Ikazoboh's Family to Launch Foundation in His Honour
By Ayodeji Fashikun
It will be five years tomorrow when former Sports Minister, Air Commodore Anthony Ikazoboh was slain in his Victoria Island residence. To this end, his family has concluded plans to establish a Foundation in his name to promote the ideals he had always professed while alive.
Disclosing this in an exclusive interview with THISDAYSports, his third son, Cyril Baba Ikazoboh said, "Anthony strongly believes in the youths of Nigeria and YSFON. We are trying to set up Anthony Ikazoboh Foundation which will focus on Nigerian youths in terms of education, sports and socio-political awareness. We hope to launch that on the day which would have been his 60th birthday, 11th October 2004."
According to Baba, "he is fondly remembered for his selflessness. Though a stern disciplinarian, very supportive parent. He made us all to be respectable, you have to maintain the family name. You couldn't do things that would bring shame to the family. It's not just about you but the family.
"He would encourage us to do the right things like attending mass, going to church regularly, prescribing a basic standard in the way we dress, the types of hair-cut we do must be presentable. When he died, we realised how much he is appreciated for his selfless character."
His favourite club is Sheffield United, a division one club but in the Premiership, he is the only Manchester United amongst "everyone in the house, including my dad when he was alive, are all Arsenal fans. In Nigeria, Enyimba of Aba is my pet team.
He also revealed that all the children of the late Sports Minister are into sports. The two older boys were even approached for a professional career in football but Tony (the Minister) would demand they have some education which the scouts could not guarantee. The two older boys are absolutely fantastic. I've watched Premiership football for the last 10 years, I cannot say if there are 100 player better than those two in terms of ability on the ball, pace, hardwork or strength. They're simply amazing.
"With the younger ones, its of variety. I was into rugby, hockey and football. I played to a descent standard. Similar with the last girl. While the first two excelled in football, the last two were in variety of sports but not quite to the same level as the first two."
Asked if any of them are taking after their father's activities, Baba said, "yes, a cousin of ours, Emmanuel Oshone Ikazoboh. He is a licensed football coach in the USA. Were it not for injuries, he would have gone far. The next Ikazoboh to make the same impact like Anthony is him.'
"As for me, I focus on the future of the Nigerian youths. Nigeria is the key concern. The future of Nigeria is not in those ruling or the present generation but in the youths.
"For others, the second boy, he is getting down to reality that he is no more in town for football. He is the Managing Director of the family business where he is more involved now. He would have been more involved in managing footballers."
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