Kanu Nwankwo was the hero as Nigeria came from 1-3 down to beat almighty Brazil at the semi-final of the football event in the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta, United States.

A similar display in the final won Gold for Nigeria in the Olympics and also cemented Kanu in our hearts for ever.

Before then he had won the U-17 FIFA World Cup with Nigeria in Japan 93 where he scored five goals and finished second joint-scorer in the tournament.

Kanu bounced back after a heart surgery to play for Arsenal where he really shone and attracted lots of Nigerian viewers to the Premier League.

His performances for the Gunners earned him the CAF African Footballer of the year 1999 becoming the fourth and last Nigerian to win the award.

He first won the award in 1996 after his Atlanta 96 heroics.

The titles he has won also speak for itself .

Nigerian Premier League title with, Iwuanyanwu Nationale in 1993, three Eredivise, Champions League,  UEFA Super Cup with Ajax, UEFA Cup with Inter Milan, two Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies with Arsenal and one FA Cup with Portsmouth.

FIFA U-17 World and Olympic Gold medal in the 1996 Olympics for Nigeria.

Nigeria's greatest footballer, Kanu Nwankwo turns 40 today and we just have to celebrate this genius of our lifetime.