BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

It is 75 years today since that 26 June 1949 date that what is today known as Super Eagles, Nigeria’s lead sports brand, was first composed. Logically, the Super Eagles clock 75 years today. In 1949, the assembly was initially called the ‘International Group’ and later named the ‘UK Tourists’.

That was when the first Nigeria national team was composed.

Five years ago, on the same day, they defeated Guinea 1-0 to become the first of the 24 teams to advance beyond the group stage of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

For the records, after four trial matches involving teams from the North, East, West and Lagos, the Selection Committee of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) on 26 June 1949, announced 17 names as the first set of players of the Nigeria national team. The 18^th player was named five days later.

The players announced were: Goalkeepers – Sam Ibiam (Port Harcourt), Isaac Akioye (Ibadan); Defenders – Justin Onwudiwe (Lagos Railway), Olisa Chukwura (Abeokuta), Ahmed Tijani B. Ottun (Lagos Marine), Isiaku Shittu (Lagos UAC), John Dankaro (Jos), Hope Lawson (Lagos Marine) and Dan Anyiam (Lagos UAC).

Forwards – Mesembe Otu (Lagos Marine), Peter Anieke (Lagos Railway), Sokari Dokubo (Lagos Railway), Edet Ebenezer (Port Harcourt), Godwin Anosike (Lagos Railway), Etim Richard Henshaw (Lagos Marine), Tesilimi Balogun (Lagos Railway) and Titus Okere (Lagos Railway).

The 17^th and controversial choice of player, Okoronkwo Kanoo was announced five days later and being the most literate, he was made a player/secretary to the team.

Super Eagles @ 70 book chronicles the Nigerian national football team across seven decades

The team manager was Captain Donald H. Holley, who was also the chairman of the NFA.

The intention was to raise a team that embarked on a goodwill tour of the United Kingdom in August.

For this reason, the national cup, Governors Cup traditionally played in the first week of November, had to be played that time  on 28 May 1949 to enable regions to raise teams from where the national team was selected.

That is the origin of the Nigeria national football team, which had been variously named the UK Tourists, the International Group, the Red Devils, the Green Eagles and now the Super Eagles!

There was controversy over the choice of team captain. Pundits believed that since Lagos Railway supplied the bulk of the players, seven; the captain should naturally be Titus Okere, the captain of the club.

Six of the seven Railway players constituted the famed ‘Urion Line’ believed to be the most potent attacking force put together the club chairman, Mr. U.G Urion.

But the team selectors remarked that Okere, being an attacking left-winger would not be able to control the team from that position. Etim Henshaw was chosen as the captain.

There was also the clamour for the inclusion of schoolboy sensation, Taiwo Gbajabiamila of the Methodist Boys High School, Lagos. Yet others called for inclusion of four expatriate players from the Lagos European League.

A book chronicling the odyssey of the team from 1949 till its 70^th anniversary in 2019, written by football diarist, Kunle Solaja, has been published and printed and is still available to the public at N10 thousand a copy.

The book is saga of the Nigerian team in its first 70 years. The release of the 17 names 75 years ago was in preparation for the country’s first properly organized national team, different from the previous Lagos IX that had engaged in matches with Accra IX.

The drama associated with keenly contested leagues unfolded as the Nigeria Premier League for the season 2023/24 came to an end on Sunday.

Though the league champions, Enugu Rangers had emerged a week earlier, there were lots for the other contestants to fight for.

Expectedly, there were last match day dramas. Remo Stars did not find it easy as visiting Katsina United gave them a run for their money in a keenly contested match that Remo Stars won 2-1 in Ikenne.

The scoreline cemented their second position and a ticket to the CAF Champions League.

It is the third consecutive time the Boys from Ikenne achieved that feat in a row.

 For Shooting Stars who had their best run since the 1998 season, it was near yet too far.

They were on the verge of placing third after their 1-0 defeat of the now relegated Sporting Lagos. But the win turned a vain as a related fixture in Aba involving Enyimba and Plateau United changed final position.

 With scoreline still at 0-0 in Aba, it was advantage Shooting Stars. But like the strong elephant that they are, Enyimba fought harder and had two goals in the last 12 minutes of their encounter to upstage Shooting Stars and obtained a CAF Confederation Cup ticket.

While the battle at the summit was fierce, the same was the case at the lower rung.

Lagos flamboyant sides, Sporting Lagos crumbled to a 1-0 defeat in Ibadan and went down.   Akwa United and Bayelsa United laboured and escaped the drop.

Enyimba FC who are desperately seeking a return to the continental fixtures next season have been relieved of a little financial burden by the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation.

 The initial N10 million fine imposed on the team has been reduced almost by half.

 In the ill-tempered match with Enugu Rangers three weeks ago, the Nigeria Premier League fine Enyimba N5 million as part of the disciplinary measures taken, claiming that Enyimba disrupted the live telecast of the match.

The NFF committee disagrees with the decision and therefore set aside the fine imposed.

Enyimba will this Sunday host Plateau United in a potentially volatile match as both teams have varying chances of picking continental ticket to feature in either the CAF Champions League or the Confederation Cup.