Mock Nations Cup: The legendary Grassroots Football Competition in Lagos Nigeria

Mock Nations Cup since 1980This is perhaps the most famous grassroots football competition in the whole of Africa, which has now lasted for 39 years.

Mock nations cup have been recognized by China's Evertop Tiaheng Sports Culture Media (ETSCM) for not just its contributions to the growth and development of football in Nigeria, but for its role in bringing happiness and peace as well as taking a lot of youths out of crime in a suburb area like Ajegunle.

In ETSCM project "A Happy World" - highlighted the impact football make in local cultures around the world, and the Mock Nations Cup was greatly lauded for impacting positively in the lives of people in Lagos Nigeria.

Mock nations cup often touted as the competition where legendary star player Emmanuel Amunike was discovered and taken straight to the national team by the then technical adviser Clemency Westerhof. Amunike went on to win the real African nations cup for Nigeria in 1994. That catapulted his career into Europe, where he starred for Sporting Lesbon in Portugal and FC Barcelona in Spain.

Emmanuel Amunike

Amunike will be returning to 2019 African cup of nations as head coach of Tanzania national teams, after he won Fifa U17 world cup as head coach of the Nigerian side in 2015.

Another legendiary star whose development can also be traced to the Mock nations cup in Ajegunle is Samson Siasia.

Samson Siasia whose family once lived in Igbonwankwo, a stone throw from Naval sports ground where the nations cup is traditionally hosted. Siasia brothers: Alabani and Dipriye where all stars of the mock nations cup. From there, Samson Siasia played for Nice in France. He was also part of the team that won the 1994 African Nations cup for Nigeria.

Samson Siasia also won silver at 2005 Fifa U 20 World cup, Silver and bronze in 2012 and 2016 as Head coach of Nigeria national men soccer team at the Olympic games. These success stories all started from the mock nations cup Ajegunle..

Mock nations cup has starred a lot of Nigerian stars apart from Emmanuel Amunike and Samson Siasia. Others include: Henry Nwosu, Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, Victor Agali, Ebitimi Collins, Jonathan Akpoberie, Tarila Okoro-wanta, Ifeanyi Udeze, Gabriel Okolosi, Wahid Akanni, Yusuf Ayila...

Then, Tony Nwigwe, Ndubusi Wowo, Victor Egere, Chiedo "computa" Chukwueke, Odion Ighalo...

Mock Nations Cup Since 1980
Lawrence  Alabrah, is the founder of the “Mock Nations Cup.’’ Alabrah, who is in his middle 60s, is also a retired Naval officer and a current member of the Bayelsa Football Association. told The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the emergence of the “Mock Nations Cup” competition was stirred by the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations that was hosted and won by Nigeria.

Lawrence Alabrah founder

" So I thought we can do a mock edition here in Ajegunle and get grassroots boy clubs or street teams to bear the name of the countries that participated in 1980 nations cup. So I passed the idea to some friends and we decided to execute it."

"Then, we got some of these stars to play for the team named Nigeria....and other clubs also went out to get mercenaries to fortify their teams. Then the competition began to attract mammoth crowd from all across Lagos. It also began to attract corporate sponsors like 7Up bottling company, Cowbell and the Lagos state government during the days of Governor Raji Fashola.

The competition is ranked among the best grassroots tournaments in Africa, a lot of ex-international players and I was also privileged to play in the competition, which brought many of us to limelight." Alabrah tells the story.

We visited the Naval Base football pitch at Marine Beach, the venue that hosted the tournament for 39-years,  the sandy field was still in a good shape.

Some individuals,who spoke to us about the competition, said that residents of Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA of Lagos feel so happy every year when the competition is on and want both NFF, Lagos state government and corporate organizations to give more impetus to the event through better funding.

Kayode Fadipe, a pastor, said that the people in the area are always happy whenever the tournament approached, stressing that's some thing the government should cherish and give it better attention."

“I was very young when this competition started and I also represented my street in some of the editions."

“Every December the competition would light up the mood in Ajegunle and that is when you see youths coming together and enjoying themselves, said Pastor Fadipe

Afeeze Suraju, article seller, said that he makes brisk sales during the event and look forward to it every year.

Also, Gladys Ifeanyi, who operates a bar outside the Navy gate, said that ex-internationals who benefited from the competition should support the organisers to take the competition to the next level.

Evertop Tieheng Sports Culture Media China, inconjunction with Diamond Sports Management UK will be in Lagos for this year's edition of the competition.