Nigerian ex-international defender, Abiodun Olugbemiga Obafemi has recounted the glorious days he spent as the head coach of Lagos-based Ikorodu City FC.
Although he is now in charge of their fellow Lagos-based rivals, Smart City FC, Obafemi confessed that Ikorodu City still hold a big part of his heart.
The former stopper, who was part of Nigeria’s gold medal-winning under-23 squad to Atlanta ’96 Olympics, added that he also appreciates the healthy rivalry existing between Ikorodu City and his current club.
Obafemi, who starred fof Stationery Stores FC of Lagos, before playing for Fortuna Koln, Fortuna Dusseldorf, SSV Reutlingen and FC Augsburg pf Germany, as well as FC Toulouse of France, added that he still has fond memories of his days in Ikorodu.
He quickly affirmed, though, that his total loyalty now is with Smart City FC, which on Friday he helped gain a back-to-back conquest of the annual Jagaban Cup.
Speaking in the wake of his side’s victory over 36 Lion FC in the final at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, Obafemi said he was thrilled and happy with his team’s historic achievement.
The fair-skinned ex-international disclosed further that everyone at Smart City is now turning their attention back to the lower division Nigerian National League (NNL), in which he admitted that they have to step up their efforts, following a shaky start to the first round.
Obafemi gleefully stated: “Honestly, winning this competition makes me feel good; especially with Ikorodu City, my former team, among the competing clubs.
“I’m still part and parcel of Ikorodu City. They occupy a very big side of my heart. We know what to expect whenever we play against each other.
“We are rivals, we are neighbours, we are brothers and, honestly, they gave us a very good fight in the group stage. They played well, but let me say, the luckier side won.
“Now we are turning our attention on the NNL. Our performance in the first round of the NNL was not too good, but what we’ve been able to do in the second round is better.
“We’ve only lost a match, and it was a very, very unfortunate loss to Stormers at away. We have upped the ante, but we still need to raise our game.
“Playing in Jagaban Cup competition has given us the chance to assess ourselves further, though we had to share our team in two, having in mind that we might likely have a league match on Saturday.\
“The match was eventually shifted, but we decided to stick with those players that we had already selected from the second ream. I won’t say this is our B-team, but this is not 100% Smart City FC.”
