₦airaland Forum

naptu2:
That was when Radio Nigeria was still Radio Nigeria. They used to broadcast Principals Cup matches live. We also used to mute the TV when Ernest Okonkwo was running commentaries on the radio.

I remember the drama of the Miracle of Dammam (I believe it was Ernest Okonkwo that actually gave it that name). Remember that NTA did not broadcast the match live, so the whole country was hooked on Ernest Okonkwo's commentary. The drama was unbelievable. I saw an old man (a football coach) crying. People had given up. A crowd had congregated outside, because people didn't want to listen to the commentaries anymore. USSR 4-0 Nigeria. Then we heard people scream "Goal!" And we were like, "At least they've got one". Then we heard another scream, "Goal". Then everybody ran back into their houses.

Ernest Okonkwo actually told the story of Prophet Elijah and the prophets of Bal as Samuel Elijah walked up to take his penalty kick. It was like the whole country erupted when he screamed "Goal". That was just a few months before he fell ill.


What was so amazing was that he said all these things in the heat of the moment. He couldn't possibly have known that Samuel Elijah would take that penalty kick, but he immediately recounted the story of Elijah. He was just amazing.

naptu2:
Fabio Lanipekun is a former sports journalist and commentator with the NTA. He presented sports programmes and ran commentary on football matches in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He rose to become the head of NTA Sports.

Here he is (along with Charles Ojugbana) commentating on the famous Miracle of Damman. This was a quarter final match at the 1989 Under 20 World Cup in Saudi Arabia. The match took place on February 25th, 1989. The Soviet Union led Nigeria by four goals to nil with just thirty minutes left, but Nigeria equalised and won the match on penalties.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5LIGg1PkkU

naptu2:
Los Angeles 1984 Olympics

What a throwback! I watched this fight live with my dad in 1984 and we felt that Konyegwachi should have won. It was very close, but I felt that Taylor won the first round, while Konyegwachi won the second and third rounds. This should have been Nigeria's first Olympic gold medal. (I thought that Taylor won because he had the home advantage).

In my opinion, Konyegwachie was more mobile and landed more punches (he injured Taylor above the eye), while Taylor landed the heavier punches (I believe that he was looking for a knockout) and was too static.

I've been searching for this clip for a long time because I wanted to confirm that I was right in 1984. I still think that Konyegwachi should have won, but it now appears closer than I thought it was in the heat of the moment in 1984. What do you think?


Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games Boxing 57kg Final
Meldrick Taylor (USA) v Peter Konyegwachie (NGR)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL9TX_UNhVI

Bnladan:
My mentor Chika Chukwumerije was the first and only Nigerian to win a medal in taekwondo at olympics.

naptu2:
Lots of Super Falcons' goals, including Cynthia Uwak's goal at the 2007 World Cup to make the final scores
Nigeria 1-1 Sweden.

And Mercy Akide's goal against Denmark (Nkiru Okosieme also scored) to make the final score
Nigeria 2-0 Denmark.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8NX6K6DJas

WiszyFraud:
I only know this one below

naptu2:
The Olympic Games and the World Championship were combined in 1984. Weightlifters who won individual disciplines (clean and jerk, etc) won World Championship gold, but you had to win all the events to win Olympic Gold.


Oliver Orok of Nigeria, who had won gold and set several records at the Commonwealth Games, was leading the competition. He had won several world championship gold medals, but he got injured while trying to lift a huge weight and his opponents overtook him. He won World Championship gold, but he didn't win any Olympic medal.

Those are pictures of Oliver Orok.

The Europeans and Americans were amazed at his technique and his physique.

KosiGee:
This man inspired a lot of people. I heard the name from an uncle who started body building after watching Oliver Orok. Orok however disappointed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
A few others like Lawrence Iquabom and Solomon Oruoma couldn’t replicate his feat st the world stage.

naptu2:
OK, let's see if the anti-spam bot will attack Nigerian names. I sincerely hope not.


These were some of the stars that I mentioned in that thread.


