More Than a Game: Memories That Refuse to Fade from the SEALS Cup

By: Azeez Adekunle

It is with great enthusiasm that students of the University of Ibadan anticipate the commencement of what is widely regarded as the institution’s Champions League tournament—the SEALS Cup. This competition pits 32 male and 16 female departmental teams from various faculties against each other in a quest for glory and honour. For any department that makes it to the finals, it feels like discovering eldorado—a chance to imprint their footsteps in the annals of University of Ibadan footballing history.

As we count down to the kickoff of this year’s SEALS Cup, AFAS Press takes a walk down memory lane, reflecting on the emotions, pain, and heartbreak of falling short in the finals of the last three editions of this prestigious tournament. In doing so, we interviewed players from the losing sides who shared their thoughts on what it feels like to be on the losing end of a SEAL’S Cup final.

2021/2022: Philosophy’s Narrow Miss

For Agbetuyi John, known as Papi, a graduate from the Department of Philosophy who participated in the SEAL’S Cup final against Geography during the 2021/2022 session and also the joint-highest goal scorer in SEAL’S Cup history with 14 goals, the experience was gut-wrenching. “Making it to the final for the first time felt incredible,” he said. “But losing by such a small margin was the exact opposite, absolutely gut-wrenching.” The match ended 0-0 at full time, and Geography emerged the winner after a tense 9-8 penalty shootout.

2022/2023: A Clash of Titans

Philosophy bounced back the following year, in the 2022/2023 session, by reaching the finals and setting up a mouthwatering clash with Social Sciences heavyweight, Political Science. Taiwo Olamidipupo, a graduate of the Department of Political Science and an elite shot-stopper during his days at the University of Ibadan, had this to say about the final against Philosophy. “The final was one of great accomplishment. Being able to go further than we did in the last edition, and doing so by beating arguably the best team in the competition, MBBS, was nothing short of incredible. We were so close to clinching that title, but at the death, an incredible free kick from Awo was all it took. It was a very tightly contested match, and it was only fair that it was won on penalties.”

While reminiscing further, he shared what the atmosphere was like before the game and how he felt after losing the final, “going into the game, I was quite calm and confident that we could do something special. The morale we got from the MBBS match was astronomical. I felt proud that I was part of a special team. I was so proud of the boys, everyone gave their all. And after we lost, I couldn’t feel too bad even if I wanted to because I had done my part. I was sad that we didn’t win, but I felt elated because people now recognized the talent in our team. It was an emotional rollercoaster. But we learned the lesson that it’s not over until it’s over.”

Olami, in acknowledging their defeat to Philosophy, also praised the fortitude and loyalty of Philosophy fans in turning the tide of the game in favour of the Plato Academy boys when the game was still 1-0, “respect to the Philosophy fans, they never stopped cheering. I had to go and applaud them after the match because they were the only thing that kept Philosophy in the game. They never faltered and they kept the belief till the last moments.” The match ended 1-1 at full time, and Philosophy won the ensuing penalty shootout 4-3 to clinch the title.

2023/2024: A Battle for Redemption

It was a whole different ball game in the 2023/2024 SEALS Cup tournament. The MBBS departmental team, also known as the Ibadan Medicine Boys who had been lurking in the knockout stages for some time met their fiercest rivals, Industrial and Petroleum Engineering (IPE), in the final, setting up a rematch of the heated 2022/2023 SEALS Cup quarterfinal that, to this day, remains unresolved for the IPE boys. The match ended in a 5-4 penalty win for MBBS after a 1-1 draw in regulation time

Victor Kolawole, popularly known as Vk Machine and the current Sports Director of the University of Ibadan, was an integral part of the IPE team that played in the final. He reflected on his experiences, sharing that although he had participated in over twelve finals at the university, the SEALS Cup “was on a whole different level,” highlighting its status as one of the biggest competitions on campus with a huge turnout for finals and semifinals.

Kolawole expressed the heartbreak of conceding a late goal that led to the penalty shootout, stating, “we scored first in the final, but unfortunately conceded late, and the game went to penalties. That part was heartbreaking. It felt like the trophy was right in front of us, and then we didn’t get it. “Despite the loss, he conveyed pride in his team’s performance, acknowledging that “penalties are always a gamble, any team can win or lose. It just didn’t go our way this time.”

Corroborating Vk’s sentiments, Ayodele Samuel, popularly known as Pamilerin, a formidable defensive midfielder in IPE ranks during the game described the defeat as significant. He said, “a great defeat. We were eliminated by the same MBBS in the quarterfinal. Though till today the final whistle has not been blown. But meeting each other again in the final, we felt this was the best time to take revenge, but we suffered a great loss.”

Reflecting on these narratives, it’s evident that participating in the SEALS Cup is a significant privilege for players and departmental teams. The tournament offers an unparalleled opportunity to display their talents on the university’s grandest stage, demonstrate their prowess, and earn the bragging rights that come with triumphing in the most challenging competition at the University of Ibadan.

With the official kickoff date recently announced, teams will once again vie for glory, hoping to create memories that will linger long in the hearts of players and fans alike.