The book provides inside stories from the voices of Nigeria's previous stars and discusses the upcoming 2010 World Cup. Bonus? It includes a vast section on Cup history (including winners and lineups) plus lineups and records of the Eagles.
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Nigeria v S/Africa in the second phase of the qualifiers
June 26, 2008 was the day that Augustine “Jay Jay” Azuka Okocha born August 14, 1973 played in his testimonial celebrating his retirement from soccer. He was a special one, the maestro of Ahia M’gbede. For us, he had quit our world of international football on February 9, 2006 after playing against Senegal. His career? 74 appearances and 14 goals in 13 years after debuting on May 2, 1993 against Ivory Coast.
Okocha was the master, the oga, and the special one. All others after him shall be the impostors, for there shall be no other Okocha. He never won the African Footballer of the Year, yet his game has left an indelible mark, never to be forgotten.
Remember the night when he conjured the unbelievable goal. It was the night he dribbled endlessly through the Karlsruher FC defense and twice through the immortal Oliver Kahn before finally scoring. It was the goal of a legend. It now resides in the collective history of our memories like Pele against Sweden in 1958, Maradona against England in 1986. Those are now in the revered section of mythical stories, told and retold across ages. Okocha’s mythical games are legion. The night at Old Trafford when his repertoire of incredible moves froze Neville and Manchester United. In 2000, a vicious volley against Cameroon. In 2004, the cunning free kick against Cameroon. Then in 1998, at the World Cup in France he invented the incomparable signature dribble – the leg over and drag, feint, and weave. The move confounded opponents and then the spectators.
For “Jay Jay” is what the South Americans call the Malandro. The one who inhabits the margins of law, the one willing to take risks and yet “escape” to become great. It is the signature of South American soccer, its very identity symbolized by Pele, Maradona, Zico, Ronaldinho, and an endless list of artistes willing to take a risk and yet conquer. Jay Jay is the Nigerian Malandro where in Nigerian street soccer he is the soul of Ahia M’gbede. Ahia M’gbede is the identity of Nigerian soccer where the individual techniques of players are demonstrated to admirers. It is a reified period in a game when the demonstration of individual talent is at its zenith, attracting the loud acknowledgment of those who witness the moment. It is a moment, which just happens, it is magical but its beginning and its end are largely unidentifiable. Jay Jay was its master, the connoisseur, who played it to the limits.
No one before was like him. Sam Garba, Haruna Ilerika, Henry Nwosu, Christian Madu, Etim Esin were all masters of Ahia M’gbede but “Jay Jay” was the master of all masters. “Jay Jay” Okocha was and is “Him.” JJ before and now. After HIM, there shall be no other….impostors follow. He lives thereafter in videos, DVDs, Youtube, and our collective memories. We thank him for the great and indelible memories that we now archive forever. We say good-bye and remain indebted. The final curtain draws….
