This headline reminds me of David Rubadiri’s poem, ‘Stanley Meets Mutesa’. Difference is that while the British explorer met King Mutesa of Uganda in life, Stanley Okoronkwo and Harrison Mecha, two former Rangers Stars, will now meet in death.
Mecha and Okoronkwo were around until they departed recently. The Flying Antelopes witnessed the same scenario ten years ago when the duo of Ernest Ufele and Luke Okpala, died around the same time in 2014. Okpala and Ufele hailed from Anambra State just like Mecha and Okoronkwo were Abians.
I am pained because I was trying to get in touch with Stainless Stanley and Mecha Okpukpu for readers’ delight. Their story would have enriched my library. I never knew death was lurking around, for their tale to be told after life.
Mecha was known to me in Owerri as a coach with the Imo Sports Council, after leading the state soccer team, Trojans, to gold at the Kaduna 1977 Second National Sports Festival. He moved from one school in Owerri to the other, trying to monitor students.
Using his white Peugeot 404 car, he would drive into my Government Secondary School, Owerri barking orders. We did not like that because as students, we felt he had no control over us. Probably, Mecha’s time in the Biafra Army was working.
Okoronkwo was popular in the school because his younger brother, Victor, was one of us. The younger Okoronkwo was also a good footballer but somehow could not make the OGSSIAN Eleven. Anyway, at that time, soccer glory had left us.
Mecha entered 1975 shining for Enugu Rangers, a team he joined in 1971 from the East Central State (ECS) civil service. He was a good replacement for John ‘Wheeler’ Nwosu, one of those who won the National League’s Amachree Cup earlier in the year.
I am not so sure of Mecha’s first Green Eagles cap. However, he played in the 1-0 defeat of the Indomitable Lions in a 1975 friendly at Sportscity. The Nigerian team comprised Emma Okala, Musa, Mecha, Nat Adewale, Christian Chukwu, Idowu Otubusin, Philip Boamah, Kenneth Olayombo, Muda Lawal, John Nwadioha and Haruna Ilerika. Mike Okotie, Jossy Dombraye and Yakubu Mambo were substitutes.
Their Cameroonian opponents paraded Roger Milla, Doumbe Leah, Arantes Mbida, Eugene Ekoule, keeper Mballa, Machongo, Tsebo, Ayisi, Bahoken, Djombi, Ama and Emana.
Mecha was outstanding for Rangers when they defeated Bundesliga side, Borussia Monchengladbach, 3-1 in another Lagos friendly. The Germans, playing with some 1974 World Cup winners, saw red on a day the hosts wore all red. In one instance, Okala was beaten but Mecha stopped the ball from crossing the line.
Okoronkwo, like Mecha, was in the Rangers team that lost to Hafia in the final of the 1975 CAF Champions League. The former was lucky in 1977. They won the African Winners Cup. The latter had quit the field after suffering injury before the game with Hafia in which he was Team Manager.
Zambians will not forget Okoronkwo, who was also nicknamed, ‘Englishman’, by legendary commentator, Ernest Okonkwo. In the quarter finals of the 1975 CAF Champions League, Green Buffaloes were running away with a 2-1 lead at home in the first leg before Stanley struck. It ended 2-2. Rangers advanced to the semis after winning 2-1 in Lagos.
A year later, in the same competition and again in the quarter finals, Okoronkwo scored again, against Green Buffaloes who were beaten 3-0 in Lagos. Emma Merenini assisted Johnny Egbuonu to score the first goal. Chimezie Ngadi, made it three.
Rangers had lost 3-1 in Zambia but qualified 4-3 aggregate. Remarkably, Coach Dan Anyiam introduced two green horns against the Green Buffaloes. Nnamdi Anyafo came in for Paulinus Ezike in the first leg, Merenini played in the second leg.
Mecha’s injury caused Rangers to fly him to Germany for medical attention. Emeka Onyedika also received the same treatment. There, he attended a coaching course but continued to play when Imo State was carved out of East Central in 1976.
At Kaduna ’77, Imo Trojans, captained by Mecha defeated Rivers State 2-1, trounced Borno 4-0, hit Lagos 1-0 before downing Plateau 1-0 in the semi finals. Felix Owolabi’s Kaduna lost 2-1 to end up with the silver medal.
Trojans consisted of Ahamefula Umelo, Tony Ukeachu, Peter Erege, Okey Nwaiwu, Eugene Ohuabunwa, Amadi Nwokocha, Kelechi Emeteole, George Okoro, Sidney Ugorji, Kevin Onwana, Goddy Agbarakwe, Leo Nkwocha, Peter Mgbachi, Ike Madukairo, Alphonsus Dike, Dom Abua, Boniface Uzo, Jude Dimegwu and ThankGod Ozurumba.
Okoronkwo was a Jos Boy, like Chukwuma Igweonu, Nwabueze Nwankwo, Kenneth Abana, Ogidi Ibeabuchi, Godwin Ogbueze, and Sam Onyeaka. He attended St.. Paul’s Primary School before the Civil War forced his parents back to the Eastern Region. After the crisis, Stanley returned to Jos, to join Highlanders. The player went South again, to play for Vasco Da Gama, then Rangers.
Mecha was Team Manager of Diamond Football Academy, Umuahia, the background of Samuel Chukwueze. His home in Bende, leads to Okoronkwo’s Arochukwu villa.
