Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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wanaj0
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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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cic old boy wrote:
cchinukw wrote:Just to be clear, a UK train driver's wages and working conditions are not to be sniffed at.
Banjo is not a train driver. I think he is a guard/ticket inspector. Train drivers don't inspect tickets. Train guard money is not as good as train drivers. I think London Underground train drivers earn more than others on the over-ground and intercity (nearly £60k a year). Possibly to do with the strength of their union and the fact LU is not privatised.

On footballers and poverty. It happens everywhere, but I think the Naija ratio is higher. I have said this b/4, Naija footballers should form a union like the PFA in England. The PFA helps set up pension schemes that you can start cashing in from around 35. A lot of Naija players are reliant on charity when they retire - esp those from the era b/4 football became megabucks. The likes of CCC and Odegbami are exceptions b/c they had careers after their playing days. If you see the ex-Rangers players that live abroad and those that live in Nigeria, the difference is like night and day.
Again, it has more to do with individuals than location. It is all about planning for life after 'retirement'.

There is a 2004 pension reform act (amended in 2014) that provides for contributory pension in Nigeria that any employee can subscribe too. It provides for contribution from employees and employers. Players can in addition make 'Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC)' to increase their pension pot. Downside is the retirement age in Nigeria is 55/60 while for footballers it comes much earlier.
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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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mcal wrote:
Waffiman wrote:
wanaj0 wrote:
EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA wrote:The dead bodies are still on the street in Nigeria. He's lucky he's British born, his fate would have been far worse! He makes a decent income driving train in LONDON, Much more than driving a taxi in Lagos. I'm actually happy for him considering football didn't pay much back then.
Segun Odegbami is not driving Taxi in Lagos. There is more to what you become than location!

He talked about the gang culture. I just hope the future of the youths don't get destroyed.
Spot on bro. Abeg tell am.
...driving a train is a noble job in the west, if a former footballer in Nigeria is seen driving a train, or cab for that matter, he will be put down asap, hence many of them (without Uni-degree) flock to sports ministry for a job.
A very noble and well paid job still in England. Average salary I think is over £50,000 per annum basic.
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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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wanaj0 wrote:
EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA wrote:The dead bodies are still on the street in Nigeria. He's lucky he's British born, his fate would have been far worse! He makes a decent income driving train in LONDON, Much more than driving a taxi in Lagos. I'm actually happy for him considering football didn't pay much back then.
Segun Odegbami is not driving Taxi in Lagos. There is more to what you become than location!

He talked about the gang culture. I just hope the future of the youths don't get destroyed.
And on the flip side what happened to Nigeria’s top scorer of all time Yekini (RIP legend) ?The worst thing that happened to Tunji Banjo didn’t leave him neglected before death!
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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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cic old boy wrote:
cchinukw wrote:Just to be clear, a UK train driver's wages and working conditions are not to be sniffed at.
Banjo is not a train driver. I think he is a guard/ticket inspector. Train drivers don't inspect tickets. Train guard money is not as good as train drivers. I think London Underground train drivers earn more than others on the over-ground and intercity (nearly £60k a year). Possibly to do with the strength of their union and the fact LU is not privatised.

On footballers and poverty. It happens everywhere, but I think the Naija ratio is higher. I have said this b/4, Naija footballers should form a union like the PFA in England. The PFA helps set up pension schemes that you can start cashing in from around 35. A lot of Naija players are reliant on charity when they retire - esp those from the era b/4 football became megabucks. The likes of CCC and Odegbami are exceptions b/c they had careers after their playing days. If you see the ex-Rangers players that live abroad and those that live in Nigeria, the difference is like night and day.
It's no different than most other Nigerians/Africans who live abroad in the West and back home...
And btw, Nigerian footballers have a trade union - the National Association of Nigerian Footballers.
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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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Waffiman wrote:
mcal wrote:
Waffiman wrote:
wanaj0 wrote:
EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA wrote:The dead bodies are still on the street in Nigeria. He's lucky he's British born, his fate would have been far worse! He makes a decent income driving train in LONDON, Much more than driving a taxi in Lagos. I'm actually happy for him considering football didn't pay much back then.
Segun Odegbami is not driving Taxi in Lagos. There is more to what you become than location!

He talked about the gang culture. I just hope the future of the youths don't get destroyed.
Spot on bro. Abeg tell am.
...driving a train is a noble job in the west, if a former footballer in Nigeria is seen driving a train, or cab for that matter, he will be put down asap, hence many of them (without Uni-degree) flock to sports ministry for a job.
A very noble and well paid job still in England. Average salary I think is over £50,000 per annum basic.
Nothing wrong with any lawful employment, as there's DIGNITY in ANY honest labor...
Obed Ariri, who also played in the NFL, ended up as a cab driver and he's proud of his life.

