Hope seems to be rising for 3SC Football Club Ibadan with the renewed commitment of Governor Seyi Makinde to resuscitate the ailing club. BAYO AGBOOLA reports.
Shooting Stars Sports Club, otherwise known as 3SC of Ibadan but formerly IICC Shooting Stars, is, no doubt, a household name in the realm of soccer both within Nigeria, Africa and throughout the world. IICC, as the club was known then, was the first in Nigeria to win a continental cup and has produced so many football stars for the local league, national team and even for teams outside Nigeria.
But the good old days of the darling IICC up to its present 3SC seem to be going down the drain to the extent that if nothing is done, the fortunes of the ‘Oluloye Warriors’ would go down the drain.
To some, the problems facing the present day 3SC are multifaceted and internal of which may be difficult to resolve. Pundits even admit that there are spiritual problems associated with the club for which the solutions defy every conceivable logics except by divine intervention.
The problems of the club became more pronounced in July 2019 when it unceremoniously crashed out of its bid to return to the Nigeria Premier League of which the club, in its good olden days, dominated for years with the likes of Rangers International of Enugu and others.
Without mincing words, the situation of the club for now is equivalent to an organisation gasping for breath requiring urgent attention.
Glimmer of hope
However, hopes seem to be on the horison for the club with the coming on board of Engineer Seyi Makinde as governor of the state. Blueprint gathered that the state government which is the sole owner of the club on sensing its fading popularity just recently hosted stakeholders’ meeting in the form of rescue mission for the club. It was gathered that Governor Makinde promised to do the needful by transforming the ailing 3SC into reckoning and ultimately return it to the Nigerian Premier League.
Governor Makinde at the forum attended by 3SC stakeholders including the team’s general manager, Rasheed Balogun, team manager, Dimeji Lawal and supporters’ club chairman, Oluwafemi Olaniyi, said the state government under his leadership is ready to motivate and properly fund the club so that it could achieve the objective of gaining promotion to the premier league.
“Some of the challenges of 3SC are surmountable. I was in this state in the early 80s when Leventis United got promoted from Division 3 to Division 1 and in one season, won the Challenge Cup from Division 3.
“What 3SC means to me is that it is a club that the generations of Makindes have been supporting. I am a die-hard supporter of 3SC.
“3SC would definitely get promoted this season. If it would take a miracle, it won’t be anything new because you have a miracle governor in the state. We have to make it happen and plan for it,” he said.
The governor stressed during the stakeholders forum that, “The state government would do whatever is necessary at the point the club found itself, pick up the pieces and face the future to ensure that the club reclaims its lost glory.” According to him, his administration would properly motivate and fund the club by giving it the required resources.
A task that must be done
He therefore directed the club management to forward a proposal to his office in any area where it needs to fortify as his utmost concern was how the management would work hard to achieve the desired goals.
“If it would take a miracle for the team to gain promotion, then that miracle would happen, because my becoming the governor of Oyo state was also a miracle. What happened during your last match in Asaba, you know when people start saying maybe it was by some uncommon means that we lost the match, then I will tell you that my sitting here is a miracle. So, I say that 3SC would be promoted this season. If it would take a miracle, we would make it happen. We would make changes that can give us the desired result. What is important is that the management and players should do their own bit; we would motivate you and properly fund the club, but to whom much is given, much is expected. We would give you the required resources and attention because of the importance we attach to the club. When 3SC is not doing well, you are not the only one feeling the pains; the generality of our people also feel the pains. We would look for ways and means to make things happen fast within the limit imposed by the governance structure. I have listened to you, and we would take into consideration what you have said,” he said.
Apparently sensing the seriousness in the task towards rescuing 3SC, Governor Makinde said the government would not mix politics with sports administration, but noted that the only thing he cares about is to take the club to where it belongs among other clubs in the country.
He said, “We are not going to mix sports administration with politics. I don’t care where you belong politically; what I care about is that we would make 3SC sit where it belongs in Nigerian football. Nobody should be afraid of their job because of how you came.”
Going by the overwhelming support enjoyed by 3SC in and outside Oyo state, Nigeria, Africa and globally, reviving and bringing it back into the NPL as well as ensuring that the club participates in continental competitions as it was in the good days of IICC would surely be one of the biggest achievements of the Engr Makinde- led administration to sports development especially , football in Nigeria and Africa in general.
3SC for sure urgently needs help and Governor Makinde has offered to do that. It is the prayer that despite all odds, he would have the political will to do the needful at this trying period in the history of 3SC.
