Football was first played in Nigeria in Hope Waddell Training Institution Calabar on the 15th June 1904.
The secondary school was founded by Scottish Missionaries .
Interestingly,Hope Waddell Training Institution defeated their opponents,the sailors from British ship HMS 3-2.
Thereafter, football moved to Lagos, and in the 1910s and 1920s it became prominent and popular across the country.
Different accounts continue to trail when the NFF was founded, as this account records that the Federation was formed in 1933, and in 1949, the UK tourist team came to Nigeria and had a great match with the Nigeria’s selected team with bare foot.
Among the players who played against the UK Tourists were Sam Ibiam, Isaac Akioye as goalkeepers, on the defence, we had Justin Onwudiwe, Lisa Chukwura, Ahmed Tajani Ottun, Isiaku Shittu, John Dankaro, Hope Lawson, Dan Anyiam and Okoronkwo Kanu.
The forward line or the Strickers, were Masembe Otu, Peter Anieke, Sokari Dokubo, Godwin Anosike, Teslim “Thunder” Balogun, Titus Okere, Etim Henshaw, and Edet Ben.
It is also instructive to know that Chief G. J. K. Amachree became the first indigenous Chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation in 1960, the same year we got independence.
From The Archives
