‘Balu n Balu n tafin, Zamalek o riran osan o, Balu n Balu n tafin o ee!
(An albino does not dare the sun, they barely see. Zamalek will never survive the scorching sun)
This song will continue to re-echo in the hearts of football lovers who witnessed the build up to the Confederation of African Football Champions League final at the National Stadium in 1984. Baba Eleran and his gang of supporters for Shooting Stars of Ibadan, reminisced of Muhammad Ali’s bragadoccio promotions against his opponents, had gone on national television to brag about the final against Zamalek of Egypt as a walk- over for the home team -Shooting Stars. Unfortunately, Shooting Stars lost by a lone goal scored by Ogbein Fawole when he tried to head backwards to Raymond King, but mistakenly headed into his own net. Voodoo never worked. Zamalek became the Champions in Lagos.

Everywhere Baba Eleran went with his chant, the fans followed with various applause and choruses. Wherever, his acolytes sat, many people believed there’s power of voodoo on demonstration.

Ademola Bamgbelu, ace Nigerian sport photojournalist has been following football matches and cultures attached to the beautiful game since the early 1980s. Origa as he’s fondly called by friends and associates, saw many of those beautiful football encounters from historical stadiums in the ancient city of Ibadan such as Olubadan Stadium, Liberty Stadium now renamed Obafemi Awolowo Stadium and Adamasingba Stadium. These stadiums are religion to the people of Ibadan, just like their glorious football clubs such as Water Corporation, Leventis United and the evergreen Shooting Stars football club now known as 3SC Ibadan.

Who will ever want to associate with voodoo or voodooism? It’s a mystical and mysterious culture of the people. True or false, voodooism found itself into world football and still remains part of the round leather game.

Ademola Bamgbelu was born in the ancient city of Ibadan and had his elementary and secondary schooling in the city. African Church Grammar School was nurturing Origa into a mercurial midfielder, as he had started playing for the school team while still in his sophomore years. Just like any Nigerian child, he wanted to follow his passion, becoming a professional footballer but that dream never materialized. Ademola’s passion was cut short by a protracted injury he sustained on the football pitch.

He soldiered on by switching into journalism and with swift career change, Origa became one of the most dependable football photographers in Nigeria. Games after games, matches after matches were captured by his beautiful lenses and creative positioning. Origa did more than everyone. Yet he nursed his injury for years to heal.

What would make a photojournalist to become engrossed in voodooism. While most journalists rely on the soft end of journalism to release their reports, Ademola Bamgbelu instead of using the elevators to the top, rather, prefered to walk the staircase. Who cares if there are voodoo in football. But Origa’s newest body of work ‘Metaphysics’ proves there may be what we don’t know about. Voodooism! And the reason the photographer launched his body of research ‘Metaphysics’

Baba Eleran is a character synonymous to revered football clubside in Ibadan, 3SC, a football club known for its many football conquests all over Africa with celebrated players passing through the club to stardom. Shooting Stars is a name on every Ibadan indigene or resident lips. And Baba Eleran led the Supporters Club for years. The club is a religion to the local people. And they worship their players who are always their idols. Conquest upon conquest, Origa followed Shooting or Up Sooting, since an average Ibadanese could barely pronounce the ‘h’ in the alphabet. Words are not always enough, it’s always the more you look, the less you see, as football matches are going on and vociferous fans keep conjuring a lot of magical feats to score vital points needed to win matches.

‘Balu n Balu n tafin, Zamalek o riran osan o, Balu n Balu n tafin o eee! This song will continue to re-echo in the hearts of football lovers who witnessed the build up to the Confederation of African Football Champions League final at the National Stadium in 1984. Baba Eleran and his gang of supporters for Shooting Stars of Ibadan, reminisced of Muhammad Ali’s bragadoccio promotions against his opponents, had gone on national television to brag about the final against Zamalek of Egypt as a walk- over for the home team -Shooting Stars. Unfortunately, Shooting Stars lost by a lone goal scored by Ogbein Fawole when he tried to head backwards to Raymond King, but mistakenly headed into his own net. Voodoo never worked. Zamalek became the Champions in Lagos.

Nigeria’s most potent striker, the late Rashidi Yekini, kept hitting the goal post in a 1994 semi final encounter between Super Eagles of Nigeria and Elephants of Ivory Coast. At the post match interview, the striker claimed there was voodooism at work. Potent as he was, Yekini thought there were spiritual undertones to what befell his scoring prowess.

Coach Kashimowo Laloko, one of the Super Eagles backroom staff at Nations Cup finals in Lagos ran into the pitch at half time to fish out a mysterious substance planted at the goal post of Nigeria’s opponent, The Teranga Lions of Senegal with scores at One-nil in favor of the Senegalese. Nigeria eventually won the match in a sublime fashion. Later,the team technical director confessed the power of voodoo was working against Nigeria and he had to salvage the situation. When Julius Aghahowa scored twice against Senegal, the home crowd went berserk in celebration.

From songs, prayers and chants, football in Africa revels in voodooism. Ademola Bamgbelu, vividly, captured the stories in his on photography exhibition in Ibadan and a lot of patrons could relate with the pictures and bewildered cultures exhibited due to reverence in voodooism.
The exhibition ‘Metaphysics’ is a month long one and there have been rave reviews and headlines commending the exhibiting photographer for a feat only meant to be achieved by the lion – hearts.

Metaphysics -Understanding the gods of soccer runs from April 15th till May

Words/Ireho Aito /Photographs /Bamgbelu Ademola gallery