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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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Also depends on what each individual prefers to do with his/her life...
David Adiele left the relatively well-paid coaching profession in Nigeria to be a security guard in the US.

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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

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Enugu II wrote:
Sir V wrote:
Enugu II wrote:
ogiso wrote:I remember Banjo and Chiedozie bringing a buzz to the Green Eagles’ preparations in1980 and 1981. They perhaps got 3-4 caps each?
Ogiso,

Tunji had 7 appearances for Nigeria from 1980 to 1981. Chiedozie had 8 appearances with 2 goals from 1980 to 1985.
He had 9 full caps.
Sir V,

Here is what I have and I don't believe there was a 9th game. If there was please let me know which one is missing:

7/12/80 Tunisia
12/6/80 Tanzania
12/20/80 Tanzania
4/12/81 Guinea
4/25/81 Guinea
10/30/81 Algeria
10/20/84 Liberia
7/20/85 Tunisia
I will come back to that. Trying to remember the match.
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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

Post by Sir V »

Enugu II wrote:
Chief Ogbunigwe wrote:
FATHER TIKO wrote:
Chief Ogbunigwe wrote:
Enugu II wrote:
FATHER TIKO wrote:
Enugu II wrote:
Sir V,

Here is what I have and I don't believe there was a 9th game. If there was please let me know which one is missing:

7/12/80 Tunisia
12/6/80 Tanzania
12/20/80 Tanzania
4/12/81 Guinea
4/25/81 Guinea
10/30/81 Algeria
10/20/84 Liberia
7/20/85 Tunisia
\

Enugu II,
You noted the away WCQualifier v Algeria in Constantine (10/30/81)...what about the home tie on 10 October 1981 in Lagos..?
Didn't Chiedozie feature in that game?

You also noted the away tie of the WCQualifier v Tunisia (7/20/85)...What about the home tie..? Didn't he feature..?
He did not play in any of those. Note also that he missed preparatory games against Uganda and Liberia before that critical home game in 1981 where all the big stars were recalled. Line ups for all those games are available.
EII:

Are you sure he missed the home game vs Tunisia? Was that not the desperate "all hands on deck" second leg to overturn the 2-0 deficit, where Osigwe scored a great goal, before we went on to win on PKs (Odegbami limping with a bandaged thigh, Ogedegbe making 2 saves, and Ikhana missing)? To be fair, I watched the re-run on NTA, and don't remember seeing him play. My assumption is based on newspaper reports and clippings (maybe radio commentaries?). I somehow associated him and Chidozie with the turnaround vs the Tunisians.
That was not the home game of WCQ in 1985...that was WCQ in 1980 (Chiedozie's debut; he lasted 13 mins due to injury)
The WCQ 1985 home tie I referred to was the one that featured Emenalo (CB), Nwajiobi(FW), etc..John Fashanu was in camp but did not start...
Okey Isima (then a pro in Portugal) scored the only goal of the game in the 73rd minute...
Ok...thanks.
Below are the two games that you are guys have brought up and he was not in any of those.

10/10/81 (h v Algeria)
Best Ogedegbe (1) – Sylvanus Okpala (2), Christian Chukwu (5) (46 Stephen Keshi (12)), Tunji Bamidele (6), Okey Isima (3) – Tunji Banjo (4), Andrew Atuegbu (8), Muda Lawal (10) – Según Odegbami (cpt - 7), Thompson Usiyen (9), Felix Owolabi (14) (46 Christian Nwokocha (11)).

This game was an "all hands on deck" game and featured recall of Usiyen, Andrew Atuegbu, Tunji Banjo, etc. Chiedozie was injured and did not make the trip to Nigeria. It was the game Where Odegbami claim of injured knee requiring surgery was contradicted by an independent doctor in Cardiff ( a Dr. David Jenkins). Other intrigues included Banjo demanding 6000 British pounds, reportedly, before playing against Algeria. There were plans to replace Odegbami as skipper because of the knee injury issue but that was later rescinded.
-----------------------
7/6/85 (h v Tunisia)
Peter Rufai – Bright Omokaro, Sunday Eboigbe, Mike Emenalo, Yisa Sofoluwe – Humphrey Edebor (69th Okey Isima), Sylvanus Okpala, Dahiru Sadi, Emeka Nwajiobi (31st Sunday Daniel) -- Richard Owubokiri, Rashidi Yekini.


Perhaps, Sir V can point to this additional game as it is't any of those that have pointed out yet.
Enugu 11, they demanded £1600 not £6000.
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Re: Story on Tunji Banjo - Eagle from the 80s

Post by Enugu II »

Sir V wrote:
Enugu 11, they demanded £1600 not £6000.
Sir V,

What about the 9th game that you claimed Chiedozie played? Which game was that? Or was it an error on your part?

As for the money demanded, it is based on report in the Nigerian newspapers at the time.
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