Let Us Bere Football Team
Look at these photos I shot with my good old point and shoot Canon camera
One of the most gentle persons I know. He's all settled in the US now.
Why not? Sport psychologists have something to say about that.
Yinka (left) with Alhaji, popularly called Flying Winger. Flying winger is so fast that he sometimes outruns the ball. Yinka is now a professor of Mathematics at OAU and is a former Deputy Dean of Student affairs.
Unlimited substitutions, oh my, but our matches were fun!
Our pre- and post-match training sessions were some of my favorite parts of our day. We'll just relax in the changing area and tell each other jokes.
As you can see, he's a bundle of mischiefs
Prof Babalola was the Dean of Student Affairs (DSA). A very skillful winger. He was simply good with the ball. Sometimes, I wonder how good he must have been when he was younger. He was the grand old man of the ball.
I can no longer remember the scores, the only thing I remember was that we won. That's all
Preparing for some practice sessions. Adula is in the front, while Yinka is in the background. That BMW 535 on the right was mine; I had a wonderful time driving that beast.
Oga Mikey moves the ball so gently that you'd think he was moving an egg. Later, he became the university's Director of Part-Time Studies, where he accomplished several milestones. Yinka was his assistant.. They worked well together, just like they did in Let us Bere.
Go get them: Getting ready to slaughter another team ha ha
Kekere was small-statured. That's why we gave him the nickname kekere. Kekere translates to "little" in Yoruba. Nimble, skillful and wily. Kekere was a bundle of talent.
Yinka, Adula and Chris
There's a good reason why people call him Flying Winger. He would run so quickly that he would occasionally leave the ball behind. He's now the Director of Sports at the Fountain University, Osogbo
If you're wondering why I'm not in any of the pictures, here's why. well. Isn't it true that a cameraman doesn't show up in the photos he takes?
A short history of the Let Us Bere Staff Football Team of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Back in those days, when there was no Internet, chatting meant talking to someone face-to-face, surfing meant riding the waves, and TikTok was the sound a clock makes. We had time for each other! And because we had time to play with, we chose to play football together. That’s how we formed our team. It was never something we did on purpose (I got all this second hand, because I joined much later after it was formed).
A word about the name, “Let us Bere“. A lot of people make jokes about the name. It comes from the Yoruba word “bere,” which means “start.” So, “let us bere” means “let’s start” in English.
We were the team! We had both staff and student members in the team. We had our practice sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We’d get together and talk and make jokes while changing. Then, weather permitting, we’ll go onto the pitch and practice for an hour to two hours. Then we’ll return to our cars, change, and take some refreshments, which the staff members would provide in turn.
We would also organize matches with ad hoc teams from other institutions. My most memorable match was with the ECOWAS team in Abuja. That was an adventure! To top it all off, I believe we won.
Short, Sweet, and Sharp:
Who are we? Staffs and students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Nigeria.
When did it start? Sometimes in the 80’s.
How did it start? We all love playing football, so we got together and did it!
Why? Just to enjoy ourselves. “Allow me to flex” syndrome
Where? Main soccer pitch of the university
Time: 1750 – 1900 hrs., twice weekly