Virtually everybody born in Nigeria since 1989 till date must have heard the tale of a non-existent football match between Nigeria and India that obviously took place in a parallel universe with its gory stories.

This tale travelled back beyond its inception that is most likely from 1989 when a popular player of the Nigeria National Team lost his life during a match to qualify.
There are many variations of this story but all the versions agree on some facts about this fictional football match.
Each storyteller agrees that;
1. The match ended with India scoring 99 goals and Nigeria scoring just one goal.
2. Nigerians were unable to kick the ball because the football kept turning to a lion (or something scary) to prevent them from playing the soccer ball.
3. The Indians agreed that if Nigeria could score a goal, India have lost.
4. Samuel Okwaraji scored the winning goal by hitting the ball that have turned rock with either is leg/head and lost his life instantly.
5. FIFA banned India from soccer because they used magical power in the match.
lmao!
Nowadays, with the help of common sense (not that it was absent back then), quick access to information and the internet, every right thinking Nigerian has come to realise that such a story should be filled under “black lie with white collar”.
Why Did This Story Thrive For So Long?
*India not in world cup
Most people like to pass off this story as true with the fact that no Nigerian has seen India in an International Football Match, which gave credence to the story.
*No handy information
Another reason this lie could thrive for long was the fact that credible information was not readily available at our finger tips. It not like every Emeka, Audu and Ojo could visit Google in a matter of minutes and tell our ominous fabricators that they should stop spreading lies.
*Respect for Elders
There is the possibility that this lie was concocted by an elder of a community because nobody questions the words of the elders in Nigeria.
The Element of Truth In This Story
On the 12th of August 1989, Nigeria lost Sam Okwaraji.
Sam Okwaraji was the player rumored to have lost his life in that game when in truth he died during a FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Angola in the 77th minute.
He collapsed and died of cognitive heart failure. May his soul rest in Perfect Peace. AMEN!
So that is the only truthful thing about that story, the fact that a Nigerian player died during a football match. That’s it. The match was not against India, we did not lose the match and as you must have guessed, and there were no lions and rocks.