13th April, 2023
By Akeem Abas
Pa Olayiwola Lakondoro, the former Chairman of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan and the oldest 3SC fan, has passed away at 111 years.
His death was confirmed on Thursday by Mr Babatunde Olaniyan, the current 3SC Chairman in a telephone interview in Ibadan.
Olaniyan said that the club was contacted on Thursday about Pa Lakondoro’s death, saying that they were planning to visit the family.
“I can confirm that he is dead. We have been contacted about his death this morning and we are already planning to visit his family later,” he said.
Pa Lakondoro (JP) was a retired soldier, footballer and first Organising Secretary of the Action Group.
He was also the first Private Secretary of Alfred Rewane, a financier of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and an associate of the late political sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Lakondoro was born on Jan. 7, 1912, to the family of the late Pa Babalola Lankorodoro and Madam Ifaranti Lankorodoro of Ile- Otun, Oje in the Ibadan North-East Local Government area.
The late Lakondoro attended Oke-Are Theological Seminary, Ibadan and St Finnbar’s College, Lagos and taught briefly as a teacher.
He later joined the Colonial Army in 1939 for World War II, which took him to Scotland, India, Trimia.
Meanwhile, he rejoined the Nigerian Army in 1967 to fight the civil war alongside Benjamin Adekunle a.k.a Scorpion. He was a foundation member of Western Nigeria Development Company (WNDC) now 3SC in 1963 and later became the 3SC Chairman in 2014.
He was until his death the oldest 3SC fan and arguably the oldest football fan in Nigeria.
Until his death, Lakondoro was the only surviving member of Nigeria Footballers, named UK Tourists, who travelled to Britain and played with barefoot.
He lured the late Teslim Balogun to football from Abeokuta and discovered, among others, the likes of Niyi Akande, Layi Olagbenro, while handling a local club in the suburb of Oniyanrin in Ibadan.
NAN