Augustine Azuka “Jay-Jay” Okocha born 14 August 1973, Nigerian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder turns 52 today.

He had 73 caps for the Nigeria national team between 1993 and 2006, scoring 14 goals, and was a member of three FIFA World Cup squads. He is regarded as one of the greatest African footballers of all time and one of the most influential dribblers in World football history.

He played across multiple leagues, starting his career at Enugu Rangers in the Nigerian Professional Football League before moving to Borussia Neunkirchen in the Oberliga Südwest, Germany’s third division, in July 1990.

He played in the Bundesliga, Süper Lig, Ligue 1, Premier League, EFL Championship, and Qatar Stars League before his retirement in 2008.

quick, talented, agile, and skilful playmaker, Okocha usually played as an attacking midfielder, and is widely considered by pundits internationally as the best Nigerian footballer ever, and as one of the best African players of all time.

Okocha was known for his confidence and clever trickery with the ball, technique, creativity, flair, close control, and smooth dribbling skills, as well as his turn of pace and his use of feints, in particular his version of the stepover (nicknamed the Okocha stepover) and his trademark turns.

In 2012, Allan Jiang of Bleacher Report rated Okocha as one of the greatest dribblers of all time.

Due to his range of passing, Okocha was capable of creating chances for teammates; he was also known for his ability to produce long throw-ins.

While not being particularly prolific or consistent in his finishing or goalscoring, Okocha, possessed a powerful shot from long range and was an effective free-kick taker, which saw him score some spectacular and ingenious goals through his career.

Due to his skill and nickname, he was described as being ‘so good that they named him twice’ (a line immortalised in a terrace chant while Okocha played for Bolton Wanderers).

He is still remembered by Fenerbahçe fans as one of the legends of the club and the Turkish football league.

In addition to being an inspiration for many other African footballers, such as Asamoah Gyan, Okocha also was a major influence on the playing style of several other footballers across the globe, including German playmaker Mesut Özil,as well Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho, whom Okocha played alongside during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain.

Okocha became known as the “African Maradona” in the media, due to his skill and decisive performances for his country.

Despite his ability, however, he was also known for being inconsistent, and for his lack of tactical discipline on the pitch.

•Collage of Coach Justine Madugu and Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Nigerian women’s football has earned more global recognition as Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and head coach Justin Madugu have both been nominated for prestigious honours at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.

Nnadozie, a standout performer in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), has been shortlisted for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, while Madugu has earned a nomination for Women’s Coach of the Year.

Their nominations come on the heels of Nigeria’s historic 10th WAFCON title, secured in Morocco after a dominant run in the tournament.

Nnadozie, who captained the side, delivered a string of heroic performances between the sticks, including crucial penalty saves and commanding displays that underpinned the Falcons’ unbeaten campaign.

Coach Madugu, who took over the Super Falcons in late 2023, has been praised for revitalizing the team and instilling a disciplined, attacking style of play.

Coach Madugu, who took over the Super Falcons in late 2023, has been praised for revitalizing the team and instilling a disciplined, attacking style of play.

Under his leadership, the Falcons overcame strong competition from host nation Morocco and defending champions South Africa en route to lifting the trophy.

(Vanguard).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred national honours on members of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, following their historic triumph at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Championship.

D’Tigress defeated Senegal in a thrilling final to clinch the 2025 title, extending their dominance in African women’s basketball and reinforcing Nigeria’s status as a basketball powerhouse on the continent.

In addition to the prestigious honours, President Tinubu announced a cash reward of $100,000 for each player on the championship-winning team. Members of the technical crew will also receive $50,000 each in recognition of their role in the team’s success.

The announcement was made on Monday as the President hosted the team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, celebrating their outstanding performance that secured Nigeria’s fourth consecutive Afrobasket title.

President Tinubu praised the team’s resilience, discipline, and representation of Nigeria on the continental stage, describing them as role models for the nation’s youth and a symbol of national pride.