Felix Owolabi Akinloye, whose solitary goal took
Nigeria to the title match of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980 is set to
celebrate his 70th birthday on Sunday.
His ninth-minute goal against Morocco on 19 March 1980
took Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations final match for the first time.
Nigeria eventually won the trophy three days later in
a final match against Algeria.
His 70th birthday celebration kicks
off this Friday with two matches on the card at the Lekan Salami Stadium,
Ibadan – the same arena where he set a record as the oldest Nigerian footballer
to win a continental honour when he propelled the Shooting Stars to win the
inaugural edition of the CAF Cup against Nakivibu Villa of Uganda in 1992.
Then 36 years old, it was the climax of 14 years
of unbroken service to the Ibadan-based club.
At the time he symbolically hung his boots on 24
January 1994, he was the longest-serving footballer in the Nigerian domestic
league.
He joined the Shooting Stars from Kaduna Rocks at the
close of the 1977 season being one of the discoveries at the 1977 National
Sports Festival.
The stocky left-footed Owolabi was an instant hit, and
getting a national call-up and featured for Nigeria at the 1978 Africa
Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Featuring in the 1980 and 1982 editions made him one
of the few Nigerian players to go to the continental competition in three
straight editions.
He started as a left full-back and his attacking
instincts and dribbling skills propelled him to become a left winger.
Such was his dashing runs that he became a crowd
favourite when he featured for Shooting Stars against pre-match favourites,
Bendel Insurance in the semi-final match of the 1979 Challenge Cup.
It was for that reason that the chant ‘Owooo” rented
the air each time he got hold of the ball during the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations
in Lagos.
For the 14 years he played for Shooting Stars, he won
two national league championships in 1980 and 1983 as well as the Challenge Cup
(now President Federation Cup) in 1979.
He was a member of the Nigerian squad to the 1992 FIFA
Futsal World Championship in Hong Kong and also featured at the 1980 Olympic
Games.
His debut for Nigeria was in the 7-0 drubbing of Benin
Republic on 14 January 1978. His last match was in the 3-0 loss to Zambia at
the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations in Benghazi, Libya.
For his exploits with the Shooting Stars, the club
will on Friday feature in a friendly match with Osun United at the Lekan Salami
Stadium in Ibadan. The duel will be preceded by a novelty match between All
Stars of Ibadan and the All Stars of Lagos.
The celebration of an icon at 70 will be rounded up
with a birthday dinner on Sunday.
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