Arthur Ebunam was a superstar in 1977. He won the World Schools Cup, debuted and scored for the Green Eagles and lifted the African Winners Cup. Bala Ali was just a boy in Jos, playing for fun on the streets.
In 1979, Ebunam left Enugu Rangers, 1977 African Winners Cup champions, to join Jos side Standard. Ali, still a school boy, was found good enough by the Pen Power Boys. He made the team that included seasoned players like Bitrus Bewarang, Bernard Ogbe, Shola Popo, James Neto, Kola Abejide and Tunde Adedara.
Ebunam left Standard for the United States in August 1979 after playing for the Eagles in a friendly against Queens Park Rangers, England. He returned with a degree in 1983. By 1986, he was with BCC Lions Gboko. Ali had moved to Leventis United Ibadan.
The former Flying Antelope told me about his encounter with his erstwhile team mate and how it led to his exit from soccer as an active player.
“You know,” Ebunam said, “Bala Ali was a very good dribbler. At Standard, we pushed him forward to dribble opposing defenders while we followed from behind for any possible slip. So we knew ourselves but he was just a boy. The same boy dribbled me to stupor in 1986.”
Dribbling a senior player is no crime in football but Ali made it look sacrilegious. He offered his apologies.
“It was in 1986. I was playing for BCC. Bala was at Leventis and we met in a league game. The boy would dribble me and say ‘sorry sir’. This happened severally and in the midst of embarrassment, I advised myself that perhaps it was time to take a bow from football”, Ebunam told me with a bout of laughter.
By 1988, the 1977 International Schools Sports Federation ( ISSF) winner with Christ the King College ( CKC) Onitsha retired at El Kanemi, Warriors.
Bala Ali was indeed a Jos kid. Playing for Standard did not change him. He would break camp to go play with his peers. When illness sent him to the hospital, the boy left his bed in ward uniform and was found in one corner of town mingling with friends.
Ebunam remembers what happened to his former club, Rangers when they dragged Standard to Nsukka for a league clash in 1979. Okey Isima had to ginger Ali in Hausa to show his skills.
“Isima and I had left Enugu with Humphrey Okechukwu. We moved to Standard. When both teams met, Rangers lost 1-0 in Jos. Then they hosted us in Nsukka. Bala dealt with Rangers as we planned. He scored the first goal.
“Amechi Igweobi found it so difficult to check Bala. In trying to be hard, Darkness ended up committing a foul which the referee did not ignore. Before time, Okechukwu made it two. Standard beat Rangers 2-0. We beat them at home in Jos and away in Nsukka.”
Like Ebunam, Ali also played for Green Eagles and made the team to the African Nations Cup, Cote D’Ivoire 1984. The squad, captained by Stephen Keshi and managed by Adegboye Onigbinde ended up with the silver medal after losing 3-1 to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the grand finale.
Ali is best remembered for his goal against Egypt in the semi finals which drew Nigeria level, 2-2. It was 15 minutes from time. In the ensuing penalty shoot out, the Eagles won 8-7.
Nicknamed Zico by admirers, Ali journeyed to Portugal to play as a professional. It was a terrible experience. The disappointment was so huge that he never recovered from it until death came.
Ebunam’s debut for Nigeria saw him scoring the lone and winning goal against Gabon in Libreville in 1977. He chose education over soccer, leaving national camp for Clemson University, United States in 1979.
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His achievements include winning the Nigerian League with Rangers in 1977, the African Winners Cup with the Flying Antelopes, same year and the ISSF trophy in Dublin, Ireland,1977.
Armed with a university degree, he has been able to fit into both worlds, in America and at home. He was once Special Adviser, Sports to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State.
Just before Tunisia knocked Nigeria out of the Cameroon 2021 African Nations Cup, Ebunam told me he did not see the Super Eagles going far. He was not convinced the handlers were equipped with enough technical ability to forge ahead.
He said: “Tactics failed the team. Tunisia studied Nigeria and cut off our wings. I did not see any top striker in the Eagles team who could have made the difference. I wish we had Sylvanus Okpala on the bench.”
Ebunam is not happy that the Federal Government has failed to honour CKC Onitsha for being the first African team to win a global soccer trophy.
“I have tried to reach President Muhammadu Buhari. I believe he will listen to me and grant us not just reward but recognition as well. He remembered the 1985 Golden Eaglets. He remembered the 1994 Super Eagles. President Buhari cannot forget CKC 1977.”
