Something new about Nigeria/ Ghana ties will always be revealed. I did not know Thompson Usiyen lived in Ghana until his Algiers 1978 All Africa Games team mate, Issa Lanky Saliman, got chatting with me.
Saliman and Usiyen won silver with the Green Eagles. The latter flew in from the United States. It was also after that game that Godwin Odiye left for America.
“Usiyen and I attended the same primary and middle school,” Saliman told me. The duo were at A.M.E Zion Primary School, Sekondi between 1958 and 1963 before proceeding to Adiembra Road Middle School. They grew up in the Zango area of Sekondi, with a large Hausa population.
The Nigerians did not forget their roots. One Mallam Alhassan, from Sokoto founded Sardauna Babes, named after Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello. There was another team, Sekondi Red Devils, named after the Nigerian national team at the time.
Saliman left Royal Commercial and Secondary School, Ketan, Sekondi in December 1969 for Government Secondary School, Dekina. In 1971, he was at Ilorin Grammar School. His inclusion in the Kwara State Academicals team yielded two missed cup attempts.
In 1970, Kwara State lost 3 – 2 to Western State, starring Yomi Bamiro, goalie Abbas Olawoyin and Tunde Ogujah among others, in the grand finale of the Manuwa/ Adebajo Cup decided at Onikan. Saliman and his team mates led 2-0 until 16 minutes to time when Yomi Bamiro of Ijebu Ode Grammar School nicked a hat – trick. “That remains my worst match,” Issa Lanky said.
Kwara lost a late opportunity to draw level when Baba Eleran Alabi missed a penalty. The Kwarans had King Bello in goal with James Gana, Busari Ishola, Abdulrazak Actor and Skipper Idris Muhammed covering the defence. Others were Rasheed Badmus, Yusuf Olaiya, Joe Awojobi, and Albert Adetoye.
East Central State did not take part in the 1970 edition because the Civil War ended early in the year. Kwara soared 3-1 above North Central State of Ahmadu Maude, Little Sule and Karimu Ayinde. They also beat Lagos, 4-3, in a duel Haruna Ilerika missed a penalty.
When the Easterners got involved in 1971, Kwara qualified for the grand finale for the second time in a row. Again, they lost. Obed Ariri’s brace, one goal in each half, did the damage.
The winners paraded stars like Dominic Ezeani, Christian Chukwu, Godwin Ogbueze, Patrick Ekeji, Damian Odo, Kendo Ilodigwe, Chike Ikebuaku, Obi Nwobi, Innocent Nwokeji and Ahamefula Umelo.
Kwara still had Baba Eleran, Badmus, Ishola and Saliman. New faces were captain Kola Shittu, keeper Lamidi Lawal, defenders David William, Debo Olatunde and Musa Abdullahi. Others included Sunday Olowodara, Ambrose Maybe, Saliu Ojibara, Malik Yakub, Femi Bamishe, Philemon Vizor, Ahmed Yahaya and Nurudeen Adua.
Saliman made the Green Eagles squad as a student of the National Institute of Sports (NIS). He was training as a coach when Father Tiko and his assistants, Carl Odwyer, Isaac Nnado and Willy Bazuaye spotted him. The national team shared hostel with NIS students.
The Eagles were preparing for the Algiers 1978 Third All Africa Games. They embarked on a training tour of Europe – France, Greece, Yugoslavia, Rumania, Bulgaria and Germany. Leader of delegation was Chief Lekan Salami. Of the 22 players that travelled, two, Ahmed Nalado and Martins Onwuhai, could not make it to Algeria.
Through Saliman, I got the official Green Eagles squad list which even Wikipedia did not have. Christian Chukwu was captain, Emma Okala and Best Ogedegbe were the keepers. Anas Ahmed, Kadiri Ikhana, Felix Owolabi, Muda Lawal and Aloy Atuegbu made it.
Shefiu Mohammed, Bernard Popoola, Chris Ogu, Ignatius Ilechukwu, Tunde Bamidele, Abubakar (Joe Wasa) Mohammed, Adokiye Amiesimaka, Baba Otu Mohammed, Segun Odegbami, Odiye, Usiyen and Saliman were there too.
Saliman got a pay raise through double promotion, from the Kwara State government, represented by Director of Sports, J. B. Agbogun. “He called my jersey number 18 while I was coming out of the pitch, hugged me for doing Kwara proud even as the group game with Cameroon ended goalless, I was adjudged to have performed very well.”
Saliman considers the Kwara versus Lagos match at the Kaduna 1977 National Sports Festival as his worst. The game ended 1-1 in regulation time, 2-2 in extra time and 3-3 after penalty shoot. There was pitch invasion by the crowd and the game was cancelled. He was captain of the Kwara team.
Imo Trojans, under Nnado and captained by Harrison Mecha, defeated Owolabi’s Kaduna State 2-0 to win the soccer gold medal. Saliman has the record of taking part in six National Sports Festivals, four times as player, from 1973 to 1979 and twice as a coach, 1985 and 1989, respectively.
His playing career moved from Pioneers to Midland Babes, Kwara Rovers, Alyusufsalam Rocks, Water Corporation, Ilorin, Tate and Lyle, Central Bank, Ilorin, Kainji NEPA, Super Pioneers and Super Pioneers.
As a coach, Saliman handled clubs like Kwara United, Shooting Stars, Katsina United and University of Ilorin. He led Kwara United to the continent in 1999 and after a brilliant away performance against Young Africans of Tanzania, his team got eliminated by Zamalek.
Saliman describes Mecha, his coursemate at NIS as, “my good friend, fair in complexion and handsome looking guy.Ilechukwu was called Ignay by Coach Nnado. We called him Steve. He was full of smiles and didn’t talk much.” The book ‘ Football Development in Kwara State’s was written by Saliman.
