Nigerian Football
Nigeria’s oldest international footballer, Titus Okere to be buried this Thursday
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Nigeria’s oldest former international footballer, Titus Okere who died 13 June will be buried on Thursday.
His granddaughter, Frances Okere informed Sports Village Square that the pioneer member of the Nigeria national football team will be buried at the Bluebell Hill Crematorium in Kent, United Kingdom.
Titus Okere died aged 94 and thus was the oldest former Nigerian international. He was a member of Nigeria’s first national team, the famed UK Tourists of 1949.
He clocked 94 last 22 March.
Until his death, he remained last point of contact for the famous 1949 UK Tourists.
Okere, the left wing wizard of the team was initially projected to captain the 1949 squad, lived a quiet life in Kent, some 61km to London in the UK.
His 94th birthday coincided with the 43rd anniversary of Nigeria’s first victory at the Africa Cup of Nations. When the then Green Eagles lifted the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time on 22 March, 1980, it was like a divine tribute to the pioneer Nigerian left winger. He was 51 on that day.
Similarly, Joseph Meads, the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) inaugural secretary who was also the convener of the 21 August 1933 meeting in which the Nigerian football body now known as NFF was founded (not 1945 as wrongly claimed), was also born on a 22 March date in 1907.
He should had been 73 years; the day Nigeria beat Algeria to win the Africa Nations Cup for the first time in 1980.
Okere in 1949 was described by Edgar Kail in UK’s Daily Graphic as having a net worth of £15,000 and a row of houses.
The Liverpool Echo edition of 1 September 1949 was astonished about the speed and brilliance of Titus Okere at the outside left and averred that given his experience, “he could find a place in most European League sides.”
Four years later, Okere found himself in the UK at the height of winter. Since his 1953 venture abroad, he seemed to have escaped everyone’s radar.
Sports Village Square had been in touch with the legend through his grand daughter, Frances Okere.
Having left Nigeria in February 1953 and never came back, he was initially believed to have long passed on.
He was the first Nigerian citizen to play football abroad and registered as a professional when he signed for Swindon Town.
His adventure abroad after the initial UK tour of 1949 had an element of luck. He was highly rated by the British press during the UK tour of 1949 even though like most of his colleagues, he was playing barefooted.
Until now, Okere was widely believed to have died since he never return to Nigeria since he left Nigeria in February 1953 as the country’s first ever professional footballer.
Titus Okere lost his wife, Patricia Okere three years ago. His son, who is Frances’ father also goes by the name Titus Okere.
Titus Okere’s adventure abroad after the initial UK tour of 1949 had an element of luck. He was highly rated by the British press during the UK tour of 1949 even though like most of his colleagues, he was playing barefooted.
The Liverpool Echo edition of 1 September 1949 was astonished about the speed and brilliance of Titus Okere at the outside left and averred that given his experience, “he could find a place in most European League sides.”
Another report by Edgar Kail in the Daily Graphic illustrated it further by commenting that Okere was worth £15,000 and a row of houses.
Those comments could have prompted him to take the chance of venturing abroad for professional football thus opening the doors for others, notably Balogun and Elkanah Onyeali to also go to England. By the turn of the century, plying trade abroad, especially in Europe had become a common phenomenon.
Sports Village Square gathered from archival research that Titus Okere had always dreamt of returning to the UK after the Nigerian team tour of 1949.
So prominent was he in the squad that he was the first consideration as the skipper since he was also the captain of Railway club that supplied the bulk of the 18-man squad.
In the Daily Service publication of 1 July 1949, three players were short listed as possible captain – Etim Henshaw, Dan Anyiam and Titus Okere.
The latter was not chosen by the NFA on account that “it was impossible to select him as captain in view of his position as outside left. It was thought it is impossible for him to control the team from his position in the forward line.”
Dennis Hart, an English journalist writing in the Daily Service edition of 27 February 1953 narrated how Okere landed in England.
He claimed that returning to the UK and to play as a professional footballer had been Okere’s dream. He was then 25 and working as a clerk in the Nigerian Railway which he also played for as captain.
Hart wrote: “To fulfil it, he has taken one big step already. He has joined an Fnglish League club, Swindon Town as a professional, the first Nigerian ever to do so.
