OVERCOMING BORDERLINE SYNDROME

Introduction:

The generation of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Male Football team known (as OAU Giants) and supported by the majority of the present generation of students began in 2018 and not many are students of history.

Their trend of dominance has given bragging rights to OAU MFT supporters when they hold conversation with colleagues from other institutions but even this current wave is not without its ups and downs.

To backtrack a bit, the team contested eight (8) honors from 2003–2022 but their last Gold medal was won in 2014 when Ayotunde Faleti captained the team to a NUGA Gold on homeground. Their most recent ISL (Isco Sports League) success is the apex of this newfound attention and it became crucial to recognize Toheebah’s, though local, yet, remarkable achievement — steering the team to their first trophy in a staggering nine years.

The spotlight in this piece shines brightly on Toheebah’s leadership as the captain of the OAU Male Football team (OAU MFT, recently aliased OAU Giants) and his ordeal as the last appointed captain by a now retired veteran. The article zooms into Toheebah’s period at the helm and delves into the challenges he grappled with, one which I believe is best described as the “Borderline Syndrome.”

Pre-2019: A Missed Opportunity

Before the pivotal year of 2019, Toheebah had faced missed opportunities to contribute to the OAU Male Football team’s glory when they secured an HiFL bronze medal in 2018. Despite the team’s evident talent and determination, the OAU MFT had encountered a series of setbacks, including heart-wrenching campaigns in various tournaments since winning the NUGA gold at home three years ago. The absence of a championship trophy haunted the team.

2019: Near Misses and Remarkable Performances

On March 6, 2019, Adegoke Toheeb was bestowed with the honor of captaining the OAU Giants. Throughout 2019, the Giants showcased stellar performances in both the Prof. Adedoyin Peace Cup and the Higher Institutions’ Football League (HiFL). Despite valiant efforts that saw them reach the Finals and Third-Place of respective tournaments, they narrowly missed the pinnacle of victory, enduring a repeating disappointment and a hat-trick of agonizing penalty shootout losses. The looming shadow of the “Borderline Syndrome” persisted, leaving the OAU MFT yearning for triumph amid their lingering frustration even under a newly anointed captain.

In the Peace Cup, a dominant campaign that wrapped up with a Final in their backyard saw them end the tournament unbeaten and uncrowned as Toheebah was one of those who missed their spot kicks in the shootout, eventually crashing his penalty against the frame of the goal. In hope of a better outcome, a brilliant run at the HiFL followed this campaign and against a familiar foe in the semifinals, Toheebah dummied the cross from Bamisaye Olaposi (Bamidave) for Seyi Olumofe to tap in what looked like a winner with 14 minutes left on the clock. The shock would however come with the last kick of the game when Asen Shater of the University of Agriculture, Markurdi, buried a rocket in the goal at the KHR end of the mainbowl to force OAU to a 1–1 draw on their homeground. The return leg started similar to the first with the Toheebah led squad snatching a lead in the 46th minute: this time through former captain and NUGA Gold medalist, Ayotunde Faleti, who headed home a brilliant corner delivered by Bamisaye Olaposi (Bamidave). The team went on to lose the lead, again, and also lost the resulting penalty shootout. They proceeded to the Third-Place tie in Lagos and after 120 minutes of an inseparable contest with the University of Ilorin, they headed to shoot-outs and lost again to complete a hat-trick of misfortunes (in penalty shoot-outs) in Toheebah’s first year at the helm.

The Curse Continues: Major Games and Personal Struggles

The enigmatic “Borderline Syndrome” seemingly extended its grasp beyond the realm of inter-collegiate football. Even at the prestigious OAU Sports Festival (OAUSF’19), Toheebah encountered disappointment as his team fell short in a penalty shootout, again, perpetuating the notion of a recurring curse looming over [his involvements in] major tournaments. This setback also came after a dominant run by his faculty football team, only to fall short in the most dramatic fashion that would be remembered by all who witnessed the event.

To recap, his side had found the breakthrough 11 minutes from the end of regular time, only to concede a 90+2' minute equalizer with what was tantamount to being the last kick of the game. As a personal record, he lost four penalty shoot-outs in 2019 (data according to AlliNews).

2021: The “Borderline Syndrome” Strikes Again

In 2021, despite the OAU Giants brief but commendable performance in the HIFL2021, the looming specter of the “Borderline Syndrome ‘’ reared its head once more. A late goal conceded during stoppage time led to their untimely elimination (on Away goals) from the tournament, sparking a major reaction from the home fans and some players themselves picked comfortable corners of the mainbowl to bewail the exit.

Toheebah later admitted to bothering himself upon the unsettling question of the possibility of him being perceived as a “bad luck” factor in the OAU MFT. He further revealed that the mainbowl began to haunt him in the weeks following that exit. To the OAU Giants, that early exit from the tournament meant a forfeiture of Super 4 privileges by the team for the first time since the HiFL started to operate (2018). He would however go on to win the Man of The Match (MOTM) Award in the Football Final of the 2021 OAU Sports Festival (OAUSF’21) as he secured his first major [personal] honor with his faculty who returned to the zenith of campus football after a seven-year wait.

2022: A Glimpse of Success and the NUGA Games

Despite the controversial “removal” of OAU Giants from the HiFL2022 after an impressive campaign at the qualifiers, the year 2022 showed promise for Toheebah. As the sole NAPHER-SD student in the OAU Football squad for the NUGA Games, he held aspirations of clinching a major title victory. Team sports enjoyed success at the NUGA Games in Lagos as the numbers revealed that the Obafemi Awolowo University contingents made six out of the possible nine team sport finals at the NUGA 2022 Games hosted by the University of Lagos. It was also their third NUGA Football Final in the four editions attended under the now retired Coach Chike Egbunu-Olimene. For context, there’s only been six NUGA Games held between 2007 and 2022.

Regrettably, history seemed to replay itself as Toheebah missed the decisive penalty in the 2022 NUGA Male Football finals, intensifying the belief in the existence of the dreaded “Borderline Syndrome.” The year was albeit a landmark year for him as he scored his first goal (also the match winner) for the team on his 1,111th day as captain in their 1–0 win against FUDMA earlier in the group stages.

2023: Redemption and Triumph

In the year 2023, the OAU Giants ventured into a local competition in Ife. Despite a turbulent start, Toheebah and his team orchestrated a remarkable comeback, triumphing in crucial encounters and rediscovering their winning form. Toheebah scored a luscious volley in the local league (vs. Marlinz FC) to make it two goals ever, in the colors of the OAU MFT. The race for the championship, however, hung in the balance, but with an exceptional performance and a resounding victory in their final match, the OAU Giants emerged as champions and Toheebah had, at last, broken free from the clutches of the “Borderline Syndrome.”

Conclusion

Toheebah’s odyssey with the OAU MFT stands as a testament to the unwavering spirit and resilience required to surmount adversity. Much like the mythical Aztec Gold that plagued the Black Pearl, the ‘Borderline Syndrome’ appeared to cast a shadow over Toheebah’s path to glory. However, he adamantly refused to let it define his narrative, displaying unyielding determination throughout. In the end, he shattered the curse, leading his team to a well-deserved triumph. Toheebah’s narrative serves as a powerful reminder that, with indomitable determination, even the most formidable obstacles can be conquered, ultimately transforming curses into triumphs.

Thanks for all you gave champ!