

Ondo mu nibe, o nso Ilaje...

Holy water kuluso, ai ye ye ye...

To completely non spiritual....I leave it to your imagination 😉. The singing continues till the people run out of songs or we get to venue, whichever comes first.

This year was different. The handball team was going to Ado-Ekiti for inter local government school sports in which Aquinas has won the Akure local government, beating Oyemekun grammar school 10-2 in the process. We have trained and chosen the 12 players for the squad. On the day, the team turned up, ready to go and everyone quite tensed as there was history in the line - ACA has been state champions for 4 years consecutively. The team was not looking to lose that crown and the team was aware of a potential slip up against St. Joseph’s Ondo. 3 years ago, we lost to them narrowly in a game which has haunted us due to nerves. As we sat on the bus, everyone was planning to go through the normal ritual but Adeoba Jasperna Iditike Banji had other ideas. A short prayer was said with baba driver looking ahead, his mind on the pot holes ahead. Once we said “Amen”, Adeoba whipped out a cassette player and started playing Sir Shina Peters “Afro juju”. What should have been a solemn start to an upbeat singing started with wild singing...

Teletele ri, a ti gbo orisirisi.

Su egbe ijo, ridinri ijo, e mu kuro lara ,

ijo Shina sagbadewe, ilu Shina regi lose lara odo

E jawo lapon ti o yo, e lo gbomi ila kana, Shina gbode

The air was naturally charged! We were so upbeat by the time we got to Ado, it will take a massive downturn to lower our spirits. We were merciless on the day, beating Christ School Ado 15-7 and St Joseph’s 18-12 in the semi finals. The final was a formality as we met Imade College Owo. It was 10-0 in the first half that the bench played the whole second half. Final score 20-2. We went home so elated and singing all the way back.

The joy of singing on match days - blessed. The world of day still has it infused in dressing rooms, buses , hotels. It is called bonding; a fabric of society that we are losing day by day to social media as there are less interaction with kids nowadays. I am sure in the years to come our kids will be writing the same stories looking back in hindsight...