“Imagine his excitement when four years ago he was selected as outside left as a member of the Nigerian team to tour England, to play the leading amateur dubs.
“Waiting for the tour to begin weighed heavily on Titus’ hands.
But when the day finally arrived, the time, flashed by all quickly.
The tour whetted, rather than satisfied his appetite for English soccer.
Having tasted it, he thirsted for more.
“He returned to his job as a clerk with the Nigerian Railways in Lagos
But in spirit he was still in England, re-living the tour over and over again in his mind.
“The months slipped by, and with them, it seemed his chances of playing permanently in English soccer.
“But then fate took a hand. The coach to the Railway team for which Titus was playing for was Leo Robins, a native of Swindon.
He was in Nigeria on Railway work. Leo was a keen supporter of his town’s club. He wrote to the manager, Louis Page, recommending to him to sign Titus.
After consultations with the club’s directors, Mr. Page wrote to Titus, asking if he would like to join Swindon. Titus needed no persuasion. It was a gamble and needed throwing up his job.”
Hart remarked that he later interviewed Okere after his first day training at Swindon. “He told me that he could hardly believe it.
It was a typical English February morning with frost still on the ground and a keen east wind which penetrated the thickest of overcoats.
Hart asked Titus how he felt 4,000 miles away from the sun and his friends. “Well the sun might be a long way away”, replied Titus in his normal quiet-spoken manner, “I certainly miss it. But I ‘ve already made lots of friends here.
“The players and staff of the club here have done everything to make me feel at home, and so too, my landlady, Mrs Wakeley.” Titus told Dennis Hart that one of his main problems was to get used to playing in boots.
He has never done this before. When he toured England in 1949, he did wear anklets, a crepe bandage covering his ankle and instep, but otherwise all his football had been played in bare feet.
There was no rule in British football which insist on players wearing boots. But after a few steps, Titus found the cold was too much.
To start with them, he will wear hockey boots which are rubber soled with light studs and when he gets used to these, will graduate to normal English boots.
His grand daughter informed Sports Village Square that Titus Okere “retired from football not long after moving abroad sadly.
“After leaving football, Titus worked for Parcel Force on the railway until he retired around 1974/75.” Frances further remarked that her grand dad is keeping well and in good health.
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Nigerian Football
African Schools Football Championship: NFF, UBEC commit to fruitful collaboration in win-win scenario
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Gusau-Bobboyi.jpg)
The Nigeria Football Federation and the Universal Basic Education Commission have agreed to a meaningful and fruitful collaboration that will see Nigeria challenging strongly for honours in the annual African Schools Football Championship and also compel sporting infrastructure renewal in Nigeria’s pre-tertiary educational institutions.
During a courtesy call on the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi on Monday, President of NFF Ibrahim Musa Gusau explained that the annual competition can spur infrastructural upgrade in Nigeria’s primary and secondary schools, lead to discovery of talents even beyond the imaginable and assure Nigeria’s football future.
“The African Schools Football Championship is for U13 and U15 pupils, and is organized by CAF. There are so many benefits for the winning school, with a prize money of $1million that will be used to provide football infrastructure for that school. I see no reason why our schools should not compete strongly, as triumph for one school in the country will have a multiplier effect on other schools.
“We have come to UBEC because this matter falls squarely within its purview. Last year, the NFF worked with the Nigeria School Sports Federation to produce representative schools in the male and female categories to fly Nigeria’s flag, in our debut in the competition. However, we believe we should expand the scope and get more schools involved, to have a very strong representation and stand the chance of winning both trophies,” Gusau said.
He also disclosed that the NSSF has concluded plans to kick off the state preliminaries of the male and female competitions this month, with the WAFU-B Tournament scheduled for Niger Republic in November, at which the WAFU-B flagbearers for the continental finals will emerge.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Bobboyi, praised the leadership of the NFF for the visit, and pledged the full co-operation of UBEC to the project. “Infrastructural deficit is a big challenge in our primary and junior secondary schools, and this project will definitely help to speed up our own efforts to restore the good old days of standard facilities and equipment in our schools.
