The Nigeria Football Federation has felicitated with former Nigeria captain, Dr. Felix Owolabi Akinloye as the former defender-turned-winger celebrated his 70th birthday anniversary at the weekend.
General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi said the former wing wizard deserves all the adulation on the occasion of his Platinum Jubilee Anniversary. given his immense contributions to Nigeria football both as a player of immense repute and an administrator.
“The NFF congratulates Dr. Felix Owolabi Akinloye on this landmark occasion of his 70th birthday anniversary. It is not everyone who gets to attain the septuagenarian level. We celebrate him for his many wonderful outings for Nigeria and his excellent service as an administrator after his playing days.
“As a member of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, we value his contributions at meetings and advice and suggestions through the telephone on the direction that Nigeria Football and the various National Teams should take each time.”
Felix Owolabi Akinloye, who started as a defender, became a fascinating winger for then Green Eagles, and played a key role as Nigeria won her first Africa Cup of Nations title, on home soil, in 1980.
Owolabi was captain of the team to the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Libya, where the team got off to a promising start with a 3-0 defeat of Ethiopia in Benghazi, before forfeiting a one-goal lead to lose 1-2 to Algeria and then fell 0-3 to Zambia.
The pacy forward retired from international duty afterwards, but continued playing club football, and was in then IICC Shooting Stars FC (now 3SC) that won the inaugural edition of the CAF Cup in 1992.