Oliver Orok, Ironbar Bassey, Lawrence Iquaibom, Ojadi Aduche, Patrick Bassey, Oliver Toby, Muyiwa Odusanya and Najite Ogbogu.

naptu2:
That's not strictly true. The first Nigerian to win an Olympic medal in Taekwondo was Emmanuel Peters Oghenejobo (that's why he is ahead of Chukwumerije on my list). He won the silver medal in Taekwondo at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. However, Taekwondo was a demonstration sport at that Olympic Games which means that his medal didn't count towards Nigeria's overall medal tally.

Bnladan:
Emmanuel only won a silver � medal in pre-olympics games. His olympics profile says a lots

WiszyFraud:
I only know this one below

naptu2:
Nigeria has dominated the table tennis scene in Africa for a very long time, but I fear that we are about to totally lose our crown and what happened in athletics after the year 2000 is about to happen in table tennis.

We currently have Aruna Quadri, who was declared the star of 2014 by the International Table Tennis Federation, but we have nobody else challenging him. In the past, when we had the great Atanda Musa, there was also a Yomi Bankole to keep him on his toes. When we had Sule Olaleye, there was also a Segun Toriola, but now, all we have is Aruna Quadri.

This is a far cry from the past when there were all Nigeria finals at the African Championships and All Africa Games and we won several Commonwealth titles (Atanda Musa and Segun Toriola).

It's worse in the women's section. Cecilia Effiong is good, but I do not think that she is nearly as good as the Funke Oshonaike, Bose Kaffo, Kuburat Owolabi, Kehinde Okenla and Olawunmi Majekodunmi that we had in the past. And there's no one else besides her.

The Asoju Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas played a massive role in the development of table tennis in Nigeria. The Asoju Oba table tennis championships, which was created and funded by Chief Okoya-Thomas, was the biggest table tennis tournament in Nigeria. All the big names in table tennis in Nigeria played at the tournament. The prize money was mouth watering and Atanda Musa famously beat Yomi Bankole in the 1984 edition to win a Peugeot 504 (Chief Okoya-Thomas always had close links with french companies. Hewas the chairman of CFAO Nigeria, which had a division [CFAO Motors] that sold Peugeot cars. He was also awarded the highest national honour by the french president). Old Man collaborated with Chief Okoya-Thomas on the Asoju Oba competition (I still have a picture of both of them, that was taken at one of the tournaments, but I'm not sure what year), which probably explains why he was at Old Man's funeral. Chief Okoya-Thomas ran that competition for almost 40 years.

Chief Okoya Thomas was also heavily involved in tennis. He sponsored the Lord Rumens Tennis Classics after the death of Lord Rumens, was the vice chairman of the LLTC and was involved in bringing Venus and Serena Williams to Nigeria in 2012.

Unfortunately Chief Okoya-Thomas died in 2015. The Lagos State Government has promised to continue funding the Asoju Oba tournament, but I don't think that will last. I expect that the tournament will also die very soon.

Another person that greatly developed the game in Nigeria is Babatunde Obisanya. This former national team player became the greatest coach Nigeria has ever had and he coached great stars like Atanda Musa, Kasali Lasisi, Ayo Bankole, Segun Toriola, etc.


List of African table tennis champions.
2006
MEN
TORIOLA Segun NGR (champion)

WOMEN

---

2004
MEN
TORIOLA Segun NGR (champion)

WOMEN

---

2002

MEN
TORIOLA Segun NGR (champion)

MEROTOHUN M. NGR (runner up)


WOMEN
OSHONAIKE Olufunke  NGR (champion)

OFFIONG Cecilia Otu NGR (runner up)

---

2000

MEN
SALEH Ahmed  EGY (champion)

LASHIN El-Sayed  EGY (runner up)

WOMEN
EL-ALFY Shahira  EGY

NEBIYAT Ahmed  ETH

---

1998

MEN
TORIOLA Segun  NGR (champion)

LASHIN El-Sayed  EGY (runner up)

WOMEN
KAFFO Bose NGR (champion)

OWOH Atisi  NGR (runner up)

---

1996

MEN
KAZEEM Nosiru  NGR (champion)

SOBHY Ashraf  EGY (runner up)

WOMEN
OWOPETU Bimbo  NGR (champion)

BOUAZIZ Nacera  ALG (runner up)

