The marvels of our world may be limited, yet listing Clement Okwufulueze as one such wonder wouldn’t be misplaced. Known as "Piccolo," this young athletic prodigy became a remarkable figure in Nigeria’s scholastic sporting scene during the late '60s and early '70s. Those who missed witnessing him perform might find these initial statements overly dramatic; however, seeing him play meant watching someone so radiant they outshone countless stars, truly transforming every match. Whether playing for Anglican Grammar School, Ubulu-Uku, Federal Government College, Ughelli, or clubs like Bendel Academicals and the renowned 1971 Nigerian Academicals alongside teammates including Adinkwe, Ilodigwe, Dominic Ezeani, and Godwin Ogbueze—his contributions uplifted the spirits of many Nigerians. An insightful broadcaster once dubbed them both—the indomitable duo of Ezeani and Okwufulueze—as the two ‘Ezes’ (a title translating to kings), embodying excellence within their generation's football landscape.

Okufulueze with wife, Chika Okufulueze with a prize his son achieved.

Still, Clement Okwufulueze's skill on the football field was only one aspect, albeit significant, of his overall narrative. For a comprehensive understanding, let us zoom out to the 1969 Aniocha Division amateur athletics meet within the Mid-West State. This event took place at Pilgrim Baptist Grammar School in Issele-Uku. At this time, Okwufulueze’s institution, Anglican Grammar School from Ubulu-Uku, did not have an athlete participating in the 100-yard (currently equivalent to 110 meters) hurdle race. Consequently, their primary competitors, St. Anthony's College also based in Ubulu-Uku—owing to fierce inter-school rivalries typical among prominent educational institutions located close together—were celebrating having yet another opportunity to score points over their adversaries.

Driven solely by an unyielding spirit and exceptional versatility in sports, Okwufulueze chose to participate in the hurdles sprint event. Despite having never competed in a hurdle race previously, this didn’t deter him from joining. When the starter’s whistle blew, Okwufulueze launched himself from the start line, gliding effortlessly and gracefully over each hurdle with finesse, crossing the finish line as the victor.

In 1969, things were looking promising for Okwufulueze across the whole Mid-West State; however, his school was eliminated during the quarterfinals of the Giwa-Osagie football tournament. Their nearby rivals and neighbors from St. Anthony’s College, Ubulu-Uku, managed to lift some spirits despite this setback. The memorable game saw Okwufulueze’s school competing fiercely against Edo College in Benin City. A series of disputes over incorrect calls marred the event, leading to an intervention by Colonel Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, who was present as one of the spectators at the Ogbe Stadium. He suggested they reschedule the rematch for the upcoming Saturday. During the second encounter, controversy struck again when Edo College secured victory via a contentious penalty kick, subsequently facing St. Anthony’s College after defeating Immaculate Conception College (ICC), where Josiah Dombraye was part of the lineup. If only Ubulu Grammar School had triumphed in that contest, both local teams hailing from Ubulu-Uku would have advanced to play each other in the semifinals.

The conflict known as the Adesua War erupted again, this time pitting Benin City against Ubulu-Uku. It was also referred to by some as the Nigeria-Biafra war due to the concurrent Nigerian Civil War. During the closing moments of that intense game, Edo College was granted a contentious penalty kick—similar to what had happened in an earlier encounter with another Ubulu-Uku institution. While several members of St. Anthony's began protesting, their goalie, Raphael Uwechie (nicknamed Somersaulting Bastic), confidently declared that not only would they prevent Edo College from scoring off that penalty, but doing so could very well be his final act before retirement. When the moment arrived for the execution of the penalty, I spoke about the result with Ambassador Maurice Offor—a former senior prefect at St. Anthony’s who has since left diplomatic service—and he recounted, "Somersaulting Bastic cradled the ball gently, much like holding a child; shortly thereafter, the referee sounded the final whistle." In the 1969 championship match, St. Anthony’s faced off against Notre Dame College, Ozoro, ultimately triumphing 2-1. They brought the trophy back to Ubulu-Uku amidst widespread jubilation across the entirety of the Anioma region.

