As we are approaching to AFCoN 2024, this piece remembers the tournament with events recounted from the 20th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCoN) hosted by South Africa from 13 January – 3 February 1996
The 1996 AFCoN is remembered in at least three facts, First, for the first time in the history of the tournament, 16 teams were participated staged in four groups. Second, the tournament was supposed to be hosted by Kenya, but CAF has revoked Kenya blaming the country ill prepared to successfully uphold the event
The third record from AFCoN 1996 was quite a rare happenings in the world of football, that Nigeria boycotted the tournament
This piece remembers the Nigerian National Football team that has qualified to the the 1996 AFCoN but end up victim of political interventions that led the team not to take part on the tournament
Why Nigeria boycotted the 1996 AFCoN?
Nigeria has qualified for the tournament, but when days left for the opening of the event, the then president of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha triggered a decision to boycott the AFCoN 1996, which angered not only Nigerians but all fans of football across the world
But, how and why Nigeria boycotted the tournament?
Former Super Eagles star, Tijani Babangida, remembered the moments of that painful decisions in his interview with CNN and published on Nov. 16, 2022 as:
“…….Babangida revealed the team had a meeting with the Late General Sani Abacha who was the head of state then. At the meeting, Abacha told the squad the federal government could not guarantee the team’s safety, but they could still travel at their own risk.
“…He (Abacha) summoned us to Aso Rock and explained to us his problem with the rest of the world and also with South Africa,”
“He, however, told us that we could go at our own risk but we decided to honour the father of the nation,” the former Ajax star added”
There were tensions between Nigeria and South Africa after the Sani Abacha led government was criticized for the killing of nine minority rights activists
Consequences of Nigeria’s Boycott of the 1996 AFCoN
The immediate consequence of the boycott against Nigeria was CAF’s decision to ban the country from the next tournament, the 21st edition of AFCoN held in Morocco in 1998. But, Super Eagles came back to the tournament held in Ghana in 2000
The decision of the late President Sani Abacha was upsetting to the then young and energetic players making up the Nigeria ⚽ team. Many of players in the squad were part of the national team that has qualified for the 1996 Summer Olympic held in Atlanta, USA the same year
Moreover, Nigeria was defending champions of the 19th edition of AFCoN held in Tunisia in 1994. Therefore, it was great loss for the world of football to miss Nigeria from the 1996 AFCoN Championship
South Africa was the winner of the 20th edition of the AFCoN. Below is the list of players making up the South African squad the lifted the AFCoN 1996 trophy:
Andre Arendse, Roger De Sa, John Tlale, Mark Fish, Edward Motale , Sizwe Motaung , David Nyathi, Lucas Radebe, Neil Tovey, Andrew Tucker, Linda Buthelezi, Doctor Khumalo, Augustine Makalakalane, Helman Mkhalele, John Moeti, Zane Moosa, John Moshoeu, Eric Tinkler, Shaun Bartlett, Philemon Masinga, Daniel Mudau, Mark Williams
The Super Eagles were Redressed by the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
The Nigerian team, though not participated in the 1996 AFCoN by political intervention was redressed in the Summer Olympic held the same year (1996) in Atlanta, Georgia, United States from July 19 to August 4
Though no one denied the incredible talents of players that constituted the Nigerian Olympic Football Team, few expected to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with countries like Argentina and Brazil. But the Super Eagles has showed up the World that Nigeria could be placed atop of such football giants like Brazil and Argentina
The Nigerian team has stunned the world of football by winning gold in the world’s biggest sporting event, beating Argentina 3 to 2
The team was coached by Dutchman Jo Bonfrere, but it’s another Dutch coach who is widely credited for much of the team’s success, Clemens Westerhof
Though the role of De Bonfree in leading Super Eagles to win up the 1996 Atlanta Olympics men’s football, Clemens Westerhof, another Dutch man who coached the national football team between 1989 and 1994, laying the groundwork for the Olympic victory
Super Eagles ’96 – A Documentary Film Produced Honoring the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Winning Football Team of Nigeria
In the year 2022 a new documentary storying the Nigerian Football Team – which has passed through the most difficult times but end up in incredible successes – was released. The documentary was Co-produced by Julia Nottingham and Lia Nicholls and directed by Yemi Bamiro, a London-born Nigerian filmmaker. The documentary has showcased important moments
The production of the documentary required nearly two years with film shootings made in the UK and Nigeria. In the production process, various experts and players who were involved in the 1996 Super Eagles Team were interviewed, among others Jay-Jay Okocha, Taribo West and Celestine Babayaro
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