BY SAB OSUJI

Twenty-three years after calling time on his illustrious career, Ndubuisi Opara has recalled with gleeful nostalgia, how he scored 18 goals with head in a single season.

"That was when I was playing for Eagle Cement (later Dolphins and now Rivers Utd) FC, Port Harcourt", Opara tried to narrate with excitement.

"That season, I scored a total of 28 goals and out of the number, 18 came off my heads".

The 5ft 7' forward would attribute that feat to his pace and technique despite somehow height disadvantage.

"In my Primary and Secondary School days, I used to be a high jumper", Opara, who is called 'Warrior' recalled.

"I still use that jumping skill to my advantage while playing football.

"Besides, I've pace. I'm 5ft 7' but before taller defenders could jump, I'm already up there and they can only reach my shoulders while I already have the ball knocked with my head".

Opara's career started at defunct Elemats Strikers FC, Ubomiri before he was snapped by then Premier Breweries FC, Onitsha.

At Premier Breweries FC, then coached by David Adiele MON, the best of Opara began to manifest.

He became a house hold name, a 'bomber', both with his legs and head, so much so that fans tagged him as a 'Warrior'.

"The nickname 'Warrior' was given to me by Anambra fans when I was playing for Premier Breweries", he explained.

"At that time, because of the way I play, the way I constitute a terror for defenders, and my knack for goals, they called me 'Walior', given their dialect.

"When I moved to Calabar Rovers, those who knew me back in my days at Premier Breweries called me 'Warrior' and that name came to stick till today".

He also spoke to Exclusivenews.com.ng about his headband.

"That was my 'trade mark", Opara quipped. "It made people recognise me anywhere I go. Each time I appear on the sidelines with my headband, you hear fans screaming 'Warrior, Warrior, Warrior.

"So, the headband was my trademark, it was an identity kind of".

Opara would go on to play for Iwuanyanwu Nationale and had a feel of top European football with a move to Montpellier of France. He also featured in the South African Premier Soccer League, PSL, befallen time on his career in 2000.

Still smarting Athletic pose, Warrior revealed that reason for his youthful look was that he decided to 'make hay while the sun shines'.

"First I retired early. I didn't wait for injury to force me out. Again, during my playing days, I never used pain killers anytime I picked an injury.

"I always allowed my injuries to heal normally, perhaps with the aid of natural herbs. I knew back then that once you apply pain killers, anytime you ain't using it again, that's when you must have retired, one form of partial deformity or the other would set in".

Since his retirement from active football, there hasn't been any dull moment in Warriors life.

"I'm a business man. I deal in sportswear which I supply to clubs, both NPFL and NNL clubs. 

"I also have a hotel and a guest house and camps here in Owerri which give me my daily bread. Besides, I've a business concern in South Africa which also fetches me income.

"I tried to plan for the future while I was still playing. I'm from a modest family, not rich, not poor. And I'm striving to keep life going.

"Presently, I'm the Chairman of Imo YSFON, I'm the YSFON South East Vice President and member Imo State Football Association where I head the Technical Department amongst other responsibilities".

One of Opara's pet projects, he revealed, is the Mock Nations Tournament which he organises annually.

"It's in its 14th edition now as the 2023 edition kicked off on October 27", he narrated with joy.

"12 teams are taking part and the winner goes home with N400, 000. Its the biggest tournament here in the state with all teams receding fully branded jerseys.

"I don't see any tournament with such reward of huge N400, 000 and jerseys for all the teams anywhere in the state.

"Yes, we're coping well because right from the onset, we had sponsors, Cowbel. When they left after the initial four years, other sponsors came in. Its all about integrity. Once you're honest, straight forward, sponsors would come.

"We don't exceed 12 teams for the tournament. Its purely on the principle of 'first come, first sered' and there has been competition to participate, but we don't bend on our integrity, principle and policy", Opara stressed.