By Kunle Solaja

Fifty-three years after General Yakubu Gowon cut the tape to inaugurate the Lagos National Stadium on December 4, 1972, the once-celebrated sporting cathedral stands today as a symbol of faded grandeur—its crumbling concrete and abandoned facilities whispering tales of a glorious past Nigeria has struggled to preserve.

For a generation, the stadium was the beating heart of Nigerian sport. It hosted the 2nd All Africa Games in 1973, the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations—where the Green Eagles lifted their first continental title—and even returned to the spotlight for matches, including the final, of the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations. Its lush green pitch, roaring crowds and imposing architecture once placed it among Africa’s most admired arenas.

But the story of the Lagos National Stadium is now a study in neglect. From the seats installed during Nigeria’s aborted rush to host the 1995 FIFA U-20 World Cup, now reduced to tired relics, to the giant electronic scoreboard that looms like a dead black carcass over the eastern stand, the venue has long since lost its shine.

A Legacy in Decay

The pitch, once a carpet of green, became so poor by the late 1980s that Ethiopia’s youth team—after a 1987 World Youth Championship (Under 20 World Cup) qualifier—dismissed it as fit “only for horse races.” Since, it has deteriorated even further, with grass turning from green to yellow, then brown.

Yet, despite its condition, the stadium still sits prominently on the Lagos mainland—a haunting reminder of how national monuments can decay when maintenance culture fails.

Around the world, nations flaunt their sporting heritage through grand stadiums that are maintained, modernised and cherished. Brazil’s Maracanã, Europe’s iconic arenas, and Morocco’s fast-expanding, world-class stadium network—now attracting global competitions—illustrate how infrastructure shapes sporting excellence.

Some of these stadiums date back to the early 20th century but remain fully functional, thanks to regular upgrades. Lagos, however, tells a different story.

A Monument Built on Ambition

The origins of the National Stadium trace back to 1951, when land for the project was first acquired. The earliest version was a timber-based terrace built for the 1960 Independence celebrations and the West African Games.

The modern structure only took shape after Gowon laid the foundation stone on March 14, 1970, following years of administrative delays and shifting designs.

Construction wasn’t without challenges: shortages of steel, substitution of materials, and Lagos’ lack of cranes tall enough to reach the 62-metre floodlight towers demanded improvisation from engineers.

The floodlights towers have since been removed after one the four collapsed in 2023.

Still, by early 1973, just in time for the 2nd All Africa Games, the stadium emerged—a saucer-shaped masterpiece with 12 ramps, 72 exit points, and a capacity of 50,000 spectators. That figure later dropped to 39,858 when individual seats replaced concrete terraces ahead of the planned 1995 youth tournament.

From Sporting Cathedral to Social Hangout

What was once Nigeria’s premier multi-sport arena now survives mainly as a social hub—hosting workouts, informal gatherings, and occasional religious events. The sporting roars that once shook its foundations have long since faded.

The stadium last welcomed the Super Eagles on April 30, 2004, when a largely home-based Nigerian side lost 1–0 to Senegal in an LG-sponsored friendly. Since then, the national team has moved on. The stadium has not.

Instead, street urchins, informal traders and fitness groups roam the grounds once graced by Africa’s finest athletes.

A Mirror of Nigeria’s Sporting Culture

The decline of the Lagos National Stadium reflects a broader national challenge: the struggle to sustain infrastructure, preserve heritage and match ambition with maintenance. The stadium remains a landmark—not for its present glory, but for what it once was and what it could have remained.

At 53, the Lagos National Stadium lives on, not as a world-class arena, but as a cautionary tale—an ageing monument caught between memory and neglect, glory and ruin, history and uncertainty.

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By Kunle Solaja.

Seventeen years after the passing of Haruna Ilerika — the diminutive, left-footed maestro whose dribbling artistry lit up Nigerian football — memories of his brilliance remain as vibrant as ever. And today’s date adds an uncanny layer to that remembrance: December 4 marks not only his death anniversary, but also the anniversary of the opening of the National Stadium, Lagos — a stage he helped inaugurate with flair in 1972.

That historic Nigeria vs Mali encounter on December 4, 1972 featured Ilerika among its standout performers. Today, several others who played in that symbolic match — captain Godwin Achebe, later national skipper Victor Oduah, the stadium’s first scorer Yakubu Mambo, Sunday Oyarekhua and more — have also departed, leaving behind a fading golden generation.

A Tale of Two Legends

Football historians often draw a poetic line between Haruna Ilerika and Tesilimi “Thunder” Balogun, two icons whose careers were separated by eras yet mysteriously intertwined by destiny.

• Ilerika was born in 1949, the same year Balogun made his international debut for Nigeria.
• Balogun died in 1972, the year Ilerika made his own international bow.

It is as though one era of Nigerian football brilliance quietly handed the torch to the next.

