Remembering El haj Mudashiru Babatunde Tiamiyu Lawal, MON, MFR

Who is the greatest mid-field football player in the history of Nigerian football?

The country is replete with a few footballers that can fit that bill – Sunday Oliseh, Mikel Obi, Jay Jay Okocha, Henry Nwosu, Friday Ekpo, Etim Esin, Samuel Garba Okoye, Haruna Ilerika, and one or two others, all exceptionally gifted players that excelled playing different roles in the midfield of Nigeria’s national football team.

Oliseh was a tough marker and brilliant passer of the ball. Jay Jay was a dribbling machine and creative genius. Henry Nwosu was a skills-workshop, great passer and deadly shot with both feet. Samuel Garba Okoye was a ballerina on the ball, masterful at linking defence and attack with grace and effortless ease. Kanu Nwankwo was elegant, skilful and a great thinker with the ball.

In this constellation of superstars, however, one player stands out in my mind, and in my humble opinion was the greatest of them in combining all the different skills and roles – dribbler, marker, passer, holding, scoring, and tireless, endless marking and running. In versatility, he stands atop the pile.

To crown it all, to set him completely apart, on March 22, 1980, probably the greatest day of his career, he played as a centre forward. That was the clearest demonstration of how good a player Muda was.

So, he stands alone in versatility. That’s why he also stands out as the most decorated home-based footballer in the country’s football history.

I am writing about him today in humble tribute to my friend, my Egba brother, and my teammate, who died at the time when he was about to start a new chapter in his life, to start to reap bountifully from his illustrious service to Nigerian football and to the country.

It is hard to believe that it has