Sam Okwaraji - A Nigerian Hero

Sam Okwaraji's bust in front of the National Stadium, Lagos

The bust of Sam Okwaraji, a football player who died while playing for the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier against Angola in 1989, stands in front of the National Stadium, Lagos where he breathed his last.

Sam Okwaraji, a true Nigerian hero

Set- football as we play it

Kids thrilling themselves to a game of neigbourhood football. Match ups like this are called "set" as you have another set of players waiting in the wings to play once one team has racked up a certain number of goals against the other.

The goal posts used for games like this one are small, about half a metre wide, and are usually called "monkey posts".

Notice that they play bare footed, that's how many African football stars began, by kicking around in the dust and then becoming household names worldwide through determination and hard work.

The African Nations Cup is taking place in Angola at the moment, it's Africa's own World Cup and many of these kids will like to be in the shoes of their heroes one day.

Warming up 2

Like the advert for the World Cup says: We can't wait!

Warming up

The World Cup comes up in Africa next year and many young footballers would be hoping to be part of the various African national teams to participate at the fiesta. I have been chosen among a select group of African journalists called the All Stars that will be trained by World Press Photo and Freevovice.nl to cover the tournament in South Africa next June.

Go Gunners!!!

Took this photo on the window of a bus. It is the logo of London's Arsenal FC. I've been a supporter of the club for almost ten years now. They go into a second leg quarter final match against Spain's Villareal tonight at the Emirates Stadium in North London. I'll be glued to my TV set, watching and praying under my breath for victory.

Divine intervention needed

This sign is advertising the European Champions League quarter final matches taking place tonight and tomorrow. The owner of this viewing centre is obviously a Manchester United fan and a Muslim. He leaves a prayer on the board: "Alah (sic) help Man U".

Man U will need a lot of prayers as they go into their second leg tie against FC Porto in O'Porto, Portugal where no English team has ever won.

Like in many other parts of Africa, European football teams are popular in Lagos and other Nigerian cities.

Football to die for

Lats Sunday February 8 I was at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi in Ghana to watch the biggest football league rivalry in West Africa. It was a match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi's Asante Kotoko. Game ended 2-1 in favour of the visitors Hearts.

But there was much more to it. In 2001, 126 fans lost their lives in a stadium stampede involving both teams. This time around, many fans fainted and it's reported that as many as four fans may have died due to dehydration. I was there with my new Nikon D40 and I took some very painful pictures of fans collapsing under the searing 40 degree heat.

At that moment in time, water became like gold as many were willing to kill for it. Only the strong could survive. Men of the fire services had to be drafted to spray water into the stands when bottled water ran out.

I almost passed out myself while taking shots in the press of bodies.

National Stadium

The National Stadium in Surulere was the scene of Nigeria's victory in the 1980 African Cup of Nations football championships. In that final match, Nigeria triumphed 3-0 over Algeria. Some of the major actors that day are still very much around. Segun Odegbami, Christian Chukwu, all greats of Nigerian football.

20 years later in 2000, Nigeria could not repeat the same feat as we lost to Cameroon on the same ground via penalties in the final. It was the third time Cameroon were beating us in the final of the tournament.

MIxed start for our boys

The Nigerian Olympic football teams began their challenge for gold in China on a mixed note. The female team lost 0-1 to North Korea yesterday in Shenyang. Today our boys played out a goal-less draw against the Dutch team in Tianjin. I took these photos in the office today as we all watched TV rooting and screaming for our boys to "bring it on!".

We look forward to better days ahead and hope that our boys can re-enact the feat of the 1996 team that beat Brazil and Argentina to win the gold medal at Atlanta.

King Kanu!!!

It was the final of the English FA Cup today at the Wembley Stadium in London where my country men Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka emerged winners with the Portsmouth FC team over Welsh team Cardiff City. Both Kanu and Utaka were the lead acts as they worked together to score the lone goal of the match. It was Kanu's crowning moment as he slipped the ball into the net from an Utaka cross that was parried by the Cardiff goalie. It's Kanu's third FA Cup win and Utaka's first. In the above photo (sorry it's not too clear) Kanu raises three fingers in the air signifying his third triumph. His story is an inspiring one. After suffering a life threatening heart disease about 12 years ago, he has gone on to play among the best in the world. Officially, Kanu is the most decorated African footballer ever having won the UEFA Champions League(1995), UEFA Cup(1997), 3 FA Cups, 2 English League trophies, the Dutch League, World Under 17 title(1993), and the Olympic Football gold in 1996.

Therefore you can understand when I dedicate today's photo to him even as I am in Lagos and he in London. All hail King Kanu!!!