ddjay:
Vex don tire me tru tru,SEUN ABEG NAIRALAND SHOULD BE LIKE TWITTER IN TERMS OF IT'S SHORT TWEETS. People like can write and over write abeg.i bet u op 99% of nairalanders did not read up to 10% of what u wrote. Mcheeww

That's why it's for matured minds who can relate to the historical events and young ones who are intelligent enough to appreciate such history.

naptu2:



This second photo, being honored by playing a fun doubles match with the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the honorable[b] Andrew Young.[/b] Ambassador Young happened to be traveling in Nigeria and learned of the American contingent that was there to play in the tournament. He made an unscheduled stop to join the team – and hit a few balls, for the afternoon.

http://www.blacktennishistory.com/benin-city-nigeria/

Andrew Young was an exceptional personality

He played a significant role in the Black emancipation movement in the US right from the days of Martin Luther King Jnr.

I think he went on to become Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia and later played a big role is securing 1996 Olympics Hosting rights for the city.

It's good that he went on to hold such an important position as US ambadsador to the UN.

He was an important character in President Jimmy Carter's government and Nigeria's just after Murtala was killed.

As the report on the Ashe visit indicated, there were strong anti-US sentiments just before Murtala was killed.

When Obasanjo took over, Nigeria-US relationship became very chummy.

Carter even visited Nigeria.

I think you once created a thread on the visit.

The story behind the change in the relationship must be very interesting.

johnie:


Andrew Young was an exceptional personality

He played a significant role in the Black emancipation movement in the US right from the days of Martin Luther King Jnr.

I think he went on to become Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia and later played a big role is securing 1996 Olympics Hosting rights for the city.

It's good that he went on to hold such an important position as US ambadsador to the UN.

He was an important character in President Jimmy Carter's government and Nigeria's just after Murtala was killed.

As the report on the Ashe visit indicated, there were strong anti-US sentiments just before Murtala was killed.

When Obasanjo took over, Nigeria-US relationship became very chummy.

Carter even visited Nigeria.

I think you once created a thread on the visit.

The story behind the change in the relationship must be very interesting.

In addition to what you wrote, Andrew Young and Olusegun Obasanjo were very good friends and Ambassador Young served as guardian to Obasanjo's son, after the son was smuggled to the US when Obasanjo was jailed by Abacha.

naptu2:


In addition to what you wrote, Andrew Young and Olusegun Obasanjo were very good friends and Ambassador Young served as guardian to Obasanjo's son, after the son was smuggled to the US when Obasanjo was jailed by Abacha.

That might partly explain the link between the Abacha goverment and Louis Farrakhan.

dabossman:


That's why it's for matured minds who can relate to the historical events and young ones who are intelligent enough to appreciate such history.

matured minds already know and can relate the historical events, its the younger ones that need history

naptu2:


In addition to what you wrote, Andrew Young and Olusegun Obasanjo were very good friends and Ambassador Young served as guardian to Obasanjo's son, after the son was smuggled to the US when Obasanjo was jailed by Abacha.

where is Osaro amadin and Jonathan igbinovia based now?

ddjay:

matured minds already know and can relate the historical events, its the younger ones that need history

There's something called 'nostalgia'.

kannymoore:

Gee..

And here I thought it's always been called Sports Spectacular!

You are quite right. The second name of the show was Sports Spectacular. I just spoke to someone who reminded me.

The show originally started with the name “Big Fight Of The Decade” around 1984, ’85 or ’86. They showed classic fights involving Mohammed Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Henry Cooper, Roberto Duran, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Graziano, Sugar Ray Robinson, The Chicago Hitman Thomas Hearns, John The Beast Mugabi, Marvellous Marvin Hagler, etc. It was shown at prime time (8pm) and I never missed it.

(My favourite matches were those between Sugar Ray Leonard and any of Duran, Hagler or Hearns. Do you remember the “No Mas” fight in which Duran gave up because he couldn’t stand Sugar Ray’s dancing? However, Ali was certainly the greatest. )

Then they changed the name of the show to Sports Spectacular in the late 1980s and they included other sports like tennis, although the show was still primarily about boxing.

Below: a more recent picture of Chuka Momah.

