AFCON
UPDATED: STRANGE, BUT TRUE: THE NIGERIAN FOOTBALL’S JULY DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Sadly, the month of July has virtually become that of memorials for football icons in Nigeria. This may sound strange, but it is true.
Sports Village Square recalls that three days ago, it was the death anniversary of Jelisavicic Tihomer-Tiko, fondly called ‘Father Tiko’.
Jelisavicic Tihomer-Tiko – 1 July
The younger folks may not remember the then Yugoslavian man (his country is now Serbia) who raised to stardom an army of relatively unknown players who took the 10th edition of Africa Cup of Nations by storm, becoming the second runners-up in Ethiopia in March 1976.
He repeated the feat at Ghana 1978 when Nigeria ranked third in Africa’s premier football competition.
He was at the brink of qualifying Nigeria for Argentina 1978 World Cup before the team failed the last hurdle at home. No thanks to an own goal.
Under him, the Nigeria national team played 45 matches, winning 24, and drawing 12 and lost nine. He died on July 1, 1986, in Cancum, Mexico.
That was two days after the World Cup in that country. He was heading to Cancum to begin a new life as a coach to the local team when an automobile accident claimed his life.
Samuel Ojebode – 4 July
Today, 4 July is the death anniversary of one of his players, Samuel Ojebode who passed on five years ago. Ojebode, a left fullback was also a captain of the then IICC Shooting Stars that he later coached and managed as an administrator.
With his death in 2012, the entire back four of the 1976 history-making IICC Shooting Stars have all passed on – Best Ogedegbe, Joe Appiah, Ojebode and Muda Lawal.
Added to that list are Kunle Awesu and Folorunsho Gambari aka ‘Gambus’ who died on April 15, 1981.
Kunle Awesu – 5 July
Back to the July death anniversaries, yet another product of Father Tiko’s Nigerian team was Kunle Awesu, a left winger with the IICC Shooting Stars who was rated as the best at the 10th Africa Cup of Nations at Ethiopia in 1976.
He was a member of the Shooting Stars team that won the African Winners Cup in 1976.
He died on 5 July 1994 in Arlington, United States on the same day Nigeria crashed out of the USA ’94 World Cup. Sadly for over two years, Awesu’s death was unknown to his Nigerian family members who had lost touch with him.
Dan Anyiam – 6 July
One of the pioneer members of the Nigerian national football team, Dan Anyiam was a member of the famed UK Tourists of 1949. He was the vice captain of the squad.
Anyiam who was the first indigenous coach to sign a coaching contract with the Nigeria Football Association was found dead in his car on 6 July 1977.
Muda Lawal and Dan Anyiam – 6 July
Next comes that of Muda Lawal, like Ojebode and Awesu, he was in the Father Tiko’s Nigerian team and also a member of the victorious IICC side on the continent.
He died on July 6, 1991, the 14th anniversary of the mysterious death of one of Nigerian national team pioneers, Dan Anyiam who was also the first indigenous national team coach.
Bashorun MKO Abiola – 7 July
Who will forget the Bashorun MKO Abiola who pumped much money to football and other sports? He died on July 7, 1998.
He was undoubtedly the best football philanthropist in the continent. Another football icon that shared the date with him is Father Dennis Slattery who died in his native country, Ireland on July 7, 2003.
Father Dennis Slattery – 7 July
Slattery who lived the greater part of his life in Nigeria was the last of the expatriates who shaped the then NFA that is today’s NFF.
He was the NFA chairman from 1956 to 1959 and the most frequent referee of the Challenge Cup final which last week changed to AITEO Cup.
Slattery was the referee of the final matches of 1952, 1953, 1960 and 1964 apart from being a linesman (assistant referee) in 1951, 1956 and 1958.
He founded the St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka – the record 10 time winners of the former Principals Cup in Lagos.
Israel Adebajo – 25 July
Another prominent soccer figure of an earlier era was Israel Adebajo, the founder of the famous Stationery Stores, which until its going into coma late in the 1990s, was perhaps Nigeria’s most fanatically supported club side.
Adebajo died on 25 July 1969, few weeks before Stores’ final match in the Challenge Cup. He formed the club in 1958 after buying over Oluwole Philips team.
The famed Super Stores drew players and fans across the country and sometimes too, from Ghana.
The former treasurer of the then NFA nurtured the Super Stores to win the Challenge Cup twice in a row and was at the brink of a hat-trick in 1969 before his death dealt a devastating blow on the club.
Mathias Obianika – 27 July Former national team player, Mathias Obianika, died also in 27 July 1992.
The Enugu Rangers’ striker was an instant hit in the national team when he made his debut in a 4-0 triumph over Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) in a 1971 friendly game.
Obianika scored two of the four goals. After years in Enugu Rangers, he later became the club’s chief coach.
