In 1953, Titus Okere (March 22, 1929 – June 14, 2023) became the first Nigerian footballer to sign and play for a European club – Swindon Town FC in the United Kingdom.
Okere joined Ziks Athletic Club Bombers in 1938 and later joined Lagos Railways, where he captained the club. On October 8, 1949, the Owerri-born attacking midfielder scored Nigeria’s first-ever official international goal (deflected into the net by Captain Ashman) in a 0-2 win against Sierra Leone in front of 15,000 football fans in Freetown.
In February 1953, Titus Okere signed a contract with Swindon Town FC, making him the first Nigerian to sign as a professional footballer and play for a European club.
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History – Celebrating the Legacy of Chinua Achebe
As a 20-year-old, the left-wing wizard was one of the 18 pioneer members of Nigeria’s national football team who toured the United Kingdom in August 1949. The team was then known as the UK Tourists and later the Red Devils.
Titus Davis Okere, “the last of the firsts“, was the last surviving member of Nigeria’s first football team until his death on June 14, 2023. He was 94.
