His travails before selection, how he became captain

Recalls how Brodericks, Chukwu moulded an all-conquering squad

The Guinea scare, the final against Germany, Ikhazobo’s magical pep talk

It’s an account NEVER told before

By Onochie Anibeze and Jacob Ajom

THIRTY-FIVE years ago you led Nigeria to history in China. Tell us the story of China 1985; how it started, what happened during the championship, the final and what happened after. Share your experience as captain of that history-making squad?

It started at home, here in Nigeria because without good preparations and a chain of events that preceded that outing, there would never have been China ’85. Before we won the World Cup, we were all in school and we used to play for Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON). Then suddenly, I heard that there was going to be a U-16 World Cup. I was not part of the team originally because I was not invited. Like you know then, many of you(sports journalists), yourself, Larry Izamoje, all of you who used to come to the stadium in search of news were all there that fateful morning, when I came to the stadium to play set.

Then I saw a group of young players of my age coming out of the National Institute for Sports(NIS). I was surprised to see over 200 young lads and I knew a number of them because we played in the U13 Gothia Cup in Denmark. I went to them and asked and I was told there was going to be the YSFON World Cup. I asked where and when? They told me the venue was still under speculation either in Brazil or Argentina, they were not sure.

Screening

We were very young and never knew it had already been fixed for China. So, I took my things and ran home. I didn’t have good boots, so I ran to Idi-Oro to buy Abe Bata Mallam, some form of rubber boots that one could wear even during the rain. I sewed the sole to my canvass. This was what I did before I started with the team undergoing screening. I joined them every morning.

When my father was going to work I would, as well, go to the stadium to join the team. I was always getting to the stadium about 5.30 am but the gate was opened at 7 am. To gain access to the stadium, I would squeeze myself through the concrete openings in the stadium fence facing Western Avenue. Once I was inside, I would run and wait near to the NIS gym, close to the training pitch and wait for the team to arrive.

This was how I started training with them and more people were still coming. Initially I was stopped, they didn’t want me to continue training with the team because I was not invited and it happened that a lot of us that were not originally invited kept showing up at training.

A man called Ben Ekpo (May his soul rest in peace) used to be around then. He was an official of YSFON. Suddenly, a number of people started going and the number was reducing every day. Tony Eke, then Secretary-General of YSFON would come to check the players out. He was on the administrative aspects of the exercise.

Hand of destiny

One day, about two weeks after I started joining them in training, they asked, ‘who has not played?’ Suddenly, I raised my hand, indicating that I hadn’t played. The slap I received from Ben Ekpo momentarily blinded me. It was very hot as I saw stars.

He slapped me so hard that I had to run towards the gate and started crying. He pursued me and started saying in broken English, “una no de hear something. I think we don tell una make una no de come here again. He started raining abuses on me and the women who were taking care of the ground started pitying me. The were angry at him for the treatment he meted out on me.

And Tony Eke emerged from nowhere. When he saw me he asked what was happening because I was still crying with my chick in my palm. He took me and before you knew it, he said, ‘okay, I will give you chance to play. But if you no sabi play you go go o. Dis one no be say na YSFON thing.’ I said okay sir, ok sir, drying my tears. In his own wisdom, he decided I should not play that day because I was psychologically shaken and would not be in a mood to do anything meaningful if I were allowed to play. He then asked me to come back the following day for the trial.

He said, ‘go, you no go fit play today, The next day when I reported, they started a game, again I was not selected. When Eke came and it was about fifteen minutes to the end he asked, ‘where dat boy I promised say him go play today?’

I came out. Somebody got injured, it was a trial match and as God would have it, the 15 minutes provided me the window to prove myself as I was able to create one goal by way of assistance and scored one myself. That was how they now agreed that I could start reporting to the training ground but was not yet allowed into the camp(which was at the Games Village) in Surulere. They said, ‘make una no go camp o, so dat una no go go steal people’s tings.. De come from your home.‘ I agreed and was happy. That was how I became part of those being screened.

You scored and had one assist on your first screening day, did you start from the defence or the attack?

