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IT’S 48 YEARS TODAY SINCE NIGERIA FIRST HOSTED AFRICA GAMES

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA

On this day 48 years ago, Nigeria hosted for the first time, a multi-discipline sporting fiesta as the then Head of State declared open, the 2nd All Africa Games at the National Stadium, Lagos. Kola Abdulahi, a sprinter, was the poster boy of the games.

The 2nd All Africa Games were originally meant to hold in Mali in 1969, but a military coup in the country disrupted the plans and the games were moved to Lagos to be held in 1971.

With the foundation stone of the Lagos stadium only laid on 14 March 1970, it was not possible for the games to hold in 1971 and thus 1972 was suggested.

Again owing to the Olympic Games rules that do not allow any other multinational games to hold on years of Olympics, the games were moved to January 1973 as Olympic Games were scheduled for Munich in 1972.

A total of 36 nations featured in the fiesta that ended on 18 January 1973. When Nigeria beat Guinea 2-0 in the final match of the football event at the closing ceremony, it was the first continental honour by any football team in Nigeria.

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At the opening ceremony, Nigeria beat Ghana 4-2 in the football event.  When full back, Tony Igwe converted a 24th minute penalty kick awarded by Senegalese referee, Youssouf N’Diaye to bring score line to 2-0, it was the first penalty kick goal at the Nationa Stadium.

Egypt with 25 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze medals topped the chart, beaten Nigeria to the second position.  A swimmer, Faten Afifi won seven of the Egyptian gold medals. Nigeria’s medal haul stood at 18 gold, 25 silver and 20 bronze medals.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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