Former international, Taju Disu, reminisces on his role in qualifying a Nigeria team for their first World Championship appearance. He also tells KAZEEM BUSARI what Nigeria should do with the Golden Eaglets
When you introduce yourself, you put MON. A few Nigerians don’t recall how you merited a national award.
I was a member of the Flying Eagles squad that qualified Nigeria for a FIFA-organised competition for the first time in 1983. I helped Nigeria to qualify for the Junior World Cup in Mexico when I was just in secondary school; many of us were in secondary schools then. We were honoured with the award, Member of the Order of the Niger, after we qualified.
What was special with the qualification?
It was a feeling of a lifetime. We realised that the previous teams, at any level, had failed to make it to the global stage. The set of Henry Nwosu, Sylvanus Okpala and other great players tried in 1980 but could not make it to the World Cup. Prior to that, the senior team, which had legendary players like Segun Odegbami and Christian Chukwu, also failed to make it to the World Cup; this made our achievement in 1982 a great thing for us.
What was it like playing at that stage while in secondary school?
It was wonderful. I played in central defence; and the whole thing seemed to put us in everyone’s focus. The situation we found ourselves somehow put a little pressure on us, the players, because the whole world wanted to see what Nigeria could do at that level, and we were school pupils. I must admit it gave us super star tags because our achievement was new to everyone.
Was there a major difference between playing the qualifiers and World Youth Championship?
There were big differences. We were desperate as players to qualify because we knew what the qualification would mean to everyone. The qualifiers were hard, but at the World Youth Championship it was different. The tactics had to change due to the quality of the opponents. Brazil were there, just as Holland and other big teams. During the qualifiers, we were playing home and away games but we knew that would not happen at the championship. In fact, it due to our inexperience at the tournament that crashed out early. We won one game, drew one and lost against Brazil. The Brazil team had quality players which included Dunga and Bebeto. The Brazil team that later won the World Cup in 1994 had its foundation in their 1983 U-20 team. After the 1983 World Youth Championship, Brazil kept the players together for a long time, but we couldn’t do that in Nigeria. Jorginho, Dunga and Bebeto were all at the Mexico’83 tournament. The Holland team had the likes of Marco Van Basten and Edwin Godee but we neutralised their attack.
How was it convenient for you to play at that level while in secondary school?
What we had then doesn’t exist now. At that time, for any player to be in the junior teams he had to be in school. I was selected during the Principals Cup while playing for Baptist Academy. I was among the few selected in 1980 to play for the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria and we won the Gothia Cup in Sweden and the Dallas Cup in Texas. The following year, we went to Denmark to win the Danas Cup. One great feature about the team was that it was completely made up of school boys. When we played in Dallas, the goalkeeper Patrick Udoh was in Gaskia College, Tarila Okoronwanta was in St. Gregory’s College, Amaechi Otti was in CKC in Onitsha, Paul Okoku was in St. Finbarr’s College, Femi Olukanni and Segun Olukanni were both in CMS Grammar School, Humphrey Edobor was in Obakpolor in Benin City, Chibuzor Ehilegbu was in CKC in Onitsha, Dehinde Akinlotan was in Agunbiade Secondary School in Abeokuta, Raymond King the goalkeeper was in St. Finbarr’s College, Christopher Anigala was also in St. Finbarr’s College, Alphonsus Akhahan was in Gaskia College, while Sunday Benson was in Zumratul Grammar School. It was from YSFON that we moved up to playing in the Flying Eagles. And I also captained the Lagos State team at two National Sports Festivals. At that time, we were interested in playing football while in school, and I think that’s the way it should be now. No athlete should be in a haste to play professional sport when he’s supposed to be in school. I was in secondary school when I first captained Abiola Babes in 1981 when it was first formed. I left the team because travelling from Lagos to Abeokuta did not give me enough time to concentrate on my studies. I had to join National Bank football team on my return to Lagos. I moved from there to the Flying Eagles before joining Leventis United. I later returned to Abiola Babes after my schooling.
How was it playing in the Nigerian league?
Domestic league was great fun back then. Nobody thought of watching the European leagues; there was nowhere to watch them in the first place. But the foreign leagues were not attractive then. We had interesting characters in our league and they kept attracting fans to match venues. There were good players worth watching, and interesting games that would give you your money’s worth. It was not strange to see fans of Enugu Rangers travelling down to Lagos just to watch their team which had the likes Christian Chukwu and Okpala. But things are very different now. I never for a second thought of playing abroad because we had everything we needed. Some of us were sceptical about spending our lives in cold countries.
But you eventually went abroad.
Yes, but not to play football. My passion then was education, so when I had the chance to move to the United States, it was to study. That was the main reason I could not play for long in the senior national team. I don’t regret it.