It was from the defence (N0 3 position) We continued but I couldn’t bear it coming from home when my friends and colleagues were already in camp. There is this feeling that you have when you are in camp, a kind of happiness and camaraderie.

One day I took my things and my sister’s tracksuit and went to join them in camp. I started staying with Binebi Numa and some other guys in their room at Games Village. I started mixing with them. When they got their food, they would give me a little. I hung on there until a certain day when things changed dramatically. Air Commodore Anthony Ikhazobor was appointed NFA Chairman and he visited the camp.

He told them that it was no longer a YSFON thing, it was going to be a FIFA tournament and the NFA, being a FIFA affiliate would be responsible for everything regarding camping, welfare of players and participation at the World Cup. That was how the NFA took over everything. Before the qualifiers they called me in. We went to America where we participated in the Dallas Cup. I was called on the last day before the team travelled. I travelled and came back with the team. Some of us stayed back in America for some days.

Then the qualifiers for the World Cup came. We beat Togo here 2-0 and drew the away leg. That was how we qualified to go to China. After our qualification we went on holiday and when we resumed, a lot of people did not come back.

Only very few people, about 50 of us that returned to camp and we started preparations for the World Cup with people like Monday Agbontaen, Baldwin Bazuaye, Kingsley Akhinovbare, Imama Amakpakabo, Lucky Agbons, Hilary Adiki, Fatai Atere, among others.

We started playing friendly matches and the team began to take shape. We went to Kwara, and in Jos we met Salisu Adamu and Salisu Nakande. They joined the camp. When they came they added more steel to our team. Their energy level was unbelievable, even during fasting and we became formidable and very strong.

The making of a captain

As the competition drew close, anytime one was informed, particularly at midnight, that Coach Sebastian Brodericks or Christian Chukwu wanted to see one, it meant decampment. So every person was afraid and nervous. If we were not training and were just there in front of the Games Village playing ludo or just there relaxing and one heard the sound of Sebastian Brodericks’ car, everybody would run away.

Nobody wanted to see Brodericks because if you ran into him, he could suddenly say, ah! I have been looking for you. It just made me remember that you have to go. So everybody was scared of meeting him.

One night when everything had taken shape after they had decamped many people and the team was getting stronger, we were close to about thirty and only 18 were to travel and everybody in camp was good. Then one night, we had returned to camp and I was in the same room with Baldwin Bazuaye when Bala Shamaki, our assistant coach knocked on our door. When he knocked on my door, I thought the end had come. I thought I had run my luck and got to the endpoint. I knew I was going, what I didn’t know was whether to start begging or start packing my things.

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I was crying already when he came in and Bazuaye was just looking at me in resignation. He said Coaches Brodericks and Chukwu wanted to see me. I said okay, already in tears. I told him I would come but let me pack first. He said no, I should answer them first, then come back and pack. I said it was finished and I thought I was gone already.

I followed him, my heart thumping. When I stepped out, about twenty or thirty yards away, I saw some Airforce vehicles and a military patrol van carrying military personnel with a lot of them armed. It occurred to me the chairman must have been around.

I went in to meet them, I was a little bit afraid. I saw the Chairman, Ikhazobor(May his soul rest in peace), I saw coaches Brodericks, Chukwu and Shamaki and I saw late Patrick Okpomo, who was the NFA Secretary-General.

It was the NFF Chairman that spoke first. “why are you shaking like this?” he asked. I was physically and psychologically shaking, and he said, cool down.” He said that he was happy all of us had slept, which showed discipline. He asked me if I could read. I said, a little. They gave me a news magazine to read. I was able to read about ten lines, joining everything together. I was not as good as I was to become later.

When I finished that one, they said I tried. They brought another book, this time a James Hardley Chase novel, I can’t forget that. I must confess, I did not know the head or the tail of what was written because the standard was too high for me. I couldn’t comprehend.

I just read about seven to ten lines and they showed me some lines point to stop. I did that and he said that was good, that there was room for improvement. After that, they asked me if I could speak very well, if I could face people and speak. They said, “if una win the World Cup now, can you address one hundred thousand people or face television camera and answer questions from journalists?”