Naptu2,

Thanks for the mention. Once again a thread that brought back nostalgia.
I was in secondary school when the Dimkas coup occurred. My school was on Broad Street,and we were in school when the principal summoned an emergency assembly to inform the students that a coup had occurred and the Head of State,General Murtala Muhammad had been assassinated. There was concussion every where. Parents were outside the school gates trying to get their kids out. In the end,the principal closed the school and those of us whose parents hadn't come for them,had to find their way home. Broad Street was full of soldiers,welding machine guns and every civilian had to lift their hands above their heads .
My house was at Apapa so I cut to the Marina,with my hands above my head all the way.My aim was to hop on the 2 kobo ferry called Kathleen(Not sure of the spelling).to cross from Lagos,Marina to Flour Mills in Apapa.
However when I got to the Marina ferry terminal opposite the old NEPA headquarters,it was streaming with fully armed soldiers who had taken over the terminus,probably to prevent the coup plotters(Dimkas group) from escaping from the Island to Apapa. We were not allowed to cross from the NEPA side of the Marina to the ferry harbour. We were ordered to keep on moving with our hands above our heads. I now decided to head to Tinder square to see if I could get a bus to Apapa wharf,but when I got there there were no buses. The whole Tinubu square fountain to the Central Bank area was full of soldiers. So I trekked to I dunno take which was a complete sea of soldiers. Complete chaos.
To cut a long story short I trekked over the old Carter Bridge to Ixora Oloja,to Ixora,to Marine beach to Apapa before I got home through blood thirsty soldiers.
It was a terrible experience.

Caveatemptor:
Naptu2,

Thanks for the mention. Once again a thread that brought back nostalgia.
I was in secondary school when the Dimkas coup occurred. My school was on Broad Street,and we were in school when the principal summoned an emergency assembly to inform the students that a coup had occurred and the Head of State,General Murtala Muhammad had been assassinated. There was concussion every where. Parents were outside the school gates

Agbalagbi! Agbalagbongbo!! Boda Caveat!!

In 1976 my parents were still giving each other side eyes. Ishilove was still in the realm of dreams

I feel so young and helpless.

johnie:


That might partly explain the link between the Abacha goverment and Louis Farrakhan.

Video of Nduka Odizor taking part in a charity match in Italy in 1995, which was organised to raise money for refugees in Ethiopia (I believe that this is long after he had retired).

The caption reads:

Charity Event in Brescia - Italy, with Andrei Chesnokov, Jordi Arrese, Nduka Odizor, Stefano Pescosolido and the Italian actor Francesco Salvi.

Chesnokov played the event just after the final in Davis Cup (Russia/USA), playing a match with 5 sets vs Pete Sampras.

Organizers: Lorenzo Turchi and Marco Majrani; marketing: Ellisse Srl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z0dwur-ZC0

enomakos:
where is Osaro amadin and Jonathan igbinovia based now?

The last time I heard about them was in the early 2000s.

Ishilove:

Agbalagbi! Agbalagbongbo!! Boda Caveat!!

In 1976 my parents were still giving each other side eyes. Ishilove was still in the realm of dreams

I feel so young and helpless.

Go back and read my complete story ma.
Coup no be beans if you are caught in the cross fire. I have never been so scared in my life as I was on February 13th 1976.

Caveatemptor:


Go back and read my complete story ma.
Coup no be beans if you are caught in the cross fire. I have never been so scared in my life as I was on February 13th 1976.

I thought you're Yoruba, Boda Caveat. 'Agbalagbi' means 'ancient one'

I was hailing you because I never imagined you're so mature.

Yes I have read your posts. Fortunately I am too young to have witnessed any coup

Ishilove:

I thought you're Yoruba, Boda Caveat. 'Agbalagbi' means 'ancient one'

I was hailing you because I never imagined you're so mature.

Yes I have read your posts. Fortunately I am too young to have witnessed any coup

Pray never to witness a coup my dear, every one is a target during a bloody coup. Civilians,soldiers,and students.
No friends,no foes.
That is why I laugh when I hear people calling for coups.
The first victim of any coup is freedom,liberty and freedom of speech.

Damn! Damn! How could I make this kind of mistake? How could I write a thread about Nigerian tennis and not write about this man?

Well, most of the people I wrote about were more famous players than he was (some people might want to eat my head for that statement), but he did represent Nigeria and he rose to become Nigeria's very best and number one coach.

He trained some of the best tennis players in Nigeria and left his mark at all the tennis clubs in Lagos.


Below: Godwin Kienka with Novak Djokovic (long before Djokovic became world number 1).

naptu2:


You are quite right. The second name of the show was Sports Spectacular. I just spoke to someone who reminded me.

