Go ahead and mention Dickson Nwakaeme’s name to any Malaysian football fan, it is likely that the first image to emerge in his or her mind would be that iconic photograph of his duel with both Harris Harun and Marcos Antonio of Johor Darul Ta’zim FC.
In that photograph, with his jersey torn, arms stretched and impressive torso showing, the Nigerian striker kept two of the best defensive players in the Malaysian Super League literally at arms’ length while still maintaining control of the ball. Being dubbed as the league’s ‘Iron Man’ seems like a massive understatement.
Should a more apt title be used to describe the best foreign player to have graced the Malaysian Super League in the last decade?
When he first landed on Malaysian shores in late 2012 after a brief stint in Vietnam, he received the classic reaction from everyone: Who? They all asked.
His talents were a mystery, his exploits were not familiar. In summary, an unknown quantity who is open for scrutiny. It was a fair question since he was joining Kelantan, a team who in the previous season had swept all before them to be crowned the Super League, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup champions.
But signing for Kelantan then meant something; it was the only side that was resourcefully able to cater for any agile foreign player hoping to pursue their dreams of achieving footballing stardom in Malaysia. Such was the case with a young Dimitri Petratros, current Australian international who was signed together with Nwakaeme as Kelantan looked to make significant strides in the AFC Cup competition that year.
Nwakaeme did not take long to introduce himself to Malaysian fans and showed that he was a perfect signing for Kelantan.
His role was pivotal as Kelantan retained the FA Cup and almost brought the Malaysia Cup back to the northeast. It was during this season as well that opposing coaches began to describe him as an extremely tough opponent for their players to contend with, gaining him the title “Orang Besi” or Iron Man.
As the name suggests, his physical prowess is a massive asset but exceptionally, he was able to combine that strength with sublime dribbling skills and an uncanny change of pace which enabled him to break the toughest defences in the league.
In remarkable fashion, Nwakaeme left Kelantan for Pahang in 2014, their conquerors in the Malaysia Cup final and one of the protagonists in the tripartite East Coast Derby.
It was a highly sensational move as one of the best players of the season made the switch to a bitter derby rival. With Nwakaeme, there was never a risk of being a one-hit-wonder as he retained his form with Pahang. That season, he led them to third place in the league and secured the domestic cup double, even scoring two goals against arch-rivals Johor Darul Ta’zim FC in a memorable Malaysia Cup final.
Having established himself on the domestic front, the natural progression would be to introduce Nwakaeme to the rest of the region’s larger audience, and introduce himself he did.
Fans would have remembered his AFC Cup tournament debut with Pahang in 2015. He made the competition his playground and was extremely at ease in showcasing his class against the region’s cup champions as he reveled and danced his way through their teams’ defences.
Team after team, he ripped them apart with his silky individual skills, beginning with Yadanarbon FC of Myanmar who became a serious casualty, thanks to an unforgettable hat-trick which saw Pahang ease to a thumping 7-4 victory.
He carried his team all the way to the quarter final before bowing out 5-3 to the eventual finalists Istiklol FC of Tajikistan, but not before making them sweat. In the return leg, Nwakaeme almost led Pahang to an unlikely comeback after losing the first leg 4-0.
His exploits ensured that every football fan in Malaysia wished he was in their team and in Kelantan’s case, they certainly wished he had never left.
You can support any team but still admire the player he is in a game where fans are largely polarized when it comes to having common love and admiration for a player. Similar sentiments were also shared by opposing coaches as they waxed lyrical about him during the post-game media conferences.
The Dickson Nwakaeme mania truly struck Malaysian football in ways unimagined. Pahang kits emblazoned with his name and number sold like hotcakes at the fan shops and stadiums on game day. Children would pester their parents for any Nwakaeme memorabilia as they hoped to catch a glimpse of their idol upclose.
When a picture of him in the Malaysian national team jersey emerged on social media platforms, every fan in Malaysia began dreaming the impossible. The Iron Man was truly everyone’s superhero.
After two success-laden seasons with Pahang, Nwakaeme felt that he needed a bigger stage; a more competitive playing field to test his mettle against players of his calibre.
After years of repudiating offers, a return to Europe finally beckons. He made a significant leap in his career via a move to French Ligue 1 outfit, Angers SCO. Arriving 15 days late for the pre-season, he unfortunately suffered a training ground injury, which hampered his initial progress.