Okpomo said we would try it there. Okpomo said the chairman would make a short speech and I would respond. Ikhazobor then started by observing protocols, like Honourable Minister, Chairman of the NFA, Coaches, etc, etc. He spoke and I was asked to respond. I didn’t know all those protocols because I was so young. I just responded, thank you very much Sir.

And Okpomo said, which one be thank you very much sir? Didn’t you hear what he has been saying since morning? You must mention one or two people he mentioned so the people would know you are addressing them.

Then he told me how to say it. I then managed to speak the one I could and I came out nice. The NFA Chairman gave me a lot of confidence that even with all my errors, I still felt I performed well. However, later in life I realised that he studied criminology. Psychologically, he was very strong.

Before I left he told me that they were thinking of making me the captain but that it had not been concluded because if I misbehaved, they could change their minds. They told me if I fought, assaulted anybody, caused any trouble or my form dropped, I could be decamped.

He said they were a lot of us there who could speak and write better than me but that I was the Chief coach’s choice. As I was leaving they asked me not to reveal details of my meeting with them. I kept everything to myself and Bazuaye, who was very young and inquisitive wanted to know what transpired when I returned to the room. I told him everything was okay and that I was not going.

Burden of leadership

From then on things changed. Every time we finished training they would say I should organise boys to carry the balls. And you knew we had godfathers then. People like Kingsley Akinovbare, Adiki, Binebi Numa were better exposed. Kingsley controlled the camp because he was very influential, especially among the Benin boys. One day I called Binebi to carry balls after training, he asked me, ‘you don de mad? Wetin wan come start this rubbish?’ I couldn’t really control the big boys. Kingsley in particular, he would fight, even the coaches. Adiki was very educated, sound and crazy.

They started giving me all sorts of problems. Each time they asked me to write names, I would go from room to room and when they saw me carrying a paper, the guys from Benin would rush to Kingsley’s room. They would tell him I was carrying a sheet of paper, maybe I was writing names for boots or room allocation. When I went round, everybody would cooperate and give me their names, spelling them for me. But when I got to Kingsley’s room I would find like six of those Benin boys there.

I would then ask Kingsley to help me spell his name, he would simply say, my name na Kingsley Akiovbare, write it. If I asked for the spelling of his surname, he would retort, “na ogun wan kill you? Why I go spell my name for you?” I would be there pleading.

If he refused to heed my plea, I would then go to Imama for help. At times we made mistakes, but coach Sabara helped us to correct them. Occasionally, Hilary Adiki would help. He was very nice and would write everybody’s name perfectly and give it to me. I would take it to the coach.

Journey to China and participation in the tournament

We did X-ray (there was no MRI then) at the Airforce Base Ikeja, made our clothing and then we headed out for China. When we got to China it was so beautiful. We passed through France and we got to Hong Kong and everything looked so wonderfully well.

We saw some other teams and eventually we arrived at our base, which was Dalian. We stayed there and when we started training, one surprise came. The surprise was that the stadium we were to use was still under construction as about 10% had not been completed, it was 90 per cent ready. As we were training, they were building it and in three days, the job was completed and handed over to the organisers. We were so happy. We were there during the opening ceremony and in our group, we had Nigeria, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica.

Italy were our first victims as we defeated them 1- 0. That victory spurred us on and was the motivation we needed. It proved to us that anything was possible. Our second match was against Saudi Arabia. It ended at 0-0. It was the most difficult match we had in the tournament.

They had chances but couldn’t score, we had chances but could not translate them to goals. With that draw we had four points before we met Costa Rica. We beat them 3-0 That was how the group stage ended.

We came second or so in our group because Saudi were also with five points and a better goal difference of + 5 gave them an edge over us. Italy placed third and Costa Rica came last.

In the next match, which was the quarter-finals, we defeated Hungary. The game started on a very bad note for us as we conceded first. We were all shaken as we were wondering whether that was the end of the road for us. Eventually, we won the match 3-1. We punished them so hard and they got so tired that they started asking for water.

The moment our coach realised they were tired, he started saying, dem don tire… make una go o, Oya ..oya. Coach Christian Chukwu did a wonderful job as he was always going out to spy on other teams, watch their matches and he would come and tell us. Together with coach Sebastian Brodericks they gave us serious pressure, beautiful pressure that brought out the best in us as they urged us on and said nothing was impossible. At the end of the day, we defeated Hungary.

