OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO
Sports persons have been advised to work hard, committed as well as get good education to remain relevant throughout their life time.
This advice was given by Mr. Segun Odegbami, Sports Consultant and one time Captain of the nation’s football team, Super Eagles in Hussey College, Warri while addressing Under-13 boys and girls who turned up for screening practical test for admission into full scale scholarship offered by Lanreleke Sports Academy, Ileogbo, Oshun State.
Mr. Odegbami further advised the youngsters to work on themselves as they already have the raw talents and physic, adding that what they need is just for their talents to be tapped and acquire sound formal education to build up their capacities and be positioned properly after retirement from active sport.
He disclosed that the academy was floated by Engr. Lanre Adeleke, a notable philanthropist who wants to give back to the society, saying, “the Academy is owned by Engr. Lanre Adeleke in Ileogbo, Oshun State strictly on academics and sports(athletics basketball , football etc)and on full scholarship. It is billed to take off in October, 2021 with forty (40) students in Senior Secondary School 1 (SS 1). Engr. Adeleke is collaborating with Oshun State Government , we shall get twenty(20) students from the host state, five (5) each from Delta, Edo, Lagos and Oyo States. We are here in Warri now for Delta State slot.”
Responding to a question, Mr. Odegbami known as “Mathematical Odegbami ” in his football playing days said that all other sport academies engage in specialized sport but Lanreleke Sports Academy would devote time to all sports as well as not train students with intent for foreign scouts to come over to pick them(students) for professional career.
He spoke further, “my motivation in my academy and the motivation of Engr. Adeleke is more of education for the students than sports. It is primarily a formal school where our students would go through the full academic curriculum, sit for external examinations such as NECO, WAEC etc. Here, more time would also be given to sporting activities, sports would be done four hours daily here unlike in other academies where it is done once a week.”
While saying that the lucky pioneer students would get the best in sports and education in the academy, Odegbami said that Deltans are born athletes, adding, ” you guys have sports genes in your system, Delta State manufactures athletes. What I see here now are potential world athletes, physically, God has given you the ability, just work on yourselves.”
Other notable sports personalities present at the screening exercise are Mutiu Adepoju, former Super Eagles and Real Madrid star, Edema Fuludu, Coach Gordons Ogbe, former goalkeeper, Chike Egbuna and Toyin Ibitoye, a renowned sports journalist.
