From the dusty fields of Kano to the bright lights of Ibadan, Sola Akinwale’s journey is a story of natural talent, determination, and resilience. A former striker for Shooting Stars and one-time jersey number 9 goal-poacher, Akinwale didn’t just play football, he lived it. Beyond paying his school fees and setting him on a professional path, football opened doors, connected him to legends, and later gave him a voice as a sports analyst and consultant.
In this interview, long after hanging up his boots, Akinwale reflects on his career, the state of Nigerian football, and what it will take for the country to reclaim its lost glory on the continental and global stage.
Can we meet you Sir?
Thank you for having me. My full name is Olusola Akinwale. To make it easier on the field of play, it was shortened to Sola Akinwale. I am from Ikirun in Osun State, but I had the opportunity of growing up in Kano. My uncle, who was in Kano after the Civil war, took me along. I was told that I insisted on following him to Kano State, so I left my Parent at the age of four and grew up there. I completed my primary, secondary and university education in Kano.
Apart from shooting star Football club Nigeria and Kano pillars, which other clubs did you play for in Nigeria?
After my Secondary school education I moved to Ilorin in 1982 to stay with my brother since my uncle had already left Kano. While there, I played for Nepa, Ilorin. As a teenager, I was working in the office and playing for their football team.
Before leaving Kano, while in Secondary school I also played for a club side that was later taken over by UBA bank. UBA bank sponsored my university education while I played for the Bank’s team, which brought me back to Kano. To cut the long story short I found myself back in Kano, I got admission to Bayero University through scholarship from UBA bank.
In 1984, I represented Kano State in the Adebajo Cup Academicals. We reached the final but Oyo State won the trophy that year. That competition gave me more exposure, and clubs like Evas Raca Rovers and other football clubs in Kano started showing interest in me. Immediately we came back from Lagos championship the football clubs were rushing to sign me, so I eventually signed for Golden Stars in 1985.
I was still a student when I began playing for Golden Stars, at that time we were in division three. I was there from 1985 to 1988. You know the professional football league started in 1990. I didn’t want to play professional football so that it will not affect my education, so I didn’t play for Kano Pillars then. Instead, I played for North Breweries that year and I also played for Bank of the north. After I left Bayero University, I came to Lagos for my NYSC and I played in Julius Berger, but eventually I ended up signing for shooting star.
Tell us more about yourself?
During my NYSC 1990–1991, I played for Shooting Stars, that was when Chief Onigbinde was the Sole Administrator and late Coach Jossy Lad. Even while in Kano, Shooting Stars were coming to play, and they had supporters everywhere in Nigeria, some of the supporters were Yoruba people that were telling the coaches and everyone that they have a Yoruba boy in the team that they wanted the club to sign me.
I was a top striker, wearing jersey number 9, and I scored many goals. I later joined Julius Berger in 1994 just for one season. I left and played for Lagos Nepa in 1995 also for one season and in 1996–1997 I played for El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.
What’s your best club during your days as a player?
Shootings Stars
Sir, with your experience in the Nigeria football league, how do you rate the league?
I have left Nigeria for some time now but from when I played until now, the league still needs a lot of overhauling, I think things have started improving with teams like Remo stars bringing new dimensions, young players but in all, the administration of football in Nigeria needs improvement
After retirement, Sir, what have you been doing?
I retired in 1997 after graduating with a B.Sc. in Mass Communication. I teamed up with Chief Segun Odegbami at World Wide Sport limited. It was a media and sports marketing. I worked as a sports analyst on AIT, NTA, and other platforms. I also did consulting services for corporate organizations like Shell on the Shell Cup Championship that ran for 19 years. Players like Mikel Obi were discovered in the competition who went ahead and played for the National team and became stars. I was with Segun Odegbami for two years before relocating to the USA. I moved earlier than the “Japa” trend and now work with Homeland Security in New York
How do you think government can intervene to improve the Nigerian professional league?
Government should have no business in running sport, like you can see in other parts of the world, how many of the clubs are run or sponsored by government. Africa, particularly in Nigeria, what government can do is to provide the enabling environment for football to thrive. Government has the facility, they use sports for public relation in Nigeria, especially football. Also, if a governor of a state likes football, he or she will support it and of course the clubs of such will do well.
Look at Remo Stars, for example, they are privately run and doing well. Look at the performance of our team in continental football. Since Enyimba won the CAF Champions League, which other team as done well? None. Since shooting stars and Rangers got the CAF cup, who else has done that. Look at the coaches we are hiring now, how many of them are look inwards to pick from our league, in the days of Clement Westerhof, he would go to watch Nigerian leagues, he discovered players like Finidi George, Ben Iroha, Rashidi Yekini and many others but this is not the case again, look at Sudan beating Nigeria 4-0, it’s because our football is not improving. Our football needs better administration if we are to compete at the continental and global level.
Why did you choose football as a career?
I didn’t choose football, football chose me. The skill is inborn, natural talent. I was fortunate to have a platform to showcase it. Some people do not have the opportunity to showcase the God given talent. Football paved a way for me, I used it to pay my school fees, take care of myself, got married and supported my children. If not for football, I would not have known Segun Odegbami and Felix Owolabi etc. So football opened lots of doors for me.
I stand to be corrected, but I learnt you were once a part of the management team of Shooting Stars football club. Can you tell us about that?
Yes, in 2004 when Chief Onigbede was the Sole administrator of the team, he invited me to establish the media and marketing department. That was my role with Shooting Stars then.
What is your view about the treatment of players in terms of remuneration?
As long as government continues to sponsor football, they will be treating them like civil servants. When they are not doing well, they need more motivation by bring in psychological support. Footballers do not joke with their money because immediately there is a major injury that is the end. I don’t subscribe to punishing them by cutting their salary, allowances and bonuses
How do you think players should be treated in terms of allowances and bonuses?
Players should not be owed salaries, allowances, or bonuses. If you check how it’s done abroad, you’ll see the difference. Nigerian clubs should learn from that.
Where do you see Nigeria Football in the next 20 years?
I want to see improvement in a situation where foreign players come to Nigeria clubs to play. Nigeria had foreign players in the early 80s, but now it is not so. Most of our players are not known until they leave the country to play for other foreign clubs.
