EYA BASSEY AWINDO-: A sports icon and colossus who ruled the tracks and field of the old South Eastern state and later cross river state of Nigeria .
He competed and won every sport he chose to take part in.
Nobody threw the javelin like him, no one came close in pole vault, no relay race runner whether in the 4× 100 or 4× 400 metres race wanted to be pitched against Eya Bassey Awindo He had moved from the West African peoples institute (WAPI) to the world famous Saint Patrick’s College Ikot-Ansa Calabar.
He joined the defunct Nigeria Telecommunications company (Nitel) and became the most celebrated sportsman in the 1970s and was active throughout the 1980s .
He was and remains one of the most versatile sports personality I ever came across in my life, and I have seen quite a number, as a former athlete, Hockey player, Handball player, basketballer, a sports management specialist and broadcast journalist, you needed to see him move from one venue to the other to catch up with his events and he would definitely get a podium finish. I recall the state Athletics finals at the police ground Otop Abasi , in 1976, our games master, another iconic pers, Reverend father Cocran an Irish priest and astute sports administrator and coach wanted to beef up our 4×100 metres relay , called Eya Bassey Awindo, to join Emmanuel Asuquo, Sylvester Etuk and Ekpo Eyo a k a Donando. We all wondered what Father Cocran was up to, not much training, just a brief baton exchange drill and the Spaco team was ready to take on the boys from Holy family Abak, St Vincent Oron, Mary knoll Ogoja, Hope Wadle Training Institution Calabar amongst other top schools at the time, the starter of the race was a chief supretendent of police whom we called uncle Mike. And boom the gun went, Eya Bassey Awindo started the race, gave the baton to Emmanuel Asuquo, in second leg, Donando took third leg curving like a powerbiker and handed the baton to Sylvester Etuk who always looked like a girl, but was as fast as a cheetah , the rest was history, we won the race due to a perfect start by Eya Bassey Awindo. Another was the New York chapter trophy final in 1976, between the great saint Patrick’s College Ikot-Ansa Calabar and saint Vincent Oron. The boys from Oron were a bit stubborn, presenting a hard to crack defence. After several attempts at goal, Eya Bassey Awindo took on the entire defence from the right side of the field and scored the first goal and Spaco triumphed, winning the New York chapter trophy, in the month of February 1976 the same week Nigerias head of State General Murtala Mohammed was assassinated. He wore Jersey number “7”
At Saint Patrick’s College Ikot-Ansa Calabar, he was also known as “Eyen Ette Ba.” he lived in Saint Thomas Aquinas’ house .
If professional football is what it is today, Eya Bassey Awindo would have been one of the most prized assets of the game. He was simply mercurial.
A humble and unassuming personality, a huge and ageless talent.
How I wish it was possible for us to bring him back and give him his due honour for the inspirational role he played in the lives of many, as his journey to his maker starts tomorrow. I will say that God Almighty will give him honour and the awards we couldn’t give to him , God bless and keep his family as his soul rests in God’s kingdom in glory and power. Eyen Ette Ba, goodnight.
Effiong Nyong
