Waidi Akanni
Encyclopedia
Waidi Akanni, also known as Waheed Akanni, (born June 20, 1968) is a former Nigerian football defender and former head of the Lagos State
Football Association.
in 1983. He joined another local side, Flash Flamingoes
, in 1985.
In 1988, Akanni attended Howard University
in the United States
, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering. He played for the university's soccer team and was the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
runner-up and the team's leading scorer with sixteen goals. He was also selected to the All-American first team. While in the United States, he also played for Boston Bolts
and Maryland FC.
Akanni played for the Nigeria national under-20 football team
that won the bronze medal at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship
finals in the Soviet Union
. He would also play for the senior Nigeria national football team
, appearing in a 1988 African Cup of Nations
qualifying match against Sierra Leone and a 1990 FIFA World Cup
qualifying match against Cameroon.
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
Football Association.
Career
Born in Surulere, Lagos State, Akanni began playing football for local side NEPA LagosNEPA Lagos
NEPA Lagos was a Nigerian football team based in Lagos, which participated in the top league in Nigeria in 1974, 1995 and 1996. The club is owned by the National Electric Power Authority of Nigeria and was previously known as Lagos ECN....
in 1983. He joined another local side, Flash Flamingoes
Esan F.C.
Esan F.C. is a Nigerian soccer club based in Uromi, Edo State that plays in the Nigeria Amateur League. They are the current incarnation of a team whose roots go back to Flash Flamingoes F.C.- History :...
, in 1985.
In 1988, Akanni attended Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering. He played for the university's soccer team and was the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
runner-up and the team's leading scorer with sixteen goals. He was also selected to the All-American first team. While in the United States, he also played for Boston Bolts
Boston Bolts
The Boston Bolts were a short lived U.S. soccer team which came into existence in 1988 as a member of the third American Soccer League . They played in Boston, Massachusetts at Nickerson Field...
and Maryland FC.
Akanni played for the Nigeria national under-20 football team
Nigeria national under-20 football team
Nigeria U-20 men's national soccer team, also known as Nigeria Under-20s or nicknamed Flying Eagles, is the youth team for national soccer in Nigeria...
that won the bronze medal at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship
1985 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship, the ninth edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in the Soviet Union from August 24 to September 7, 1985. The tournament took place in eight venues — Baku, Yerevan, Leningrad, Minsk, Moscow, Hoktemberyan, Tbilissi and Sumqayit — where a total...
finals in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He would also play for the senior Nigeria national football team
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
, appearing in a 1988 African Cup of Nations
1988 African Cup of Nations
The 1988 African Cup of Nations was the 16th edition of the African Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa . It was hosted by Morocco, who replaced original host Zambia. Just like in 1986, the field of eight teams was split into two groups of four. The tournament final was held in...
qualifying match against Sierra Leone and a 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
qualifying match against Cameroon.