Nigerian Football
Flashback as Shooting Stars -Bendel Insurance match leaves 24 dead in Nigeria’s worst stadium tragedy
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
This Sunday, August 13, 2023 marks the 44th anniversary of what is easily the biggest football tragedy to have ever befallen Nigeria.
Yet it is hardly recalled as the death of Samuel Okwaraji 10 years later eclipsed the saddest scene that Nigeria ever witnessed in a sports arena.
On the night of August 13, 1979, television viewers got more than they expected. Results and analyses of the presidential election held two days earlier were just trickling in.
It was on this night that legal luminary, Chief Richard Akinjide propounded his infamous twelve two third theory that later became the clincher for Alhaji Shehu Shagari to become Nigeria’s first civilian president in a hotly contested election with Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
But the sports-inclined were awaiting the outcome of the epic encounter between IICC Shooting Stars and Bendel Insurance in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup, the exciting national football cup competition that has since gone through series of name change and now called Aiteo Cup.
Both Shooting Stars and Bendel Insurance had met the previous year at the same stage and Bendel were not just surprise winners of the match, but also of the Challenge Cup.
Moreover, both were hot contenders for the National League title that Bendel had just won in 1979, great thanks to the collaboration with Water Corporation FC, the Ibadan city rivals of IICC Shooting Stars.
Within the regulation time, the Shooting Stars had become victorious, winning 2-1. But there was no time for the expected celebration.
Their moment of joy had turned to become national grief. Sports Village Square recalls that 24 fans had died in a stampede that ensued minutes after the match when the floodlights were suddenly switched off.
The tightly packed crowd made frantic and hurried rush towards the 72 exit points of the main bowl where iron gates had just been mounted.
But unknown to the rushing crowd, the exit points at the northern end of the stadium, the gates A and B were still locked. Early arrivals to the locked gates were trapped to the barrier in the ensuing stampede.
The gates collapsed under the weight of the surging crowd and the early arrivals were trampled upon.
The unlucky fans were pressed upon the iron gates, which later fell under the weight of the surging crowd.
Some of them died of suffocation. Worse still, the National Sports Commission (NSC) medical centre was not opened.
So, there was no immediate medical attention. Ambulances at the sports complex could not also function for lack of personnel. About 50 others in convulsive conditions were rushed to hospitals.
By the time calm was restored, 24 fans were confirmed dead. Almost 30 others were seriously wounded.
The death toll was relayed in the late news announcement on television where viewers were possibly just awaiting electoral results and that of the classic Bendel Insurance /IICC Shooting Stars clash.
Two medical personnel, Dr. Alaba Efunkoya, a former chairman of Nigeria Table Tennis Association and Commander Sojinrin, a naval doctor who had come to watch the match and who was to become chairman of National Sports Commission some years later, assisted in offering first aid to some of the victims.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Felix Owolabi Akinloye, whose solitary goal took Nigeria to the title match of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980 is set to celebrate his 70th birthday on Sunday.
His ninth-minute goal against Morocco on 19 March 1980 took Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations final match for the first time.
Nigeria eventually won the trophy three days later in a final match against Algeria.
His 70th birthday celebration kicks off this Friday with two matches on the card at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan – the same arena where he set a record as the oldest Nigerian footballer to win a continental honour when he propelled the Shooting Stars to win the inaugural edition of the CAF Cup against Nakivibu Villa of Uganda in 1992.
Then 36 years old, it was the climax of 14 years of unbroken service to the Ibadan-based club.
At the time he symbolically hung his boots on 24 January 1994, he was the longest-serving footballer in the Nigerian domestic league.
He joined the Shooting Stars from Kaduna Rocks at the close of the 1977 season being one of the discoveries at the 1977 National Sports Festival.
The stocky left-footed Owolabi was an instant hit, and getting a national call-up and featured for Nigeria at the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Featuring in the 1980 and 1982 editions made him one of the few Nigerian players to go to the continental competition in three straight editions.
He started as a left full-back and his attacking instincts and dribbling skills propelled him to become a left winger.
Felix Owolabi in one of his dribbling runs at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations
Such was his dashing runs that he became a crowd favourite when he featured for Shooting Stars against pre-match favourites, Bendel Insurance in the semi-final match of the 1979 Challenge Cup.
It was for that reason that the chant ‘Owooo” rented the air each time he got hold of the ball during the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos.
For the 14 years he played for Shooting Stars, he won two national league championships in 1980 and 1983 as well as the Challenge Cup (now President Federation Cup) in 1979.
