Nigerian Football
NIGERIA-BURKINA FASO AFRICAN GAMES MATCH MARKS 70 YEARS SINCE ‘UK TOURISTS’ VENTURED OUT
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
When the Flying Eagles of Nigeria line out to meet Burkina Faso at 8pm on Thursday in the second match of the Group A of the 2019 African Games football event in Rabat, they will be carrying with them, the spirit of the UK Tourists, Nigeria’s first national football team which sailed out of the country’s shores exactly 80 years ago.
What has become a global brand, featuring in six of 21 World Cup editions and being three time African champions and four –time runners up have an unchattered course on August 16, 1949 when 18 largely barefooted footballers boarded an Elder Dempster ship, MV Apapa heading to Liverpool in England.
The players, dressed in grey trousers and olive green blazers with a badge emblazoned with the initials NFA and with ‘United Kingdom 1949’ woven underneath, were seen off by a large crowd that included the Bishop of Lagos and many important African and European personalities. There was also a message of support from the governor-general, Sir John McPherson.
Unlike today’s jet-travelling footballers, the pioneers travelled third class and had to run four times round the deck every morning to keep fit during the 13-day voyage before arriving Liverpool at 8.30am on Monday, August 29, 1949.
On arrival, John Finch, a former Fulham forward, who had been appointed as the coach, met them. There was also a welcome message from the Duke of Edinburgh.
On disembarking, the players and the officials were interviewed by the BBC radio on newsreel followed by the pressmen.
Okoronkwo Kanu, Etim Henshaw, Dan Anyiam, Isaac Akioye, John Dankaro and Sokari Dokubo send messages for broadcast in English, Efik, Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa and Kalabari respectively.
They were scheduled to play nine matches in the four weeks they were to stay in the United Kingdom.
That was where the story of Nigeria’s Super Eagles began. Without the famed UK Tourists, there would not have been the Super Eagles of today.
Sadly, all the 18 players and their officials led by Captain Donald H. Holley are now dead. Holley who was the NFA chairman at the time died in December 1956, barely eight months later, a member of the 18-man team, Ahmed Tijani Ottun, committed suicide by drowning in the Lagos Lagoon on August 6, 1957 ostensibly out of frustration.
Thereafter, one after the other, the rank got depleted. Tesilimi “Thunder” Balogun died on July 30, 1972; Dan Anyiam passed on July 6, 1977.
Isaac Akioye, the reserve goalkeeper and former director of the National Sports Commission died in February 2007 and followed eight months later by right winger, Mesembe Otu.
Captain of the team, Richard Etim Henshaw died November 18, 2010; four days after the Super Eagles against odds picked a 2010 World Cup ticket.
The last of the pioneer members of the team, Goalkeeper Sam Ibiam aged 91, died on December 1, 2015.
The exploits of these pioneers are largely forgotten. Football in their days may not hold the same attraction like that of present day nor the entertainment and technical value as high, but it is to their credit that a foundation was laid which the successive Nigerian national teams built upon.
In the UK, they played nine matches, which however did not count as official grade A games, as they were against English amateur sides, and not the England national team.
What is taken as the first official match of the Nigerian national team is the game played against Sierra Leone, when the UK Tourists were on their voyage back home and had a stopover in Freetown. Nigeria won 2-0 in the October 8, 1949, game.
In the tour of UK, they won two matches, drew two and lost five. In their first match against Marine Cosby, the Nigerians won 5-2.
In front of a crowd of 6 000 spectators, the NFA team, playing barefoot, showed their ability to move the ball where they wanted and to shoot with great speed and strength.
The next encounter, against Bishop Auckland, was lost 2-5 and five days later, they lost 1-2 to Leytonstone FC. For 20 minutes of the next game, against Isthmians League XI, which Nigeria lost 1-5, the UK Tourists gave the hosts a rare run.
Four days later, the NFA team drew 2-2 with the Corinthians League XI. It was their best game in the series. They pressed till the last minute, when Tesilimi Balogun scored to level up.
Their other games were against Dulwich Hamlet, which they won 1-0; a 2-2 game with South Liverpool and a 3-1 win over Bromley.
Against the Athenian League XI, it rained. The barefoot NFA XI found that it required considerable physical skill to stand up in the first half. Wearing new boots in the second half did not help; they lost woefully, 8-0.
It was a fruitful tour. It opened new opportunities to many of the players who featured for Nigeria.
Some of them, like Skipper Richard Etim Henshaw, Tesilimi Balogun and Isaac Akioye, returned to England to pursue new careers and to also play for English club sides.
THE PIONEER NIGERIA NATIONAL TEAM
GOALKEEPERS: Sam Ibiam (Port Harcourt), Isaac Akioye (Hercules, Ibadan)
DEFENCE: Justin Onwudiwe (Lagos Railway), Olisa Chukwura (Abeokuta), Ahmed Tijani B. Ottun (Lagos Marines), Isiaku Shittu (Lagos UAC), John Dankaro (Jos), Hope Lawson (Lagos Marine), Dan Anyiam (Lagos UAC), Okoronkwo Kanu (Land & Survey).
FORWARDS: Mesembe Otu (Lagos Marine), Peter Anieke (Lagos Railway), Sokari Dokubo (Lagos Railway), Godwin Anosike (Lagos Railway), Tesilimi Balogun (Lagos Railway), Titus Okere (Lagos Railway), Etim Henshaw (Lagos Marine) and Edet Ben (Lagos Marine).
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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