Nigerian Football
LINUS MBA – A GENIUS OF THE WHISTLE AT 80
BY PAUL BASSEY
I got this message. “Paulo please remember to pray for me on Monday 08 March, I will be 80. I will be attending a Thanksgiving Holy Mass. Unfortunately you will be in Warri.
This is quintessential Linus Mba. Humility personified, a man married to the whistle, the best Nigerian referee alive.
Eighty? Yes eighty and your expression changes because he does not look it. No, he does not.
However a brief peep at the compressed biography of this father of two forces one to believe that he has seen it all.
In an interview granted The Nation newspaper four years ago, he was referred to as a man with “naked enthusiasm and puritanical devotion.” Mr. Linus Mba epitomizes the best in Nigerian refereeing through hard work, devotion and uncanny love for the profession.
Born on March 08 1941 in Enugu, Mr. Linus Mba was introduced to the whistle at St. Theresa’s College Nsukka after Reverend Father William Butler “rescued” him from neglect by his colleagues who ostracized him for not being useful either as an outfield player or a goalkeeper.
“…He called me to his office and handed me the Laws of the Game and that launched my interest in refereeing right from secondary school.”
The young Linus then joined the Nigeria Referees Association Onitsha and continued his passion until he went in search of the golden fleece in London where he bagged B.Sc (Hon) Applied Economics and Diploma in Journalism at the Regent Polytechnic London, where he was also trained by the London Football Association (1969 – 1972) up to the semi professional cadre in 1976.
He returned to Nigeria in 1976 and till 1990 was assigned the best and the toughest of matches including two Challenge Cup finals – Abiola Babes Abeokuta versus Ranchers Bees Kaduna in 1987 and Shooting Stars Ibadan and Sharks of Port Harcourt in 1989.
By 1984, young Linus Mba was badged by FIFA and defended the badge till 1990 when he retired. It will be difficult attempting to chronicle the life and times of Mr. Linus Mba in a tribute, but we cannot fail to mention that he was a member of the Executive Board of the NFA from 1992 – 1996, Chairman Referees Committee 1992 – 1996, and represented Nigeria in the 1994 FIFA Congress in Chicago, USA.
He was a CAF referees instructor since 1996 and Member CAF Referees Committee from 2002 – 2012.
Mr. Mba has served as FIFA Referees Instructor from 2005 till date, appointed a FIFA Technical Adviser on Refereeing from 2008 till date, only two of them in Africa, the other being Neji Jouini of Tunisia.
The Editor-in-Chief of the quarterly referees’ magazine The Whistle, sees this as a pet project very close to his heart.
“…Since 2014, even during the period of the Covid-19 Pandemic lockdown, we got the magazine going, geared towards constantly updating referees and assistant referees on evolving changes in modern refereeing…”
Circulated in over thirty African Member Association’s Referees Committees as well as to FIFA and CAF, the latest edition got rave revues from Mr. Amaju Pinnick, President of the NFF, his first Vice Barrister Akinwumi, Chairman of the Referees Committee Dr. Sharif Inuwa Ahlan, Secretary General NFF Dr. Mohammed Sausi, Chairman NRA Alhaji Tade Azeez among others.
CAF Referees’ Manager Eddy Maillet, FIFA referees member Anyan Lim Kee Chong and the Chairman CAF Referees Committee the Rwandan Celestin Ntugangira also penned commendation for the whistle magazine.
If you ask the father of two what he considers his greatest achievement, he will say “all achievements are great… but I cherish the progress we have made as a country. The quality of International referees, the training of Assessors to monitor referees instead of the traditional Match Commissioners, in brief the re-organization of the structure and machinery of technical development of refereeing in Nigeria.”
This reservoir of technical information and data on refereeing in Nigeria and by Nigerians at both national and international levels, prides himself as never receiving bribe in whatever form when he was active as a referee.
“No regrets. I walk tall. I never did. I may not have been popular for that but I thank God that my reputation is intact and I am happier today for it…”
A Central Bank of Nigeria research officer, journalist with Business Times, Public Relations Officer, later Export Manager Volkswagen Nigeria, this widely travelled icon remembers vividly his refereeing exploits in Africa, including the Africa Cup of Champions semi final tie between Zamalek of Egypt and FAR of Morocco in 1985.
What is the secret of longevity of this CAF/FIFA Assessor and Match Commissioner?
“Grace of God. Simple and straightforward life. Honesty and service to humanity. I keep my mind free of all stress and deceit…”
For yours truly a friendship spanning over 30 years, a celebration of professionalism, hard work and dedication. Today a legend of the whistle clocks 80 and is still counting.
Nigerian Football
Tiger Street Football Tournament Heads for Grand Finale in Awka After Electrifying Weekend
The maiden Nigerian edition of the Tiger Street Football Tournament is nearing its climax in Awka, following an action-packed weekend that blended grassroots football with music, street culture, and celebration.
The atmosphere around the venue was electric as DJs and hype men kept the energy high between matches, while food vendors, entertainers, and Tiger Beer enthusiasts turned the event into a full-blown street festival — a vibrant showcase of football, rhythm, and camaraderie.
From 16 teams that began the competition, only four now remain in contention for the ₦5 million grand prize, after thrilling quarterfinal fixtures held on Sunday, October 19.
In a day filled with goals and grit, Sunday Sparks, Peace Warriors, Peace Dominion, and Peace Ambassadors booked their places in the semi-finals.
