Francis Obi Okoye
FRANCIS OBI OKOYE FOOTBALLER AND COACH Francis Obi Okoye was born on 10th December, 1934 at Ihiala, Anambra State, Nigeria. Died October 11, 2016.
Career
Christ the King Schools, Aba
Obi Okoye started his football exploits from a tender age at the Christ the king school Aba in 1939 under late Rev Fr. Panaky Simbaby. He played for the school team until he passed out in standard 6 in 1948. In 1949 he became a pupil teacher under late Rev Fr. JJ Hampson. He excelled in sports (football) and represented Christ the king school, Aba, and the Aba district Amateur football Association. He played side by side with his school teacher, the late Anthony Nwosu.
In Jan 1952, he got automatic admission to Mount Saint Mary’s teachers training college Azara Egbelu, Emekuku owerri and trained and qualified as a certified teacher.
At the college, he became the captain/football coach under the principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Moloney.
He represented the college team against other catholic higher institution teams managed by the early missionaries—Holy Ghost college owerri, Holy Ghost College Umuahia, Stella Maris college port harcourt, Teachers training college Nsu, Okpuala Seminary etc.
Aba X1:Aba giant killers
Teacher Obi, as he was fondly called, became a games master and head of the junior school section of CKS Aba. He taught there from Jan 1954 to Dec 1956.
He was also selected to play for the indomitable Catholic youths football club founded by Rev. Fr. J.J. Hampson.
The football exploits of Francis obi Okoye could not go unnoticed; hence, while playing for the Catholic youths FC of Aba, he was spotted and selected to play in one of the greatest teams of the time, the Aba XI.
He featured for Aba XI—the giant killers—under chief JC Anyansi (Late Eze of Nsugbe), late Chief M W Ubani etc. The team was known as ABA GIANT KILLERS. He became the captain/coach of Aba Giant Killers FC (Enyimba FC) from 1950-1962, and from 1957-1958, he worked at the ministry of finance Board of Internal Revenue of Eastern Nigeria.
Eastern Nigeria team
Goldfish, they say, has no hiding place. So it is that obi okoye’s football talent as a defender had no hiding place. He was soon selected to play for the Eastern Nigeria selected XI.[1] This was in 1956, and he played for that team for 6 years. Amongst his playmates were the following great Nigerian football legends of the time. These included Isaac Nnado, John Onyeador, David Okoroji, Sam Ibiam, Albert Onyeawuna, Francis broiler Uwalaka, Elkena Onyeali, Deji Fayemi, Emmanuel Omiwu, Cyril Asoluka, Friday Okoh, Imade Andre and Dan Okwudili.
In 1958, he represented the Eastern Nigeria selected XI against the English FA tourists at Enugu sports stadium, where he was identified and selected for the national team—the Nigeria Red devils.
National team
He began to play for the Nigeria National team in both national and international matches from 1958-1962 at right full-back. He was nicknamed the iron gate of Nigeria, meaning that in defense, he was like an iron gate closed to attackers and midfielders. This name was given to him by Nigerian radio commentator Ishola folurunsho. While playing for the National team, he also worked as a salesman with UAC Nigeria Ltd from 1959-1962 and coached/played for UAC football club of Lagos.
He was in the Nigerian team that played against Germany National team in Nigeria. Speaking about that encounter in an interview with our nation's newspapers of Feb 17, 2003, he stated, 'Oh, my most memorable match is the match against a German visiting team called the German desulduff. It was unfortunate that I sustained an injury, but it was a very thrilling match; goals came in and goals were redeemed. I tell you this match will ever remain memorable in my mind throughout my life.'
In 1959, the National team, the Red devils with Obi Okoye in it, played against Ghana on Oct 25, 1959 at Accra stadium; they played Egypt and beat Ghana 3-1 in Lagos and Dahomy 11-1. Great football legends of Nigeria like Thunder Balogun, Dan Anyiam, Francis Uwalaka, Isaac Nnado, Peter Aneke etc. played alongside Obi Okoye.[2][3]
Career after football : Coaching
WAAC FC Lagos
In 1963, he was employed as a traffic/commercial officer with Nigeria Airways Ltd Ikeja and became captain and coach of their football team.
Civil War coaching career
In 1966, at the onset of the civil war, he left Lagos for the east and joined the Eastern Nigeria sports council (Biafra sports council) as Assistant football coach on 21st December 1966. He coached clubs, town teams and school teams covering Aba province, including Aba, Nnewi, Port-Harcourt, Degema, Yanagoa, Owerri, Orlu and Ihiala from 1966-1967. He also coached at Calabar, Opobo, Eket and Oron from 1967-1970.
Post civil war coaching
At the end of the civil war, he was posted to Onitsha and coached several school teams like CKC Onitsha, DMGS Onitsha, metropolitan college Onitsha where he groomed and developed many young men who later dominated football in Nigeria. He also coached the Onitsha Red devils from 1970-75. In 1975-1976, he was posted to Abakaliki and coached the Abakaliki white Angels, who reached the state challenge cup finals for the first and only time.
