Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ Former Super Eagles striker Jonathan Akpoborie is organizing free medical checkups and surgeries in Ajegunle, Lagos, Nigeria, with the assistance of foreign doctors. The free medical services will be provided from October 1st to October 13th, 2023, at No. 6, Cardoso Street, Ajegunle, from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily.
This initiative follows a similar effort by Akpoborie in his home state of Delta in 2022. The 54-year-old former footballer, known for his contributions to the Super Eagles, played for the national team from 1995 to 2001, scoring four goals in 13 appearances. He was part of the Super Eagles squads that won bronze in 1992 and silver in 2000.
Akpoborie made his Super Eagles debut in 1995 and scored his first international goal against Mexico at the 1995 US Gold Cup, where Nigeria lost 2-1 to Mexico. He began his professional career with Julius Berger before moving to the USA.
In 1990, Akpoborie joined 1. FC Saarbrücken in the German second division. He had spells with FC Carl Zeiss Jena, Stuttgart Kickers (where he scored 37 goals in one season), and Waldhof Mannheim before joining top-flight FC Hansa Rostock in 1995.
After spending two years at Rostock, he moved to Bundesliga rivals VfB Stuttgart and then VfL Wolfsburg in 1999. Akpoborie finished his playing career at Saarbrücken in 2002. Notably, he helped Stuttgart reach the European Cup Winners’ Cup final in the 1997/98 season, where they lost 1-0 to Chelsea.
Akpoborie also represented Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets in their victory at the first edition of the FIFA U-16 Championship in 1985, scoring in the final against West Germany. In 1987, he featured for the Flying Eagles at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Chile, where the team exited in the group stage.