60th Birthday Celebration: Ex- internationals to play for Akagburuonye
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By Everest Ezihe, Owerri
As part of the programmes marking the week long 60th birthday anniversary and autobiography book launch of Barr. Success Akagburuonye, plans have been advanced for some former Super Eagles’ players to play a novelty match with Hope Stars Football club of Owerri.
The friendly encounter which is been anchored by “Mathematical” Segun Odegbami of Green Eagles firm and a utility midfield maestro in his hay days comes up this Saturday (21/02/2026) by 3 pm at the Central School Ogbor Uvuru in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State, newly built mini stadium.
The game which is in honour of Akagburuonye, due to his philanthropic contributions to the growth and advancement of football in Nigeria, through grassroot support and sponsorships of the game, promises to lift the spirit of the fans, supporters and spectators into spiritual fantasy of the adage, that an old woman is never tired, when it comes to a music dancing step, she’s conversant with.
Certainly, it’s going to be an entertaining game that would instigate suspense and vociferous shouting due to mastery displays of skills and scintillating football artistry.
The game will be historical because, for the first time in Nigeria football history, we’ re having 5 generations of members of Nigeria’s national football teams coming together to play a novelty football match in honour of a great Nigerian who was few weeks ago celebrated by Sun Newspapers, as Nigeria’s 2025 Humanitarian Icon Services Award Winner.
Thus, for the first time, former players selected from the Green Eagles of 1980, the Flying Eagles of 1983, the Golden Eaglets of 1985, the Daman Miracle team of 1989, the Super Eagles of 1994 and the Dream team of 1996, are reuniting for an evening of a unique football match in honour of Barrister Obioma Success Akagburuonye, a man whose silent philanthropy is to be publicly acknowledged this Sunday by eminent Nigerians, institutions and global communities.
If you are an ardent follower of Nigerian football in early 80s to late 90s, you will remember names like ‘Owoblow’ Felix Owolabi, ‘Quick Silver’ Sylvanus Okpala, ‘Headmaster’ Mutiu Adepoju, ‘Anobi’ Ike Sorounmu, ‘Gentle Giant’ Uche Okechukwu, Finidi ‘Finito’ George, Daniel ‘The Bull’ Amokachi, ‘World Cup Coach’ Samson Siasia, Emmanuel ‘Wing Wizard’ Amunike, and so on, shall all paint Ogbor Uvuru Mbaise in the Green and White colour of Nigeria Jersey.
Other historic stars billed to adorn the nation’s prestigious jersey on the pitch and rekindle their old skill days are Emmanuel Amuneke, Augustine Eguavoen, Austin Jayjay Okocha, Mobi Oparaku and Kanu Nwankwo “Papilo”.
It’s equally obvious that Victor Ikpeba, Friday Ekpo, Garba Lawal, Sylvanus Okpala, Waheed Akani, Moses Kpakor, Waidi Akanni, and Edema Fuludu will all sweat it out on the pitch of the rural mini stadium, philanthropically built by Akagburuonye, the sports lover and Kingdom investor.