Anthony Ikazoboh – 27 July
Seven years after the death of Obianika, a two-time NFA chairman and former Super Stores player, Air Commodore Anthony Ikazoboh, was killed by armed robbers on July 27, 1999.
Ikazoboh was the NFA chairman from 1984 to 1987 and again in 1989 before he was named the sports minister.
Under him as NFA chairman, Nigeria won its first global event, the World Under-17 Tournament in 1985 and the Under-20 team placed third at the World Under 20 Championship in the then Soviet Union.
It was at the Soviet Union event that Ikazoboh dropped hints of Nigeria’s interest in hosting the World Youth Championship, a dream that only materialised 12 years later.
As sports minister in 1990, Ikazoboh’s tenure brought the advent of professional football to Nigeria.
Akinloye Oyebanji – 27 July
On the anniversaries of the death of former sports minister, Anthony Ikazoboh and national as well as Rangers’ International striker, Mathias Obianika, another sports icon, Akinloye Oyebanji took a final breath.
Oyebanji, a veteran sports journalist retired as a director at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Information from the family revealed he would have been 62 in September.
According to NAN reports, his family revealed that Oyebanji died at the National Hospital, Abuja, after a protracted battle with heart failure.
Bukoye Oyebanji and Dr. Steve Olarinoye, a family member and friend of the deceased, disclosed that Oyebanji had been ill and that the family had spent millions of naira without any improvement.
They said some time earlier, he had the misfortune of losing his kidneys, and they were replaced successfully through a transplant in India.
Oyebanji served the NTA for 35 years. He worked in different capacities, including being a sports broadcaster, rising to the position of general manager (sports).
He retired as managing director of NTA Properties at the authority’s headquarters in Abuja.
Tesilimi Balogun – 31 July
July 30 is the anniversary of the legendary “Thunder” Balogun who died in 1972. He was the first ever-Nigerian professional player when he ventured to England in the 1950s.
The early history of the Challenge Cup is almost an historical account of Thunder Balogun’s soccer career. He later became a coach in the Western Region.
In 1952, Balogun became the first player to score a hat-trick in the Challenge Cup final.
The feat is significant, considering the fact that up till the 2012 FA Cup final, only two other players, Frank Uwalaka in 1958 and Felix Adedeji in 1969 – were the only other hat-trick scorer in Nigeria’s premier national competition.
Sam Garba Okoye – 31 July
Sam Garba Okoye, another national team star of 1960s and early 1970s, died on 31 July 1978 in motor accident.
He was one of the teenagers of the Nigerian Academicals that beat Ghana 1-0 in the annual Dowuona-Hammond Cup in 1966.
It was Nigeria’s first away win against Ghana. Later, Garba played for Plateau XI, Mighty Jets and the Green Eagles.
Although he had no Challenge Cup gold medal to show, he was a regular in the six final matches played by Jos teams from mid 1960s to 1974. He usually adorned his forehead with a rolled up handkerchief.
AFCON
Morocco Rejects Claims of Delay, Defends Legal Process in Case Involving Senegalese Supporters
Morocco’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has firmly rejected allegations of unjustified delays and poor detention conditions in the ongoing case involving Senegalese football supporters arrested after unrest linked to a recent continental fixture in Rabat.
In an official clarification, judicial authorities described circulating claims as “unfounded,” insisting that the legal proceedings have been conducted in accordance with Moroccan law and international standards.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office categorically denied any suggestion that the case has been deliberately delayed. Authorities stated that all procedural timelines have been respected and that adjournments were made strictly within the framework of due process.
According to the statement, postponements of hearings were granted at the request of the defendants themselves to allow adequate time to prepare their defence and to ensure the presence of their legal representatives.
Judicial officials also dismissed reports alleging that the detainees were on hunger strike. They confirmed that the accused are receiving their meals regularly and that detention conditions comply with applicable regulations.
“The rumours suggesting otherwise are without basis,” the statement noted.
Authorities explained that one of the hearings was attended by a lawyer registered with a Bar Association in France. However, the absence of a consultation office in Morocco, coupled with the defendants’ preference to be tried in the presence of their chosen lawyers, led to a postponement of the hearing until February 12, 2026.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office emphasised that these postponements were legitimate and aimed at safeguarding the defendants’ right to a fair trial.
Translation and Language Support
In response to concerns about language barriers, the court confirmed that it provided a sworn French-language interpreter during proceedings. French is reportedly mastered by all defendants.
Additionally, authorities coordinated with the Deputy Consul of Senegal in Morocco to make available an interpreter in Wolof, the defendants’ mother tongue, further ensuring that they fully understood the proceedings.
Officials also clarified that Moroccan law does not require the presence of an interpreter during the preliminary investigation phase if the judicial police officer understands the language of the individual concerned, provided that official reports are read and explained to them.
