Opinion: Perpetual Nwokocha is the best female footballer out of Africa

Opinion: Perpetual Nwokocha is the best female footballer out of Africa

By Harrison Okoro

I think no female African footballer has achieved more than agba baller, so maybe she is the greatest. That’s a very valid argument. However when people say its unarguable, I pause because I think the best female footballer out of Africa I ever saw was Perpetua Nkwocha.

You see, I understand that best and greatest in these things while often used interchangeably can actually mean different things. I think Perpetua had a bit more about her game than any other Falcons attacker while also being the most lethal goalscorer till date.

80 goals in around 90 appearances is deaf! Scored in 5 WAFCON finals, including a 4 goal haul against Cameroon in 04 Final.

Perpetua was not first generation Falcons. Of the first generation that went to the 91 World cup in China, the people that were still in the National team when I started watching the Falcons in the late 90s were Nkiru Okosieme, Florence Omagbemi who was captain, Ann Chiejine in goal, (fine geh with her bandana), Showemimo, Mavis Ogun and Rita Nwadike.

Special Mention: We only read that a young Chioma Ajunwa was part of that squad. She remains the only woman in the whole world to have played in a FIFA world cup and participated in an Olympics as a track and field athlete, long jump specifically(won Nigeria’s first olympic gold medal while at it).

The 2nd generation have to be those who popped between the 95 and 99 world cups, and that time Mercy Akide was the baddest in Africa. I daresay she led that generation that genuinely made female football popular in Nigeria. I could reel off the names of more than half 99 squad, because I’m very familiar with the team I watched make it to the knockout stages of the world cup for the first time. USA 99 Falcons are the female equivalent of USA 94 Eagles.

You see, when Perpetua Nkwocha popped in the early 2000s, she was clearly different. I don’t think it was in doubt that the attacker wearing no.4 for Nigeria was inspired by Kanu Nwankwo. The girl could move, dribble, pass and her goal scoring records which stand to this day are ridiculous. She has around 40 goals more than the 2nd placed for Nigeria. An absolute goal scoring machine while being more than just a poacher.

I can’t categorically say who the greatest is, afterall these things are often subjective, but I believe Perpetua Nkwocha is the best I ever watched , and absolutely belongs with Asisat Oshoala in the conversation of who the greatest is.

I don’t blame people younger than me though, we don’t keep records nor celebrate greatness properly in this part of the world because alongside the names I mentioned above, women like Stella Mbachu, Maureen Mmadu, Yinka Kudaisi, Patience Avre, Ifeanyi Chiejine (Ann’s younger sis), Cynthia Uwak and I have to mention Mercy Akide again (because My God!! She meant so much in my early days) should have their names sang very loud when the greatest Falcons players are discussed.