Not many may remember him, but he was the first goalkeeper of the famous Enugu Rangers when it was newly established in the early 1970s.

This Saturday marks 24 years since Cyril Okosieme, the founding goalkeeper of Enugu Rangers who died on 29 July 1999. According to one of his sons, Nnamdi Okosieme who is an accomplished sports journalist, Cyril Okosieme died in Owerri, Imo State.

He left Rangers for Bendel Insurance FC of Benin (then Vipers of Benin) in 1972.

Cyril Okosieme (middle) during his days at Enugu Rangers

He was the father of Nigerian international, Ndubuisi Okosieme, who was a member of the Nigeria national team that had the runners-up position at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations – the team that was nicknamed ‘Super Eagles’ on 29 March 1988 by Vice Admiral Augustus Aikhomu.

Days at Bendel Insurance: Okosieme (middle) with Ghanaian Ebenezer Badger (left)  and an unidentified player.

Ndubuisi was also a member of the Flying Eagles team that placed third at the Soviet 1985 World Youth Championship that is now called U20 World Cup.

Another offspring of Cyril Okosieme is the four-time Women’s World Cup veteran,   Nkiru Okosieme, who also captained of the Super Falcons.

Cyril Okosieme was the Assistant Coach of Insurance when they beat Enugu Rangers 3-0 in the final of the 1978 Challenge Cup.

The post Yet another Nigeria football July immemorial: Rangers first goalkeeper and father of ex-Super Eagle is 24 in eternity first appeared on Sports Village Square.