Izuchukwu Okosi
The Federal Government, state governments, top organizations and high ranking individuals have in the past rewarded Nigerian teams and athletes that have won laurels at major continental and international tournaments.
This has become a tradition of some sorts aimed at encouraging the team and individual talents and also inspire the next generation of sporting talents.
Some Nigerian communities have also keyed into the art of appreciation and there a few of them that have been rewarded with chieftancy titles.
We have picked out three Nigerian sports stars – past and present – who have been given recognition by their respective communities.
1. Mutiu Adepoju
Affectionately called ‘The Headmaster’ for his aerial strength, Mutiu Adepoju made his name as a youth international when he played a huge role in Nigeria’s silver medal finish at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1989.
The Nigerian side coached by Tunde Disu got to the final of the tournament before losing 2-0 to Portugal that featured legendary Real Madrid forward Luis Figo.
Adepoju who was a onetime player at La Liga sides, Real Sociedad and Compostella, was part of the USA 94, France 98 and Korea /Japan 2002 World Cup squads.
For his meritorious service to Nigeria and the good name his football career gave his community in Osun state, the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Eminence Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II in Ile-Ife honoured Adepoju with a chieftancy title.
The La Liga ambassador was conferred with the Asoju Amuludun Oodua in a luxury event that was held on November 9, 2023.
“𝗔𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘂 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗷𝘂, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲,” the Ooni of Ife said at the eloborate ceremony.
“He is not just a footballer; he is a symbol of hope and an embodiment of what one can achieve with unwavering dedication and a burning passion. In a world where football legends come and go, 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘂 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗷𝘂’𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱.
“I hereby present to you a beacon of inspiration, a true maestro, and a living legend of Nigerian football the “Headmaster”: 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘂 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗷𝘂 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗢𝗱𝘂𝗱𝘂𝘄𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗼𝗻𝗶 𝗢𝗷𝗮𝗷𝗮 𝗜𝗜 𝗢𝗱𝘂𝗱𝘂𝘄𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗝𝗨 𝗔𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗨𝗗𝗨𝗡 (𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁) today November 9th, 2023.
2. Chioma Ajunwa
Policewoman, Chioma Ajunwa will forever remain a legend in the history of Nigerian sports for her sterling contributions to the uplifting of the country through her skills.
Born on Christmas day (December 25) 1970 in Umuihiokwu community, Ahiazu-Mbaise, Imo state in South East Nigeria, Ajunwa began her sports career as a footballer and was part o Nigeria’s Super Falcons’ team go the maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup in China 1991.
However, Ajunwa who was solely trained by her mother following the demise of the dad at a young girl changed her sporting discipline from football to the track and field for not getting sufficient game time.
The switch paid off and she became the first African woman to win the gold medal in the long jump event of the Olympics in 1996 when the Games was hosted by Atlanta.
Same year, Nigeria’s men’s U-23 football team, the self-styled Dream Team, won the gold in the men’s football tournament at the Olympics.
Ajunwa was awarded the Member of the Order of Niger (MON) with the football team but lamented that she was given the MON without the EY like the men’s football team.
However her contributions towards Nigeria’s successful outing af Atlanta 96 was rewarded by her community with a chieftancy title. She was also promoted as a serving police officer.
Today, Ajunwa is a an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the NPF.
3. Stanley Nwabali
The latest installment into the privileged group of chieftancy title awardees is Stanley Nwabali.
The Chippa United goalkeeper was a former Lobi Stars player before he sojourner to South Africa to join Chippa United.
Prior to the Afcon in Cote d’Ivoire, Nwabali has only one cap for Nigeria – an international friendly against Mexico in 2017 in London which the Super Eagles lost 4-0.
After a brilliant outing in the Afcon that culminated in the runners up finish where Nigeria lost 2-1 in the final, the keeper was awarded Member of the Order of Niger (MON) with other team members by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara rewarded the goalkeeper with N20m while the Executive Chairman of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local government area, Honourable Vincent Job announced a ₦5m reward to Nwabali and named a street after him.
What followed afterwards was then the title awarded to him by the traditional ruler of Mgbede community in Egbema Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Nzeobi Evaristus Amuda.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
