Interview: Few in Benue state today remember Hawks FC, the defuct football club which, in the 1980s pioneered professional football in Benue State. In this interview, elder statesman and one of the brains behind the formation of Hawks (now Lobi Stars) FC of Makurdi, Mr Cletus Finbarr, says Lobi Stars should be respected and appreciate. Finbarr also spoke on other issues. Excerpts: The Mandate Sports: How long have you been involved in sports? Finbarr: Starting from elementary school at St Mary’s Primary School, North Bank Makurdi, where I represented my school in football, up to secondary school level at the Benue Provincial Secondary School (now Government College Katsina - Ala), where I also represented the school in hockey, lawn tennis and squash. I didn’t go far in sports but I played hockey for Nigeria and during that time, we were invited to the national camp and later asked to leave until there was a competition for us to be invited to participate in. The Mandate Sports: Did your parents support your involvement in sports? Finbarr: My parents did not have any objection to my involvement in sports because then, our parents took it that we were only children exercising ourselves. We were free to go out and play games. Right from primary school, I had time for myself to play games but unfortunately, I didn’t go far because of a knee injury I sustained during a football match against WM Bristow Secondary School Gboko in 1966 in Katsina-Ala. I was admitted at the NKST Mkar Christian Hospital. That was how I called it quits with active sports. The Mandate Sports: If it were not for the knee injury, would you have continued active participation in sports? Finbarr: Of course I would have loved to. Even with the injury, I continued playing and representing Benue Plateau State in hockey and that was how I was offered employment with the Benue Plateau State Government. The Mandate Sports: How did that happen? Finbarr: After the retirement of the then Kaduna State born Coach Dunley, we were interviewed and eventually, I was hired and I took over as the Benue Plateau State Hockey Coach, until I was deployed to Benue State after its creation in 1976. In 1977, I went to India for a Coaching course in Hockey. Upon return, I was made the Head of Coaching and Training (HCT) at the Benue State Sports Council Makurdi (BSSC), saddled with the responsibility to reorganise all the sports. That was how I came up with the Idea of Hawks FC of Makurdi. The Mandate Sports: Can you recall some early players you started the team with? Finbarr: We started the team with players like the late Terfa Kpakor, late Tom Ichull, (goalkeeper), late Andrew Agu, late Dantanimu Alakoro, late Ambrose Jov, Herbert Jov, Andrew Iornongu and others I can’t recall now. We recruited them and formed the team which we named Hawks FC of Makurdi, operating under the management of the Benue State Sports Council, and I was Team Manager. The Mandate Sports: Why the name Hawks? Finbarr: I was expecting this question from you. In fact, our intention was to put together a team that would go beyond the skies and for that reason, we started thinking of a strong bird that can soar and fly higher and higher in the sky. That was how we arrived at Hawks FC, which officially started in 1980. The Mandate Sports: Which of the teams in the state would you recall were playing competitively with Hawks FC at that time? Finbarr: We had the Green Seeds FC of Makurdi, Sir Akpoo System FC and Kwande United FC both of Adikpo, P&T Rovers, Gwagwada Lions FC both of Makurdi, Juladaco Bees FC of Gboko, Hippos FC also of Makurdi (Nigerian Army team) etc. All of us played in the state league. Hawks FC won the state league and went ahead to play in the national preliminaries in Kano, where it qualified for the National Division 3 league. We rose gradually to play in the national Division 1 league (now NPFL) and the first Coach to handle Hawks FC was also a BSSC Coach and player, Christopher Aloo. The Mandate Sports: When did you finally leave Lobi FC and why? Finbarr: I left when the management of Lobi Bank decided it could no longer support the team. That was when the government took full responsibility for the team and changed its name to Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi. Even after I left, my unwavering support for it never dropped because the club is my “Baby” and I will always support it. The Mandate Sports: During your time with the c.ub,, did you have the opportunity of playing at continental level? Finbarr: Yes, we did play in the WAFU Cup competition and also in the Champions League. Some of the things that made the club successful were that, every player who deserved a shirt got it irrespective of whether anyone had any bias against him or not. We made sure that the players got what was due to them and they also carried out their responsibilities effectively.

Posted: 1month ago

Author: Editor in Chief

Current date: 14 August 2026