Nigerian Football
A Man Nigeria Should Not Have Forgotten
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
This Thursday marks the 38th anniversary of Nigeria’s first victory in the Africa Cup of Nations. Perhaps it was divinely designed as an eternal tribute to this great, yet largely unknown man, that Nigeria won its first Africa Cup of Nations on this particular date, March 22 in 1980.
His name rings no bell. He is largely forgotten and never mentioned in the discourse of organised football in Nigeria. Perhaps such history makers were born to pass unnoticed.
Going through the official history of the of the world’s oldest football association, The Football Association Limited, England, there was a similar scenario.
The FA admitted that one Ebenezer Cobb Morley’s initiative gave birth to it. In the official history of the world’s oldest football association, it was written that despite Morley’s initiative, he is only given passing reference in football literature.
Such is also the fate of Joseph Mead in Nigeria. Most people, even the older football followers may not have come across the name of this man. It is because of him, that there is a football governing body that was called the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) which is today’s Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. He called for the meeting that led to the formation of the NFA.
Perhaps without his initiatives, we will not be talking of the Nigeria Football Federation or its lead brand, Super Eagles which will clock 70 next year August. The first national team of Nigeria, the famed “UK Tourists” sailed out of Apapa Port on August 16, 1949. That was when the story of what is popularly called the Super Eagles began.
As a prelude to the ongoing discourse, most people may not know the fallacy of the NFF claim that it was founded in 1945. Yet the federation has neither proof to back the claim nor evidence of the actual date it believed it was founded.
- Skipper Christian Chukwu lifting the Africa Cup of Nations on March 22, 1980. It turned to be a lasting birthday tribute to the NFA’s first Secretary who could have turned 73 on that day.
Existing evidences contradict the “Founded 1945” that the NFF logo carries. Documented evidences exist at the National Archives of Nigeria in Ibadan and The FA in England where the then NFA was first affiliated, that the football governing body was founded on August 21, 1933.
Establishing the Nigerian football governing body was not an easy task. The bulk of the credit went to Joseph Mead, the unsung father of the now NFF. He was the organising secretary of the group that founded the then NFA.
Daily Times account revealed he worked with the firm, UAC at Martins Street, Lagos. He called up the inaugural meeting and later emerged as the first secretary of the Nigerian football governing body.
According to the Daily Times account on the foundation of the NFA in 1933, Mead was elected as secretary. The man at the helms was Henry A. Porter, an architect with the Public Works Department.
Porter went by the title, President. There were three vice presidents – Frederick Baron Mulford, Dr. Isaac Ladipo Oluwole and Sir. Adeyemo Alakija.
Mead’s identity was a mystery until the Unilever Archives in London, responding to enquiries by Sports Village Square, provided photograph of him and his full name.
The meaning of the initial “J” which appeared in all Nigerian newspapers references to him was later given as Joseph.
According to the Daily Times accounts, he worked with the firm – UAC at Martins Street, Lagos. Checks at Unilever in UK revealed that he joined the company in February 1929.
- Joseph Mead, sitting with the ball, was a member of the UAC team in the European League in Lagos. He was the first Secretary of NFA.This 1936 picture is published courtesy Unilever UK.
Great thanks to Helen Onsworth, the archivist at Unilever UK Central Resources Limited who assisted in unveiling the convener of the meeting that led to the foundation of a central football body in Nigeria.
From the information on Mead, he became the first secretary of the NFA at age 26. On leaving Nigeria after working with UAC in Lagos and Ibadan, he was transferred to the then Gold Coast (now Ghana) where he worked in Kumasi and Takoradi.
According to information from Unilever in UK, Mead married on January 23, 1939 before resigning from the firm in 1949.
Checks at the National Archives of the United Kingdom revealed that Mead must have arrived Nigeria in 1929 having left Liverpool for Lagos on February 26.
His occupation in the manifest of the ship was given as “assistant”. He was part of the European football league in Lagos, playing for UAC team.
Shortly before the August 21, 1933 meeting which Mead called, he was involved in an accident. Unilever Archives disclosed that their records showed his date of birth as March 22, 1907.
He would therefore have been 73 years; the day Nigeria beat Algeria to win the Africa Nations Cup for the first time in 1980. It could not be verified if he were alive at the time.
According to information from Unilever UK, Joseph Mead left for Nigeria Sekondi-Takoradi in Gold Coast (now Ghana) as District Manager of UAC in March 1946.
Today he would have been 110. Tracing the man Joseph Mead was not an easy task. But great thanks to Unilever UK which maintains an archive of virtually everyone that passed through its system.
It is Mead that one is celebrating today. It should be remembered that he was not the only pioneer. There was Henry A. Porter, the pioneer president and a senior architect with the then PWD (possibly the present day Federal Ministry of Works and Housing).
A fellow of Royal Institute of British Architects, Porter designed the Centenary Hall, Ake, Abeokuta. He was also the founder of the Lagos Amateur Football Association in 1930.
There was also Dr Isaac Ladipo Oluwole (died May 4, 1953), Sir Adeyemo Alakija (died May 10, 1952), and Frederick Baron Mulford (an expatriate popularly called ‘Baba Eko’).
Mulford was buried in Lagos at the Ikoyi Cemetery on September 4, 1949, the day after his death at Creek Hospital. According to a tribute by Ernest Ikoli published in the Daily Times edition of September 5, 1949, Mulford was never married.
They have all passed on, but there contributions towards the formation of a central football organisation should be well acknowledged.
The FA in England in 2012 decided to trace and honour the living descendants of the eight founding fathers that created the body 150 years earlier.
A total of 16 relatives of the Founding Fathers of football were invited to a special ceremony at Wembley Stadium, where a Blue Plaque was unveiled that pays tribute to the historical significance of their work in creating the game of football. What a lasting tribute those pioneers got.
Here in Nigeria, the labour of our heroes past must not be in vain. I salute the winning Nigerian team of 1980. Tributes are also given to Joseph Mead.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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