It proved to be costly as it affected his overall playing time with the club. Yet, Nwakaeme remained optimistic and kept pushing himself, always sharing his positivity with his teammates. He told everyone of his special bond with a talented young player named Nicolas Pepe, the current Arsenal player who was then his team mate at Angers.
He mentioned how he adored the young lad’s unique abilities and despite the latter being impatient to gain first team action, Nwakaeme mentored and guided him, prophesying that he was to emerge as a great talent in the future. How accurate that eventually became.
Even though he struggled to earn a spot in the first team, his exploits in la Métropole were followed closely by his legion of fans in Malaysia, curious to see how their once adored protagonist was doing and hoping to catch a glimpse of him on the local television stations that broadcast Ligue 1 matches.
They were ecstatic when he scored the winner as Angers secured a 2-1 victory over US Granville in a Coupe de France encounter. Very few foreign players would have been accorded such level of interest after their departure from Malaysia.
However, as the season went on, it became evident that his time in la Ville Noire was not producing the favourable outcome he had hoped. A year later, with marginal game time and no trophy in hand, Nwakaeme found himself in the unfamiliar situation of not being immortalized and revered by fans and eventually returned to his hometown in Lagos, Nigeria, without a team.
It was probably written in the stars that Malaysia was the only footballing home for Nwakaeme, the only place where he is revered as a football icon.
After a three-year hiatus, Nwakaeme laced up his boots and made the trek back to Pahang in 2019.
Immediately, he showed why Malaysian football badly missed him. In a dream second debut, he scored two scintillating goals in an emphatic 3-1 win against Kuala Lumpur. He showed no signs of rustiness that night despite the incessant negative pre-game commentary being repeated in some of the mainstream media. He was still the “Orang Besi” of old.
That year, he made Pahang great again after several lacklustre seasons, scoring regularly and helping his teammates, especially the younger players, believe in themselves. Even though it was an impressive second coming, Nwakaeme sadly missed out on making it to both of the domestic cup finals, as Pahang stumbled at the semi final stages despite their brilliant performances.
In fact, Nwakaeme scored nine goals in the Malaysia Cup competition that year, including a brace in the second leg of the semi final where Pahang lost to Kedah by away goal rules after a mind-boggling 8-8 draw on aggregate.
The fact that he was able to change Pahang’s fortunes instantly upon his return also proved that Nwakaeme deserved to play against the very best in Asia in the AFC Champions League.
Nwakaeme’s qualities would have placed him as a key acquisition for any of the clubs competing in the AFC Champions League, but the opportunity never arose. If I had any regrets about him, this would probably be it.
Other than football, there is another side of Nwakaeme that many may not be familiar with; his passion for philanthropy, especially towards the needy.
At the end of every season, he would always be seen packing boxes with newly purchased boots and jerseys, all destined for his village in Ajegunle, Nigeria. Based on an account of a colleague who is in the sporting goods business and had facilitated Nwakaeme with his orders, the value of those purchases were very considerable.
Nwakaeme would pay for every single item and ensured that the children and youth in his village would be afforded with proper boots and footballing gear as they aspire to become professional footballers themselves. Verily, the Iron Man has a heart of gold.
Unfortunately, his injuries may have finally gotten the best of him as he was unable to find his best form this year in a season plagued with the Covid-19 pandemic.
As if the signs of his departure were imminent, he failed to convert from the penalty spot in the first round of the Malaysia Cup match as Kedah once again knocked Pahang out of the competition. The tournament was subsequently cancelled due to Covid-19 and public health concerns. It was not a superhero’s exit befitting for his Iron Man’s stature.
Fans have voiced their preference for Nwakaeme to remain and end his career in Malaysia as he may have at least a year of competitive football remaining in him.
However, in a league where money talks as far as player ‘hireability’ is concerned, compounded with financial woes arising from the pandemic, there seems to be no assurance that Pahang or any other club in Malaysia are in great shape to afford his presumably high wage demands. Considering his age and prior injuries, they may also be unwilling to take the gamble.
Season after season, Malaysian football fans have been accustomed to seeing Dickson Nwakaeme showcase his talents in the Malaysian league.
His exit from Pahang, and as it appears for now, the league, will leave a gaping hole that will be hard to fill. I fear that the Malaysian Super League may never witness another player like him but whatever the future holds, we have been blessed to have witnessed how he had animated the Malaysian game.
Farewell Iron Man. You will be greatly missed.
