₦airaland Forum

In the annals of dating, there is BC and AD. This way, many football gurus in Nigeria denote the march of Nigerian football thusly: BW (Before Westerhof) and AW (After Westehof)!


I don’t dabble in controversies, save to say that after I wrote of Nigeria’s historic debut in the World Cup in 1994 I have been called upon from far and wide to tell the story of Nigeria’s epochal winning of the first African Olympic soccer gold in Atlanta 1996.



Let it be known here that our beloved heroine Chioma Ajunwa made history by winning the Olympic gold in long jump in the selfsame Atlanta 1996 games. Football indeed is not the end of the world!



Be that as it may, after the departure of Coach Clemens Westerhof from the Nigerian scene, his sidekick Jo Bonfrere took up the task of coaching the Nigerian football team to the Atlanta 96 Olympic Games. He was ably assisted by Musa Abdulahi. The Olympic team was made up of Under-23 players with three overage players added to the list, namely Uche Okechukwu, Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke.




In a tough Group D featuring Brazil, Japan and Hungary, the Nigerian team came second to Brazil in the qualifying series. Nigeria played her first match against Hungary on July 21, 1996 at the Citrus Bowl, Orlando, winning 1-0 courtesy of a 44th minute goal by team captain Kanu Nwankwo.





Legendary referee Collina of Italy handled Nigeria’s next match against Japan on July 23 before 22,734 fans at the Citrus Bowl, Orlando. Tijani Babangida scored Nigeria’s first goal in the 82nd minute while Augustine Jay-Jay Okocha scored the second goal on the dot of the 90th minute from the penalty spot, thus sealing a 2-0 victory.





Before 55,650 spectators at the Orange Bowl, Miami on July 25 soccer giants Brazil defeated Nigeria 1-0 through Ronaldo’s 30th minute strike. Nigeria qualified for the quarterfinal knockout stage as the second-placed team in the group.




In the quarterfinal played on July 28 at Legion Field, Birmingham before 44,788 spectators, Nigeria beat Mexico 2-0 with goals coming from Okocha in the 20th minute and Celestine Babayaro in the 84th minute.




July 31, 1996 was Nigeria’s date with destiny as the team was pitched in an epic semifinal battle with Brazil. Referee Garcia Aranda took charge before 78,587 spectators at the Sanford Stadium, Athens. Brazil scored the first goal in the very first minute of the match through Flavio Conceicao.




Ace Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos diverted the ball into his own net in the 20th minute to gift Nigeria with the equalizer through an own goal. Bebeto regained the lead for Brazil in the 28th minute when he beat the Nigerian goalkeeper Joseph Dosu.



Flavio Conceicao shot Brazil further ahead in the 38th minute for a 3-1 halftime lead. Victor Ikpeba pulled a goal back for Nigeria in the 78th minute. Then the game turned on its head as Skipper Kanu Nwankwo’s “show”, as he scored the equalizer in the 90th minute, thus dragging the match into extra-time in which a winner would emerge through the scoring of the sudden-death goal. Kanu Nwankwo scored the killer goal in the 94th minute, thereby sending Nigeria into the final of the Atlanta 96 soccer competition.



The matchup for the gold medal was against Argentina, the star-studded team that had beaten Portugal 2-0 in the other semifinal. The attendance for the final match stood at a giddy 86,117 spectators at Sanford Stadium, Athens with Italy’s referee Collina in-charge. Claudio Lopez gave Argentina an early lead in the 3rd minute.



Celestine Babayaro out-jumped all in the Argentine box to head in Nigeria’s equalizer in the 28th minute. Nigerian defender Taribo West gifted the Argentines with a penalty in the 50th minute which was converted by Hernan Crespo. Daniel Amokachi scored Nigeria’s equalizer in the 74th minute. Emmanuel Amuneke stabbed home Nigeria’s winning goal in the 90th minute, leaving the dogged Argentines stunned. Nigeria thus made history as the first African country to win the Olympic soccer gold medal.




