By Paul Lucky Okoku
(Former Nigerian International Footballer | Football Analyst)
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How Three Flying Eagles—Paul Okoku, Chibuzor Ehilegbu, and Isa Shofoluwe—Called in Days Before Kickoff, Helped Nigeria Cross a Defining Threshold
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History does not always announce itself. Sometimes it taps you on the shoulder and says, “Get your passport.”
On Monday, January 12, 2026, I read an article on www.jerseynumber12.com
by Rasheed Adewuyi titled “AFCON 2025: Stay Focused and United — Onigbinde Urges Super Eagles Ahead of Morocco Semi-Final Clash,” While the article was timely and well-intentioned, it also opened an opportunity to connect past courage with the uphill battle against Morocco in today’s AFCON semifinals. It naturally invited a broader historical reflection—and a reminder to younger readers of why Chief Adegboyega Onigbinde’s voice carries such weight when he speaks about facing Morocco on their own soil.
Belief is loudest when it remembers where it has already survived.
Encouragement carries more weight when it is anchored in memory, not motivation alone.
Why This Story Needed to Be Told Now?
In that article, Chief Adegboyega Onigbinde, former head coach of Nigeria, urged the Super Eagles to remain disciplined, united, and ambitious as they prepared to face Morocco in Rabat, on Moroccan soil.
He spoke about focus. He spoke about unity. He spoke about belief. He also called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to give the coaching staff the support they need to succeed. Everything he said was correct.
But as I read the article, something quietly struck me. There was no bridge between belief and precedent. No reminder—especially for younger readers—that this was not theory.
Because when Chief Onigbinde says Morocco is beatable in Rabat, he is not speculating. He has done it before.
And I know—because I was there.
Belief Sounds Different When It Has Already Faced Rabat
Encouragement is important in football.
But encouragement becomes convincing when it carries history.
What the JerseyNumber12.com online article did not mention—understandably, given its format—is that Chief Onigbinde once walked into Rabat with far fewer advantages than today’s Super Eagles possess.
No global spotlight. No luxury preparations. No media cushioning. Just belief, discipline, and courage. And three young players—Flying Eagles, not senior internationals—who were called in days before kickoff to help decide Nigeria’s AFCON fate.
The Days Before Rabat: When No One Was Expecting the Call
Four days before Nigeria’s decisive 1984 AFCON qualifier against Morocco, none of us—Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Isa Shofoluwe, and myself—had any expectation of being involved. We had just returned from the FIFA U-21 World Cup in Mexico, 1983. Our focus was elsewhere. Nigeria was preparing to host the WAFU Nations Cup in October—popularly known as the Shehu Shagari Cup. The qualified teams were already known:
• Nigeria 🇳🇬
• Ghana 🇬🇭
• Guinea 🇬🇳
• Ivory Coast 🇨🇮
Our minds were there. Our boots were there.
Our future plans were there. Then football, as it often does, changed direction.
Bembo Games Village: Where Opportunity Whispered
At Bembo Games Village in Ibadan, the Flying Eagles were holding a joint training camp with the senior national team—the Super Eagles.
Nigeria had already played Morocco to a goalless draw in Benin City on August 14, 1983, the first leg of the AFCON qualifier.
But trouble emerged!
Some senior players—particularly those linked with New Nigerian Bank—did not return with the team after the Benin City match, having gone on a club’s assignment. Days passed. Time tightened. The return leg in Rabat was approaching. After one training session, as we walked down the hill from the pitch, I overheard a tense conversation between Chief Coach Adegboyega Onigbinde and Coach Paul Hamilton.
Then came a sentence that altered everything:“What about Paul Okoku, Chibuzor Ehilegbu, and Isa Shofoluwe?”
That was not casual talk. That was contingency planning at the highest level. That same night, we were told: “Get your passports ready.”
No speeches.
No guarantees.
No reassurance.
Just readiness.
From Ibadan to Rabat: When Reality Set In
We travelled from Ibadan to Lagos, arriving at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja. Only two players met us there from Benin City: the late Stephen Keshi, team captain and Sunday Eboigbe.
From Lagos, we boarded Iberia (IB)—Spain’s national carrier—flying Lagos to Madrid (Spain),then onward to Rabat (Morocco), the following day.
It was only then that the weight truly landed.
