Fifteen years before the Green Eagles won the African Nations Cup at Lagos ’80, two Nigerians lifted the trophy playing for Black Stars. Abdul Ganiyu Salami and Amusa Gbadamosi were part of the Ghanaian national team that retained gold in Tunisia.
The Black Stars were many steps ahead of Nigeria having won their first Afcon trophy at home in 1963. It was also Eagle’s debut. While the hosts shone, their West African brothers were battered 6-3, 4-0 by Egypt and Sudan respectively. Captained by Asuquo Ekpe, some prominent members of that team included Godwin Achebe, Paul Hamilton, Niyi Omowon, Jide Johnson, Albert Onyeanwuna,, Isaac Nnado, Kaiser Blankson and Chukwuma Igweonu.
Salami, also known as ‘Salakwa’ was born in Accra , attended St. John’s Grammar School there and after playing for Ghana Academicals joined Hearts of Oak. Gbadamosi, nicknamed ‘Pele’ started from Bimbilla, moved to Northern Star[Savanna] crossed over to Hearts in 1963, joined Asante Kotoko in 1970 and returned to Hearts a year later.
The Nigerian duo were in Tunisia as Black Stars alongside players like keeper Edward Dodoo-Ankrah, Charles Odametey, John Naawu, Kofi Pare, Osei Kofi, Frank Odoi, Kwame Nti, Ben Simmons and Willie Evans. Goalie Dodoo-Ankrah was close to Nigerian players. He once lost the number one position at Accra Hearts of Oak to Sam ‘Magnet’ Ibiam.
The Black Stars had beaten Congo Leopodville [DRC] 5-2 in their first game. It was an interesting match that saw three players scoring a brace. Ben Acheampong and Cecil jones Attuquayefio scored four of Ghana’s goals, Kalala Mukendi scored both goals for Congo. Attuquayefio is best remembered as the coach of Benin Republic when they debuted at the Tunisia 2004 Nations Cup.
At Tunisia 1965, Attuquayefio won gold with the Black Stars. At Tunisia 2004, he achieved little with the Squirrels. He belittled himself when he punished Muri Ogunbiyi for fraternizing with Nigerian goalie, Vincent Enyeama. Both players were team mates at CAF Champion’s League defending champions, Enyimba. Nigeria defeated Benin 2-1. The Beninoise goal came from a Nigerian, Jonas Oketola.
At Tunisia ’63, Ghana gave Cote D’ Ivoire a 4-0 drubbing to qualify for the final. Hosts ,Tunisia were just lucky to get into the final after gaining the same number of points, three, as Senegal in their Group A that also included Ethiopia. A toss of the coin decided in favour of the Carthage Eagles.
When the defending champions and hosts met at the Stade Chadli Zouitem, Tunis, Referee Abdelaziz Chekaimi had to call for overtime after full time ended 2-2. Odoi’s goal gave Ghana a 3-2 victory. Nigeria was not there but two Nigerians, Salami and Gbadamosi won with the Black Stars. Two members of the Tunisian squad, 19 -year- old Keeper Sadok ‘Attouga’ Sassi and Abdelmajid Chetali would later play against Nigeria in Lagos in 1977.
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The Black Stars were spectacular. Two of them, Acheampong and Kofi, emerged highest scorers with Eustache Mangle of Cote D’Ivoire. Each scored three goals. Mangle would later lead ASEC Mimosas to Nigeria against Ranchers Bees of Kaduna in the 1990 WAFU Cup.
Salami, from Ogbomosho was born on October 5, 1942. Gbadamosi was born five months earlier, on April 15. In 1967, the duo left Ghana for Nigeria, accompanied by another player, Ben Aminu Rafat. Major Ibikunle Armstrong had not yet tasted action in the Nigerian Civil War. The Ilaro man traveled to Accra to bring back his Yoruba brothers. They joined Leventis.
Gbadamosi did not last in Nigeria. He returned to Accra. In 1968 the Black Stars tried to win the Nations Cup for keeps. They almost did but lost in the grand finale. The Nigerian was there thus adding a silver to the gold he won in 1965. That same year, ‘Pele’ was at the Mexico ’68 Olympics and became ‘African Pele’ in the eyes of Mexican fans. Ghanaians preferred to call him ‘Amusa Pele’.
Salami stayed put in Nigeria. He was also part at Mexico ’68 with the debutant Nigerian team. One remarkable thing about the Nigerians was that five players of Igbo origin played for the Eagles while some of their buddies were fighting in Biafra. Coach Joseph Ember did not let the presence of Peter Anieke, Tony Igwe, Austin Ofuokwu, Sam Garba Okoye and Sam Opone disturb him.
After Mexico, Salami did not look back. He once told me there was nothing special about the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in his days. On December 22, 1968, the Green Eagles defeated them 3-2 in Douala in a Mexico ’70 World Cup qualifier. The Nigerian goals were scored by Anieke, Ofuokwu and Muyiwa Oshode. The first leg in Ibadan ended 1-1.
Salami ended his career as a coach. He handled the Golden Eaglets and also was Eagles assistant coach. Salakwa also went continental. From Customs Gabon, he joined Stade Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire and later Soleh F.C. of Benin Republic.
As the 1960s petered out, the Ghanaian government sent some Nigerians packing. About 20,556 of them were from Ogbomosho. Ejigbo accounted for 4, 288. Gbadamosi remained in Ghana. He is also respected till date. Superstars like Tony Baffoe and Asamoah Gyang who did not watch him play, adore Amusa Pele.
In 2000, Salami was at the Accra Sports Stadium as coach of Shell Nigeria Academicals against their Ghana VALCO counterparts. It was a tournament aimed at boosting ties between both countries. The brain behind it was Segun Odegbami who also involved ex- players Sola Akinsola and Tajudeen Disu.
Gbadamosi did not end as a footballer. He became a teacher and one of his students, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, is a well known face in Nigeria having served as Executive Secretary and later President of ECOWAS between 2002 and 2009. The diplomat is today a Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General and Head of United Nations Office for West Africa [UNOWA].
