Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, also known as "Zik," was a Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the country's first President from 1963 until 1966. According to Vanguard News, He was commonly referred to by the nickname "Zik." Because he is widely regarded as a primary mover and shaker in the movement for Nigerian independence, he is often referred to as the "founder of Nigerian nationalism."
Yet, Nigerians were subjected to segregation when the sport of football was first brought to the country by the British during their colonization of Africa. Nnamdi Azikiwe saw this to be an act of injustice, and when the colonial era came to a close, he emerged as a pioneer in the movement to combine sports and politics.
Vanguard notes that 1938 was the year that Nnamdi Azikiwe initiated the Zik's Athletic Club (ZAC) Bombers. Because of the extent of Azikiwe's success in popularizing football, the game is now an essential component of the national identity. Even though the Second World War was going on at the time, he was successful in getting extensive media coverage for the matches. As a means of fostering a sense of national pride among the populace, the government decided in 1950 to designate football as the country's official national sport.
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