Saturday, April
23, 2016 will remain green in the memory of Nigerian volleyball legend, Dr.
Moyo Kasim. It was a special day. He flew his family from Atlanta to
Pennsylvania. He had to. It was a day the iconic volleyball great was inducted
into the prestigious Volleyball Hall of Fame in the United State of America.
Dr. Moyo
Kasim (centre) with wife Rolake, daughter Tomisin, niece Courtney, Dr Wane
Stalick, his coach on the left during his induction into Volleyball Hall of
Fame in Pennsylvania, USA, April 23, 2016. On the right is Roy Shayka,
President of Induction Committee who used to be Moyo’s assistant coach, Wasiu
Ojulapo, his wife Wunmi and Moyo’s daughter Tobi Kasim, who started playing
volleyball for Nigeria at 18 and played for about 20 years, winning national,
continental and international laurels is the first African to be inducted into
the Volleyball Hall of Fame, a remarkable storyline for the son of the late
Oluepe of Epe, Oba M. D. Kasim.
Recalling the events that climaxed with his
induction last month at the Penn State University, Pennsylvania, Dr. Kasim, who
is currently the Provost of the Lagos State College of Health Technology said
“that day would remain indelible in my life because the hall was filled to the
brim, with volleyball greats and bidding stars all in attendance, making for a
great show that saw my induction into the Volleyball Hall of Fame”.
Speaking on
the moment he was called out for the induction, Dr. Kasim said “at that moment,
I remembered my parents, I remembered my family, my wife and children, who were
there at the occasion and I wished my parents were still alive to see this
epochal day. “I say this because without God first and them, I would not have
achieved what I achieved all these years and for me to be so recognised after
all these years goes to illustrate the immense roles they played in shaping me
into what I have become and these accolades from the international community
and Lagos State government
“For me to be so recognised and honoured after so
many years of quitting the game is so gratifying and I can’t be more thankful to those who shaped
me into what I am and to God for his
mercy and love”, he added. Dr. Kasim, who was featured many years ago in the
umber sports magazine in the world, Sports Illustrated, with comparisons being
made to then basketball stars like Magic Johnson and Abbu Jamal, with his
induction, joins an elite group of 13 in the all-time volleyball hall of fame,
a feat which evokes rich memories in the Epe born native.
“I’m the only
Nigerian and only African to be inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fames till
today. Three of us were inducted on that day and I felt proud to be a Nigerian
and a native of Lagos State.
“I represented Nigeria for about 20 years and even
in the USA, I was known and celebrated. Its a great honour for myself and my
family and the credit goes to my late parents, especially by late father, the
Oluepe of Epe, Oba M.D. Kasim, my coaches, Suraju Olajide, popularly called
Coach Mansu, my college coach, Dr. Wayne Stalick, who was my trainer in the USA
and the Lagos State government, who gave me the platform to showcase my
volleyball talents”. In the Sports Illustrated issue of May 13, 1985, the
writer wrote that “Kasim came to visit his uncle in the U.S. in 1982 and
decided to stay after watching Akeem Olajuwon, with whom he had played on the
Lagos state basketball team, on TV.
“When I tell people that this guy is my
best friend at home, they say, ‘Come on, get out of here’’’, Kasim says with a
laugh.
And 35 years on, Dr. Kasim is having a big laugh now with his induction
into the volleyball of fame.
“It ‘is quite astonishing and remarkable how
things have turned to favour me that from nowhere, I am now somewhere and back
at home, contributing something great to my people in Lagos State. I am just
grateful to God for this remarkable story and how well he has blessed me and my
plan is to continue giving back to the society, whether in the health sector or
sports beat”, Dr. Kasim told Sports
Vanguard.
Surely, sports runs in the family of Kasim. His wife is Rolake
Olagbegi now Kasim, the tennis sensation that dazzled on Nigerian courts before
she jetted to the USA to study and also play tennis. She played briefly on the
circuit and still coaches till date.
At the National Sports Festival in Lagos,
Delta State hired her for the games and out of five gold medals Delta won 3 and
pocketed two silver and two bronze medals. Their domination in the sport
attracted good comments from then governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. 3 0 1 0
0 comments:
Post a Comment