A former Auditor General of Benue State and Commissioner 3, Benue State Local Government Service Commission, Mr Humbe Mkena has revealed in an exclusive interview with VoiceSports’ Terfa Alaghga, that he was one of the few students from the Benue axis that had the opportunity to represent Benue Plateau State at the 2nd National Sports Festival in Lagos and that he did not continue with sports because his elder brother did not let him. He also spoke on other issues.
Excerpts:
VoiceSports: Did you do sports in your youth?
Mkena: Very well. I did sports in my youth and started playing football from my elementary school, at the Demonstration Primary School Gindiri in Benue Plateau State. When I graduated from the elementary school and proceeded to secondary school at the Gindiri Boys Secondary School in Mangu Local Government Area of Benue Plateau State (now Plateau State), I continued playing football and played for the school team and also participated in athletics.
VoiceSports: Who were your trainers in school at that time?
Mkena: We were trained by the white Missionaries, who during the School’s Sports Week when academic activities were put on hold, would take us out by trekking for up to One Hundred and Fifty Kilometers before having our breakfast, lunch and dinner. That is, before each meal, we went on a Fifty kilometre trek.
VoiceSports: Would you still remember who was the Principal of the Gindiri Boys Secondary School at that time?
Mkena: Very well. The Principal of the School at that time was a British Missionary by the name, Derek Joy. Derek was the son of Mr Joy who was the personal physician to the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II. He was a trained pilot who had served in the British Air Force as a Flying Officer and also fought in the Second World War. Coming from a military background, the training programmes that Mr Derek carried out for the school, drilled us and in all the sporting activities that we developed interest in, be it in football, basketball, handball, hockey or athletics we were very fit. The training we received in sports was rigorous and aim-catching and no serious student involved in any of the sports would have any reason not to perform in their chosen sports.
VoiceSports: Can you recall some of your classmates at the Gindiri Boys Secondary School that played football for the school?
Mkena: Yes I can. We had the likes of Jack Moses Ekwe-Ekwe who was also nicknamed Jack Stones, for his mesmerizing skills and prowess in sports. His Excellency, Adamu Muazu, former Governor of Bauchi State and former National Chairman of the PDP who was good in playing squash, General Johnson Ochoga (retd) was a very good footballer, Captain Sunday Adoba (retd) also played good football, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, a former Executive Secretary of TetFund was not involved in any sports, Reuben Zongo who was nicknamed, “boots”(goalkeeper), Sunday Nimzing (team captain, aka Corosco), David Dachomo (aka mai boot), Ben Bewarang (aka Arrow), myself who was nicknamed Mkena oo and others too numerous to mention.
VoiceSports: Why were you exceptional in sports?
Mkena: I believe it was a gift from God, because each time we were in a training mood and some students were dodging sports while others were at a point not copping with the training and with others deliberately refusing to be involved in sports. I remained resolute, I was always on top of the game, I excelled and this gave me the opportunity to be one of the few students from the Benue axis, to represent Benue Plateau State in athletics at the National Sports Festival, in Lagos. That was why I knew I was gifted in sports.
VoiceSports: How did the opportunity come?
Mkena: The opportunity came when the Benue Plateau State Government, became very interested in all that our school was doing through the Inter-House Competitions in which I was representing my house (Red House). They followed the trend of events and in any house that won, they pencilled down names of students that were exceptional to represent the school at the local government level and then at the state level. The first time I joined the Benue Plateau State contingent in 1975, to participate at the 2nd National Sports Festival (NSF) in Lagos, I was filled with joy. On our way to Lagos through Kaduna, we heard on the radio that there was a military coup led by the late General Murtala Mohammed (retd) toppling the government of General Yakubu Gowon (retd). With that development, we were asked to return to Kafanchan at once. Both the NSF and the Festival of African Arts and Culture were put on hold. A week later, it was reopened and we proceeded to Lagos for the fiesta.
VoiceSports: Who were the other athletes from the Benue axis, that you can remember represented Benue Plateau State with you at the NSF?
Mkena: I can remember the likes of Joseph Abuchie who came from the Government Teachers College, Mkar, Geoffrey Gudu from the St Andrew’s Secondary School Adikpo and Richard Chimbiir (Hero Baba). I competed in the 1.500 metres race and won a Silver medal for Benue Plateau State.
VoiceSports: Did the government honour you for winning a laurel at the NSF?
Mkena: The government did not and I was not bothered because as a young boy, what I needed was to make a name for myself which I did by winning a medal for the state. However, the then Director of Sports, Benue Plateau State Sports Council, Mr Shonekan went ahead and prepared me for the next National Sports Festival which was held in Kano. When we travelled to Kano, I had the opportunity of shaking hands with the then Military Governor of the state, Colonel Sani Bello and it gave me so much joy for having the privilege of feeling the hands of a Governor, at that youthful age. At the Kano NSF too I won a Silver medal in the 1.500 metres race for the Benue Plateau State.
VoiceSports: Was there any competition that you participated in and its victory still remains fresh in your memory?
Mkena: Yes. When our school, the Gindiri Boys Secondary School played a semis match against the Gindiri Teachers College, at the All Secondary Schools’ Sports and we won 4-0 on their soil. Jack Moses Ekwe-Ekwe scored the opener with a through pass coming from one of the best attackers, General Johnson Ochoga’s assist. It was a match that we all prepared for. In the keenly contested final against the Government Teachers College, Zawan at the Rwang Pam Stadium too, we also made history by triumphing over them with 1-0. The Teachers College guys were mature men playing against the boys and we humbled them. Just as we were, they too couldn’t believe what happened to them because they were bigger than we were and they thought they would use the advantage over us but it turned out to be our day to bask in the euphoria of victory.
VoiceSports: Did you make any impact in the game?
Mkena: I performed wonderfully well I am not praising myself but that was what happened and without mincing words, I was the road block in the defense and no attacker from the opponent dared my side. In that exclusive match, we paraded the school’s best legs particularly, Jack Moses Ekwe-Ekwe who was very outstanding and made the team to stand tall before their opponent, the GTC Zawan.
VoiceSports: Did you continue playing football after graduation from secondary school?
Mkena: No, I did not continue because my elder brother wouldn’t let me. It was at the time when my elder brother was graduating from the University of Jos that I was also graduating from the secondary school and he said over his dead body would he let me continue with sports. There was nothing I could do and I had to return to Makurdi, and to God be the glory, I gained admission into the Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology, Makurdi ( MUCAST). After my graduation, I proceeded to the University of Jos,. It was there that I briefly participated in the Inter – Faculty football competition and when I was invited to play for the University of Jos football team, I declined in order to face my studies. That was when I finally bid farewell to sports.
VoiceSports: If you were to do a comparison of athletes during your time to athletes today, which would you say are more committed?
Mkena: To some extent, the athletes of today, may be committed because they are now seeing the money and it is getting to them but during our time, even though there was no money, we were very committed to making the name first and we were also making it but today, the athletes are more interested in the money that they will get and when they eventually get it, they don’t want to give their best. The athletes during our time were more committed and that is the difference.
VoiceSports: What is your advice to the young and upcoming athletes?
Mkena: They should build a name around them and also be disciplined because that is what takes you to any level and you win laurels.