“Since 2018, we have been making efforts to restore sporting infrastructure in our schools, by appealing to state governments and providing the equipment that we can. Many countries of the world specifically offer scholarships to athletes simply because of their sporting ability. Sports help children to develop physically and mentally, and we also must safeguard the future of sports by taking practical steps to unearth talents from the schools and the grassroots that can be nurtured for glory.”
Present as well at the occasion were NFF 1st Vice President, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu; General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; Engr. Sadiq Sa’ad (UBEC Director of Physical Planning); Ademola Olajire (NFF Director of Media & Communications; Okey Obi (NFF Director of Legal Services); Ruth David (NFF Director of Competitions); Dr. Funsho Usman (Secretary General, NSSF); Mrs Rose Medubi (Director, Academic Services); Mr. Osahon Igbinoba (Director, PRS); Alh. Adamu Misau (Director, Finance & Accounts); Mr. Paul Agi (Director, Admin & Supplies); Mr. Hashimu Ojah (Director, NSSF) and; Mrs Lydia Gbagyi (Desk Officer, Sports).
Nigerian Football
“My name is Clemens Johannes Hendrikus Westerhof”
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Westerhof-and-Kunle-1.jpg)
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, Arnhem, Netherlands.
Undoubtedly, the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) coach in Nigeria, Clemens Westerhof, has a coaching credential that no coach in Nigeria either before his tenure or since 30 years ago that he left, has been able to match.
He did not only qualify Nigeria for the World Cup for the first time, he is the only coach that took the national team to the podium thrice at the Africa Cup of Nation – winning in 1994 and making the first runners-up position in 1990 and third place in 1992.
At the peak of his career in Nigeria, he took the Super Eagles to their topmost height of fifth ranked in the world. Little wonder, his squad is being figuratively referred to as the ‘Golden Generation’ of the Nigeria national team.
Last month marked two milestones of his 1,787-day tenure in the Super Eagles.
First, 15 August marked the 35th anniversary of his being signed on by Nigeria and 27 August was the 35th anniversary of his debut.
Sports Village Square travelled by air, speed train – the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Sprinter train) and the German Deutsche Bahn, to get to Arnhem, which is just 20 minute drive to Germany to get the now 84-year old football tactician who now lives quietly in his home town.
This book on Super Eagles is a delight to read, says Westerhof
In the course of narrating his tour of duty in Nigeria, he opened up on how he got the job, his relationship with football officials, the footballers, his trials and travails, his joy and sadness as well as how he introduced the concept of official kits to the Nigerian national team.
He spoke of how he discovered local talents and moulded the raw gold materials to 18-carat special metals. Westerhof spoke about the Nigerian players that he groomed and the relationship they still have with him.
Who is this man who is always passionately following all the football leagues of the world as his face is always glued to the television set.
His wife, Lillian remarked Westerhof followed, almost with religious devotion, the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 in which Nigeria got to the final against the hosts, Cote d’Ivoire.
Even Westerhof’s wife displayed an uncanny knowledge of Nigerian football, mentioning names and giving details.
She said she once considered taking courses in football coaching as she has a husband who will add value to her.
One may wish to know Westerhof in detail. He gave his full name which many may not have known. Clemens Johannes Hendrikus Westerhof tells his story to Sports Village Square, the way he never did to any other medium before now. Details later.
Nigerian Football
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Dele Aiyenugba returns to the classroom at NIS
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Dele.jpg)
Former Super Eagles and Enyimba of Aba goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba has been co- opted to serve as a resource person at the coaches training program at the National Institute for Sports (NIS).
The programme is a collaborative venture of both the NIS and the Lagos State Football Association.
The training programme will start on 14 September 14th and run every Saturday for a month in the first module.
Aiyenugba, who last played for the Nigeria national team on 8 October 2011 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match that ended 2-2 with Guinea, is a product of the NIS.
He is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear on the participants.
Aiyenugba will be speaking on Goalkeeping techniques, Goalkeeping training and Goalkeeping safety.
Over 2,000 coaches in Lagos State are expected to be trained over a two year period.
With the Lagos State FA Chairman Gafar Liameed affirming that NIS certification is now compulsory for any coach that want to ply their trade in Lagos State.
NIS Director General, Professor Olawale Moronkola is expected to declare the training opened.
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