Posted by VANGUARD on
IT is a common saying here that success has many relations, but failure is an orphan and so it was that at the end of the tense 48TH Coca Cola FA Cup match between Sharks and Lobi Stars, some went home downcast, while others went celebrating into the night.
Godwin Uwua, the flamboyant manager of Lobi could not hide his joy at winning his first FA Cup title as a manager. And in the euphoria of celebrations, he told journalists covering the game, "I now have a new nickname. Call me Ezekiel."
At first, nobody understood what he meant. He explained. "It simply means I can raise dry bones. I had a tall order coming to Lobi Stars, and with the limited support and few players available to achieve success, we went down to do the job and today, it is a story of success."
Did he demand 6-million Naira from the management of Lobi Stars as sign-on fees at the beginning of the season? "Let me correct that wrong impression. I did not demand 6-million Naira from Lobi management, I demanded 10 million Naira from them to handle the team. But we discussed and agreed on a fee of 6-million Naira which has since been paid me."
He explained his high prize tag. "I was with Lobi Stars and we were doing very well and I also won the league title with them. But suddenly, they went ahead and brought in a white coach, so I left them. But the white man failed them and now they have returned to me again. I am a son of Benue state, so I deserved to be treated with respect and not disdain. So I put the prize tag not to scare them, but to tell them that I am as competent as any white man they think."
Asked if he regrets leaving the national U-23 side unceremoniously, his response was an emphatic no regrets. "I have no regrets for the incident at the national under 23 team. The accusation was that I did not give 100 per cent attention to the team. But that was not true, and then I learnt I've been sacked, but up till this moment we are talking there is no letter to that effect," he said.
Uwua also gave kudos to Amodu Shauiabu of Sharks, who lost 2-0 in the Coca Cola FA Cup final to his lads. "A lot of stories were written that it was a battle between Amodu and I. No, it was not a battle between the two of us. Amodu is a coach I respects so much, because he is my senior and will remain so. Today is not a battle of winners and losers, it is victory for our football and we are celebrating it."