Connect with us

MEDIA

Mumini Alao’s front row account of Nigeria’s feat at Atlanta ‘96 still trending

Published

on

Master story-teller, Dr. Mumini Alao presents his account of Nigeria's feat at Atlanta 96

It may have been 27 years since Nigeria’s biggest football feat in the world but the memory has refused to fade.

Erudite scholar and journalist, Mumini Alao, a master story-teller repackaged the famous Nigeria’s Dream Team feat into a handy book.

Although the book sneaked into the market, it was formally presented to the public on a special day in Nigeria’s political history – June 12, last year.

It was at the Ballers Awards which entered then its fourth edition and organised by Gbenga Salu.

The book title is “The Making of Nigeria’s Dream Team: Football Gold Medal Winners At Atlanta ‘96 Olympic Games.”

Advertisement

The most detailed story of Nigeria’s feat at Atlanta’96 is encapsuled in this package.

It is an in-depth account of the adventures of Nigeria’s most glorious football team.

Dr. Alao, who had in 2009 written “SoccerTalk…Selected Articles on Contemporary Issues in Nigerian Football”, gave an indepth account of the formation, preparation and coronation of the Nigeria U-23 team that stunned the world at the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics.

The team became the team outside Europe to win the Olympic Games gold medal in football in 68 years.

Before the 1996 feat, the last time a team outside Europe won the football gold medal was in 1928 when Uruguay triumphed.

The striking aspect of Nigeria’s feat was the termination of Europe’s domination. Twenty six years on, no European country has won the Olympic gold medal in football.

Dr. Alao painstakingly packaged the Nigerian exploits with match reports, analysis, interviews with players, coaches, officials and fans to make a complete story by the Complete Sports supremo.

Advertisement

According to the author, a doctorate degree holder in Mass Communication, the book is available locally through JUMIA.com, RovingHeights Book Store and internationally through Amazon.com.

 

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.

Continue Reading
Advertisement