By Douglas Ogbankwa Esq
Football in Nigeria is like a religion. All across Nigeria the passion is the same. Nigerian Football Renaissance occurred in 1980, when the Brazilian Otto Gloria Nigerian-coached Team won the Nations Cup in 1980 in Lagos. The Team comprised the Mathematical Segun Odegbami, Mudi Lawal, etc.
By 1985, a Nigerian Baby Eagles had broken a new world record, the first African or Black Team to win a Football World Cup. They were then tagged the Golden Eaglets.
At the Under 21 Male Football World Cup in Saudi Arabia tagged “Saudi ’89,” I was a student at Niger College, Benin City. We used to talk about football during the break period every day. Elugbe Ezekiel and Christopher Iyere (who later played football in South Africa and in the Scottish Second Division League) were my best friends then.
The only thing that connected us together was football. I was so good in football analysis that my friends and class mates called me “FIFA.” I was the the authority on World Football.I read Complete Sports and Complete Football then excited by Dr. Mumuni Alao and Published by Nduka Ojeagbese.
Saudi 89 commenced with Nigeria’s first match against Saudi Arabia. It was a very right encounter, it was a Christopher Ohenhen’s 89- minute free kick that clicked the victory for us and the Nigerian Team went all the way to the Semi Final.
The most pulsating match of the tournament was however the match aptly tagged the Damman Miracle at the Semi Finals Stage of the Tournament. Nigerian versus the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR ) other wise called CCCP.
We rushed home after the close of school that faithful hot afternoon. We had no electricity generators then, but we were sure of electricity. The match started and boom by half time it was 4-0 in favor of USSR.
By the beginning of the Second Half , it was like a dream. Nigeria pulled one back, scored another one, thereafter and it was 4-2. At about the half hour mark it was 4-3. It was then the Russians knew it was not a joke or a fluke. They then took the match extra serious, but it was too late. Once the Nigerian Momentum catches up with you, it is overwhelming.
Just at the click of the 90th minute, Nigeria recorded one of the biggest comebacks in World Football History. Nigeria equalized and it became 4-4.
Fabio Lanipekun – Legendary Football Commentator for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in describing the momentous occasion, gave one of the most iconic comments ever made in World football. He said:
“This is Patriotism, this is Nationalism, This is impossible, 4-1,4-2,4-3 and 4-4”
The Celebrations that followed was fatal, as some persons lost their lives due to the euphoria that pervaded the country. It is said that it is when Nigeria plays a football match that we are most united. The only time we speak one language is when Nigeria scored a goal. The Country will say in one unison “It is a goaaaaaal.”
The Team played 30 Minutes extra time after which there were penalties. At the Penalties, it was another drama, until Nduka Ugbade scored the winning penalty goal, after the many misses and goals. Another gale of celebrations followed, that was equally fatal.
Nigeria met the ravaging Portuguese Team at the finals of the tournament and lost 2-0 to Portugal, the Lius Figo inspired team.The Nigerian Team came home to a heroic welcome. Trust the then President Ibrahim Babangida, it was a carnival of sort. General Ibrahim Babangida loved Sports and he encourages Sports Development. He was one President that attended football matches. He was a visionary.
What a day it was for Nigerian Football. What an era it was for Nigerian Football.
Mutiu Adepoju, the Headmaster, Chris Ohenhen, Nduka Ugbade, Andrew Aikuomogbe,etc, those were some of Flying Eagles that soared so high.
Where are those good old days ?
Douglas Ogbankwa Esq @ douglasogbankwa@gmail.com, is a Lawyer and Policy Analyst, who founded the Benin Writers’ Society.
