Nigerian sports was largely controlled by the British prior to independence on October 1st, 1960.
Because of this, it was almost impossible for the country’s top athletes to compete at major international events.
However, as freedom drew closer, that became a bit feasible with boxing and football gradually becoming Nigeria’s most loved sports.
As the country celebrates 56 years of Independence, we look are eight significant sporting events that happened before the Union Jack was lowered.
- 1945 – NFF was born
Competing at major international football event meant the country needed an independent body to regulate the game internally. And this led to the creation of Nigeria Football Association (now Federation) in 1945.
- 1949 – First official football match
Nigeria slowly started reaping the dividends of having its own football association as they can now play against other nations. The country recorded a 2-0 victory over Sierra Leone in that encounter four years after the creation of the NFF.
- 1950 – First Nigerian football club
Ten years before independence, Nigeria’s first football club was created. This was Shooting Stars Sport Club (3SC) of Ibadan which also became the 33rd club to be founded on the continent. The club was initially known as WNDC Ibadan (Western Nigeria Development Company) and later IICC (Industrial Investment and Credit Corporation) Shooting Stars of Ibadan.
- 1951 – Nigeria Olympic Committee was formed
The country needed to expose some of her best talents to the world in the biggest sporting fiesta – the Olympics. For this reason, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) was formed in 1951.
- 1952 – Participated in first Olympics
One year after the creation of the NOC, the country took part in her first Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. It however failed to win a medal at the event but did so four years after independence by clinching three bronze in boxing.
- 1957 – Super Eagles’ heaviest defeat
As a country still learning the basics of the game, the Super Eagles opted to test their might against neighbours, Ghana. That game ended in a disappointing 7-0 defeat – which till date is the country’s heaviest in football history.
- 1958 – Stationery Stores was created
Just as the game of football continued to grow in Nigeria, more domestic clubs were needed to help that quest. This was why Stationery Stores was formed eight years after 3SC in order to bring the game closer to fans in then capital, Lagos.
- 1959 – Biggest victory in a football game
Nigeria recorded its biggest victory in a football match just one year before independence. This was a 10-1 demolition of another neighbouring nation, Benin Republic.
