There can be no denying that there was a rollercoaster of emotions as the black and white curtains of the 2024 edition of the Abiola Ojo Sports Festival were closed. The festival was undoubtedly captivating, with everyone proudly donning their class colours in support of their representatives in their respective categories. The jeers, the tears, the cheers, and the glory were all a result of the meticulous planning and organization that went into the Games by the hierarchy.
And with the leadership of the man of the moment, the incumbent LSS Sports Secretary, Azeke Eghonghon, or “Zeks,” as we all love to address him, this all came to fruition, almost beyond our expectations.
We decided to have a quick chat with the man himself to gain a deeper insight into how it all went down from his side of the table. And he sure did have a lot to give, so do stick around for the comments and the subtle and spicy gist that comes with them!
So Zeks, first, I must congratulate you on the success of the recently concluded Abiola Ojo Sports Festival. How was your experience being the chief organizer of this year’s edition?
Thank you very much. Honestly, it was bittersweet being the captain of the ship this year. I got to see first-hand how tasking it is to pull strings to make the event come to life. I also made a ton of sacrifices, worked hand in hand with my amazing committee members, and did things I normally wouldn’t do to ensure things sailed smoothly.
How was the first day like?
I remember waking up tense, praying, and hoping the day would go well with the Indoor Games. I was struggling to come to terms with the fact that the “D-day” was already here. What I have been working towards for months has already met me face to face. Crazyyyy! After basking in the euphoria, I headed to attend class and then plan and work towards my 12 pm deadline for when the games were to begin. In the middle of arranging the Lounge and setting up with my lovely committee, I started feeling hopeful, and I remember receiving a sweet message from “the one” when it had already begun, which gave me the courage to push even further. Time after time, I remember settling several minor conflicts.
In all, it was bliss, as I got several amazing reviews from the Indoor Games.
Well, that sounds like it was a whole lot. You were evidently met with a lot of challenges as regards the planning and setup of the event. How active was your committee in assisting you with all this?
My committee was splendid. On my end, I made them understand how important they are to me both personally and professionally. Their contributions have been amazing, especially when it came down to the LSS Games. Here, I started by breaking everybody down into sub-committees, as that is how I can be more effective and efficient. I had a rule-making committee, observers/stat team, disciplinary committee, planning committee, sports representatives, chamber heads and sponsors committee, and then I appointed an unofficial assistant sports sec and personal assistants.
Each group or committee executed its role a little too perfectly to make both the Inter-Chamber Games and LSS Games a success. Without them, I genuinely have no idea what would have happened.
Very structural from your end, I must say. Moving to the activity part, a lot of talking points and controversy came up in relation to the decisions made by the referees, and even the behavior of some known players in particular. How did you and your team handle this?
Well, I’d always tell people that no matter the effort you put into bringing officials, you genuinely can’t please everyone, and I had to learn that the hard way because I was a tad invested in seeing everyone enjoy the games. This was even more dicey when it came to my class football team, as we were easily one of the most terribly officiated by the referees.
The best I could do was get constructive feedback from all classes through their sports reps, relay it to them, and watch out for improvements, which were there to an extent. For some, it was very easy to say “change the refs” without sitting back to think about the implications that would have on the entire event and on the LSS in general, but of course, who cares? Now, this brings me to the second question.
Regarding the behaviour of players in general, my disciplinary committee handled it. One of our most dramatic moments was when we had to ban a player from the football tournament for an unacceptable attitude that ruined the beauty of the game for that day. And as you would have guessed, the entire team didn’t take it well and felt it was unfair.
This led to tussles and enmity, especially when they approached the president. In fact, I later learned that the team sat down to compile a detailed 4-page official statement in a bid to pass a vote of no confidence, which I found quite interesting and intriguing even after trying to be as reasonable as possible with them. After everything, the president called a meeting, and it was decided that the decision of the committee would stand, which was the right decision. I didn’t tolerate what could jeopardize the Sports Committee’s hard work and sweat. No one should ever have to either.
