Nigerian Football
Plan unveiled to honour Nigerian football legend, Teslim Balogun 50 years after death
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
A grand plan to mark the 50th anniversary of the passing on of Nigerian football legend, Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun was unveiled Wednesday afternoon at the secretariat of the Lagos branch of Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
Led by the chairman of the organizing committee, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, the group which also included the children of the late football icon announced that next July, it will be 50 years since ‘Thunder’ Balogun died.
Dr. Ladipo went on to chronicle the impact Balogun had in Nigerian football.
He remarked that Balogun bestrode the Nigerian and international football landscape like a colossus between the 1940s and the 1960s.
“As already well documented, he attained national stardom by playing and winning titles with such clubs as Jos and Lagos clubs – Apapa Bombers, UAC and Railways.
“He won the Challenge Cup with UAC, also known as ‘Broadstreet Millionaires’ in 1950 and the FA Cup with The Railways in 1951.
“Internationally, Thunder Balogun was included among 18 selected players to represent Nigeria in the United Kingdom.
“The team subsequently played nine matches against UK club sides. Six years later in 1955, Thunder Balogun returned to the UK to become the first Nigerian and African to play professional football in England by plying his trade with Peterborough United and Queens Park Rangers.
“He subsequently scored another first when he became the first African to qualify as a professional coach in England.
Continuing, Dr. Ladipo remarked that in 1958, Thunder Balogun, through the influence of the then Premier of the Western region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo returned home to become the Chief Coach of the old Western Region and help identify potential coaching talents.
The Teslim Balogun Stadium Complex in Surulere Local Government of Lagos State, so named after him by the Lagos State Government has helped to immortalise this great Nigerian, but more can and should still be done.
Born in March 1927, Thunder Balogun died in July 1972, thus by next year it would be 50 years of his demise. That is why his family, close associates and other interest groups believe it would be appropriate to celebrate the golden memorial in a week-long activity.
The organising committee then revealed the purpose of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legend’s death.
“Firstly, to celebrate and eternally etch in the memory of Nigerians, the exploits of a footballing and coaching giant who left indelible footprints on the sands of Nigerian football.
“Secondly, to encourage past and present generation of footballers and coaches to continue to do their best for the Nation under the maxim: ‘If Tesim Thunder Balogun is not forgotten, you will not be forgotten’.
“Thirdly, to establish a foundation in the name of Teslim (Thunder Balogun) through which the welfare of footballers could be promoted.”
To fulfil the objectives, a week-long programme of activities are planned for Monday July 25 to Saturday July 30, 2022,
It was revealed that the activities will include an exhibition and documentary on the life, football and coaching adventures of Teslim Thunder Balogun.
That is expected to be declared open by the Nigeria Minister for Sports with the support of the officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission.
Public lectures on ‘Teslim Thunder Balogun is also in the package. A lecture with the theme “The man, his career and his impact” is expected to be given by Chief Adegboye Onigbinde a former two-time Nigeria national team coach.
While Dr. Ladipo will speak on a theme: ‘From thunder Balogun to the present generation: The role of Supporters club in the making of Nigerian Football’.
Some dignitaries expected at the lecture which will also incorporate the official launching of the Teslim Balogun Foundation as well as the unveiling of a book on the legend, include Lekan Adegbite, the Minister of Mines & Steel.
The book is being packaged by veteran sports journalist, Segun Adenuga who is perhaps one of the few living eyewitnesses of the playing days of Teslim Balogun.
Football matches are also planned as part of the week-long programme. These may include teams from Ghana playing against some top clubs in Nigeria.
According to Dr. Ladipo, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State is expected to be the Special Guest of Honour at the matches.
The chairman of the organising committee also called for support from as many stakeholders as possible including but not limited to the federal and state governments, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, the football authorities, investors in the sports and football sector, the private sector, philanthropists, you sports journalists and the entire Nigerian media.
Already, the minister of sports, Sunday Dare is the Grand Patron of the event while Nigerian football chieftain, Amaju Pinnick is the patron.
The minister of sports is represented in the organising committee by Mrs. Mbora Ikana while spokesman of the NFF is standing in for Amaju Pinnick.
The Nigeria U17 women’s team has been given incentives to make it to the Women’s World Cup for the eighth time.
The team, Flamingos, who arrived in Algiers in the early hours of Wednesday aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul, are highly inspired by the imminence of another FIFA World Cup ticket as well as further financial windfall from the Nigeria Football Federation and billionaire business mogul Kunle Soname.
Soname gifted the young players and their officials the sum of N4 million (one million naira for every goal) following their commanding win over the North Africans at the Remo Stars Stadium on Saturday, while the NFF gave out the sum of N2 million (five hundred thousand naira for every goal).