Coaching courses attended in Nigeria
. From 1956-1977, he attended all coaching courses and seminars organized by the National Sports Commission NSC in Lagos. 1. 1956 NFA/NSC Coaching course by George Courts. 2. 1963 NFA /NSC Coaching course by Jorge Penna. 3. 1965 NFA NSC Coaching course by Joe Ember and Bethlevi. 4. 1964 NFA NSC Coaching course by Dan Anyiam.
5. 1972 NFA NSC Coaching course by Des Palmer. 6. 1977 NFA NSC Coaching course (FIFA) by George Curties.
Coaching training in Britain
In 1977, Obi Okoye traveled to Britain with 45 other football coaches from all over the world; he took the preliminary football coaching certificate exam of the Football Association London and was among the few who passed. He moved to the National Sports Centre Wales where he was privileged to learn under the coach of the national team of Wales, Mr. Mike Smith, assisted by Bobby Brown. He studied an advanced coaching course for four weeks known as the international welsh FA coaching certificate and passed in flying colours. He also obtained the international football coaching certificate of the football Association, London, at the national sports center, Bisham Abbey, Marlow, Bucks, England. The director of the course was Mr. Charles Hughes, manager of the England Amateur team and assistant director of coaching for the Football Association. Rangers football club He came back to Nigeria and was offered the job of coach to Rangers international FC, with Robbert Odume as his assistant, in 1978/79. Rangers reached the quarterfinals of international competitions and its peak in the local scene, but he was not allowed to continue coaching the side due to politics, and was posted to Onitsha. Further football coaching training In June 1979, he was accepted to further his coaching qualifications by starting the full badge football coaching course. He obtained the full badge football coaching license for 1979-1986, the highest football coaching qualification available in Britain. He acquired the certificate in Management, Administration, and organization of sports and stadium management from the National sports centre, Sophia gardens, Cardiff. In 1979, he obtained an Advanced football coaching diploma from FA Wales at the National sports center for Wales under Welsh national team manager Mike Smith, assisted by Welsh assistant director of coaching Bobby Brown. This full badge pro license was renewed from 1991-1997. Professional football clubs attachments in Britain He had football coaching attachments to top professional club sides in the UK, namely Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, West Ham FC, Queens park Rangers, Tottenham hotspurs FC, Charlton FC, Crystal palace FC, Wrexham FC, Cardiff city FC, Swansea FC and Watford FC.
He handled the following clubs, all of which he led from the amateur league to the professional league and state league champion: 1. Nija print FC 1980-1983 2. Morning star FC 1984-1985 3. Premier Breweries FC 1986-1989 4. ASESA warriors FC 1989-1991[4] 5. TRACAS warrior FC of Awka 1992-1993.
Other positions in Football
From 1991 until 1995, he was made an NFA match commissioner and in 1995 he became an NFA pro league match commissioner[5]. In 1994, he was among those who attended the FIFA/NFA FIVE SIDE Football coaching course in Lagos.
As a professional coach, he was a National Executive of Nigeria football coach association in 1980[6], chairman of the Anambra State football coach 1979-1980, and its Training officer since 1981, technical Adviser to the Onitsha North coaches Association.
Awards
He was given the Aba Divisional Amateur football association Award in the form of a wall clock for his outstanding contribution to football in Aba. Other awards include: • Onitsha Divisional Amateur football association (ODAFA) award for his contributions to football in Onitsha and Nigeria (1992) • Anambra State Nigeria union of Journalist Award for outstanding contribution to football in the state and Nigeria (1993) • Nigeria football Association (NFA) Bournvita Award for contributions to Nigeria football (1986) • Anambra State sports festival award for outstanding contributions to football in Anambra State as a football coach (2015) . Nigeria football family: He was among the late football personalities honored by the football family during the 72nd General Assembly held in Lagos on 18th December 2016.
Other sports
Lawn tennis
Obi Okoye was the college lawn tennis singles/doubles champion. ===Pole vault== Obi Okoye represented Owerri province in athletics (pole vault) in the defunct Eastern Region A.A.A.
Publications
- Soccer stars of yesterday- years by Francis Obi Okoye. Headlines Newspapers. January 1994, back page.
- Six ways to soccer success by Obi Okoye. Monthly Life magazine. Page 29
References
- ↑ Obaze, Oseloka (12 January 2017). "Obaze join Ex Rangers players to Bid ace defender francis obi okoye farewell". Https://selonnes.com. Retrieved 2026 June 2. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help); Check date values in:|access-date=(help); External link in|website=(help) - ↑ "Ex-Nigeria International, Obi Okoye, for Burial – THISDAYLIVE". Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ↑ Odutola, Bowale (January 10,2017). "Ex -Eagle,Obi Okoye gets burial date". The Eagle Online. Retrieved 2026 June 2. Check date values in:
|access-date=, |date=(help) - ↑ "OBI, Okoye Francis". Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. 2017-01-12. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ↑ Grace, Ihesiulo (2017-01-11). "Ex-international, Okoye, for burial Thursday | Daily Times Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News". DAILY TIMES Nigeria. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ↑ "Ex-Nigeria international, Obi Okoye, for burial tomorrow News - Daily Sports Nigeria". dailysportsng.com. Archived from the original on 2026-02-18. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
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