Emma Okala @ 70: His Exploits July 13, 1975

<p><em>Emma Okala &commat; 70<&sol;em><br &sol;>&NewLine;<a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">OpenLife Nigeria<&sol;a> reports that Emmanuel Oguajiofor Okala&comma; popularly known as Emma Okala&comma; is 70 years old&period; He is happy&period; Nigerians are happy and celebrating him&period; The world is agog about Emma Okala who brought panache to the round leather game&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Born on May 17&comma; 1951&comma; the ex-footballer who played for the Nigerian national football team from 1972–1980&comma; won the award for &&num;8220&semi;Footballer of the Year&&num;8221&semi; in 1978 after winning the 1980 African Cup of Nations tournament while representing Nigeria&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Of all his exploits both at Enugu Rangers and national team&comma; the 1975 experience remains memorable as narrated by Uzoatu&comma; a face book fan of the goalie legend<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I once met a Congolese soccer fan in Pittsburgh&comma; USA&comma; who promptly asked me if the goalkeeper Emmanuel Okala is still alive&period; I told him Okala is alive and thriving&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The old man promptly told me that Okala is the greatest ever goalkeeper that ever lived&period; He talked of a match played in Brazzaville on July 13&comma; 1975 between <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">Congo<&sol;a> and <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;thisdaylive&period;com&sol;">Nigeria<&sol;a> in which the Nigerian striker &lpar;Sunny Oyarekhua&rpar; scored in the first minute&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;According to the Congo man&comma; the rest of the match was played inside the Nigerian penalty-box with the rampaging Congolese players peppering Okala with all kinds of shots&period; Okala could not be beaten&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Nigeria won the match 1-0&excl;<br &sol;>&NewLine;All hail the most legendary of goalkeepers&comma; Emmanuel Oguejiofor Okala&comma; as he marks his 70th birthday anniversary today&excl;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;