This week, a striker with the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Football Club (MFM FC), Sikiru Olatunbosun, was announced as the winner of the CNN Goal of the Week award.
Olatunbosun, the second ever Nigerian to win the award (after Kelechi Iheanacho) and the first ever player to do so from the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), has become an internet sensation, while his goal has been described in superlative terms in the most reputable sports and news magazines in the world, including CNN, BBC, ESPN, Goal, SuperSports, AfricanFootball, Daily Mail, Fox News, Newsnow, among others.
Olatunbosun has now become a household name in Nigerian football and has in fact become an early contender for the 2017 FIFA Puskas award.
I salute the NPFL authorities for televising the NPFL matches, without which the superlative goal by Olatunbosun, which Fox News called “divine,” would have become global knowledge. Indeed, that goal becomes even more wonderful as you watch it over and over, and will certainly take the player beyond the shores of Nigeria, with multiplier effects for Nigerian football.
As most Nigerian soccer enthusiasts would recall, if the 2013 African Cup of Nations won by Nigeria showed anything, it is that talents abound in the African football leagues. Sunday Mba, the Super Eagles striker who delivered the crucial goals that gave Nigeria its third AFCON trophy, was a Warri Wolves player before the championship and had been selected by Stephen Keshi as one of the players from the local league to grace the continental showpiece. Mba justified the confidence reposed in him by the coach and put up an unforgettable performance at the tournament.
Given the heroics of players like Mba and Olatunbosun, it is high time the football administrators in the country rededicated themselves to the advancement of the NPFL. Apart from Kano Pillars, Enyimba and Shooting Stars, the local teams hardly draw huge crowds.
It is time to make the local leagues the darling of Nigerians once again. The matches should not only continue to be televised, the authorities must ensure that officiating conforms to the global best practices. The era of NPFL teams hardly ever losing at home must be gone forever. If the authorities do the right thing, Nigerians will, with time, come to love and appreciate MFM, Rangers, ABS, El-Kanemi, Lobi Stars, among others as much as they appreciate Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, Barcelona FC and PSG, among others.
Olawale Olaniyan
lampizzycreative@gmail.com.
He urged wealthy Muslims in the country to prioritise the payment of zakat to help…
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has set up the conference committee…
Former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okoro, has dismissed the calls for State Police by…
Sawyerr called on stakeholders to actively engage in joint oversight, risk assessments, and public enlightenment…
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has again slashed the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS),…
The Bauchi State Government has announced the demise of Alhaji Wali Adamu Tumfafi, acting chairperson…
This website uses cookies.