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Nigerian Football

SAD AS AKINLOYE OYEBANJI ADDS TO JULY SPORTS-RELATED OBITUARIES

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

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 on Saturday.

Oyebanji, a veteran sports journalist retired as a director at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) nearly five years ago. Information from the family revealed he would have been 61 in September.

According to NAN reports, his family revealed that Oyebanji died at the National Hospital, Abuja, on Saturday morning 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.

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They said some time ago, 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.

Oyeronke, his daughter, paid tribute to him in a tweet on Saturday.

“He would have been 61 in September. We miss him, we love him and all we want to remember is the best of him. Papito Baba Ronke. Always and forever,” she wrote.

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His last international sporting assignment was at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

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Akinloye Oyebanji (L) with some of his colleagues at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

His passing on has added to the growing memorials for sportsl icons in Nigeria. This may sound strange, but it is true. Sports Village Square recalls that in two days time, it will be the 47th memorial of one of the earliest football icons in Nigeria, Tesilimi Balogun.

Last Thursday, it was the 50th anniversary of the passing on of one of Nigeria’s greatest football philanthropists and organizers, Israel Adebajo, a former treasurer of the then Nigeria Football Association and founder of the oldest existing football club in Nigeria, Stationery Stores of Lagos.

Akinloye’s death has further darkened July in Nigeria’s sports history. His death strangely has contributed in making July the month with most memorials for football icons in Nigeria. It is strange, yet it is true.

 ‘Father Tiko’ – July 1

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Jelisavicic Tihomer-Tiko better known as ‘Father Tiko’

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 scored by a Nigerian defender.

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Under him, the Nigeria national team played 45 matches, winning 24, drew 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 – July 4

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Shooting Stars and Green Eagles’ left full back, Samuel Ojebode

Last July 4, was the death anniversary of one of Father Tiko’s players, Samuel Ojebode who passed on seven 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 including the goalkeeper 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 Awesu and Folorunsho Gambari aka ‘Gambus’ who died on April 15, 1981.

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Kunle Awesu – July 5

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Left winger, Kunle Awesu (R) in ball tussle with Guinea’s Ali Bangoura at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, Ethiopia

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. He was rated as the best left-winger at the 10th Africa Cup of Nations at Ethiopia in 1976. He was also a member of the Shooting Stars team that won the African Winners Cup in 1976.

Awesu died on July 5, 1994 in Arlington, United States on the same day Nigeria crashed out of the USA ’94 World Cup as the Super Eagles lost to Italy in the Round of 16. Sadly for over two years, Awesu’s death was unknown to his Nigerian family members who had lost touch with him.

                               Muda Lawal and Dan Anyiam – July 6

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Muda Lawal Dan Anyiam

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 in 1976.

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. Both Muda Lawal and Dan Anyaim have sports arenas named after them.

In Abeokuta, the former Asero Stadium was renamed Muda Lawal Stadum while Owerri has the Dan Anyaim Stadium as the home ground of Imo State’s lead club, Heartland FC.

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Bashorun MKO Abiola – July 7

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Bashorun MKO Abiola

Who will forget the Bashorun MKO Abiola who pumped much money to football and other sports? He died on July 7, 1998. 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 – July 7

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Fr. Dennis Slattery

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 – July 25

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Israel Adebajo

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 July 25, 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 – July 27

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Mathias Obianika

Former national team player,  Mathias Obianika, died also in July 27, 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 – July 27

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Air Commodore Anthony Ikazoboh

Seven years after the death of Obianika, a two-time NFA chairman and former Super Stores player, Air Commodore Anthony Ikazoboh, was killed by suspected 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.

Tesilimi Balogun – July 30

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Tesilimi Balogun

   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.

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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 – July 31

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Sam Garba Okoye

Sam Garba Okoye, another national team star of 1960s and early 1970s, died on July 31, 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.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Season’s first win for Akwa United and Ikorodu City

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The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.

They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.

Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.

Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.

Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.

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Behold! Nigeria Football’s October 8 Magic

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Nigeria’s Godwin Iwelumo terrorising Egypt’s goalmouth 47 years ago in an October 8 match. Nigeria won 4-0 inflicting the worst ever defeat on Egypt in a World Cup qualifier.

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.

 The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.

 That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.

 Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.

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 The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.

 Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.

Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.

 Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had,  through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.

Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!

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Nigeria on 8 October

  • 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
  • 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
  • 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
  • 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
  • 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
  • 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on   Nigeria.
  • 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.  
  • 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
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 Rivers flow to the top!

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Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.

It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after  31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.  

Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.

Sunday Results

  • Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
  • Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
  • Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
  •  Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
  • Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
  •  Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
  •  Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
  •  Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United

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