The Guinea scare

After crossing the Hungary hurdle, it came to the turn of Guinea, an African team versus another African team.

The match against Guinea started well for us psychologically. We were much more relaxed because we felt if we worked very hard we could give Guinea about four goals in the first half. But it turned out not to be so. What happened? They scored first, we equalised and the game went into penalties. We defeated Guinea 4-2 and that was the scariest moment of our campaign. We proceeded to the final. We got to the final.

The final

On the final day, we were given a seat close to the reserve bench of the Brazilian team. Guinea were playing against Brazil for the Bronze medal. As we sat watching, about ten minutes later, the Germans came in. We had a man in the Nigerian embassy in China who was very helpful.

They helped us to the extent that they offered to supply us with African food. It was however, turned down because they decided we should continue taking the food we had been taking so that we wouldn’t get unnecessarily heavy.

They did everything to support us. They were even spying on other teams for us. One man called Kokodia, at the embassy then brought the video of the match between West Germany and Brazil that ended 4-3. That match was so tough that it was termed the final before the final. Germany would score and Brazil would equalise and Brazil scored again and Germany would equalise.

It became a ding dong affair until towards the dying minutes of the match when Marcel Witszek scored the winner for Germany. As we sat watching Brazil take on Guinea in the 3rd place match the Germans walked in. It was Kingsley who saw them first and he announced, dem don de come o, make una squeeze una face. Dem no fit do anything. And we all frowned our faces and we were all looking stern-faced. We all agreed we would die there.

When we left our hotel, we were singing all through our way to the stadium. On the way however, we noticed we forgot the musical record we were always playing, a record by Alfa Blondy, very sweet music. We played it on our way to the matches. But on the final day we forgot it in the hotel. Coach Brodericks insisted we must go and get it.

This was what we listened to until we got close to the stadium and we would start singing. Brazil beat Guinea 4-1 after which we were ushered onto the pitch. Everybody was calm. The Nigerian officials addressed us and told us the official delegation was on the way and once they arrived everything would be fine. They told us when we defeated Hungary, that we were being watched live in Nigeria. That piece of news made us happier, that we were being followed by millions of Nigerians back home.

After watching the German game, coaches Sebastian Brodericks and Christian Chukwu had this plan for us. They wanted us to play from the wings for two or three players to attack the first post whenever we crossed the ball.

The idea was to attack the first post when probably the opponents would be expecting a long cross. We practised it every time with Babatunde Joseph Fagbetun. And after training, coach Chukwu, in particular, would ask one, how many people did you dribble today? Imagine, they were encouraging us to dribble. They advised us to hold the ball and enjoy ourselves as we played.

They wanted us to express ourselves and enjoy the game. There was a lot of encouragement from the coaches. The team was filled with all the positive vibes to do well in the tournament. We practised it several times that Chukwu would say Segun, kpaa fa (meaning Segun dribble them). Each time Segun was dribbling Chukwu would be laughing and he became so used to it and it all turned to be so useful that at the end of the day we were all happy. For the final, the plan was to score an early goal and we practised it. We were to attack with blistering speed.

Brodericks, Chukwu and Bala had said, if people were not careful, they would not see the first goal and that came to pass. We planned for early goals so as to force them to come out and play and when they come out we would tighten up. And if they continued mounting pressure we would counter-attack. Most European nations then had not played against African opposition. This was the first World Cup ever at that level so they were playing an African national team for the first time at that level.

They felt, their best option was to come all out and when they did that, we got them and scored the opener. Throughout the first half, they were creating chances and we were creating chances too. The first half ended with our lean 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Victor Igbinoba was tired. The Germans were coming on strongly and at some point I thought they had equalised. They took a shot and our goalkeeper parried it, the ball hit the bar and went out. Then the unthinkable happened. From the other end, we were trying to kick the ball into the spectators stand, Igbinoba was still at the other end because he was so tired and could not recover fast.. And the coaches were calling Igbinoba, Igbins, come back. But he was so tired that he could not even carry himself back. He bent down gasping for breath.

