By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (May 26th 2020)

The Early Icons

No Nigerian football fan doesn’t respect the achievements of Olusegun Odegbami. Known as ‘Mathematical,’ Odegbami possessed silky skills which mesmerised and terrified defences in the mid to late 1970s and early 80s too. He graced West Africa’s football for club and country, but how far could he have progressed without Nigeria’s pioneers, Asuquo Ekpe, Elkanah Onyeali and Teslimi Balogun?

Who? Actually, it is a very bad question. No serious student of Nigerian football should need to ask that question. All three paved the way. Without them, there’s no Odegbami, or at least his development and path is harder to tread. And without Odegbami, does the class of the mid-90s develop as quickly and as well?.

Thunder

So, who are these icons? Balogun is probably the best remembered of them. In the 1950s – before Nigeria secured independence Balogun made his way to England. He had established himself in Nigerian football in the 1940s and 1950s, earning his sobriquet in 1949 by his performance in a final with a brace scored late in the match.

Among the clubs ‘Thunder’ Balogun played for was Queen’s Park Rangers. Before making the move to west-London Balogun became the first Nigerian to play professional football in England. He signed for Peterborough United in 1956. He had previously impressed in a tour of England – over 4000 miles away from his native Nigeria.

He also played for Skegness and Holbeach United, but the legend of Balogun was born and bred in Nigeria. Apart from his English sojourn of 1956-57 he distinguished himself in the land of his birth. He was said to possess a left foot shot so fierce it was a health hazard to defenders and goalkeepers.

One of his great goals was scored against an England side fully aware of his abilities in 1958 on a return tour to Nigeria. According to FIFA instructor Adegboye Onigbinde, Balogun is Nigeria’s greatest ever player. He hung up his boots in 1962. A stadium is named in Balogun’s honour in Lagos. July 30th 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of Balogun’s death, aged just 45.

He played just 15 matches for QPR, scoring 7 goals before moving to Holbeach United. Former FA Cup finalist, Chris Ramsey, who currently works as a coach at QPR was interested in Balogun’s story. He asked Nigerians to tell him more about Nigeria’s best known football legend.

Although far from the top-flight of English football Balogun opened the door for Nigerians to play in English football – this is now seen as a test of Nigerian football credentials. Strangely, Balogun made just six appearances for Nigeria – hardly troubling the scorers, but there were far fewer international matches in his day and his time in England further restricted opportunities.

Balogun was also part of Nigeria’s coaching staff for the 1968 Olympic Games. He was far from Nigeria’s only icon of that era, but there can be no denying that he opened doors for Nigerian and indeed African players long before it was fashionable for Africans to exhibit their skills in English football. It wasn’t long before others followed, led by another Nigerian icon deserving of greater respect in his native land, Elkanah Onyeali.