Urges NFF To Honour Elkanah, Yekini
Obidinma Onyeali, the son of ex- frontline Red Devils of Nigeria attacker, Elkanah Onyeali has thumbed up Super Eagles hitman, Victor Osimhen for equaling the national goal scoring record of four goals in a single game held by his late father and Rasheed Yekini.
Obidinma who is the CEO/President of Elkanah Onyeali Football Academy, extolled Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen for equaling his Late Dad’s national record of scoring 4 goals in a single match for the senior national team
The Napoli attacker equaled the scoring feat of both Nigerian legends following the Super Eagles 10-0 win over São Tomé and Principe last Monday in Agadir, Morocco when he netted four times in the emphatic win that erased the 10-1 whitewash of now Benin Republic (then Dahomey) in 1959.
“I want to say that I am extremely happy that another player has been able to equal the record set by my late father, in 1959. It took late Rasheed Yekini 32 years before he equalled the record while it was another 32 years later before Osimhen achieved the same recognition,” Obidinma Onyeali stated in a chat.
“It showed it isn’t everyday you get to see players scoring up to such number of goals. It comes as a result of hard work and focus. Osimhen has remained consistent and at such young age he has the potential to score as many goals as possible for the Eagles.”
While commending the Under 17 world champion at Chile 2015 FIFA World Cup with the Golden Eaglets, Obidinma who is equally the President of Elkanah Onyeali Care Foundation said the legacy left by his late Dad has continued to motivate the upcoming generations in football
He added that it took Yekini over 30 years to equal the record and another 30 years before Osimhen got to the mark set by the senior Onyeali who also was the first Nigerian to be flown from UK to play for the senior national team.
Obidinma however expressed worry that most of the fallen heroes including his Dad, Elkanah Onyeali, Rasheed Yekini among others have not been given the due honour by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) football and the sports ministry.
He therefore used the medium to urge the NFF and the Sports Minister, Sunday Dare to ensure that these sportsmen and women who risked and endangered their lives are always honoured particularly those who have excelled in their chosen profession so as to motivate the upcoming athletes.
“We always pray for our heroes past to enjoy from the what they have suffered for. I want to enjoin the NFF and Sports Ministry to ensure people like my father, Elkanah Onyeali, Rasheed Yekini and other fallen heroes are recognized and honoured.
“It will go a long to serve as big boost and motivation to upcoming sportsmen and women. It is not too late to do something right.”
Osimhen scored in the 9th, 48th, 65th and 84th minutes to become the third Nigerian to score four goals in a single match behind Elkanah Onyeali which he got in the 10-1 whiplash of Dahomey on November 28th, 1959 in Lagos, and Rashidi Yekini on July 27th, 1991 in a 7-1 win over Burkina Faso.