---

1994

MEN
OLALEYE Sule  NGR (champion)

TORIOLA Segun  NGR (runner up)

WOMEN

KAFFO Bose  NGR (champion)

MESHREF Nihal  EGY (runner up)

---

1992

MEN
HELMY Ashraf  EGY (champion)

TORIOLA Segun  NGR (runner up)


WOMEN

OSHONAIKE Olufunke  NGR (champion)

ODUMOSU Abiola NGR (runner up)

---

1990

MEN
MASSAAD Adel  EGY (champion)

MUSA Atanda  NGR (runner up)

WOMEN
KAFFO Bose NGR

MAJEKODUNMI O. NGR

---

1988

MEN
MUSA Atanda  NGR (champion)

OMOTARA Titus  NGR (runner up)

WOMEN
OWOLABI ADUKE K.NGR (champion)

KAFFO Bose Olateju  NGR (runner up)

---

1985

MEN
MUSA Atanda  NGR (champion)

BANKOLE Yomi  NGR (runner up)

WOMEN
MAJEKODUNMI O. NGR (champion) 

OWOLABI ADUKE K. NGR (runner up)

---

1980

MEN
EBOH Sunday  NGR (champion)

MUSA Atanda  NGR (runner up)

WOMEN
LAMPTEY Esther  GHA (champion)

MAJEKODUNMI O. NGR (runner up)

---

1976

MEN
LASISI Kasali  NGR (champion)

AYINDE Fatai  NGR (runner up)


WOMEN
MAJEKODUNMI O. NGR (champion)

JACKS Ethel  GHA (runner up)

---

1974

MEN
EL-KABBANI Farouk EGY (champion)

SUNMOLA Lateef  NGR (runner up)

WOMEN
JACKS Ethel  GHA (champion)

MAJEKODUNMI O. NGR (runner up)

---

1968

MEN
QUAYE Emmanuel GHA (champion)

WILSON Lassey  NGR (runner up)

WOMEN
JACKS Ethel  GHA (champion)

EL-DARWISH Inas EGY (runner up)

---

1964

MEN
EZZ GALAL Fahmi EGY (champion)

EL-ABRASHY Fawzi  EGY (runner up)

WOMEN
JACKS Ethel  GHA (champion)

AKUETTEH Ernestina  GHA (runner up)

---

1962

MEN
QUAYE E. GHA (champion)

EL-ABRASHY Fawzi  EGY (runner up)

WOMEN
EL-DARWISH Inas EGY (champion)

JACKS Ethel  GHA (runner up)

ehbellsho:
What a list!
Op, you try o

itsene:
Indeed!
Plus
Amaechina, Anieke, Olumodeji, Azinge, Oshode , Ezeani, Emetiole, Abana, Rigogo, Opone, Ogboe, Egborge, Eguavoen, Agbonifo, Aghahowa etc.
Kola Abdulahi, Jaiye Abidoye, Peter Okodogbe ,David Ejoke ,Charlton Ehizuluen, Bruce Ijirigho etc.
Tunde Santos, Boladeq Elemo, Mukaila Lawal etc
And many more...

naptu2:
What is this man's name?

obiekunie2:
sorry sir i dont get this part.

Is the pic that of Tafawa Balewa??

Are you saying he was once a professional golfer??

bluefilm:
I know only of Etim Esin.

But not because of anything that has to do with football.

He is said to be a Hardcore Rapist.

Is that true?

DeRay98:
He has never been reported to be " a hard core rapist" unless you added that to the story you heard.
He was wrongly accused of raping his girlfriend in Belgium by the racist girl's father just to deal with his audacity and at datinzg his daughter, but later found to be lie as the girl had pure white baby. By that Etim had been stock in Nigeria where he ran to after a trial in Portugal for a bigger club.
Etim was stubborn, super confident among the first Nigerian footballers in Europe to live large with fleet of sports cars.
If Etim had been playing for super eagles Okocha would have had get more serious earlier with his game to be able to sit in the bench and play 2nd half.
He was called the African Maradona from playing in U-20 Flying Eagles in 1987.

Mexyz:
Yakubu Aiyegbeni is missing on your list op..