According to Sunday Oliseh, the midfield anchor of the team: “This team had youthful exuberance, speed, technicality, endurance and patriotism. The players brought suspense and entertainment to the Olympic arena like never before… The team came into America early, way before every other team. The players trained in Tallahassee, Florida, unnoticed and unannounced. We left as the most loved and supported soccer team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.”

youngest85:
Work on your mouth odour

work on ur brain bro... u don't undastand tins. happy new month.

Hi everyone, am in my mid twenties. I have this very big problem I thought been tall , average looking, well built physique and above all dark are some of the requirements been shortlisted by the females .

Whenever I approach a girl that I truly feel something for , it always turn out bad .But if I talk to girl I just like she will put herself on me..

The problem here is that I don't understand the females. Eye contacts can be very deceitful , I always catch girls stealing glances buh whenever I approach them they start saying shits .

Question: ladies what are those qualities u look out for ?

NB: Bashing is allowed , I promise to give double dosage of any insult .
Thank u

o boi see lie, Dis one deserve award o

mine not funny at all...


on this faithful day I went to ha street, looking fresh and dapper . I sited her , I walked up to her and I started talking love stuffs.


She then halted d toasting , told me she wanted to check what she was cooking.
This girl never came out from my house..

I stood their for close to 30 mins.. my eyes red. I just jejeli go back house .

shame catch me she.

see men... see strong men dey give snake 6 yards gap

Error 401

just look at urself OP. so mean wen we see snakes we should just say "hi snaky" and walk away.
or ask d snake for direction. na wa o
.. Anything or Anybody dats a threat to my life must die first.

but wait o. r u a snake?

Bros just forget d Fone...
I had similar experience.
The first week I had enough ginger to handle d issue. The second week I just tire for myself . The third week I bought a new Fone.. The following week I deleted my tinder account.
#lifegoeson#

darkandclear26:
slippers, check this out

bros no worry .dem go soon ban u

DISCLAIMER: The thoughts expressed in this article are solely the author’s.


Cc:Lalasticlala

February 22, 2013, this music maniac dropped what I call a different kind of single for a newbie, he dropped Sho Lee, sung in Yoruba, enjoyed tremendously well by the Hausas, Gbagis and Fulanis, true story, I was in the north when this song dropped and boy, did it rock Jos town. Now, if a song like that can rock a non-speaking Yoruba town, one can only imagine the welcoming havoc it wrecked in places like Lagos, Ibadan and the rest. Not stopping there, Sean Tizzle, went on to drop several other hits until in recent years he decided its better to be a bad Impression of Toke Makinwa added with the better version of Seyi Shay. There is a reason why we allowed him steal our hearts, he made MUSIC, he kept it originally simple yet epic and all of a sudden it seems that part of him has been toned off. Do some good music, hell just do something, in your case simple does it.

8. Sean tizzle

Yes, we get it marriage is very important in a man’s life but again, should that be the reason for the creativity which at a time gushed out in torrents to now be reduced to a trickle/ Bez, is one of the super talented Nigerian acts, who do not rely on just their vocals, which by the way, he seems to have in all folds and shades, but puffed up with a mastery of some musical instruments. His brand of music can only be described as unusual as with justa single album, ‘Super Sun’, he managed to secure a place in the hearts of the millions whose souls are embedded in hip hop, fuji and alternative sounds. His song, ‘Stupid Song’ went on to top charts and snag awards, placing him in shows and tours which were highly successful until it all came to a ‘ one minute Randomic halt‘ which further buttressed my issue.

