Olajide Fashikun was born in Kaduna on 14 September 1965. He won a gold medal at African Nations Cup, Lagos-Nigeria 1980, gold medal at African Nations Cup, Bauchi 1984; gold medal at NIPOGA 1985 in Kaduna; bronze medal at Nigeria Universities Games Association (NUGA) in 1988 in Calabar; gold medal of NUGA 1998 in Kano.
At the moment, he is the Director General of Nigeria Sports development Fund Initiative (NSDFI). In this interview with aclsports.com, Fashikun tells us how he signed his first professional contract with Zamalek Sporting Club of Egypt.
Aclsports: Who is Jide Fashikun?
Fashikun: My name is Olajide Fashikun; Journallist, lecturer and former multi-sport athlete. I was a mainstream baseball pitcher; in football, I was a first generation El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri player. I moved from the 83/84 season at Zabgai FC of Bauchi to Maiduguri.
I played handball at the professional level. I was also into volleyball. By the side I did athletics. I’m currently the CEO and publisher of www.gongnews.net
Aclsports: How was your active sports life like?
Fashikun: Wow, that’s a very long story but I’ll love to summarise it for you since you asked. But before I signed for a Nigeria club side, I was the youngest player when Nigeria handball team attended the Nations Cup in 1979 in Lagos which we won. I played handball in Nigeria for Niger United of Minna in 1983; this was the beginning of the journey.
Went to ABU Zaria and could not get admission, then, the ABU Zaria Director, Mr Bassasin introduced me to Alhaji Babayo Shehu (former Director of Nigeria Sports Commission) who recruited me and I moved to Bauchi state. I did not only play handball but played for Zabgai Football Club (FC) of Bauchi in 1983/84 season.
During my short stint, I won gold for Nigeria at the 1984 continental championship hosted by Bauchi in handball. At the National Sports festival, I got gold Silver (in handball). I was with the two Ezinwa brothers including Abdullahi Tetengi (who joined us from Niger State) where we won gold for Bauchi in the 4×100 meters too. We got bronze in Volleyball. We lost to Niger in the semi-final but defeated then Gongola to win bronze.
In 1984/85, I moved to El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri (foundation players under Coach Sebastian Broadricks) before leaving Nigeria for Zamalek Sporting Club (SC) of Egypt. In all, I enjoyed every inch of my active days as an athlete.
Aclsports: How did you sign for your first professional contract with Zamalek SC?
Fashikun: I was had the opportunity to get trials with Zamalek Sporting Club (SC) of Egypt in football. When I got there I met an Algerian player who was also in Cairo for the same purpose. In the morning, the director and coaching crew of Zamalek Football Club screened me and the Algerian after seeing us play telling us we were not fit to play for the team;
We accepted our fate but decided to stay till our flight was ready. Zamalek Sporting club had four team sports which includes basketball, football, handball and volleyball; I do all four while the Algerian did three excluding basketball.
In the morning after we failed the football trial, we decided to train with the volleyball team. Both of us begged the crew for almost 1 hour before they let us train with them. The coach put us in the losing team but we succeeded in beating the first team of Zamelak volleyball clubs with some bunch of their third ranked players.
After the training session, the training kits were given to us and that was how I got my first pair of brand new shoes. I was used to second hand canvasses which can only be gotten in Tejuosho market in Lagos.
At the evening, which was the eve of our departure, while we were touring the arena, I and my Algerian friend ran into the Zamalek handball team training ahead of the new season. We approached the trainer and he did not approve our inclusion into the team. This called for another round of begging.
We begged passionately for several hours before we were told to warm up with our clothes. The coach gave us kit and fixed us in the 3rd team (unknown to us). My Algerian friend was a match maker from his country and I was a winger; we clicked and the rest was history. We beat our opponents silly. It was the first team of Zamalek Handball Club. The spectators pleaded for the coach to add 10 more minutes yet we humiliated the first team again.
The coach was impressed and he dashed us the training kits (I got two new canvasses). The coach unknown to me approached the director of Zamalek Sporting Club, Colonel El-Gohary that the team has to sign the Nigerian and Algerian that came for trials but the director said none of us came for such trials.
The coach insisted on getting us into the team because of our spectacular performances during the training; the director was aware the only Nigerian and Algerian in the club were footballers and they failed. The coach was arguing. They all came to the hostel and met us.
Unknown to the Director we were multi-sport athletes. Then, the director bowed to the pressure of the coach and that was how they gave me and the Algerian player our contracts.
We were told to sign before leaving but I insisted that I must take the contract back to Nigeria to agree on the terms and conditions of the contract. They agreed and booked a return ticket for me because the season was about to kick off.
This was how my professional career started with Zamalek Sporting Club of Egypt. I won 2 African club titles in handball. I sustained an injury on 11thDecember, 1988 which sent me out.
Aclsports: What did you do after the injury?
Fashikun: I stopped active sports for sometimes and went through rehabilitation. I decided to further my education by applying at the University of Ilorin, Kwara where I got admission courtesy of Professor Zulu Sofola. She was my god-mother well before I left Nigeria.
I finally returned to handball and captained Team Nigeria handball to the 1991 Africa Games in Cairo before retiring in 1999 after 20 years of dedication. I returned from Cairo to serve in Yola as a first generation of NYSC in the new Adamawa State.
Aclsports: What are you doing now?
Fashikun: I came into journalism in 1983 courtesy of Mr Dapo Olorunyomi with the defunct Nigerian Herald. All the while I was practising the trade by the side. I report national team engagements all those while. I lectured in between. This took me to such newsrooms like Daily Times, The Guardian, The News, ThisDay, National SportsLink, The Herald, Reuters and BBC London. Today, I report for www.gongnews.net an online medium and still lecture by the side.
It’s a pleasure speaking with aclsports.com and I hope you key into our Nigeria Sports development Fund Initiative (NSDFI). We are planning to support 90 Nigeria athletes to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, targeting 10 bronze medals. Our prayers is for Nigeria to be great again
Rest in peace. You have lived an amazing life. May God give your family the strength to bear this loss.