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Rangers International FC The only Nigerian football club that has never been relegated from the top tier.

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The Flying Antelopes.

Their dressing is well branded with prancing Antelopes. A beautiful departure to the popular Lion and Leopard heads.

Today at Lekan Salami Stadium Ibadan. We will witness a rekindling of one of the greatest football rivalries in the history of Nigeria.

Rangers Vs Shooting Stars.

No other came close.

And it entered the anals of football history in Africa after the semi finals of African Cup Winners Cup in 1977.

That game was played in Kaduna. Until then, Africa never saw anything like it. Even the Nigerian Air Force fighter jets did a great maneuvering display above the stadium before the start of the game.

To say it was electric would be downplaying it. But that was Rangers era. They arrived to rewrite history. The boys that rose from the ashes.

Rangers Vs Shooting Stars.

When Nigeria won its first African Cup of Nations in 1980. That feat was on the shoulders of Rangers and Shooting Stars.

Rangers had seven players in the then Green Eagles, Shooting Stars had five players. Rangers had Chairman Christian Chukwu, Silvanus Okpara, Okey Isima, Emmanuel Okala, Adokiye Amiesimaka, Ifeanyi Onyedika, and Aloysius Atuegbu.

Shooting had Mathematical Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Best Ogedengbe, Felix Owolabi and Tunde Bamidele.

The two boys from Benin were Henry Nwosu from New Nigerian Bank and David Adiele from Bendel Insurance.

Three foreign based footballers were invited. They are John Chiedozie from Orient FC, Usiyan Thompson from Appalachian State Mountaineers and Godwin Odiye from San Francisco Dons.

But Rangers and Shooting carried that team on their shoulders.

I remember one occasion during a birthday celebration of Chairman Christian Chukwu and Segun Odegbami was speaking about Chukwu’s leadership qualities and abilities to coach in the field. Such admiration and respect existed even when they were rivals at club level.

And that rivalry more than anything helped give us one of the greatest football commentators the world has ever heard of: Ernest Okonkwo.

He it was who named Christian Chukwu Chairman, Emmanuel Okala Man Mountain and Segun Odegbami Mathematical.

In one of his most celebrated commentary he churned out pieces of toasted bread buttered on all side with the slippery of his words.

Hear him:

“Odegbami dilly-dallies, shilly-shallies, and locates Elastic Humphrey Edobor. The storm is gathering near the opponent’s goal area, and it will soon rain a goal. Edobor turns quickly to the right and returns the ball to Odegbami. Odegbami kicks the ball towards Quicksilver Sylvanus Okpala who shoots an intercontinental ballistic missile from outside the penalty box. It is a goal! It is a goal!! Nigeria has scored!”

Pushing that art a little further during the 1985 World Cup qualifying game between Nigeria and Tunisia in Lagos, Ernest Okonkwo described the near perfect understanding between two Eagles players thus: “Okey Isima, with a short pass to Sylvanus Okpala. They both play in Portugal. They can communicate in Igbo; they can communicate in English; they can communicate in Portuguese and they just communicated with the ball”

Segun Odegbami describes Okonkwo thus:

” A master of descriptive language, always conjuring words easily, effortlessly and aptly like a magician with his bag of tricks. He had the power in words to give life to the most boring game. He was a flawless master of the English language, often taking listeners to the limits of their imagination.”

Okonkwo turned football commentary into high art of the most fluid form. Later day commentators like legendary Peter Drury naturally took it to another level.

Rangers and Shooting Stars……

I can’t forget when I was 10 years in primary school and we were at a final of school quiz competition. The last question was that I.I.C.C. Shooting Stars FC is one of the leading football clubs in Nigeria, what is the full meaning of I.I.C.C?

I smiled aloud because I knew nobody would get it. I was that confident. So I waited until they failed and I picked up the bonus points.

IICC = Industrial Investment and Credit Corporation.

It never left my brain till date.

If you are in Ibadan, Oshogbo, Abeokuta, Ọyo even Lagos. Go fill the stadium to capacity.

 

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Transfer: Details of Liverpool’s deal for Hugo Ekitike

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Details of Liverpool’s deal for Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Hugo Ekitike has been revealed.

According to football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, the Reds has submitted an offer worth up to €90m with add-ons to Frankfurt for Ekitike’s signature.

The Premier League champions also have a full agreement with Ekitkke to sign a six year contract.

Liverpool and Frankfurt are now expected to be in contact today to seal add-ons structure for the player deal.

Ekitike has already made it clear with Frankfurt he wants Liverpool as absolute priority.

Liverpool, however, are expected to announce his signing in the coming days.

The Anfield club want to improve their manager Arne Slot’s squad this summer after winning the Premier League title last season.

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Transfer: Club Brugge demand €40m for Onyedika

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Club Brugge are demanding €40m from Fenerbahce for midfielder Raphael Onyedika, Ekwutosblog reports.

Fenerbahce attempted to sign the Nigeria international last summer but were frustrated by Club Brugge’s excessive demands.

The Turkish Super Lig giants are now looking to make a breakthrough this time around.

According to Turkish news outlet, Fotomac, Club Brugge are not willing to bulge on their demands again.

Fenerbahce is big admirer of the defensive midfielder.

A number of clubs in England including West Ham, and Leeds have also expressed interest in the player.

Onyedika joined Club Brugge from Danish outfit FC Midtylland in 2022.

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Transfer: €40m paid as Galatasaray, Napoli finalise Osimhen’s deal

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Galatasaray have paid Napoli an initial €40m for Victor Osimhen’s permanent transfer.

According to football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, Galatasaray and Napoli are now finalising details of Osimhen’s deal.

The Turkish champions will also pay the Serie A champions a €35m in one year for the second part of the payment for the 26-year-old’s transfer.

Romano added that Napoli also set a penalty clause for Galatasaray to avoid selling Osimhen to any Italian club in the next two years.

However, final details to get Osimhen’s deal done and the sell-on clause are yet to be agreed at the moment.

Osimhen spent the whole last season on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli and he has already made it clear he wants to continue at the Turkish giants.

The Nigeria striker rejected huge money offers from Saudi Arabia club Al Hilal to continue at Galatasaray.

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