7. Bez

His stint on Olamide’s Who You Epp made me wonder if he was cool with his career aging reversely, like really did he not think he sounded silly voicing that part on the track? Now, we all know Wande, is a phenomenal act, from the start of his career, he had always shone above the rest. From his dancing stint to his entrance into the Mo’Hit’s fold, Wande Coal ensured he was ‘epically’ felt on any track he laced with his vocals, rangng from hits like ‘Bumper to Bumper’, ‘Ololofe’, ‘Taboo’, ‘You Bad’, ‘Pere’, amongst several others. Then he left Mo’Hits, joined Mavins but soon, stormed out of the label, this was after surviving his album being delayed at Mo’Hits. Dripping off betrayal and failed promises, Wande Coal gradually slipped off our radar with his desire for doing songs that are just like the subscription I have at home, BA

6.Wande coal

Fine faced boy in Chidinma’s {Story for another day]defining track Kedike,we all coveted and literary drooled over when he finally dropped his own songs. He has released single, which when put together should be an album and he has lit hearts, charts and stages with some of them. Krane, who hit the limelight in 2012, same year he was signed and released his first song titled, ‘My Dear’ was nominated in the ‘Next Rated’ artiste category at that year’s Headies. Fast forward to 2016 armed with ‘xteristics of a silly/jaw dropping body of work’, it seems all Dammy Krane needed was four years to redefine the grace to grass story he so effortlessly created with his sound.

5.Dammy krane

Someone type in Ketchup singer on google and see what brings up. In as much as I want to really go in on this artistes, I feel the first story you find about him on google says it all… perhaps he has been that way for a very long time now.

4. ketchup

For years, 9ice gave us memorable hooks delivered in same memorable vocals communicated in of course the memorable language, Yoruba. His first two albums, Certificate and Gongo Aso, had singles which not only topped charts but also electrified it, these albums were basically an avenue for spawning hits. Like I said in my last post, 9ice’s music was basically the soundtrack to some people’s life as he had tracks which were not only relatable but singalongs. His emergence on the scene was like a breath of fresh air in and out of the music industry. Fast forward to his marital woes and split from ID Cabasa, everything turned grey and like the trooper that he is, he struggled to remain relevant by releasing song after song, forgetting that there was a reason why he was loved back then. Sometimes the secret isn’t about the medium of communication sir. Find this fault and please make us all dance and sing like we no one is watching.

3. 9ice

He alone could magically sing the same melody, change up the lyrics and titles, stamp a new name on it and have millions swoon over it like it was a different song entirely, yes, he is the akpako master, and for years, we reveled in his madness alongside, enjoying every bit of freedom he placed on our laps without as much as feeling like we might need to have a me talk time. For years, Terry G, dished out hits, collaborated on successful songs, landed the biggest shows, topped charts e.t.c until in recent year, he suddenly fell out of the surface of the earth [so it seems] the once vibrant, carefree, highly successful speaking in not tongue genius, now is a shadow of his vibrant musically self. He now does club shows and even free shows all in dire need of staying relevant. Here is a thought, how about get a song writer, record a brilliantly hyper-active song, and put it out for your fans and no….nuff with the gospel, my life ish storytelling babbling , because every other sad act out there seems to be doing it doesn’t make it cool or appreciated.

2

This legend has one of hip hop’s memorable voices. Right from his times as one third of the boy group, Plantashan Boys, back in the 2000’s, Tuface , stood out. His fame and prominence blew to a greater height upon going solo, dropping highly successful albums which held within it massive hits such as ‘African Queen’ an evergreen track that stamped an imaginary approval on his forehead as ‘The Voice Of Africa’ Tuface reigned supreme and rode on the back of success; headlining shows, dropping hits, doing international collaborations e.t.c until he drove off the road of success. With each release this one time sensational artiste seems to be going on a downward spiral on charts and seems to bee finding it difficult to release another iconic love song or even any love song that will move us the way his old ones did back then. It now seems even the shows and endorsement and achievements Tubaba, has snagged over the years seems like he got them through pity or past glory.

1

KO le werk

lol

lala we don come again with a brand new style

kimbra:
Do you have a Billion Dollar?.

yes bae PM for a better deal