Nwankwo Kanu was born on 1st of August 1976 in Owerri, Nigeria. Known simply as Kanu and nicknamed Papilo. Kalu is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Nigerian national 
team and for English club Portsmouth. He is from the Eastern part of Nigeria. His name, Nwankwo, meaning "Babyboy born on Nkwo market day" in the Igbo language. He is the most highly-decorated African footballer in footballing history, having won a UEFA Champions League medal, a UEFA Cup medal, three FA Cup Winners Medals and two African Player of the Year awards amongst others. He is the only current Premier League player to have won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal. He is also a UNICEF ambassador.
Kanu began his career, aged fifteen, at First Division club Federation Works before moving to Iwuanyanwu Nationale in 1992. After a notable performance at the U-17 World Championships he was signed by Ajax Amsterdam in 1993 for €207,047. He made his Ajax debut in 1994 and went on to play 54 times for the Dutch side, scoring 25 goals; Kanu came on as a sub in Ajax's 1995 Champions League final win over AC Milan. In 1996, Ajax sold him to Serie A side Internazionale for around $4.7 million; that summer he captained the Nigerian team that won gold at the Olympics, famously scoring two late goals in the semi-finals against powerhouses Brazil to overturn a 2-3 scoreline into a 4-3 win in extra time. Kanu was also named African Footballer of the Year for that year.
However, soon after returning from the Olympics, Kanu underwent a medical examination at Inter, which revealed a serious heart defect; he underwent surgery in November 1996 to replace an aortic valve and did not return to his club until April 1997. In interviews, Kanu frequently cites his faith as a Christian,and has often mentioned this trying time of his career as an occasion when he prayed to God. Kanu's experience also led to his founding the Kanu Heart Foundation, an organisation that helps predominantly young African children who suffer heart defects. Kanu is known throughout Africa for his philanthropic work.
Kanu made his debut for Portsmouth as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers on 19 August 2006, the opening day of the 2006-07 Premier League season. He scored twice and missed a penalty. Though Kanu led the top scorers chart early in the season, he had a goal drought for the rest of the season, but still finished as the top goalscorer for Portsmouth, with 12 goals.
Kanu has been a member of the Nigerian national team since 1994, making his debut against Sweden in a friendly. He (as of March 2008) has 68 caps and has scored 13 goals for his country. As well as winning the Olympics gold in the football event at Atlanta (1996), Kanu participated in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. Earlier on at the start of his career, Kanu was instrumental in Nigeria's overall success at the FIFA U-17 tournament in Japan (1993) and in their subsequent 2-1 victory over Ghana in the final. He is the current captain of the Nigerian national team.
Mary Onyali-Omagbemi was born February 3, 1968. She took the name Omagbemi when she got married to Victor Omagbemi. Mary is a Nigerian sprinter per excellence. She won the bronze medal in 4x100 metres relay at the 1992 Summer Olympics and in 200 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics. She also won the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
She performed especially well in the All-Africa Games, winning a total of 7 individual medals in the short sprints. She won 100 metres in 1991, 1995 and 2003 and took a bronze medal in 1987. Gold medals in 200 metres were taken in 1987, 1995 and 2003. Furthermore, the Nigerian 4x100m relay team won all races between 1987 and 2003, at the African Games.
In 1985, she again proved that she was in control of the 100 and 200 meters when, as a junior, she defeated the senior women. Now she was given the opportunity that she so rightly deserved to compete in the African games in Cairo, Egypt, only her second major competition. Prior to this meet, Mary had trained and competed barefoot on dirt surfaces, and never had the experience of using starting blocks. Overwhelmed by the atmosphere that surrounded her, she false-started twice and was disqualified in the 100 meters. This was completely devastating to her but redemption came in the 200 meters where she placed second to a senior competitor. In 1986, she went on to compete in the World Junior Championships in Athens, Greece and left with a silver medal in the 200 meters. From then on she was recognized as the little Nigerian girl who did not quit and was very likely to stay.
Popularly called the Queen of Nigerian sprints, Mary continues to hold the Nigerian 200 meters record, and is still ranked in the top 10 of the collegiate all time list in both the 100 and 200 meters. She is very inspirational for many people both locally and internationally. Click to View Full Biography of Mary Onyali.
Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha was born on the 14th of August 1973 in Enugu, South East Nigeria. He played for the Nigerian Super Eagles as an attacking midfielder. He is known for his stopovers, skills and techniques. Okocha first began playing football on the street just like many other football stars, usually with a makeshift ball. In an interview with BBC Sport he said "as far as I can remember, we used to play with anything, with any round thing we could find, and whenever we managed to get hold of a ball, that was a bonus! I mean it was amazing!"
In 1990 he joined his hometown club, Nigerian powerhouse, Enugu Rangers. In his time at the club he produced many spectacular displays including one where he rounded off and scored a goal, against experienced Nigerian goalkeeper Williams Opara in a match against BCC Lions. Later he traveled to Germany to meet a friend, where he was asked to train with his friend’s team. After an impressive performance during the training sessions, he landed a deal with German Third Division side Borussia Neunkirchen.
Okocha made his official debut for Nigeria in their 2-1 1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifier away loss against Ivory Coast in May 1993.It was not until his second cap and home debut that he became a favourite with the Nigerian supporters. With Nigeria trailing 1-0 against Algeria, in a match they needed to win, he scored from a direct free kick to equalize, before helping the team to a 4-1 win, eventually securing qualification to their first World Cup. In 1994 he was a member of both the victorious 1994 Africa Cup of Nations squad and the World Cup squad who made it to the second round before Nigeria lost in a dramatic match against eventual runners-up Italy.
Okocha later led the Nigerian team to a third place finish at the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia, with some breathtaking displays, scoring four goals which include a spectacular free kick against Cameroun in the quarter finals and most notably the 1000th goal in Nations Cup history against South Africa, and winning the Player of the tournament and joint Golden boot winner.
He played for the following Club Sides: Entrechat Frankfurt (1992-1996), Fenerbahçe SK (1996-1998), Paris St-Germaine (1998-2002), Bolton Wanderers (2002-2006), Hull City AFC (2007-2008) before he retired from active football.
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