President of NFF, Ibrahim Musa Gusau and Soname have both confirmed that the same financial incentives are in place for the second leg in Blida on Friday.
“Our objective is clear – to win the FIFA World Cup ticket. That is the big motivation.
“Yet, we have been further incentivised by the monetary rewards. My girls will go all out on Friday night,” Head Coach Bankole Olowookere said.
Olowookere, who led the Flamingos to their last two World Cup ventures, will most likely rely on first-leg two-goal heroine Queen Joseph, lone-goal scorer Zainab Raji and Kaosarat Olanrewaju to start at the fore, with Shakirat Moshood, Muinat Rotimi and Philomena Isaiah supplying the passes from the midfield.
Goalkeeper and captain Christiana Uzoma and defenders Azeezat Oduntan, Hannah Ibrahim, Christiana Sunday and Jumai Adebayo are also likely to start.
The Confederation of African Football has selected Cameroonian official Marie Noelle Etong to be the referee, with her compatriots Marcelle Teikeu and Innocentia Ntangti as assistant referee 1 and fourth official, respectively, while Chadian Ngarassoum Victorine will be assistant referee 2.
Oumou Souleymane Kane from Mauritania will be the commissioner, and Sabelo Maphosa-Sibindi from Zimbabwe will be in the role of referee assessor.
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Former president of the initially 15-member West African Football Union (WAFU), Chief Jonathan Boytie Ogufere, has expressed his heartfelt condolences over the recent death of former national team captain and coach, Christian ‘Chairman’ Chukwu.
He remarked that the erstwhile Enugu Rangers’ defence stalwart will ‘be dearly missed’. In a personally signed letter of condolence, Ogufere described Chukwu, who died on Saturday, April 12, in Enugu after a brief illness at 74, as a ‘hero of our time and a friend’.
The nonagenarian recalled with nostalgia how he nearly recruited the young Chukwu for his P & T Vasco da Gama Football Club of Enugu, adding he was impressed with how the ‘Field Marshal Christian Chukwuemeka ‘Chairman ‘ Chukwu (MFR), conducted himself throughout his career as he led both the national team, the then Green Eagles and his beloved Enugu Rangers to many conquests.
“I join numerous others to mourn the transition of the legendary Christian Chukwu, a hero of our time and friend,” the Ugbugba of Okpe Kingdom wrote.
“As one of the young academicals discovered after the end of the Civil War in 1970, I tried to enlist into my club, the P & T Vasco da Gama Football Club of Enugu but he was fair and frank in informing me that he had already joined Enugu Ranges Football Club, and I respected that attitude. From the rivalries between the two clubs, his exploits as a central defender were very visible.”
He continued: “Christian Chukwu emerged at the national level as a trustworthy and formidable captain of the national team who led by example.
“He was one of the heroes during the Golden age of Nigerian football when I was one of the Board Members of the Nigeria Football Association under the chairmanship of Chief Sunday Dankaro as Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980 for the first time where Christian Chukwu as captain of the Green Eagles was declared the best player of the tournament. He led the national team in several battles, which endeared him to millions of football lovers.
“After his playing days, he showed his talents through coaching in Nigeria and abroad.
“I express my sincere condolences to the family he left behind, the football family and the country in general. He will be dearly missed.
“May the good Lord grant his noble soul eternal rest,” he noted.
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Remo Stars are coasting to what will be their greatest moment ever, a win of the Nigeria Premier Football League title, as they recorded a 1-0 win over Shooting Stars in Ibadan in a match played behind closed doors.
In doing so, they achieved their sixth double of the season, having earlier beaten Shooting Stars in the first stanza of the league.
They maintained the seven-point lead over second-placed Rivers United, who also beat Sunshine Stars 1-0 in Port Harcourt.
After a ding-dong affair, Alex Oyowah scored the vital goal for Remo Stars from a right-wing cross from Ismail Sodiq.
In another match, Ikorodu City continued to work tenaciously to obtain a continental ticket as they held El Kanemi to a 1-1 draw.
SUNDAY RESULTS
- El Kanemi 1-1 Ikorodu City
- Niger Tornados 1-1 Bayelsa United
- Heartland 0-0 Kwara United
- Plateau United 1-0 Akwa United
- Rivers United 1-0 Sunshine Stars
- Shooting Stars 0-1 Remo Stars
- Bendel United 1-1 Nasarawa United
SATURDAY
- Katsina United 0-0 Abia Warriors
- Enyimba 2-1 Kano Pillars
- Lobi Stars 2-4 Enugu Rangers
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