The Moroccan authorities reiterated their commitment to transparency, due process and the protection of the rights of all foreign nationals within the kingdom.
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A Moroccan court on Thursday sentenced 18 Senegalese football supporters to prison terms ranging from three to 12 months after finding them guilty of hooliganism during last month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
The supporters had been in pre-trial detention since 18 January, the day Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1–0 in a tense and controversial final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
According to the court’s ruling, nine of the defendants received one-year prison sentences and were fined 5,000 Moroccan dirhams (approximately $545). Six others were handed six-month terms alongside fines of 2,000 dirhams (about $218), while three supporters were sentenced to three months in prison and fined 1,000 dirhams (around $109).
Prosecutors had sought a maximum penalty of two years, arguing that the accused “deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match” and engaged in “acts of violence broadcast live on television.”
Chaos at the Final
The AFCON final was overshadowed by dramatic scenes late in regulation time following a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco after a VAR review. Senegalese players protested the decision vehemently, surrounding the referee and causing play to be halted for nearly 20 minutes.
Amid the tension, some Senegalese supporters reportedly attempted to invade the pitch, while others threw objects — including chairs — onto the field. Players from both sides temporarily left the pitch before returning after intervention from security officials and match authorities.
Authorities said their case was supported by stadium surveillance footage and medical reports detailing injuries sustained by security personnel during the unrest.
However, defence lawyers rejected the charges and described the sentences as excessive.
“The footage does not contain irrefutable proof showing that any one of them struck or assaulted anyone,” defence counsel Naima El Guellaf told the court.
Another lawyer, Patrick Kabou, called the verdict “incomprehensible,” arguing that his clients were “victims” rather than perpetrators. The defence team has confirmed plans to file an appeal.
The ruling comes as football authorities continue to grapple with the fallout from a final that, despite Senegal’s historic victory, was overshadowed by controversy both on and off the pitch.
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French coach Herve Renard has reopened the debate around the controversial “towel incident” that marred the closing stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.
Renard, who previously coached Morocco and now manages the Saudi Arabia national football team, addressed the episode in a recent interview with Jeune Afrique, describing it as a complex issue rooted partly in African football culture.
“The towel story is long and complicated. It has a certain significance, that’s all,” Renard said. He suggested that, if anyone attempted to remove the towel, it could have been intended to unsettle the opponent psychologically.
“In Europe, people don’t understand that there is something behind it. Was the towel charmed? In Africa, these are beliefs, and everyone is free to believe what they want,” he added.
Renard stressed that cultural context is often overlooked by outsiders. “Those who don’t know Africa cannot understand. In this case, Moroccans would never allow anyone to cross that line,” he said, while admitting he was unsure whether events unfolded exactly as widely portrayed. Drawing from his extensive coaching experience across the continent, he noted that similar charged atmospheres are not uncommon in high-stakes African fixtures.
The incident occurred during the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final in Rabat, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1–0 to lift the continental crown.
Late in the match, attention shifted away from the ball to Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel, which had been placed inside his goal to dry his gloves amid wet conditions. As tensions rose in the closing minutes, substitute goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf attempted to safeguard the towel, resulting in a chaotic scene inside the penalty area.
Television footage — quickly dubbed a “towel tussle” — showed Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari blocking Diouf as he tried to return the towel to Mendy, while a ball boy also reached for it. Diouf later insisted he had merely been assisting Mendy and had no intention of disrupting play.
Images circulating after the match appeared to show Moroccan players attempting to remove the towel, sparking a heated debate. Some observers viewed it as gamesmanship designed to unsettle the Senegalese goalkeeper, while others linked the episode to longstanding superstitious beliefs within segments of African football culture.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary committee subsequently sanctioned Saibari with a two-match suspension and a $100,000 fine. The midfielder later apologised to Mendy, stating that his actions had been misunderstood.
CAF’s refereeing chief, Olivier Safari, also addressed the matter in an interview with Canal+ Afrique.
“The towel is not part of a goalkeeper’s official equipment. Its use must remain within the spirit of fair play,” Safari explained. “If it influences the match, it must be removed from the playing area.”
His comments underscored the regulatory grey area surrounding auxiliary items such as towels, which are not formally recognised as playing equipment under the Laws of the Game but are commonly used for practical reasons.
While the final result stands and Senegal’s victory remains uncontested, the towel episode has lingered in public discourse — not merely as a fleeting controversy, but as a symbol of the psychological and cultural layers that often accompany African football.
Renard’s remarks add nuance to the debate, suggesting that what may appear trivial to some can carry deeper meaning in different footballing contexts.
Nearly a year after Senegal’s triumph in Rabat, the “towel incident” continues to provoke reflection, less about fabric inside a goalmouth, and more about the intersection of belief, psychology and competition at the highest level of African football.
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