Lekan Salami Stadium named after one of the prominent supporters of IICC later Shooting Stars football club, Olalekan Sanusi Salami, who died in 1988, is now wearing a new look courtesy of Governor Seyi Makinde’s innovation in sports development in the state.
Historically, the stadium which was commissioned on May, 28, 1988, can now be said to be the best stadium in Nigeria because of the latest FIFA graded technology that is now in the remodeled sporting theater.
PMParrot here brings you ten historical facts you may not know about the new look Lekan Salami Stadium Complex.
- The official commissioning of the 10,000 capacity stadium complex was done by the then Vice President, Augustus Aikhomu, on May 28, 1988.
- The stadium was first called the Adamasingba Stadium but later renamed the Lekan Salami Stadium by the then Oyo State Military Governor, Colonel Ahmed Usman, in honour of the late Chief Lekan Salami.
- The project for the construction of the stadium was started by the Military Governor of Western State, Major General David Jemibewon in 1976, who decided to build a recreational and sport complex on the 130,000 square meters of land, formerly occupied by Ibadan Race course.
- In the opening match of the stadium, Mike Odu of El Kanemi Warriors scored the first goal as his team thereby defeating the host, Shooting Stars by a lone goal.
- Lekan Salami Stadium became the traditional home ground of the Shooting Stars after the commissioning and replaced the Liberty Stadium, renamed the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.
- The final of the 1988 edition of the Nigerian FA Cup (Challenge Cup), between Iwuayanwu Nationale of Owerri, now Heartland and the defunct Flash Flamingos of Benin took place at the stadium, with the Owerri side winning 3-0.
- Shooting Stars claimed their second continental title (the maiden edition of the then CAF Cup) donated by the late business mogul, Chief M.K.O Abiola in 1992, at the stadium.
- Lekan Salami Stadium hosted the first leg, Italia 90 World Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, which the Eagles won by 2-0.
- Super Eagles’ last friendly match before the team departed the country enroute USA 94 for its maiden World Cup appearance was played at the Lekan Salami Stadium on June 11, 1994.
- The stadium complex also houses the offices of the Oyo State Sports Council, the Oyo State Football Association, and other sporting associations’ offices as well as the secretariat of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Oyo State chapter and that of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club among others.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
