Outnumbered but not outdone: A Nigerian support club made in Beijing.

The Nigerian Olympic team arrived in Tianjin on Monday August 4th from South Korea where the team had been training and acclimatizing to Tinajin’s summer weather, very similar to Nigeria’s. Whilst Victor Obinna Nsofor and the rest of the team spun a tough ball for the Netherlands players, Nigeria’s unofficial supporters club was the star attraction at the stadium that evening.

A distinctive group of vivacious, mostly male Nigerian traders based in Beijing, made up this unofficial support team for the Nigerian players. “The FIFA officials told us that the supporters club are on their way to China and will arrive by the following day,” says Olatunde, one of the supporters. A week later, news of FIFA’s support troup remains to be heard. Without drums, practice or the support of the Nigerian Football Association, this team of over 45 Nigerians was the much-needed support that the Nigerian football team needed.

The team began chanting from the center of the stadium across the opening arena but were asked by a group of soldiers from the Chinese Liberation Army doubling as Olympic officials to move to their individually allotted seats. Stubborn and undeterred, the group shuffled on, kiting the Nigerian flag high to the west end of the stadium and outshining the scores of orange clad Dutch support team.

Olatunde Akinlabi and Charles Okeke were the two men who rallied the group together. Both have lived in Beijing, China for a combination of seven years. Propelled by the love of football, the dynamic two called a meeting with Nigerians in Beijing at the African Restaurant and offered to make them t-shirts and buy their tickets for all the football matches forming a team of supporters for the Nigerian football team.

“We love the game and we love our country. We don’t pray that our boys lose, but whether or not they win the game, we will continue to support the Nigerian football team,” says Okeke.
Mid interview, Charles jumped from his seat to add a few extra cheers “Over the bar, Over the bar” and reminders “Where were you in Atlanta 96?”

The fever was evident in the other members of the group. Some held Bibles and made prayers, whilst others impregnated themselves with football. Others shouted and sang, all drawing the attention of eyes and cameras in the stadium to the loud Nigerian group.

Although the game was a draw between Nigerian and Holland 0 to 0, Nigeria out sang Holland. Nigeria also beat Japan in the following round of preliminaries at the same stadium in Tianjin China on August 10, 2008.

The game continues in Beijing on August 13, with Nigeria playing against the U.S team and Olatunde Akinlabi says, “We will be there!”

Words: Ebun Olatoye

Photos: Ty Bello