Established in 2010. Offa Volleyball Club,a private owned team in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria has now etched their name in gold in the annals of the Volleyball history in Nigeria. A Yoruba adage says, inu ikoko dudu, ni eko funfun ti n jade(a white pap is produced from a black pot), Such is an apt description that can be given to the achievement of the Offa Volleyball team. In this interview with Yemi Sodeeq, the founder and Technical Director of the team, Suleiman Ajeigbe gave an insight in to the evolution of , trajectory, challenges and triumphs and dreams of the team.
Can you give us an insight on why you founded Offa Volleyball Club?
The main reason is to help discover hidden sporting talents. Help take the youths off the street and engage them in meaningful sporting career which will help to reduce level of social vices and also in away contribute my quota towards the development of my community and my State.
When was the club established?
Offa Volleyball Club started in the year 2010 .
How was the preparation like ahead of the league then?
The preparation was quite tough- i must confess. As a private owned club without visible and sure help coming from anybody except God Almighty, to him i give all the glory and all the adoration.
Normally we train everyday at an outdoor facility in Offa Grammar School, but towards the beginning of the league about 3 weeks to the start up, I have to move my boys to a closed camp at Federal Polytechnic Offa indoor Sports Hall.
We trained twice daily without camp allowance for the boys. I was only able to provide them with two square meal per day- which they are contented with and the passion they show in their training session is far beyond measure. So, i must give it to them for all their sacrifices and resolution to ensure they win the league. It is God and I will forever live to appreciate him. They really worked hard and they played to my instructions and to the Glory of God Almighty. The result was a huge success- because history was made, records were broken and a new ones was set.
Did you ever think your team will win the league?
If there is anything I so much believe in-is the Power of God Almighty. Honestly, i must confess that he made it happen, because no matter the preparation or efforts you put into anything, if it’s not blessed by the Almighty God, it will be fruitless.I am so hopeful and know for sure that one day, the league will be won by my team and I thank God Almighty for making it possible. So, yes i know- i will surely win it
What really worked for your team?
Team work. mutual respect, togetherness and most importantly the love between the boys, conquered each and every team we played against. The focus on every game was to win and we ensure that during the play, we blamed less and played more. No matter how good you are, you will once in a while commit error, we did not let the error committed pull us down. Infact, we ensured that every error committed is converted to a point. So, the level of cohesiveness amongst the boys is one of the most important thing I tried to ensure and they were always together, either during the play or after.
How did you face and play against those big teams?
The truth of the matter is that there is no big team any where. Any team, that is in Premier League is a big team, what makes you better than others is the tactics and approach to every game. Volleyball in Nigeria has gone past big name or big clubs or teams.
Playing at the top Nigeria Volleyball League is not an easy thing, hence, no small Club in the League.
We played every team, the way their pattern of play is and ensured that we know and understand our opponent weaknesses and that is where we built our strength on and use to our advantage.Thank God that it worked for the team.
What has this victory brought to the team?
The victory has brought lots of joy and happiness to the team. It helped to make the team more popular and also help to add more glamour to the hosting community name, now when you talk about Volleyball, you talk about Offa.So I am so happy and appreciate each and every persons that have been there for the team.
What’s your philosophy of the game?
Whatever you know how to do best,please do it well and always stand by it.
What does the achievement means to the team?
It simply means we need to double up our efforts to remain at the top form and always be ready to face bigger challenges, because all eyes are now on the team; being at the top comes with lots of expections.We all do our best and always put in more efforts.
What are the challenges you are facing?
Our challenges are to numerous but to mention few;
- Training facilities: presently now, the Club does not have its own personal court, we are only using a secondary court in Offa, that is, Offa Grammar School Volleyball Court. We hope that one day we all have a court too.
- Training Equipments: most of the training equipments in use by the Club is improvised, as the foreign equipments are quite expensive. A Mikassa ball can’t be improvised, hence, we must buy it and a Mikasa ball now cost between 40,000 to 45,000 naira per one ball. So, it not really easy at all.
- Gymnasium Centre: The Club needs where a complete aerobic exercise can be carried out with some dead weight support and thread mills machines that can help aid fitness for the players to be able to withstand high level endurance, but due to high price of those equipments, we are only managing the little ones I can afford. I really wish and pray that the government will assist the Club.
- Medical and Psychologist: These are very important in sporting events and it also one the challenges that is affecting the Club. I really pray that help will come one day.
What is next for the team?
What is next for the team is to participate at the 2023 Africa Clubs Championship next year and also prepare for top 8.It’s our prayers to God Almighty to send helpers to the Team, that will assist us at participating at the two major event before the commencement of the 2023 Premier League Season.
We are hoping that the Kwara State Government will assist the team and it will be the first time in history that a team from Kwara State will be featuring at the Africa Club Championship. So, it’s also an achievement for the State Government.
Do you think the team has achieved all its set out to achieve in the first place?
Winning the League is just a stepping stone, winning Africa Club Championship and then proceeding to World Championship is part of our plans and that is where we really want to get to. So we have not even get there at all
But we give God Almighty the glory for where we are now and pray to Him to take us far beyond where we plan to reach. They Sky they say is the beginning, we really want to go farther
