Super Dragon defeated at last, by death

By Akpandem James

Not many of his kind existed in those days. So, he was a colossus of a
kind bestriding the continents of the world performing feats similar to
the Biblical Sampson before Delilah’s unravelling. However in the
second week of September 2020, Pa Ubong Hanson, popularly known as
Super Dragon, kicked the bucket and left the sports and entertainment
world gasping.

He was Africa’s foremost Superman. In the 1960s and ’70s, his diary was
always full of invitations to perform locally and internationally. His fame
travelled faster than his legs could take him, but he tried to keep pace
with the outstretched arms that were ready to receive his performance.
He was born in Ikot Eyo, Ubium in today’s Akwa Ibom State, shortly
before the Second World War started. He also died there at more than
83 years. He was a legend.

In his heydays he had a number of titles and names, his real name was
no longer of consequence. At age 20, he started making use of his
muscles, which he noticed were an extraordinary gift. He ventured out
as Super Dragon when he did shows in schools and communities around
the Eastern Region. As his fame grew, people started calling him African
Sampson, linking him with the Sampson in the Bible. He became World
Sampson when he conquered the world and his rising profile assumed
the status of an international citizen in the world of power sports, as a
Superman. He was also known as World Dragon because the Dragon
was his symbol of strength.
The banner which he displayed anywhere he was performing carried his
image on top of a huge Dragon; his hands pulled up in a power jack
revealing muscles that looked as if they were carved out of bricks. While
performing, his legs were never at ease because they carried the weight
of a man as bulky as a concrete effigy. As he performed his numerous feats, one would assume he never eats; but even if he does, the storage
area would most likely be the huge muscular chest region and hefty
shoulders, and not the stomach. His waist was constricted like the Hour
Glass and the strength equated the monstrosity of his biceps. Saying he
was muscular would just amount to stating the obvious. Offstage, an
unsuspecting fellow might want to challenge him to a duel. His huge
muscles responded more to challenges, not when he was at rest,
certainly not when the dragon was not spitting fire.

Although he never really ventured into professional wrestling or boxing,
these were nonetheless activities he engaged himself when not lifting or
pulling weights, or performing feats that were easily appreciated in the
realm of magic. He did not go full blown into these because it would
amount to a suicide mission then, for anyone to dare challenge him to a
bout. Defeat was not in his lexicon. He packed so much power that even
the Mack truck dreaded him. He would pull a Mack truck with the
strands of his hair the way a toddler would a toy on string. He would
stop a vehicle from moving just by using his body as a wedge. He would
carry a 5-ton lorry on his belly the way a mother does her baby in her
bosom. He would pull cars with his teeth and chew bottles as
groundnuts. Fifteen hefty men will try in vain to pull down his folded
arm, not to talk of bringing him down. “Whenever I was to perform, it
was like I was possessed. The hair I use to pull vehicles never hurt. I felt
nothing,” he once said.

I knew him at close range. In fact, his country home in Ikot Eyo, is a
stone throw from my mother’s paternal abode. He used to stay in our
home in Agbokim Waterfalls whenever he was performing in and
around Ikom. That was the first time I saw a man with dreadlocks. We
always felt on top of the world each time he was around; that a
superman was not just our relation, but staying right in our home while
on performance tour of the area. Whenever he stayed with us, I and my
younger brother would be carrying his bags when performing at the
recreational grounds in Agbokim.

He had strict rules then. He never ate anything prepared by a woman;
no woman must wash his hair and no woman does his laundry or
removes his clothes from the line, no matter how late. My mother
unknowingly removed his clothes from the line once when he did not
return after dark and got a stiff reprimand. He said if not that she was a
relation who only acted innocently, a dragon would have visited her.
The terrified woman had to apologise profusely. He laughed it off and
dismissed it as a joke.

Super Dragon won many laurels in many countries and continents
where he performed while alive. He toured a number of African
countries and performed in Europe and Asia in the 1960s and ’70s. He
spoke Queen’s English with British accent.

Although at 77, he was still performing, he decided to limit his acts to
his local environment. He returned to his hometown long before then,
and started organising sports and social competitions for the youths in
the area. These became avenues for youth mobilisation, recreation and
community development which had great impact in his hometown and
surrounding communities.

• James is a communications consultant and Chairman, Editorial
Advisory Board of Naija Times.