- Sunday Sparks continued their dominant run with a 3–0 victory over Young Stars. Peace Warriors edged Star Boys 2–1 in a tense contest.
- Peace Dominion narrowly defeated Super Strikers 1–0, while Peace Ambassadors overcame Mgbakwu Pillars 2–1 to complete the semi-final lineup.
The semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, October 25, where Sunday Sparks will face Peace Warriors, and Peace Dominion will take on Peace Ambassadors. The winners will advance to the grand finale later that same day at the highly anticipated “Tiger Uncaged” celebration.
Football fans in Awka have hailed the tournament as a breath of fresh air for local talent.
“The energy here is unbelievable. It feels like the real spirit of Nigerian football — no big names, just passion,” said Ifeanyi Okeke, a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
“Kudos to Tiger Beer for bringing something this exciting to Awka. It’s giving young players real hope.”
Another fan, Chisom Udeh, described the event as “a refreshing celebration of local talent.” She added: “You can see the joy on the players’ faces — this is football in its purest form. Tiger Beer really deserves credit for supporting the streets and turning it into something this big.”
The grand finale will take place at Newberries Lounge, Awka, featuring a lively mix of football, music, and street culture. The event will be hosted by Uzor and headlined by Jeriq, with DJ sets from DJ SkyBlisz, DJ Snow, and DJ Kay-Y, alongside performances from Wanni & Handi. Hype men Twix da Jims and Slymshady will keep the crowd charged throughout the evening.
Fans will also have the chance to win exciting prizes in raffle draws during the finale. Organisers have reminded attendees that the event is strictly for persons aged 18 and above and encouraged everyone to enjoy responsibly.
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Nigerian Football
Brazil-Based Nigerian Star Fashanu Michael Ifeoluwa Tipped for Super Eagles Call-Up
By Bolaji Okunola
Emerging Nigerian football prodigy Fashanu Michael Ifeoluwa, popularly known as Fash11, is being closely monitored for a potential Super Eagles call-up following his dazzling performances in the Brazilian U-20 league.
The Fortaleza FC forward has taken the Brazilian youth scene by storm, scoring seven goals and providing two assists to power his club to victory in the league — a feat that has thrust his name into Nigeria’s senior national team conversation.
Before his move to Brazil, Fashanu honed his skills at Dynamic Plus Soccer Academy, a Nigerian grassroots club renowned for grooming young talents who have represented the country on the global stage.
His exploits at the academy caught the eye of international scouts during a scouting programme jointly organised by ATJ Sports and Trivella Brazil seven months ago — a move that ultimately secured his transfer to Fortaleza.
With Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle currently assembling his provisional squad for next month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier playoff and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Fashanu’s form has sparked excitement among Nigerian fans and analysts who see him as part of the nation’s next generation of attacking talents.
Speaking on his recent success, the young forward expressed pride in his achievement and eagerness to represent Nigeria at the highest level.
“Winning a tournament like this in a football country like Brazil is a dream come true,” he said. “I never imagined it could happen so quickly in my short spell with the club. This success motivates me to push harder, and I look forward to wearing the green and white jersey to make my country proud if given the opportunity.”
With his pace, flair, and goal-scoring instinct, Fashanu Michael Ifeoluwa could soon join the growing list of Nigerian stars making waves from South America to the global stage — a bright prospect for the future of Nigerian football.
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Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Gbenga Elegbeleye, became an unexpected star attraction at the just-concluded World Football Summit in Madrid, thanks to a spontaneous late-night call to Nigerian football legend, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha.
Narrating his experience in Madrid, Elegbeleye revealed how what started as a casual conversation during the summit’s gala dinner turned into a moment of surprise and excitement for global football executives.
According to him, the gala night—attended by top football administrators, investors, and professionals—had barely begun when some guests at his table became curious about Nigerian football. One Japanese delegate from the J-League leaned in and asked, “Do you know Jay-Jay Okocha?”
Elegbeleye smiled and replied confidently, “Jay-Jay? That’s my close friend.”
That statement immediately captured everyone’s attention. Though it was already past 11 p.m. in Nigeria, a Turkish delegate urged him to place a call to the former Super Eagles captain. Amid cheers and laughter, Elegbeleye obliged—and the atmosphere changed instantly.
“The moment they saw Jay-Jay’s WhatsApp display picture, the whole table went agog,” Elegbeleye recounted. “When he answered the call, the excitement in the room was unbelievable. People from nearby tables came over just to say hello to him.”
The NPFL boss joked that for several minutes, he and his phone became the “beautiful bride” of the evening, as guests lined up to exchange brief greetings with Okocha.
But the story didn’t end there. A Portuguese investor involved in ParaSoccer, visibly thrilled after speaking with the Nigerian icon, decided to express his admiration in a most unusual way — by upgrading Elegbeleye’s hotel room from a standard single to a deluxe executive suite.
“All because I’m friends with Jay-Jay Okocha,” Elegbeleye said humorously. “Next time I check in at my regular Eurostars Madrid hotel, they’ll probably wonder why I’m not in the super deluxe suite.”
The NPFL chairman concluded the tale with a touch of gratitude and amusement: “So, thanks, Jay-Jay, for making me a temporary big man in Madrid. But no thanks — because now I have a reputation to maintain.”
The incident has since become one of the lighthearted highlights of the World Football Summit, underscoring Okocha’s enduring global appeal and Nigeria’s rich football heritage.
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