Is Nigeria getting it right with the youth football programme?
We’re not. In fact, so many things are wrong but we’re blinded by the success of the team at major competitions. I believe the problem is with the administrators; we have to get it right from the top. We have to realise that there is life after football and it is only right to let the young footballers go to school while they can. It doesn’t disturb their football; they only need to plan for it. Not everyone will be as successful as (Nwankwo) Kanu or (Austin) Okocha; it is good to let them have something to fall back on. In my set, we realised we needed the education more, that’s why most of us dwell in the United States.
Some players have made it big in football despite not finishing school the way you did. Do you regret not playing in the national team and becoming as rich as they are?
I don’t regret it at all. The degree I have will be there for ever. I might not be as rich as the people you’re talking about, but to be honest, I’m comfortable. Perhaps if I’m playing in this era I would have gone for riches instead of education because there’s so much money in football these days. But some of them who have made the money have difficulty in their management so they will still have to hire educated people to help them. I studied Agricultural Economics at Alabam A & M University and I’ve helped no fewer than 15 ex-internationals to study at the institution. This is why I’m involved in youth football, where I can help the young players to achieve success in sports and education.
Nigerians remember you better as playing in Abiola Babes.
Yes, that was because Abiola Babes made me what I am today. When we went to the national team camp from National Bank football team in 1983, I had just finished writing my WAEC exams, John Mastoroudes came there to recruit key players for Leventis United. Five of us – Okoku, Yemi Adebanjo, Segun and Femi Olukanni and I – went with him. But when we came back from the World Youth Championship, Chief MKO Abiola came to Premier Hotel in Ibadan, where we were camped, to convince some of us to join his team. He even employed one of our coaches, Isiaka Yakubu, to handle his team. We had a brief meeting with Abiola, but he didn’t need to say much to convince me; he had this effect on some of us that we just decided to play for him. When we got there, in 1984 we took the team to the FA Cup final where we lost to Leventis United. The following year, we lifted the trophy by beating BCC Lions, and in 1986 we lost to Leventis United again in the final. In 1987, we bounced back to beat Ranchers Bees in the final to lift the trophy again. Playing the FA Cup final four times consecutively with one team will definitely put any player in the spotlight. That was the reason Abiola gave me scholarship to study in the US. Some players preferred other material reward but I was satisfied with the scholarship. He gave me a letter to a bank in New York, directing them to pay me certain amount every year for four years for my education.
Your children were in sports.
My three sons are still in sports but my daughter has moved away from sports. She was playing football until she broke her arm; this made her mother to insist she drop the sport. She’s now into fashion in New York. But the boys are into American football, athletics and soccer. They’re bound to get scholarship once they’re good in sports.
What is your prediction for the Super Eagles when we get to Brazil?
I think we have a team that can surprise the world; but I’m not saying they’ll win the World Cup. I can’t say which stage they’ll reach, but I don’t see them being disgraced in Brazil.
Some ex-internationals are calling for the return of Osaze Odemwingie and Joseph Yobo to the team. Do you support this call?
Their return may destabilise the team. I don’t have anything against these players but when players who have not contributed in the team’s qualification for a long time start showing up, it is capable of distracting the team. There’s also an element of luck with the existing players; the inclusion of fresh faces may just change the tide for them. Stephen Keshi can introduce one or two new players, but not the ones that have had issues with the team in the past.
Even with your desire for higher education you could still have played for a longer period in the national team.
Some of my teammates and I were angry with the Ministry of Sports because it did not fulfil the promise it made to us. After qualifying for the World Championship, the minister, Buba Ahmed, asked us what we wanted and we told him we wanted to further our education. There were options of houses, but we rejected those and insisted on education. So the Federal Government promised us that on return from Mexico we would be admitted for various courses at the University of Lagos. But when we did not win the tournament, it was the same minister that disbanded the team and failed to keep the promises. We went to the Nigeria Football Association to complain, and the late Patrick Okpomo, who was the NFA chairman, did his best but he was unable to redeem the pledges. He said there was no record of the Federal Government’s promises to us. We felt used and disappointed so we started moving abroad on our own to study.
Would things have been different had the FG kept its promises?
I believe so. For instance, the team was considered to be strong with character. If we had been kept together in Nigeria, I don’t have any doubt that we could have won the senior World Cup either in 1986 or in 1990. The only tournament we did not win during my time was the World Championship. We won all our African tournaments and international competitions like the Dallas Cup. The current administration should learn from the mistakes of our time by making sure the Golden Eaglets that won the World Cup in the United Arab Emirates are kept together and supported in their education. But I’m afraid some administrators’ greed will not allow them to develop normally.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: editor@punchng.com