Heroic Reception Awaits Herbie Hide
MOHAMMED SALISU
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TODAY NEWSPAPER: JULY 23-29, 1997
HERBIE HIDE, NIGERIAN BORN WORLD HEAVY WEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION (WBO) RETURNS
HOME ... HEROIC RECEPTIONS AWAIT HIM
SAVOURING the comfort and security of his posh home that perches on a 15
acre lush property in Norwich, United Kingdom, the 25 year-old new world
heavyweight champion in the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) category, has
everything going for him.
For having pounded his American challenger, Tony Tucker, to defeat in the
second round of their contest to win the vacant WBO title, one month ago,
Herbie Hide has the world at his feet.
At it seems, Herbie Hide has everything to look forward to. This early in
his life, he has made it, as the saying goes. For, even at the age of 22
plus, he had come into the world boxing limelight. In March 1994, he won
the WBO heavyweight title when he knocked out Michael Ben. He was, however,
to forego it to Riddick Bowe.
However, this life of obvious bright future which lies expensively before
the yojng prize-fighter does not seem to be fully complete for the
champion. For him, therefore, there is something else that would serve as a
fitting icing on the cake of his run-away success. That important and
missing item is to be received and honoured at HOME - at his real home,
distinct from Britain under whose flag and with which passport he has
clocked up his successes.
Herbie Hide's burning desire has been to come "home" to his land of birth -
Nigeria, the home of 105 million happy and ebulient black people. That's
right. Nigeria, for Herbie Hide is full-blooded and undiluted Nigerian. His
story:
Herbert Herbie Okechukwu Maduagwu was born into the Maduagwu family in
amauzari in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State in 1972. His
mother, Tina Grace Maduagwu, who later got married to a British engineer,
Mr. Allan Hide Snr., was to later take the young Herbie, at the age of 11
to England. But not after the young, energetic child had started to
manifest the path which nature has charted for him.
For, as our correspondent learnt from hs uncles and grand-mother in Imo
State, Okechukwu, right from his early days in the primary schools, in
Iheagwa (near Owerri) and Port Harcourt, started to manifest a sense of
independence and a stout resolve to defend his rights, even if he had to do
it with his fists. It was, however, his uncle Emmanuel Maduagwu who was
training as an amateur boxer with the Sports Council in Owerri who was said
to have re-directed Herbie's energy in an organised pugilist direction.
And, therefore, Herbie never abandoned that route.
As it seems today, the rest is history but not quite. The big news is that
arrangements are already on the ground in Nigeria for General Sani Abacha,
the Head of the Nigerian State and the people of the country to receive and
host their illustrious son in a few weeks. The national leadership in
Nigeria is said to be thrilled to give honour to this illustrious son who
had always proclaimed his "Nigerianness" from the rooftops.
The nation's Sports Minister, Chief Jim Nwobodo under whose tenure sports
development and youth achievement in the sporting field has witnessed
unprecedented heights is said to have put a high-powered machinery into
operation to ensure a resounding hero's welcome for Herbie Hide Maduagwu.
Today learnt that as part of the welcome package for Herbie, he will be
received by the Head of State at a state function during which the champion
(who said he dedicates his victory to General Abacha) will formally
hand-over his champion's belt to the Head of State on behalf of all
Nigerians. It is also hoped that the Head of State will formally hand the
national flag to the young boxer along with a Nigerian passport and will
most likely decorate him with a national award (probably Member of the
Order of the Niger, MON).
Further, it is expected that Herbie will aso receive some cash rewards and
will be enrolled in the nation's honour list alongside the Olympic heroes
like Chioma Ajunwa (from Herbie's Imo State) and the all-conquering dream
football team which carted away the Olympic soccer gold in Atlanta last
summer.
As a part of the welcome programme, Herbie is likely to visit some other
Nigerian cities like Lagos and Kaduna and finally climax his home-coming
bash with a rousing civic reception party at the Grasshopper Stadium in
Owerri, Imo State.