Looking back, all I think about is how misunderstood certain situations could be and the extent to which anyone would go to defend those they deem dear to their hearts. It was like a Cinderella story to me where maybe I am the stubborn, unnaturally obstinate Lady Tremaine, who simply declines to see reason and is looking to impose her ungodly powers on poor Cinderella.
But it’s all over, and it’s all love and light from here.
I guess there was really a lot to say about this. Anyway, moving to the teams, on what level were your expectations towards the incoming Class of 28′ in the Games?
Every year, Year 1 students are usually regarded as the easy pass. When setting up the football schedule, the usual thing that is done is to set up Year 1 and Year 3 fixtures first. But there was a little twist this year, and I didn’t want it that way. I did draws, and the lot fell on Year 5 to face Year 1 on the first day. And even a mentally unstable man would not expect Year 1 to have an easy touch in the box 18 of Year 5. But Year 1 triumphed to the surprise of every single person. They are a different breed of year 1s with a genuine fighting spirit. Everyone, without exception, has a thing or two to learn from them. Mind you, the highest goal scorer in male football came from their class as well. That was mind-boggling.
They shocked us all as well, too. We’ll give them that. Alright, let’s move to your class. The Dinnermen have made it to two consecutive finals but lost both. Do you feel anything should have been done differently?
Honestly, the coach would be the best person to answer this. But all I can say is that the football gods abandoned us this year again. We forgot to renew our yearly sacrifice subscription. Like it or not, luck plays a huge role in the game of football. Unfortunately, we did not have it at all.
Seems you’d be needing a reminder for that sacrifice before the next edition. Also, how hard did you find it in situations where you had to be unbiased, especially seeing that you were a patriotic supporter of your class in all categories?
Well, it was genuinely not easy trying to be a Year 3 student and an unbiased sports secretary who caters to the interests of all classes. I guess that is why I had sports representatives who always put me in check, and on my end, I tried to always strike a healthy balance each time. During volleyball semis and finals, I multi-tasked between being a sports secretary and a regular Year 3 student. The same thing applied to the closing ceremony, which I found harder, by the way, and one of my teammates surprisingly said, “Zeks, sit down; you are a sports secretary and not a Dinnerman.” I needed that wake-up call.
What was your best moment throughout the Games?
That’s quite difficult, but some moments stood out. One was seeing the new game I introduced, handball, come to an end. Then the other was finally figuring out how to maneuver track events due to footballers also running and also the number deficiency of year 1s. Finally, seeing the referee blow the whistle to end the game at the closing ceremony felt like a dream. Owarida.
Finally, is there anyone you’d especially like to thank for the success of the Sports Festival?
First and foremost, God. For the divine strength I was given to pull this through day by day until the very end, God came through for me, even when I least expected it. Then, of course, our major sponsor; the Abiola Ojo Family. If they ever read this, I’ll want them to know that I love them so much.
I also want to thank my friends for being there for me and showing up in the best way they could. It was so cute. And then my predecessor, Bally. I barely knew the ropes of being a Sports Secretary, and he went out of his way to guide me where necessary.
Special thanks to my P.A’s, Andra and Elebs, as well as the members of my logistics team, such as Deleke and Wole, for supporting me and running around with me when and where needed. My fellow excos also came to cheer me up, especially when things got tough. I really needed that mental support.
Most importantly, I want to thank myself for not throwing in the towel when there was turbulence. Giving up is never an option. There’s no greater joy than finishing what you already started.
And there you have it, guys! Straight from the man himself! Indeed, he finished work, which was very evident as the Games treated us to a beautiful cinema with the highs and the lows and everything in between. It’s definitely one for the history books, as we look forward to experiencing more events like this that will be forever etched in our memories.
Written by Ayomide Tanimowo-Daniel
The Law Students' Blog. 