Let us revisit Okwufulueze. In 1969, there was considerable upheaval among the sporting officials of the Mid-West region, particularly within various sports commissions. Okwufulueze had received an invitation to join the Mid-West Academicals Camp, known then as the Bendel Academicals, when they were part of the senior squad for the 1973 National Sports Festival under the title Bendel United. The term "Bendel" originated from the initial parts of the names of the two provinces—Benin and Delta—that constituted this state; it was commonly employed in athletic circles well before the formal establishment of the state named Bendel (though others persistently refer to it as Up Bendel).

What sparked the disturbance? It turned out that Okwufulueze, the football player, had received invitations to participate in various camps—as a sprinter, a hurdler, for javelin throw, discus throw, shot put—basically anything you could think of. The decision rested solely with Okwufulueze regarding which track or field event camp he should join, so long as it didn’t interfere with his favorite sport: soccer.

In 1971, Okwufulueze was studying for his Advanced Level exams at Ughelli when he received an invite to join Nigeria’s National Team training camp. As exam time approached, he found himself torn between pursuing this opportunity or focusing on his studies... until the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, dispatched a military helicopter from Ughelli specifically to transport Okwufulueze—known as "Piccolo," the maestro of football—to the camp; after all, the squad couldn’t function fully without him. Following this summons, Okwufulueze answered the nation's plea and inscribed his legacy deeply within Nigerian soccer lore.

Born in Calabar, Okwufulueze hails from the Umeneze quarter of Ogwashi-Uku town, which falls within the Aniocha-South Local Government Area of Delta State. The same town also produced notable footballers such as Victor Odua and Jay-Jay Okocha, who were part of Nigeria's Green Eagles team and led Africa in 1973. Throughout his encounters with St. Anthony's College Ubulu-Uku and ICC Benin at Mid-West Line during those times, Okwufululuezewas often up against Raph Uwechie, known locally as Bastic—a talented goalkeeper who later became an aircraft pilot in the United States. These two hailed from the same hometown, adding a layer of personal rivalry to their matches. Friendship indeed can come in many forms!

As a high school student in Ughelli, Okwufulueze had already gained experience in national Challenge Cup tournaments with Warri Wolves, which eventually transformed into Edewor FC and Esselomo Diamonds/Ndoro Islanders Football Clubs. After obtaining his Higher School Certificate, he along with his friend Adinkwe, signed up with the Nigeria Airways Football Club in Lagos. In either 1974 or '75, Nigeria Airways defeated several prominent teams from Lagos to become state champions in the Oba’s Cup; their decisive game took place on a Saturday. This victory marked one of the greatest achievements for the club, yet Okwufulueze did not stay long enough to join in the celebrations. By Sunday evening, he left for the United States of America.

Despite interviewing Okwufuleze for around an hour, this unassuming bundle of skills remained always courteous and modest, refraining from speaking ill of others. However, Mr. Nkem Osu, who introduced us and whom I’ll discuss shortly due to his upcoming 70th birthday, shared with me that Piccolo once participated in a game despite having an eye injury. The club officials showed little concern over his well-being but prioritized securing victory in the cup—meaning Okwufulueze, regardless of his condition, needed to play. This decision led Okwufulueze to prioritize his studies instead. His absence left Nigerians pondering the fate of their idol, Okwufulueze, also known as King Piccolo of football. To this day, during moments of nostalgia, many people fondly recall singing "Teach them soccer, Piccolo, oh yes, teach them soccer." When Okwufulueze and Cogbueze joined forces within the 1971 Nigerian Academics team, their performances truly ignited the local sports arena.

Upon arriving in the United States, Okwufueleze pursued higher education instead of responding to multiple invitations from colleges to join their soccer teams. Focusing solely on academics, he eventually left Boeing, where he had worked as a quality control specialist—much like he did during his time playing football in Nigeria. Consistent with the adage "like father like son," one of his offspring receives continual attention from American sporting organizations throughout the year due to excelling in sprinting, soccer, American football, among others. However, finding someone else quite like Okwufueleze might prove challenging since he began representing the Anglican Grammar School, Ubulu-Uku’s first team while still in Class One. Consequently, he led both his school and the Mid-West Academicals for nearly half a decade each.

He stood out as extraordinary, which is why he continues to be remembered as one of the most illustrious figures in Nigerian scholastic athletics.

Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).