I'm so proud to see many Edo names up there, at least we've contributed a lot when it comes to bringing smile on the faces of Nigerians through sports.

MrFly:
'culpable' Emmanuel Babayaro should not and cant make this list

DeRay98:
From the footballers list, apart from the first 5 who played before 1976, i watched the rest play for local clubs and Green Eagles cum Super Eagles...
That is missing Emmanuel and Patrick Okala, Victor Oduah ( the first Green Eagles Captain to life a continental Trophy for Nigeria at the 1973 All African Games, all the first Capt of Bendel Insurance of Benin to lift the most coveted trophy in Nigeria, the Challenge Cup in 1972).
I didn't Chibuzor Ehilegbu, David Ngodigha...

bluefilm:
I know only of Etim Esin.

But not because of anything that has to do with football.

He is said to be a Hardcore Rapist.

Is that true?

naptu2:
POST 1 C

Etim Esin
I consider Etim Esin, Jay Jay Okocha and Tarila Okorowanta to be the three most skilful Nigerian players ever. Etim Esin is short and stocky and he has a low centre of gravity that enables him to maintain his balance while performing his crazy tricks on the football field.

However, unfortunately, Etim Esin was also one of the most undisciplined players in the Nigerian national team.

Esin played for Flash Flamingos of Benin and he was their highest goal scorer. He put up a good performance when Flash Flamingos played against Iwuanyanwu Nationale (he scored two goals) and lots of teams wanted to sign him. The two millionaire clubs, Abiola Babes and Leventis United approached him and made lots of promises, but Iwuanyanwu Nationale gave him a Peugeot 505 Evolution and he joined Iwuanyanwu. He had a 505 Evolution at the age of 18! (He later bought a BMW 3 Series).

The Belgian club Genk came to Nigeria on a playing tour and they played against the Flying Eagles. Etim Esin scored three goals for the Flying Eagles in that game and Genk were so impressed by his performance that they signed him up. Etim Esin had become one of the “professionals”. The Nigerian media also nicknamed him the “Nigerian Maradonna”.

All this attention got to Etim’s head. He escaped from camp the night before Nigeria was to play a major game and went to a nightclub. Armed robbers attacked him in Surulere on his way back to camp, shot him in the thigh and stole his BMW.

Etim Esin played for Nigerian in several Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers, but he never played for the Super Eagles in any major competition partly because he didn’t get on well with the coaches. He played for the Flying Eagles at the 1987 World Youth Championship in Chile, but the team crashed out of the competition at the group stage (despite the fact that we had one of our best teams ever) because the players did not get along with each other. Etim Esin has admitted that his teammates at Chile ’87 did not like him. He said that he feels that his presence was a distraction and that it affected the team.

He did very well at Lokeren in Belgium and scored a lot of goals for them, but his time in Belgium came to an abrupt end when he was accused of raping a girl. Many Nigerians immediately believed the accusation because of Esin’s past behavioural problems, but Esin insisted that he was innocent.

Etim Esin said that the girl that he was accused of raping was his girlfriend. He said that he didn’t have any problems with her, but problems arose when her father found out that they were dating. He said that her father did not want her to date a black man and he did everything possible to separate them. He also said that he thought that his girlfriend’s father was sleeping with her. He said that he did not know that the girl was 16 because she looked like she was 20 years old.

Anyway, Etim Esin was accused of raping the girl and he was detained by the police. The Nigerian authorities were concerned about Etim Esin’s situation. Admiral Aikhomu asked Clemens Wseterhof to assist in the matter (Westerhof is from the Netherlands and the Netherlands and Belgium are members of the BeNeLux group). Aikhomu gave Westerhof $10,000 to take care of the issue. Chief MKO Abiola spent $50,000 to ensure that Etim Esin had a lawyer and he was eventually cleared of all charges and released. He said that he saw Chief Abiola as his mentor and that he was very grateful to Chief Abiola for what he did for him.

Etim Esin is now a motivational speaker and he goes to schools and football academies to advise the kids so that they don’t make the kind of mistakes that he made.

https://naijachronicles./2018/07/28/why-mko-abiola-won-the-1993-election-part-3/