The show originally started with the name “Big Fight Of The Decade” around 1984, ’85 or ’86. They showed classic fights involving Mohammed Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Henry Cooper, Roberto Duran, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Graziano, Sugar Ray Robinson, The Chicago Hitman Thomas Hearns, John The Beast Mugabi, Marvellous Marvin Hagler, etc. It was shown at prime time (8pm) and I never missed it.

(My favourite matches were those between Sugar Ray Leonard and any of Duran, Hagler or Hearns. Do you remember the “No Mas” fight in which Duran gave up because he couldn’t stand Sugar Ray’s dancing? However, Ali was certainly the greatest. )

Then they changed the name of the show to Sports Spectacular in the late 1980s and they included other sports like tennis, although the show was still primarily about boxing.

Below: a more recent picture of Chuka Momah.

dabossman:


There's something called 'nostalgia'.

That feeling called nostalgia cannot be fully explained.

Makes you feel alive all over again.

naptu2:


You are quite right. The second name of the show was Sports Spectacular. I just spoke to someone who reminded me.

The show originally started with the name “Big Fight Of The Decade” around 1984, ’85 or ’86. They showed classic fights involving Mohammed Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Henry Cooper, Roberto Duran, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Graziano, Sugar Ray Robinson, The Chicago Hitman Thomas Hearns, John The Beast Mugabi, Marvellous Marvin Hagler, etc. It was shown at prime time (8pm) and I never missed it.

(My favourite matches were those between Sugar Ray Leonard and any of Duran, Hagler or Hearns. Do you remember the “No Mas” fight in which Duran gave up because he couldn’t stand Sugar Ray’s dancing? However, Ali was certainly the greatest. )

Then they changed the name of the show to Sports Spectacular in the late 1980s and they included other sports like tennis, although the show was still primarily about boxing.

Below: a more recent picture of Chuka Momah.

I remember that!

Sugar Ray, Tommy Hearns, Duran and Marvelous Marvin Hagler made me realise there were other weight categories.

Before they burst onto the scene, I thought only the heavyweight category existed.

My favourite was Sugar Ray with his boyish looks. I think it was a retina injury that retired him. Too bad! Brought some glamour to the lower weight category like Ali did.

Seeing a boxer with curls like Hearns also looked strange to me then.

Hagler, with his bald head, to me was what a boxer should look like. I didn't like him.

I lost a bet with a classmate in the Hagler-Hearns match. Naive as I was then, I supported Hearns simply because I didn't like Hagler's looks!

I also did not like Duran because he was Latino.

I wanted only blacks to rule the world of sports.

The folly of youth!

johnie:


I remember that!

Sugar Ray, Tommy Hearns, Duran and Marvelous Marvin Hagler made me realise there were other weight categories.

Before they burst onto the scene, I thought only the heavyweight category existed.

My favourite was Sugar Ray with his boyish looks. I think it was a retina injury that retired him. Too bad! Brought some glamour to the lower weight category like Ali did.

Seeing a boxer with curls like Hearns also looked strange to me then.

Hagler, with his bald head, to me was what a boxer should look like. I didn't like him.

I lost a bet with a classmate in the Hagler-Hearns match. Naive as I was then, I supported Hearns simply because I didn't like Hagler's looks!

I also did not like Duran because he was Latino.

I wanted only blacks to rule the world of sports.

The folly of youth!

Hearns had a glass jaw, that's why I suspected that he would lose. He is done for once a solid punch connects with his jaw.

Sugar Ray's dancing and good looks worked well for him. He acted in a movie, but I can't remember the name of that movie.

Hagler looked really mean.

naptu2:

The last time I heard about them was in the early 2000s.

OK thanks sir

naptu2:


Hearns had a glass jaw, that's why I suspected that he would lose. He is done for once a solid punch connects with his jaw.

Sugar Ray's dancing and good looks worked well for him. He acted in a movie, but I can't remember the name of that movie.

Hagler looked really mean.

Quite right about Hearns.

His long reach was an advantage that did not work against Hagler, a hard hitter.

The match-up was like that of Ali and Frazier.

Hearns, like Ali floating around while Hagler, like Frazier trying to pin the opponent into a corner for a pummelling.

Hearn's glass jaw was truly his Achilles Heel (no pun intended).

naptu2:


Hearns had a glass jaw, that's why I suspected that he would lose. He is done for once a solid punch connects with his jaw.

Sugar Ray's dancing and good looks worked well for him. He acted in a movie, but I can't remember the name of that movie.

Hagler looked really mean.

Was he in that jail film "Penitentiary"?

