Is INEC still recruiting ad-hoc staff ahead of the 2023 elections? The claim is FALSE. – Project FactCheck Nigeria

Following the death of Brazilian football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, more often known as Pele, there have been several reports about his exploits.

One such report claims that Pele visited Nigeria. This claim comes after a football match was played in his honour in Kaduna.

Former lawmaker, Senator ShehuSani of Kaduna State, who was present for the tribute match revealed that the late Brazilian footballer, played in the same stadium in the 1970s. 

Sharing a picture from the match, Sani said, “Pele was in Ahmadu Bello Stadium Kaduna in 1972. Two Kaduna Football Clubs played a match at the same venue today, as a tribute to the original greatest of all times”

The post has generated lots of discussion and some of the discussants are doubting if Pele truly came to Nigeria.

This claim is True and here are the reasons; 

Checks revealed that Pele visited Nigeria on three occasions.

First was in January 1969 when Santos Football Club of Brazil  arrived Nigeria in the midst of the civil war to play a friendly match. 

Santos first faced the Nigerian team on January 26. Pele scored twice in this confrontation (2-2). A second match took place on February 4, in Benin City and Santos won 2-1 against the local team.

Again in 1976, Pele was caught in the General Murtala Mohammed Coup! He traveled to Lagos on a trip sponsored by Pepsi in February 1976. He played a friendly game and took part in the inauguration of football schools.

But tension remained high in the city at that time and Pele, who took refuge in the Brazilian embassy, was disguised as an airline pilot to fly out of Lagos.

In 1978, at a time Pele had retired, he returned to Nigeria on a trip sponsored by Fluminense, a household appliance brand.

Pele was convinced to kick off the friendly between Fluminense who were visiting Lagos and the Nigerian team, Racca Rovers.

Pele’s trip to Nigeria is documented in his first autobiography in 1977 and in another work published in 2007.

He however discredited the claim that he contributed to the cessation of the civil war. 

Conclusion 

The claim that Pele visited Nigeria is True.