The moment he walked and crossed over from the other half of the pitch, Bela Momoh kicked a square ball and the air carried it to Igbinoba and the two central defenders of Germany were recovering while he went to meet them.

He swerved to the right and beat one and a little swerve again he beat the second and the unthinkable happened because he never scored with his left leg before. He was so tired that he just flung the ball with his left leg and the ball went into the corner of the net. From that day, we became the first winners of the FIFA U16 World Cup. The first team to do so on planet earth.

What an amazing story. Tell us, what was the celebration in the dressing room like?

Before the celebration, something dramatic, that gave us confidence happened. The moment we scored our first goal, maybe three minutes after the match began and people were still celebrating our goal, they took the ball to the centre.

While we were waiting for them to pass the ball, the massive gate of the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing, then it was Perking, was flung open. Suddenly we saw the Nigerian delegation in their flowing white agbada walking in. Everybody turned and started looking at them because their dressing was strange. As for us, we knew instantly that those were our people from Nigeria that we had been expecting.

Everyone of us was happy. At half time, they came into the dressing room and addressed us. The one that had significant effect was the chairman’s (Ikhazobor’s) address. He spoke in Pigeon English. He said, make I speak de one wey everybody go understand.

As una de play so, everybody for Nigeria de watch una. Even as I de talk to una now, dem de see us. Even de Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari de watch us. I no fit tell una say go in there and win because na de reason wey bring us come China. De only ting wey I fit tell una be say, as una don suffer from screening through qualifiers, so tay una reach dis level, you are left with 45 minutes to make history. Na una go be the first winners of this World Cup and una name go enter Guinness Book of Records. He asked if any of us knew what the Guinness Book of Records was. Some of us raised their hands.

He said, fine, if una win the Cup, una names go enter dat book because na de first time wey FIFA de organise dis tournament. Whatever happens after this we don’t care any more. He told us everything was within our reach. He said there were a lot of promises made, monetary and material if we won but everything was back home. We were left with 45 minutes to glory.

The dressing room was quiet. We took it in and everybody digested it very well. When we entered the pitch for the second half, it was fight to finish. Once we finished, it was from the pitch we started celebrating. As soon as they presented the trophy to me, we were running round the stadium. All my life, all the training and the suffering that preceded that moment had gone past and what mattered to me at that moment was the trophy.

Before me, I could not believe what we had achieved, what had looked like an impossibility. We celebrated so much that we could not be presented with our medals that day. It was the next day during a special dinner that we received our medals. The dressing room was unbelievably hot because it was a combination of joy and happiness together. It knew no bounds that night until we got to the hotel.

Can you recall your reception, when you arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. How was it like?

The reception was second to none. I doubt if there is going to be anything near that in the near future.

I am only waiting for that maybe when Nigeria wins two trophies. Not the AFCON, or U17 World Cup – may be the biggest one, the senior World Cup that I expect to see such crowd and such followership from the airport to Broad Street, where we were received.

And most probably, and I pray to be part of it, because I want to lead a team that will win the U20 World Cup or the World Cup. That is what we are looking for and I believe, one day we are going to achieve it. I believe also that the senior World Cup will not remain elusive to Nigeria as we are churning out junior players.

So the reception was tumultuous as thousands upon thousands turned up at the airport. I cannot put numbers because if I try to, I won’t be doing justice to those that were following us. It was unbelievable. Both old and young, the elderly and even toddlers were out there to cheer us. I could remember one small girl, maybe she was 13 or thereabout who followed us, wearing a green school uniform with rubber shoes, from the airport to Broad Street, how she did it I never knew.

She was just jogging beside the open truck that was carrying us. During the reception at Broad Street they were pouring drinks on us and our of the crowd I could spot this little girl in green school uniform sweating and I couldn’t believe it. I hope one day, I don’t know how it is going to happen, one day in life, I will see this little girl(who should be a mother today) again and she would come to me and say I was that little girl you saw that day. I don’t know how it will happen. But that is my prayer.

The story continues next week. Nduka speaks on football development and what it takes to win World Cup. Book your copies.

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