Nigerian Football
Why we set up another players’ union, ANPU, Kanu, ANPU spokesman
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
On Sunday in Lagos, just about the time the Super Eagles were battling Central African Republic in Douala in the qualifying series for the World Cup, a new players’ union for Nigerian footballers was being unveiled.
That increases the number of players’ union in the country by one. Before then, there had been the National Association of Nigeria Footballers (NANF) being run by Harrison Jalla; the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) under Tijani Babangida.
The latter was reported to have secured affiliation to the world body, Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPRO) in Amsterdam, Holland two years ago.
The new footballers’ body All Nigerian Players Union (ANPU) has another former Super Eagles player, Abdul Sule as its president. Sule a former Stationary Stores fullback who made his debut for Nigeria in an ECOWAS Cup duel in Bauchi against Sennegal on 28 January 1990 was capped eight times under Clemens Westerhof.
FIFA Centurion, Joseph Yobo who did not attend the unveiling event as he was with the Super Eagles in Douala, is named as the First Vice President. He had 100 international cap for Nigeria since his debut against Zambia in Chingola on 24 March 2001.
Another retired international player, Julius Aghahowa is the treasurer while Chikelue Iloenusi who made his international debut in the 0-0 draw Nigeria had in a World Cup qualifier against Eritrea in Asmara on 9 April 2000, is the chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The General Secretary is Olisah Onuchukwu, the Sporting Director/CEO at Nnewi United football club.
According to Monday Kanu, the spokesman for ANPU, the body came into being owing to the deplorable and steady decline in the standard of living of retired footballers.
“Penury, depression and ill health looms large, everywhere! It is on record that some few persons took the destiny of the Nigerian players for granted.
“These few individuals did whatever their fickle and parochial minds could muster without any consideration for the masses of the players.
“The pretenders that paraded themselves as managers of the affairs of the Union in a long time were only there for what to put in their pockets or like we say in the local parlance, stomach infrastructure instead of the welfare of the players.
“What has been the case in time past is akin to the situation with the Pharisees and Scribes that refuse to enter the Kingdom of God. For they neither enter themselves nor allow others to do so”, the statement issued at the Sunday unveiling read.
According to Monday Kanu, there was nothing wrong in the plurality of players’ unions.
He told Sports Village Square that the situation was akin to what is obtained in other climes. He gave the labour unions and accounting bodies as examples.
“There is the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress. The accountants in Nigeria have Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) ICAN and the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN).”
He argued that the same principle follows in the formation of another footballers’ union. He further told www.sportsvillagesquare.com that within four days of its creation, ANPU already had over 200 members and the figure kept growing.
He further pointed out that owing to the surge in membership, a whatspp group platform created was already considering migrating to Telegram which accommodates larger group members than the limit of 256 of Whatsapp.
“The bulk of the members are current and retired player that reach out to us on their own expressing interest to be part of the Union. The growth of our platform is so rapid such that we are about to migrate to Telegram. The membership would be formalised through some necessary documentation eventually.”
Regarding international affiliation, Kanu remarked that the process was ongoing and that they also had members in the Diaspora who were fully dedicated to pilot the ANPU affairs internationally.
At the moment, it is the Tijani Babangida led NANPF that appears to have a link with FIFPRO.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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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