During the ceremony, it is expected that the Imo State Administrator, Col.
Tanko Zubairu will announce the naming of a prominent street in the State
capital after him.
The State Administrator's train may also accompany the hero's train to
another reception party at his Umueze Amauzari native soil, where he will
be at home at the bossom of his own native people. It will be at that
traditional village setting that the traditional ruler of Amauzari is
expected to confer a chieftaincy title on the illustrious son.
Herbie Okechukwu Hide's imminent herald welcome which is being awaited with
enthusiasm at the highest echelons of Nigerian government would not have
been possible without the burning patriotic fire of the young man. For, the
homecoming which he told Today inhis opulent Norwich home that he had been
coming to Nigeria very regularly in the past but had always sneaked in and
out without fanfare. He believes that he is happy to be coming home as a
champion. He was overwhelmed with joy when the news was broken to him in
Norwich that General Abacha had been positive to his (Herbie) request to
visit him, and that he had directed that what the young champion had hoped
for would be a private courtesy call should be blown into a national event.
According to Mr. Dele Momodu, the publisher of the London-based OVATION
Magazine and one of the key organisers of the Herbie home-coming
initiative, "as a most patriotic Nigerian, Herbie is most willing to honour
the Nigerian people with this prestigious belt and especially he is looking
forward to presenting his priceless belt to the Head of State ..."
Herbie who also told Today of his willingness to play the role of an
"ambassador" for Nigeria pointed out that his commitment to his Nigerian
roots has never been in doubt, so much so that he has acquired a prime plot
of land in Abuja and which is currently being developed into a residential
building.
The young champion who discussed with Today in impeccable Owerri dialect of
Igbo language further underlined his Nigerianness. "I prefer Ugbo ofe
Owerri and other local delicacies to allthese oyinbo dishes .. make no
mistake about the fact ... I am full-blooded Nigerian".
Not even the adoption of his step-father's name has been able to dilute
Herbie's yearning to be rejoined to his kith and kin at home. His
stepfather, Allan Hide Snr., who is currently the chief engineer of the
Abuja NICON Noga Hilton Hotel, arguably Nigeria's best hotel, is also happy
about his stepson's efforts to go "home". He seems so much at home that it
is even suspected that he might be pleased to seek Nigerian citizenship.
At Herbie's roots in Owerri, it has been celebration galore as their son's
return is being awaited with eagerness. And as the champion arrives Nigeria
in a special charter flight, accompanied by the likes of John Fashanu and a
host of foreign friends and media people, he will arrive into the warm
embrace of elated and proud relatives, most of whom had been praying for
his eventual return.
For, apart from his 60 year-old grandmother in the village, there is also
his aunt, Mrs Miriam Mmankwo - his mother's immediate junior who lives with
her husband, Steve, in Port Harcourt. Then, there are his uncles Kenneth
and Emmanuel who reside in Owerri where they run a cold storage business.
He is likely to be accompanied from the United Kingdom by Charles, his
youngest uncle.
The joy of Herbie's victory and his forthcoming home-coming seem to have
been beclouded by a subsisting painful incident in the Herbie household.
One person who is not capable of savouring the joys of the present event is
Herbie's younger brother, Allan Jnr., who is pining away in a hospital bed.
Allan is in the final stages of leukemia, the terminal cancer of the blood,
which cure is yet to be found. "My son is dying", Mrs Tina Hide, Herbie's
mother, told Today in tears but promised to ensure that the family
misfortune does not completely spoil Herbie's well-deserved fun.
And as the pall of agony and foreboding hangs over the Hide's household,
Herbie has at least embarked on a project, as a compensation for the
helplessness of his family over Allan's plight. He has launched a
world-wide campaign for leukemia sufferers. He also expects the government
and people of Nigeria to support and back his campaign which has a lot of
emotional significance to him.
Meanwhile, Nigerians await the heroic return of an illustrious native son.
(C)1997 Copyright - Today Communications Ltd
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(last updated 23/7/97)