There were some great middle weight boxers in those days.
Thomas "Hitman"Hearns versus Marvin Hagler.
Sugar Ray versus Roberto "fists of stone"Duran 1 and2.
Marvin Hagler versus Sugar Ray.
Marvin Hagler versus John "the beast"Mugabi"
Thomas Hearns versus Sugar Ray.
Every top middle weight fought each other,no dodging any body.

However my favourite boxing bout of all time,was the 1982 bout between Alexis Arguello and Aaron Pryor. A total crazy slug fest.Please if you haven't watched this bout please catch it on YouTube. You wouldn't be disappointed!

Caveatemptor:


Was he in that jail film "Penitentiary"?

No, I think that's Leon Isaac Kennedy.

Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the movie that Sugar Ray acted in and I can't find anything about it online. I watched it in the 1980s.

naptu2:


No, I think that's Leon Isaac Kennedy.

Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the movie that Sugar Ray acted in and I can't find anything about it online. I watched it in the 1980s.

Yes,you are correct as usual.
Leon Kennedy looked like Sugar Ray my apologies.
What is your opinion about Arguello versus Pryor?

Caveatemptor:


Yes,you are correct as usual.
Leon Kennedy looked like Sugar Ray my apologies.
What is your opinion about Arguello versus Pryor?

Alexis Arguello!

It's on my list of the weirdest boxing matches (along with Tyson vs Spinks, Holyfield vs Bowe, a match in which a famous referee was punched and lost most of the skin on his cheek and a match in which the boxer was knocked out of the ring).

My brother was totally convinced that Arguello was on drugs and he became more convinced after the second fight, which was a shadow of the first.

There was an incident during the 1990 World Cup that always reminds me of this fight. Brazil played against Argentina. I desperately wanted that fantastic Brazilian team to win, but they lost.

After the match the Brazilians alleged that the Argentinians had spiked water which they gave to Branco and that this water made him weak and drowsy.

Maradona admitted (decades later) that the water had indeed been spiked.

naptu2:



Maradona admitted (decades later) that the water had indeed been spiked.

Joe Lasisi?

johnie:


Joe Lasisi?

Hahahahahahahahaha

Joe Lasisi vs Jeremiah Okorodudu in 1988 or 1989.

Okorodudu said that Lasisi used juju because he saw three Joe Lasisis in the ring (of course you'll see three Lasisis when you are punch drunk).

They later fought in the US and Lasisi won again.

naptu2:


Hahahahahahahahaha

Joe Lasisi vs Jeremiah Okorodudu in 1988 or 1989.

Okorodudu said that Lasisi used juju because he saw three Joe Lasisis in the ring (of course you'll see three Lasisis when you are punch drunk).

They later fought in the US and Lasisi won again.

Jeremiah (with jerry curls) Okorodudu had returned from the LA '84 Olympics with a medal.

Because of his exploits at the Olympics, he was very much in the news.

Turning pro, Jerry had to take on Joe Lasisi for the national title.

The hype for the match was much given Jerry's exploits at the Olympics and Joe's unbeaten KO-laden antecedents.

However, it proved a mismatch with a Joe triumph.

Joe then proceeded to take on the world champion, American Virgil Hill in the US.

That proved too much for Joe who was beaten black and blue. Seemed his 'juju' could work only on African soil.

Jerry went on become Olympics boxing coach for Nigeria.

Jerry himself had been under the tutelage of another former Olympian, Isaac Ikhuoria when he went to the Olympics.

Remember Davidson Ande?

johnie:


Jeremiah (with jerry curls) Okorodudu had returned from the LA '84 Olympics with a medal.

Because of his exploits at the Olympics, he was very much in the news.

Turning pro, Jerry had to take on Joe Lasisi for the national title.

The hype for the match was much given Jerry's exploits at the Olympics and Joe's unbeaten KO-laden antecedents.

However, it proved a mismatch with a Joe triumph.

Joe then proceeded to take on the world champion, American Virgil Hill in the US.

That proved too much for Joe who was beaten black and blue. Seemed his 'juju' could work only on African soil.

Jerry went on become Olympics boxing coach for Nigeria.

Jerry himself had been under the tutelage of another former Olympian, Isaac Ikhuoria when he went to the Olympics.

Remember Davidson Ande?

That fight was the biggest Nigerian boxing match of the 1980s.

Yeah, I remember Davidson Ande, Isaac Ikhouria, Peter Konyegwachie, etc. I still believe that Peter Konyegwachie should have won gold at LA '84. Even the American thought that Konyegwachie should have won. I watched that fight with my dad and he was furious.