Peter Ikoyima Fregene’s remains will be laid to rest today at Sapele, Delta State. One of the greatest goalkeepers in Nigerian football history, Fregene first gained prominence in the mid-1960s while playing for the Mid-West team in the Bank-Anthony Inter-Regional Competition in Lagos. In 1966, he was acquired by the middle-table league team Leventis “Iddo Tigers” in Lagos.

Fregene joined Stationery Stores and quickly gained popularity among Adebajo Babes fans by challenging the team’s top goalie, Abu Maleya, who was discovered by Sapele-based Amukpe All-Stars during their incredible performance against POLICE FC of Lagos in the 1962 F. A. Cup Semi-finals.

Fregene, nicknamed ‘APO’ by Stores’ fans, was selected for the 1968 Olympic Games by Green Eagles team manager and veteran sports journalist Peter Chukwuma Osugo, also known as ‘PECOS’, in his weekly Sports Column with the Daily Times. He also selected an unknown player, Yakubu Bauchi, as the reserve custodian in the 18-man squad for the Olympic football gold medal bid.

However, Nigeria was unable to meet the goal after losing all three of her games against Brazil, Spain, and Japan, forcing the Green Eagles to a thrilling 3-3 tie.
In a thrilling World Cup qualifying match played in Khartoum on October 2, 1969, Peter Fregene, a dependable last man of the defence for Stationery Stores and the Green Eagles with a career spanning nearly two decades, suffered an injury once and had to be replaced by the backup goalkeeper Yusuf Sule in a 3-3 draw against Sudan.

Fregene was called back to duty in 1982 after playing more than 20 games for Nigeria in both friendly and competitive settings, but Nigeria did not advance to the African Nations Cup finals in Libya.

Peter Fregene, a great athlete has left us but I believe that his memory will forever be in our hearts, there should be spiritual happiness as Peter Fregene rests peacefully in God’s arms following his painful and sorrowful demise.