Meet Abdul Ganiyu Salami: The only footballer to have played for Black Stars and Nigeria's Super Eagles

Players with dual nationality face the dilemma of choosing which nation to play for in their international careers. A few of them get to play for both their mother or father or country of birth.

Former Black Stars and Super Eagles player Abdul Ganiyu Salami can be counted as one of the handful of players to have played for dual nations and even better the only player to have played for Ghana and Nigeria.

According to a social media post by renowned kits manufacturer Abdul Rashid Zakari which has been verified by GhanaWeb, Salami is a Nigerian by origin but was born in Ghana.

He spent a large part of his football career in Ghana, playing for Premier League giants Accra Hearts of Oak and the Black Stars.

Salami was a member of the Black Stars squad that won the country's second Africa Cup of Nations trophy in 1965.

After lifting the AFCON with the Black Stars, he left for Nigeria to continue his club career, joining Leventis Iddo Tigers and later switched nationality to play for Nigeria.

He switched nationality in 1967 and never returned to Ghana. History has it that the “Aliens Compliance Order” passed on 18 November 1969 in Ghana informed Salami's decision.

The order was passed to ultimately control the growing immigrant population in Ghana.

He helped Nigeria qualify for the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and represented them at the tournament. Nigeria failed to qualify from their group, finishing bottom with one point.

Abdul Ganiyu Salami made one appearance for Ghana while making three appearances for Nigeria between 1965 to 1968.



EE/KPE