‘Golden Gloves’ Obisia Nwakpa, in his days, held the African and Commonwealth super-lightweight titles. Having surmounted tough opposition to become number one contender to the WBC belt in his class, hence he had a shot against champion Saoul Mamby but lost. He spoke with Eddie Akalonu in Lagos about boxing in his time.
I was loved and appreciated by Nigerians cutting across ethnic lines. At that time we had managers and trainers who were professional and astute businessmen, There were promoters who were honest and also professional because they never breached contracts entered into with a boxer. Truth was that boxers then were serious and showed they wanted to work hard and make boxing a source of living.
What event and at what time do you see as the turning point in your boxing career?
First the owner of Olumo Records, Olatunji Yusuf openly declared his liking for my style and prowess in the ring. He encouraged me to turn professional offered to manage me after watching me in training. So he invited me to see him and when we met, he gave me one thousand naira. In my life I had never held such bulk money. I was happy. As an amateur I had traveled extensively but I had never had one thousand naira as allowance. That money was big to me.
Then I turned professional, applied for a license and when news went round that Obisia had turned professional, promoters were all over me. They came to my house and at training but Olumo was not one of them but we met each other from time to time. I won my first two fights and the third was against Anthony Andeh. And Olumo Records was at the ringside to watch. Before the fight Andeh held all records as African and Commonwealth gold medalist.
So Olumo made a pledge that if I won he would buy a car for me. Luckily, by round seven, I was ahead and he was wobbling and the bout ended in round eight. It was a wonderful night because the crowd was so much I could not see Olatunji Yusuf. The next day he sent for me. He expressed his happiness that I won the fight. .Then he said he wanted to reward me and requested that I name what he could do for me. I said I wanted a car. Surprisingly, he wrote a cheque for four thousand five hundred naira cost of Datsun 280, which was the car in vogue then.
But I met a brick-wall in getting the car. Everywhere I went, I was told an order would take a year before delivery. I sheded tears and after about two months, I returned the cheque to him because I could not get the car. As I returned the check, I burst out crying I was losing what I needed. He consoled me an alternative would do. Then he sent me to a company, again promising that any car I saw and liked he would pay. Incidentally, the car I saw, a Renault cost four thousand naira more. When he heard, he said no problem, go and get it. That was how fans and Nigerians of all walks of life made me glow and eager to do more as an athlete. Nigerians idolised and made me a cult hero.
What other ways do you recall made boxing tick? For instance who and what were the major contributors to it’s growth?
The Nigerian Boxing Board of Control led by Chief Ralf Ogunbufumi, and secretary general Emma Adeleye played vital roles, arranged regular bouts that upped the profiles of boxers for ratings by WBC and the Commonwealth Boxing Board of Control. When I was to travel to the United States for training, I sold the car. Returning to Nigeria and winning more fights the traditional Ruler of my town was happy and gave me a second car I used. Then armed robbers collected the car from me but Governor Sam Mbakwe quickly replaced it for me.
I would always remember late Yinka Craig of NTA because he got Nigeria AGIP company to sponsor my trip abroad to prepare for the world title. The peculiar thing around it was that Yinka Craig came and said “acknowledge you have collected it because he was told not to tamper with it because it’s separate from whatever dealings they had. He gave me the money all intact and I signed and collected it.
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