This was not a friendly.
This was not preparation.
👉 Winner qualifies for AFCON 1984 in Côte d’Ivoire.
Loser goes home.
The Morning of August 28, 1983: When Everything Becomes Real
Sunday morning in Rabat.
No illusions.
No comfort.
We knew what awaited us:
• The Moroccan team
• The home crowd
• The referee
• The system
• The unspoken preference for the host nation
Anyone who has played away in Africa understands this reality. Chief Onigbinde understood it too. That is why discipline mattered more than noise.
The Dining Room Moment: When History Paused
During our pre-match meal, something small—but unforgettable—happened. The late Ernest Okonkwo, Nigeria’s iconic broadcaster, moved around the team’s hotel dining room during the pre-game meal, going from table to table and matching names to players’ faces as he prepared for his Radio Nigeria commentary.
Then he stopped.
He looked at three of us seated together:
• Paul Okoku
• Chibuzor Ehilegbu
• Isa Shofoluwe
He paused.
“Hmm… Udemuezue boys.”
That was the moment it became real—not just for him, but perhaps for Nigeria.
Three Flying Eagles.
About to decide a nation’s AFCON future.
No hype.
Just recognition.
The Match: Courage Without Noise
We played the entire 90 minutes.
All three of us.
Against experienced Moroccan professionals.
In Rabat.
On their soil.
No fear.
No excuses.
No inferiority complex.
Just football.
The match ended goalless.
Then penalties.
Nigeria won 4–3.
History did not blink.
After a goalless draw, Nigeria won 4–3 on penalties, qualifying for AFCON 1984.
After the match, Coach Onigbinde embraced Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Isa Shofoluwe, and myself, and said words that remain etched in my memory:
“My golden boys.”
That embrace was more than affection.
It was recognition.
Rabat was not an accident.
Nigeria still believed in continuity.
Morocco is beatable on their own soil.
This article was written to do exactly what it set out to do: to preserve history, encourage belief, and honor process—while paying due respect to Chief Coach Adegboyega Onigbinde and his assistant coach, James Peters, giving them their flowers while they are still alive, as their leadership and conviction shaped a defining chapter in Nigerian football.
Why This Memory Matters Today
When Chief Onigbinde tells today’s Super Eagles that Morocco is beatable in Rabat, he is not offering motivation.
He is offering memory.
He is reminding them—whether explicitly or not—that belief, when properly structured, travels.
That administrative support matters.
That unity matters.
That discipline matters.
If It Comes Down to Penalties, History Offers Hope — It Did in 1983
Penalty shootouts are not about noise or reputation—they are about composure. In Rabat in 1983, with everything against us and nothing guaranteed, Nigeria held its nerve. No panic. No drama. Just execution. If tonight’s match reaches that point again, history offers not certainty—but reassurance. Nigeria has been here before, and belief survived it.
History may not replay itself—but it leaves lessons behind.
What History Reminds Us
When reputation met resolve
Morocco were no ordinary opponents.
They were disciplined.
Technically refined.
And stacked with players already playing professionally in France and Spain.
One name stood out: Abdelkrim Merry, nicknamed “Krimau.”
A striker capable of stretching defenses, dictating tempo, and punishing hesitation. He had caused serious problems in the first leg in Benin City.
Now, we were facing him in Rabat.
Morocco is strong.
Morocco is organized.
Morocco is at home.
But they are not invincible.
They weren’t in 1983.
And belief—when grounded in preparation and courage—has a way of surviving hostile ground.
I know.
Because I was there.
When Onigbinde says “Morocco is beatable,” history—not optimism—backs him.
Encouragement inspires—but memory convinces.
Belief sounds louder when it has already crossed Rabat once before.
Some truths are not loud. They endure.
If this article added value or offered perspective, you’re welcome to share it with others.
Paul Lucky Okoku
Former Nigerian International Footballer | Football Analyst
Published Online
Former Nigerian Super Eagles International
• CAF AFCON 1984 — Silver Medalist
• WAFU Nations Cup 1983 — Gold Medalist
• CAF Tesema Cup (U-21) 1983 — Gold Medalist
• FIFA U-21 World Cup, Mexico 🇲🇽 1983 — Vice-Captain, Flying Eagles of Nigeria 🇳🇬