IKPO IGBINOBA
Sam Ocheho, President of Nigeria Handball Federation
After several years of being moribund, the wheel of handball in Nigeria is turning again.
For those who witnessed the golden era of the sport, the present omens indicate that great days are beckoning again.
Thanks to the self-effacing banker, Mr. Sam Ocheho who has been at the helm of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) board since June last year.
Ocheho who had a fruitful playing career has maintained a strong tie to handball. Even in the turbulent days of the sport, Ocheho’s fidelity was never in doubt as he remained the only sponsor.
His election last June saw the different generations of handball players and stakeholders accepting him as a consensus candidate.
Though there was an election during the National Sports Federations’ elections, in Abuja in June,his victory was certain even before the contest.
Since then, Ocheho has never disappointed those who gave him the mandate to run Nigerian handball.
Retired Coach Danjuma Adamu Dikko who now lectures at the National Institute of Sports(NIS), Lagos is one of the pioneer handball players who started the game when it was introduced in 1972 when he was in the Nigerian Army.
Dikko has seen it all in the sport-during its golden era and in the dark ages both as a player and as a coach.
The coach was upbeat while speaking with PM Express on the present state of handball in the nation.
“Right now, things are looking up for Nigerian handball”, Dikko said. “And if the present momentum can be sustained Nigerian handball would be great again”.
He continued “The signs are there that we will witness the golden era of handball once again. And we have to thank the new president of the board, Mr. Sam Ocheho for renewing our hope”.
Dikko said the president in his nine months in the saddle has demonstrated his capacity to revive the sport.
According to him “In the last nine months, as president of the federation, Mr. Ocheho has lived up to our expectation. Since he resumed, there has never been a dull moment in handball.
“To the credit of the president, our national teams have been busy, staying in camp and participating in competitions.
In April there will be a national championship for age-grade teams. In fact, the year is loaded with events all geared towards the rebuilding process”.
The coach also extolled the virtues of the new president.
“Apart from the president’s robust programme which places emphasis on age group development,his character is also a strong factor in the present stride being made
“He is humble, honest and hardworking and above all very passionate about the sport. Now all the stakeholders are involved in the programme of the federation and this unity is a recipe for progress”, the coach enthused.
From 1978 to 2000,handball flourished in Nigeria. There were several competitions and also a national league.
Handball teams like Imo Grasshoppers, Niger United, Sokoto Rima, Plateau Vipers and a host of others had a huge followership around the country.
On the continent, Nigerian teams held their own and the national teams dominated age-grade championships on the world stage.
Those were the roaring years of Nigerian handball when seasoned sports administrators like pioneer association chief Col. Isa Ahmed, Gen Ishola Williams(rtd), lNavy Commodore Yetunde Peters and Col Godwin Nebo called the shots.
And then the sport hit bad times.
But now a new president is on the beat inspiring hope that handball will boom again. A place for Mr. Sam Ocheho in handball’s Hall of Fame beckons.