Nigerian Football
Obiekwu thanks Ahmed Musa, advises athletes to save for future
Ex-Nigerian International, Kingsley Obiekwu, has sent words of appreciation to the Super Eagles’ captain, Ahmed Musa, and other Nigerians for their concern following reports of his economic plight.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Obiekwu had said that he went into the commercial transport business to complement his earnings from his coaching job.
The story elicited reactions from the public including Musa who made a cash donation of N2 million to the Atlantic ’96 Dream Team defender to cushion his financial crunch.
Obiekwu said though the story came as an embarrassment to some of his family members, there was nothing to regret for telling the world what he was passing through.
He said that when he wanted to go into the transport business years ago, his wife discouraged him on the grounds that it would be debasing for a man of his class in fame and fortune.
“I want to thank God for everything. Some members of my family have been calling me to express embarrassment over the story but I told them not to worry because I played the game and I know what I feel.
“The story is making an impact with a lot of reactions. Being a popular person, I cannot hide; Nigerians will be interested to know how their ex heroes are faring, but I have told my family not to worry, that I will handle it.
“So yesterday, the Media Officer of the Super Eagles who works in a radio station called me to inform me that somebody wanted to speak with me and I said he should give him my number.
“Musa called me and said he had heard my story and that he and his teammates will do something but meanwhile, I should give him my account number and in about an hour’s time, I got an alert of N2 million, I appreciate that a lot,” he said.
Obiekwu, who said he was forced to retire at 30 in 2004 due to health reasons, said a number of ex-internationals were passing through hard times and while urging them not to be ashamed to speak out instead of dying in silence.
He advised active sportsmen and women to save and invest their earnings to avoid running into hitches when they retire.
“As an ex player, I want to advise the younger ones that if money comes there to save and invest because football and sports is something that you do within a period in life. If you retire, you begin to struggle if you don’t save enough.
“In my case, I did not waste my money, at least I have a house. Imagine the landlord throwing your property out because you can’t pay rent, it would have been worse.
“Our club managers and administrators should also complement the effort of state governments by making sure they pay players and coaches.
“I have players in my former clubs whose marriages have crashed because they can’t provide for their families, you can’t develop football without developing those making it happen,” he said.
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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