Teslim Olawale Balogun, born in 1927 and died on the 30th of July, 1972, was a Nigerian footballer and coach. Teslim Balogun played at both professional and international levels as a striker, before he later became Africa’s first qualified professional football coach. Teslim Balogun played in his country, Nigeria, for a number of teams, including Apapa Bombers, Marine Athletics, Dynamos Club, Pan Bank Team. UAC XI and so on.
During his time in Nigeria, Teslim Balogun won the Challenge Cup five times in seven finals and was the first player to have a hat- trick in the competition, in Pan Bank’s 6-1 rout of Warri in 1953. He was nicknamed by his fans “Thunder” because of his powerful shot and was also known as “Balinga” for the same reason.
Teslim Balogun died peacefully in his sleep on 30th July 1972 at the age of 45, leaving the whole nation to mourn his loss. The Teslim Balogun Stadium in the Nigerian city of Lagos was named after him in his honour.
By 22, he had represented Nigeria many times and was selected as one of the players to represent the country during the UK Tour where Nigeria played many friendly matches against top clubs in the UK. They did not play with boots but bare feet, sometimes with only bandages around their feet. He joined Jos XI on his return and helped the team reach the final of the Challenge Cup for the first time in 1951 losing to Lagos Railways. After playing for eight first division clubs in 11 years, he left for the UK in 1955 to study printing technology but he was signed by Peterborough United.
In those days, football had more entertainment value than financial importance. If he had played today, he would have been a very rich man. Between 1955 and 1961 when he returned home, he played for a number of clubs, including Queens Park Rangers. He also did a coaching course to become the first UK-trained African coach. He played for Nigeria for 17 years and was the first Nigerian coach to lead Nigeria football team to the Olympics in 1968, drawing 3-3 with Brazil.
He was called ‘Ara-awo Ara-awa’ in Yorubaland because he had a ferocious left foot that his shots would always score as goalkeepers were too scared to attempt to stop them. It was alleged that one of his shots almost pierced through a goalie’s stomach who died as a result.
Teslim Balogun is arguably (as attested to by sport experts) the foremost of the greatest Nigerian footballers.
He sadly died in his sleep on July 30, 1972, at a relatively young age of 45. His wife Mulikat Balogun who happens to be a tennis player, suffered a lot from Emotional trauma. She developed high blood pressure after losing her husband. She died 30 years after slipping into a coma for 18 days after her 60th birthday in 1998. They are both survived by seven children; They are Tunde, Tokunbo, Olamide, Jibola, Iyabo, Bioye and Oluwole.
The Teslim Balogun Stadium at Shitta Surulere Lagos, western Nigeria has since been named after him amongst numerous other achievements
