Port Harcourt boy Richard Daddy Owubokiri will always remember Clemens Westerhof as the man who destroyed his World Cup ambitions. The Eagles Manager made sure the deadly striker was frustrated out of the Super Eagles as the USA ’94 World Cup beckoned.
Born to a lawyer father, Owubokiri ,played for Sharks and ACB before traveling to Brazil after the Libya ’82 Nations Cup where the Eagles could not defend the Nations Cup which they won in 1980.
Between 1983 and 1984, the Nigerian was doing his thing at Americo du Rio. He was superb and attracted offers from Vitoria du Bahia. Later in 1984, a deal was struck and in just one year, Owubokiri led Vitoria to Brazilian Cup glory. He capped it all with the Golden Boot Award in 1986 with 22 goals. A Nigerian goleador , in Brazil.
Owubokiri was such a hero in the Land of Samba that in 1989, Vitoria tried to lure him back through compatriot, Benjy Nzeakor, who was also doing well in Brazil after a short spell with the Eagles. The South Americans offered a helicopter that would pick Ricky from the airport to the club base.
At that time Owubokiri was in Portugal with Estrala da Amadora [1989-1991]. After he left Brazil in 1986, the hitman moved to France to team up with Laval. In 1987, he joined Metz. One of his pals in France was Pierre Aubame Yaya, the Gabonese.
Despite the tempting offer, Owubokiri stayed put in Portugal. He actually played for Benfica in the 1987/ 88 season and ended up in Boavista ,Porto who won the Portuguese Cup in 1992. Highest goal scorer in the Portuguese League in 1992 was Richard Owubokiri, with 30 goals.
This was during the period Westerhof was trying to give the Eagles a maiden Mundial ticket. The Dutchman knew everything about the superstar called Owubokiri but never looked his way. It took the media to compel him to invite the star striker.
Coaches will always have their way. Westerhof was bent on frustrating Owubokiri. He favoured the trio of Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi and Samson Siaisia. In the first round of the World Cup qualifiers against South Africa in Lagos, the Dutchman’s plot worked.
Westerhof featured Owubokiri, Yekini, Siasia and Victor Ikpeba in the attack. In the 34th minute, the Boavista striker struck. Siasia made it two in the 56th. Owubokiri was pulled out for Taofeek Malik. Yekini scored in the 65th and again in the 89th after Finidi George had come in for Victor Ikpeba. It ended 4-0 for the Eagles, on October 10, 1992.
It was a good day for Westerhof. He wanted to prove that Yekini could do as much if not better than Owubokiri. The plot worked. Yekini showed his worth. He had a better outing and became fans favourite. Owubokiri was frustrated. And thus began his withdrawal.
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It was vintage Westerhof. He loathed superstars. In his first match in charge, the Dutchman dropped Peter Rufai at the airport as the Eagles were bound for Cameroon to face the Indomitable Lions in a World Cup qualifier. David Ngodigha became the emergency first choice.
During the match, Ngodigha was injured . His replacement, Aloy Agu, was not even prepared for the match. He wore over-size boots and had to borrow Tajudeen Oyekanmi’s shirt because his top clashed with the opponents’ jersey. Francois Omam Biyik’s header ended it all. End of the road for Nigeria.
That ouster by Cameroon was all Westerhof needed to build a new team. The 1989 ECOWAS Cup held in Bauchi offered him the opportunity to try new faces. Aloy Agu became Eagles captain. Ben Iroha, Okechukwu Uche, Daniel Amokachi, Ayo Ogunlana, Moses Kpakor, Isaac Semitoje, Tajudeen Oyekanmi earned first team places. Nigeria won the Cup technically, thanks to Senegal.
These were the boys he used to prosecute the Algiers ’90 Nations Cup. Big Boys like Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Peter Rufai, Austin Eguavoen and Humphrey Edobor stayed away. Only three professionals: Andrew Uwe, Ademola Adesina and Cote D’ Ivoire based Yekini made it. From a 5-1 drubbing by Algeria in the opening game, the team made it to the final losing 1-0 to the hosts.
Keshi, Siasia, Eguavoen and Siasia had to work their way back to the team at Westerhof’s terms and eventually made the World Cup. Owubokiri did not bother after he read the hand writing on the wall. Nigeria’s Mundial debut ended in the Second Round.
Yekini, playing for Sporting Lisbon also emerged Highest goals scorer in Portugal in 1993. He scored Nigeria’s first World Cup goal and that seemed to be the beginning of the end. Gangling Rashidi became a shadow of himself and would eventually die a very sad man.
For Owubokiri, life went on. He was able to father a child in Kenya and his house is full of trophies. He is also happily married.
