Nigerian Football

OLDEST FORMER NFF GENERAL SECRETARY ALIVE CLOCKS 86

Published

5 years ago

November 28, 2018

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

He may not be well known as he headed the administration of the Nigerian football governing body in the ‘ancient past’.

At a time, it was even a subject of debate if he was ever a general secretary at the then Nigeria Football Association as his name was conspicuously missing on the board at NFF Secretariat, which listed past administrators.

Herbert Omokhaye was the secretary of the NFA from 1964 to 1965 when he was seconded to the association from the just established National Sports Council (NSC), which transformed into National Sports Commission in 1970.

Omokhaye clocks 86 this Wednesday as the oldest former scribe of Nigerian football still alive.

From Nigeria’s files in the archives of FIFA, it was Omokhaye that responded to correspondence by from the world body regarding a fixture of Nigeria and Morocco in the Tokyo 1964 Olympic qualifiers.

Letter to FIFA signed by Albert Omokhaye in 1965.

From the same archival materials, www.sportsvillagesquare.com gathers the correspondence to FIFA by the late Abraham Ordia when Omokhaye resigned from both the NSC and the NFA.

August 17, 1965 letter by NSC notifying FIFA that Herbert Omokhaye had assumed position as acting secretary of the NFA.

December 8, 1965 letter to FIFA, notifying that Herbert Omokhaye had left the services of the Nigeria Football Association.

Omokhaye played as a defender in the Challenge Cup finals in the 1950s for Lagos UAC and the Federal United which was a model club that some influential Nigerians in Lagos established.

Herbert Omokhaye, (fourth from left in the front row) as a left full back for Lagos UAC in the 1950 Challenge Cup. On the extreme left is Peter ‘Eto’ Amaechina who later became Green Eagles’ coach.

Omokhaye’s football career started when he was a member of the Methodist Boys High School in 1950 from where he joined the Lagos UAC club as a left-sided defender in 1951 before moving to SCOA in 1955.

He featured for the then model club, Federal United in the Challenge Cup final of 1958 before retiring in 1961 to begin a career in sports administration.

Herbert Omokhaye as match commissioner in 2009.

He became the general secretary of the then Lagos Amateur Football Association (LAFA) in 1962 from where he moved to the newly established NSC in 1964.

It was then he was seconded to the NFA. According to him, he became a referee in 1969 and rose to the top grade in 1975. He retired as a referee in 1981 and became a match commissioner in 1982.

Nigerian Football

Ikenne’s Beyond Limit Football Academy top goal chart as NNL releases vital statistics

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The secretariat of the Nigeria National League has released the match statistics of the four conferences of the 2024 season.

With 198 matches so far played in Conferences A and B, 426 goals were scored, with 125 home wins and 26 away wins, representing 63.1%, & 26% respectively. There were 47 draw matches, representing 23.7% of matches. 299 home goals were scored, and 127 home goals.

Beyond Limit FC scored the highest goals of 33 goals, with Stormers FC and Ekiti United conceeding the least goals of 28 goals. Tradesafe and Solution FC scored the least numbers of goals of 11 goals and Osun conceded the least numbers of goals of 8.

In group C & D, 209 goals have been scored in the 106 so far played, with 70 home wins and 14 won away representing 66. 3% and 13.1% respectively.

Teams drew 31 matches representing 29.2% of the matches played. Wikki Tourists scored the highest numbers of goals, with 23 goals, while EFCC FC conceded the least numbers of goals. They conceded 18 goals. Nasarawa United’s 8 goals conceded made them the team that conceded the lowest numbers of goals, while ABS scored the least number of goals of 5 goals.

Nigerian Football

Heartland back to their homeland as they host Shooting Stars

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY TOSIN OMOJOLA, OWERRI

The uncertainty surrounding our Matchday 31 encounter against Heartland FC of Owerri, has been cleared with the game eventually slated to hold at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, the home ground of the host team

The Nigeria Premier League has given the approval to the stadium after an inspection was carried out on Wednesday afternoon.

The Oluyole Warriors have since arrived the Imo State capital and have settled down ahead of Friday’s clash which will be be shown live on cable television.

Meanwhile, the Technical Adviser of the Ibadan soccer lords, Gbenga Ogunbote, while addressing the players on arrival at their hotel, urged them not to be distracted by the development.

“I want to apologise to you on the change of venue. We got to know about it some hours ago, but be that as it may, I want us to remain focused as and get the desired results we needed”.

In the same vein, the players of the Ibadan soccer lords, said they are not in any way moved by the change of venue, expressing their readiness to get the maximum points, not minding the venue.

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars add fuel to the fire as title chase turns East – West battle

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Added time-goal specialists, Remo Stars pulled off one of their now familiar traits, chalking up a valuable point as Skipper Nduka Junior scored in the 90+4 minute to scuttle an impending victory by Doma United on Wednesday evening.

When all-hope seemed over, Remo Stars had scored hope-reviving goals as they did against Lobi Stars, Insurance and a host of others in the Nigeria Premier League.

Getting a valuable point take them from fifth position to fourth their haul to 50, just a point below that of second and third placed Enyimba and Lobi Stars respectively.

The 1-1 scoreline also changed the complexion of the league table as their South West rivals were pushed down from their initial fourth position.

As it is, the struggle for the title is taking regional colouration as the top two- Enugu Rangers and Enyimba are from the South East while fourth and fifth – Remo Stars and Shooting Stars are from the South West.

Lobi Stars from the middle belt, stand in-between the South East and South West in the power struggle.

Remo Stars at the fourth position however still have an outstanding home game against Rivers United and that could still change the positions of the top six teams when the match is played.

Attention will now shift to match-day 31 as the league embarks on its home stretch.

On Friday, relegation-bound Heartland will be hosting rejuvenated Shooting Stars who have suddenly discovered they could return to continental competition next seasons after 25 years.

They have lately been having unbeaten runs. On Saturday, Kwara United will host desperate Akwa United who are struggling to avoid dropping into the lower league.

On the same day, Abia Warriors will be at home against Bayelsa United.

On Sunday seven matches are on the card. They are:

Kano Pillars v. Gombe United

Katsina United v. Sporting Lagos

Lobi Stars v. Bendel Insurance

Niger Tornadoes v Doma United

Plateau United v. Remo Stars

Rivers United v. Enugu Rangers

Sunshine Stars v. Enyimba