Nigerian Football
Nigeria’s Ex Internationals Plan Big in US
The United States based Nigerian Ex-International Footballers Association (NEIFA), led by Francis Monidafe has unfolded plans to organise its inaugural launching and fundraising event in Atlanta, Georgia on July 29, 2017.
“Comprising distinguished past Green Eagles, former Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets stars, who are now mostly living in the United States of America, NEIFA has been around for a while now, championing better welfare for its members and promoting causes that will engender proper football development of the current crop of players playing for Nigeria at various levels”, remarked Paul Okoku, one of the prime movers of the project.
According to him, the movement is “with a mission to advocate better quality of life for former teammates in Nigeria and around the world, who have fallen on harder times”. Sports Village Square gathered that NEIFA boasts of members, ranging from varying respectable professional backgrounds and fields of human endeavour, comprising engineering, business, elite academy and university coaching.
According to a statement issued by the secretary, Nathaniel Ogedegbe, NEIFA observed that many Nigerian footballers were battling with many problems on various fronts, which sadly have not been addressed headlong by the country’s institutions, prompting the body to step in and seek ways to alleviate the burden being faced by former footballers and present ones.
Noting that since its formation some years back that members of the organisation have been able to pull resources together to support the expenses of ex-internationals, Ogedegbe said the time has come for NEIFA to reach out to the broader spectrum of footballers and ex-footballers in need of assistance.
The body noted that the coming fundraising in Atlanta will help the organisation to fully achieve its vision of ensuing that footballers do not live from hand to mouth again.
“We continue to seek support and partnership with individuals and organisations with the means and shared interest and giving back to the country by working with NEIFA and the Nigerian public”, the statement added.
NEIFA further said the coming grand launching in Atlanta, which it tagged ‘Association of Brother’s Keeper’, was to seek donations to help the body achieve its outlined goals, comprising “assisting former teammates who, following their days on the pitch, have not had opportunities for education, decent jobs or access to health care.
The press release also gave as objective of NEIFA, promotion of the development of football in Nigeria and in other parts of the world, serve as ambassadors of Nigerian football and be a voice for Nigerian footballers in around the world.
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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