He was a member of the Nigerian squad to the 1992 FIFA Futsal World Championship in Hong Kong and also featured at the 1980 Olympic Games.
His debut for Nigeria was in the 7-0 drubbing of Benin Republic on 14 January 1978. His last match was in the 3-0 loss to Zambia at the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations in Benghazi, Libya.
For his exploits with the Shooting Stars, the club will on Friday feature in a friendly match with Osun United at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. The duel will be preceded by a novelty match between All Stars of Ibadan and the All Stars of Lagos.
The celebration of an icon at 70 will be rounded up with a birthday dinner on Sunday.
The status quo was maintained by the two teams struggling to break away at the top bracket of the Nigeria Premier Football League as top-placed Remo Stars and the second-positioned Rivers United laboured to a goalless draw in Ikenne.
It was a respite for Coach Finidi George as a loss would have meant a losing streak of three matches. The result was the only match-day 12 that did not produce any goal in all 24 of the week’s 24 goals.
With the draw, there is no change at the top as both retained their positions while results from other matches did not affect the two teams.
Momentarily, Rivers United slumped to the third position as they were upstaged by Enyimba who took a lone goal lead over Abia Warriors in an Abia State derby.
The ninth-minute goal by Clinton Jephta pushed Enyiba to the second position at 22 points and a six-goal difference, but the complexion suddenly changed when Abia Warriors’ Adejoh Ojonugwa restored parity in the 22nd minute. The two points gained by Enyimba were thus cancelled.
Shooting Stars of Ibadan are still stuttering and have yet to find a rhythm. They took an early lead against Ikorodu City as Anthony Okachi found the net in the 16th minute of their away duel.
Always goal-shy since the beginning of the season, they could not consolidate on the lead. Rather, the rejuvenated Ikorodu City equalised through Shola Adelani in the 58th minute.
Two minutes to regulation time, Rivio Ayemwenre scored the winning goal for Ikorodu City and with the 2-1 win they climbed to the eighth position on the log. In the early days of the league, they were bottom-placed, swimming in the murky waters of relegation.
In Enugu, defending champion, Enugu Rangers compounded the woes of Bendel Insurance with a 3-2 win at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium.
Godwin Obaje opened the scoring for the hosts in the 21st minute and Frank Uwumiro doubled the lead in the 39th minute while Effimi Nsi made it three in the 54th minute.
Bendel Insurance, attempting what their ladies counterparts, Edo Queens did on Saturday against Mamelodi Sundowns in their last group match of the CAF Women’s League, came back strongly in the final quarter of the match with two goals in the 67th and 85th minute. But it was still a bridge too far for them.
In Kano,Kano Pillars came back twice against the visiting Heartland of Owerri at the Sani Abacha stadium.
After a goalless first half, Suraju Lawal in the 51st opened score the visitors but veteran star player, Rabiu Ali in the 57th minute but Lawal restored the lead two minutes later.
Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa scored the equaliser in the 75th minute to deny Coach Emmanuel Amuneke another away win this season.
Bayelsa United and Katsina United match ended 1-1 while El Kanemi Warriors and Niger Tornadoes saw the host secure a lone goal win.
All Week 12 Results
Saturday
Akwa United 1-0 Nasarawa United
Sunday
Remo Stars 0-0 Rivers United
Abia Warriors 1-1 Enyimba
Enugu Rangers 3-2 Bendel Insurance
Ikorodu City 2-1 Shooting Stars
Kwara United 2-0 Plateau United
Kano Pillars 2-2 Heartland
Sunshine Stars 1-0 Lobi Stars
Bayelsa United 1-1 Katsina United
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Across a spectrum of football and business sectors, stakeholders have come together to celebrate Vincent Okumagba’s birthday, this Saturday, the president of the Super Eagles Supporters’ Club.
Co-incidentally, he shares a common birthday anniversary with the late elder statesman, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the third and first black governor-general of Nigeria from 1960 to 1963 and the first president of Nigeria during the First Nigerian Republic. Were Azikiwe alive, he would have been 120 years this day.
Okumagba shares birthday anniversary with Dr, Nnamidi Azikwe who would have been 120 years old today.
Apart from being a former vice president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), he is the MD/CEO of Pixal Petroleum.
He is being celebrated by associates who sent goodwill messages to him. Among them is Gernot Rohr, the former Nigeria Super Eagles manager who is now with rival Republic of Benin.
The president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau also sent messages. Others who sent messages are Dele Tajudeen, the Chairman of the western zone of IPMAN, and George Aluo, chairman of the NNL among others.
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