Sebastine Brodericks-Imasuen became ‘Sabara’ overnight after Pele and his Brazilian club engaged an NFA Selected at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos in a 1968 friendly. It ended 2-2 and beyond the great Pele, one other Santos star that impressed the fans was right winger, Sabara.
When the visitors traveled back, Nigerian fans looked for a way to always remember Sabara. They nicknamed Brodericks, their own right winger, Sabara. Brodericks would also play against Brazil at the Mexico’68 Olympics. The Eagles were forced to a 3-3 draw in a group that included Spain and Japan.
Following Sabara, other Eagles stars would later grab Brazilian nicknames. Sam Opone became Zagalo. Luke Okpala chose Bucana[Jazz man].There were also Ben ‘Zico’ Nwosu, Idika Aku, better known as Pele, Austin’Cerezo’ Eguavoen and Seun Roberts, ‘Amaral’.
Those who did not like Brazilian sobriquet looked for Stars from England, Portugal, Germany and Italy. Pioneer Enugu Ranger, Godwin Adimachukwu, picked Alan Ball. Samson Siasia is well known as Eusebio.Andrew Uwe went for Uwe Seeler, Deinde Akinlotan was Pierre Littbarski and Arthur Egbunam chose Altobelli.
Dominic Nwobodo, another of the Enugu Rangers pioneers, became ‘Alhaji’ in March 1971 during the First national league competition known as Amachree Cup. He did not travel to Mecca. It was at Onikan. Rangers faced the Nigeria Army team comprising known names like Paul Hamilton, Segun Olumodeji, Keneth Olayombo, Rigogo Inua, Mohammed Lawal and Opone.
The soldiers did not reckon with the fact that Rangers also had tested Biafran soldiers who saw the match as a continuation of the Civil War. Skipper Godwin Achebe was with the 53 Brigade before moving to the Biafra School of Infantry where he met Maj. Ganiyu Adeleke and Lt. Peter Adomokhai. Hitman, Chukwuma ‘It’s a goal’ Igweonu, Ernest Ufele and ‘Bulldozer’ Nwabueze Nwankwo had enough battle field experience. Infact, Nwankwo,also known as ‘Oli ewu na aji'[ one who devours goat meat without minding the hairs] was part of the Biafran Vandals that stayed put in the Mid-West.
Rangers beat Nigeria Army 2-1. Nwobodo’s was bloodied. He refused to quit choosing instead to bandage his head, like one wearing turban. The fans changed his name to Alhaji. Nwobodo, a Biafran commando, was not afraid of blood. His elder brother, Chris, an equally good player, fought and died in Owerri.
Rangers won their first national laurel just one year after they were born. Nwobodo also scored to emerge as hero of the game. When Col. Olusegun Obasanjo was shown the Rangers players by Maj. George Innih, he was almost going to send Hamilton and his mates to the Guardroom. ‘You mean they lost to these hungry looking players?. Vintage OBJ.
Nnamdi Anyafo, was unknown outside the East until October 15,1977. Rangers met defending champions, Shooting Stars of Ibadan in the semi-finals of the Africa Winners Cup. The Oluyole Warriors were unbeaten in Lagos having demolished Bata Bullets of Malawi 4-1 and Stade, Abidjan 3-0 in earlier rounds. Outside Right, Segun Odegbami, was red hot.
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Rangers coach, Godwin Achebe, ‘Ide’, applied some wealth of wisdom as his cognomen depicted. Anyafo, fresh from Dennis Memorial Grammar School [DMGS], Onitsha, was given the task of neutralizing Odegbami. The instruction was, ‘if Odegbami goes to toilet, follow him. If Odegbami falls, fall with him. If he dies, die with him’.
The school boy did exactly as he was told. Legendary Radio Nigeria commentator, Ernest Okonkwo gave him the nickname ‘Policeman’. Indeed, Anyafo did not only police Odegbami, who was also christened ‘Mathematical’ by the broadcaster, he ‘jailed’ the winger for 90 minutes. A barren draw it was. The second leg in Kaduna also did not produce goals. Rangers won through penalties.
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Ernest Okonkwo gave players more nicknames than any other. Adokiye Amiesimaka became ‘Chief Justice’ even before he qualified as a lawyer. Sylvanus Opkala was ‘Quicksilver’, Yisa Sofoluwe, ‘Dean of Defence’, Keepr Emma Okala,’Tallest’ and Eagles Skipper, Christian Chukwu, became ‘Chairman’.
The ace commentator had a way of calling out names in full. Chairman Captain Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu[CCCCC or C5].Muda Lawal: Mudashiru Babatunde Lawal. And he would explain that Babatunde means ‘Baba has come again’. Okonkwo would let the world know that Okala was Emmanuel Anthony Oguejiofo Okala.
Bright Omokaro earned ‘Ten ten’ in far away Morocco during the 1988 Africa Nations Cup. Eagles and perennial foes, Desert Foxes, of Algeria met in the semi finals. Sam Okwaraji, got the opener in the 39th minute off Belgherbi’s deflection. Three minutes to time, Maatar equalized.
During extra time, Nigeria lost one player after the mandatory two changes and were forced to play 10 against 11. Hard tackling Omokaro, tactically made everything even when he injured an Algerian to make it 10 players for the Eagles and 10 for their opponents. That was how the sobriquet ‘Ten ten’ emerged. Nigeria won 9-8 penalties in a game that all 22 players partook in the shoot- out.