The Schoolboy Prodigy Who Mesmerised Lagos

Before becoming a national star, Ilerika was already a sensation in Lagos schools football. At Zumrattul Islammiyah Grammar School, he paired with fellow diminutive genius Tajudeen Ajagun to form the legendary “terrible twins” of the Principals’ Cup — a duo feared by defenders and adored by fans.

His club career began modestly with a lesser-known Patterson Zachonis (PZ) team. But true talent never hides. Soon, he moved to Metal Construction FC and later secured a spot with the illustrious Stationery Stores in March 1971. There, among a squad of stars, the short schemer still stood out effortlessly.

A One-Man Dribbling Exhibition

What Ilerika lacked in height, he compensated with unmatched football artistry. His play combined:

• lightning feet
• razor-sharp awareness
• tight ball control
• deceptive body swerves and dummies

He was frequently described as a one-man show, capable of turning routine moments into theatre.

National Stardom and Continental Recognition

Ilerika earned his first national team invitation in 1972, making his debut in a friendly against Mali on November 22. Over four years, he collected 30 caps, signing off in a goalless draw with Sierra Leone in Freetown in 1976.

Among his career highlights:

• 1973 All-Africa Games (Lagos): Helped Nigeria win gold with his trademark bustling skill and creativity.
• AFCON 1976 (Ethiopia): Scored two stunning equalising goals against Egypt — a performance so graceful that an Ethiopian admirer famously handed him her necklace as the team boarded their bus.

His brilliance at the All-Africa Games earned him a place in the elite CAF Afro-Latin America selection of 1973, coached by Ghana’s Charles Kofi Gyamfi and Algeria’s Rachid Mekhloufi.

A Legacy That Lives Beyond Time

Though he died 17 years ago, Haruna Ilerika’s memory continues to loom large. His connection to Balogun forms one of Nigerian football’s most poetic parallel stories, while his exploits on school fields, club grounds, and national arenas remain etched in the fabric of the country’s sporting history.

Today, as the National Stadium marks another anniversary, Nigerian football remembers Ilerika — the slight-framed dribbling genius who once made the beautiful game truly beautiful.

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The 2025 HerGame Girls Football Championship began in Abuja on Saturday with a bold announcement from founder and sole sponsor, Dr. Pat Ajuma Ayegba, who revealed plans to expand the fast-growing grassroots platform into a nationwide tournament by 2026.

The week-long championship, taking place from November 29 to December 6 at the Area 3 Sports Complex, features 16 teams in a fully funded environment that provides free registration, jerseys, training bibs, and logistics — a rare model in Nigerian grassroots sports.

Ayegba, an FCT FA board member and head of the FA’s Women’s Committee, said the initiative was conceived to break long-standing barriers that limit access and opportunity for young girls in football.

“We are breaking ceilings for the girl child. For too long, talent has been wasted simply because opportunity never arrived. HerGame is that opportunity, a platform that says to every girl, no matter where you come from, your dreams are valid,” she said.

Initially created as an FCT-only competition, HerGame expanded this year to cover the entire North Central zone. Ayegba confirmed that increasing interest from other regions has accelerated plans to take the tournament nationwide next year.

She emphasized that HerGame continues to attract players from underserved communities, giving them visibility and opportunities previously out of reach.

“It gives me joy to see a girl from a remote village standing on this field with the same confidence as someone from an elite academy. Football has the power to equalize. This is not just a tournament; it is a platform to showcase potential, build confidence, and help girls rewrite their stories,” she added.

The programme’s impact is already measurable. Over 85% of participants from the 2024 edition now feature in structured leagues, and several have gone on to become junior internationals — including one who represented Nigeria at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Last year’s MVP, Queen Joseph, was Nigeria’s top scorer at the Morocco 2025 U-17 Women’s World Cup and has returned this year to mentor younger players.

Ayegba reaffirmed her long-term ambition of making HerGame a key feeder system for Nigeria’s senior women’s national team.

“My dream is that one day, the Super Falcons will have at least 10 girls who started their journey here. And trust me, that day is coming,” she declared.

Co-Head of the Organising Committee and women’s football advocate, Moses Nagogo Bako, said the championship’s growing reputation comes from its integrity, age-verification process, and consistent talent output.

He commended Ayegba’s full sponsorship model, noting that it covers all kits, bibs, balls, and logistics — something he described as “almost unheard of” in grassroots development.

“The age alignment, the transparency, the raw talent, everything is right. We are certain more national team players will emerge from this year’s edition,” he said.

“What she is doing here is beyond sports. She is building futures. She deserves national recognition.”

Captain of defending champions Fosla Academy, Janet Bawa-Shukaga, also reflected on the significance of the competition as she led her team into another title defence.

“Being defending champions is an honour, and we came prepared to defend our title. This tournament is a huge opportunity for the girl child. My own teammate was selected from here to represent Nigeria at the World Cup. This competition is opening doors for many of us,” she said.

With the 2025 edition now underway and expansion plans gathering momentum, the HerGame Girls Championship continues its rise as one of Nigeria’s most influential talent-discovery platforms for young female footballers.

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