At 34, David Tyavkase had tasted defeats and successes that continue to make the bride of any team. The midfielder is a veteran of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) having won the four league title with Enyimba (2003, 2005, 2007, 2010) and two FA Cup trophies (2005, 2009). At continental level, he was part of the part of the Enyimba team that dominated Africa after winning successive CAF Champions League titles in 2003 and 2004 as well as the CAF Super Cup in 2004 and 2005.
Tyavkase is now a member of the Lobi Stars campaigning in the ongoing CAF Champion League and he is not giving up on the Makrudi team quest for glory in Africa.
“Winning titles was a routine when I was at Enyimba but winning the league last year with Lobi Stars and qualification to play in the CAF Champions League, really made me very happy. It was the first time I was getting something with a team from my hometown and it was my fifth league title. Winning with Lobi Stars was special; it offered me fresh opportunities because I want to keep on playing football as long as I can,” Tyavkase told CAFONLINE.
For 17 years, Tyavkase has been playing professionally in the NPFL despite having stint with Gabonese duo, CF Mounana and US Bitam; while he also played for Nigerian sides including defunct Gabros (now known as FC Ifeanyi Ubah) and Heartland.
However, the midfielder returns to his home team – Lobi to join forces with the present crop of players to bring honour to Benue State.
“I hail from Gboko in Benue State (Middle Belt regional zone of Nigeria) and the two clubs that I grew up to know was BCC Lions of Gboko and Lobi Stars of Makurdi; so it’s a great honour for me to play in the CAF Champions League with a team from my state of origin,” said Tyavkase whose middle name, Terzungwe means ‘God is merciful’ in his Tiv dialect.
After four matches in CAF Champions League, Lobi sit at the bottom of Group A tied on four points with Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas. South Africa’s Mamelofi Sundowns and Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco share top spot on seven points apiece.
Not ready to give up on the team’s chance, Tyavkase believes Lobi Stars can still progress to the quarters, adding the next tie away to Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria is crucial to their aspirations.
“Lobi Stars have only four points now and we need all the three points in our next game against Mamelodi Sundowns to be in contention for the quarter finals. There is nothing impossible in football and we are seriously working towards getting a very good result away in Pretoria,” said Tyavkase, who has no immediate plans of hanging his boots.
“I want to keep on playing as long as I can; I can’t say this is when I want to quit playing football. I’m still very strong; I will stop playing football the day I can no longer kick the ball,” he added.