Following full compliance with the arbitration decisions of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Players Status Committee, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has restored licenses of newly transferred and registered players of seven of the ten defaulting clubs.

In a letter conveying the development to the clubs, the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, commended the clubs for complying swiftly with the requirements, which will enable them play to their full strength.

The clubs are Enyimba, El-Kanemi Warriors, Plateau United, and Bayelsa United.

Others are Lobi Stars, Heartland, and Akwa United.

In the case of Akwa United, the licenses were restored on the directive of the NFF pending ongoing further investigations into their case.

With the development, two other clubs, Abia Warriors, Katsina United, and Kwara United, are still not off the hook as they are yet to comply with the ruling on their cases.

Former President of Nigeria Football Federation and Nigeria’s FIFA Council Member, Amaju Melvin Pinnick OFR, has called for new methods and a re-dedication to the ethos of sports infrastructure maintenance in the country.

Delivering this year’s personality guest lecture of the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan on Tuesday, the FIFA Council Member and Member of the CAF Executive Committee started with a brief overview of the country’s sports infrastructure landscape.

He remarked on the relevance of hosting major competitions for sports infrastructure abundance, traced the era of decline and neglect, and concluded by stating that plenteous and well-maintained sports infrastructure is crucial for Nigeria’s success in international competitions.

“Poor sports infrastructure has the consequence of limited talent development, reduces competitiveness, is a major disincentive to athletes, makes it impossible for any nation to host competitions, and hurts a country’s pride and sense of identity,” Pinnick said, as he delivered his paper titled, The Challenges of Sports Infrastructure and Maintenance in Nigeria: Prospect for the Podium Performance.  

To ensure a positive turn-around, he advocated for public-private partnerships in infrastructural development and maintenance, innovative funding models, adopting modern maintenance technologies, capacity enhancement for maintenance experts and a cluster model that will rank States according to sports infrastructure available in their domain and also engender stiff competition among them for infrastructural sufficiency.

“There are a few success stories on the African continent, such as South Africa and Morocco, which have a national sports maintenance agency.

“We do not necessarily need to copy them; we can develop what will work for us. What is important now is that we must confront this sport infrastructural deficit head-on and the Federal Government, States, local councils, tertiary institutions, private club owners and private investors all have roles to play.

“With improved sports infrastructure round the country, there will be brighter prospects for podium performance by our athletes in international competitions, as we will be able to discover more talents in their youth, can nurture them and utilize the facilities optimally to blood them to real competitors. In addition, our country will be able to host major competitions, and our national pride and sense of identity as host of big events will be restored.”

In his opening address, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale , emphasized the university’s vision and mission, which includes fostering a love for sports and promoting national growth and development.

He noted that sport plays a vital role in shaping individuals, communities and nations, and commended Pinnick’s efforts in advancing the cause of Nigeria sport internationally.

The Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor Olufemi Adegbesan, hailed Pinnick for his engaging delivery, which was also inspiring, insightful and thought-provoking. He described him as a visionary leader, astute administrator and a passionate advocate of sport infrastructure development in the country.

Goodwill messages were received from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CAF President Patrice Motsepe (virtual), as well as Alhaji Shehu Dikko (Chairman, National Sports Commission), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (President, NFF), Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi (Former 1^st Vice President, NFF) and Ms Aisha Falode (Member, NFF Executive Committee) were all physically present.

The carnival-like opening to the lecture featured dance performances by Itsekiri and Brazilian groups, and a special performance by the Nigeria Football Supporters Club led by its President-General Worldwide, Dr Rafiu Oladipo.

Pinnick was presented with a distinguished service award by the Faculty of Education. The award was presented by Professor Aderonke Baiyeroju, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics).

The guest lecture had in attendance the full team of the university’s management. Also present were Oyo State Sports Commissioner, Hon. Wosilat Adegoke; Oba James Odeniran, Chairman of Oyo State Football Association; former NFF General Secretary, Dr. Bolaji Ojo-Oba and; NFF’s Director of Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire.

BY KUNLE SOLAJA

It is a rarity for footballers to have double anniversaries on one date. That is not the case with Nigeria’s best-ever right winger, Segun Odegbami who has a two-in-one celebration today, This Wednesday 30 October is the twin anniversary of the excellent career of Segun Odegbami, who is easily the fastest striker Nigeria ever produced.

It is exactly 48 years this October 30 when the leggy striker scored the first of his 21 goals for Nigeria. It was in a World Cup qualifier against Sierra Leone at the National Stadium, Lagos.

Odegbami opened scoring in the 6-2 rout of Sierra Leone and offered assists in two other goals in the match that also marked the end of the international career of his clubmate and the then-best left winger for Africa, Kunle Awesu.

It was the 30 October 1976 match that established Odegbami as the undisputed lead striker for Nigeria and his domineering presence in the Nigeria strike force endured for exactly the next five years.

Since his going in as a substitute for Baba Otu Mohammed in the first leg match (played on 16 October 1976), Odegbami was never in camp without tasting action.

He was to play 42 more matches for the national team which he later captained. In an irony of fate, the same 30 October marks the last time the legendary striker played for Nigeria.

Incidentally, it was also a World Cup qualifying match, in Constantine, Algeria in 1981.

He holds the best goal average per match

 In his 43 appearances for Nigeria, he scored 21 goals which remains one of the best averages for any Nigerian international till date.

It is surpassed only by his later date club-mate in the then IICC Shooting Stars, Rashidi Yekini, who scored 37 goals in 60 appearances for Nigeria.

As glorious as Segun Odegbami’s football career was, he sadly did not have adequate playing time to exhibit his skills at global level and out of the continent’s shores, at least, at grade A match level. 

He was only able to play for 45 minutes in the 1980 Olympic Games duel with eventual champions; Czechoslovakia in a match Nigeria drew 1-1. He wore the unfamiliar jersey number 13 and was replaced a minute into the second half by Raccah Rovers’ Shefiu Mohammed.

On three other instances, he was close to playing at global level, but failed.

The first instance would have been at the Montreal 1976 Olympics where he was set to blossom before the politically motivated boycott aborted the dream of the then Green Eagles who were believed to be in their best elements, judging from their pre-tournament form and the 4-0 defeat of hosts, Canada in a friendly match.

Incidentally, it was the same Montreal Olympics that France’ Michel Platini made his international debut.

Other global figures who used the Montreal Games as springboard of their international career are Spanish goalkeeper, Luis Arconada and Mexico’s Hugo Sanchez.

Odegbami’s second miss of featuring at the world level was the agonizing missing of Nigeria from the Argentina 1978 World Cup when an Odegbami-inspired Green Eagles suddenly failed at home in their final duel with Tunisia.

No thanks to the famed own goal scored by a hitherto reliable defender, Godwin Odiye. Failure to qualify for Spain ’82 at the last hurdle marked the end of the international career of Odegbami.

Even today, at 72, Odegbami remains as relevant on Nigeria’s football issues as he was 48 years ago. He hung his boots when he played his last competitive match for IICC Shooting Stars against Zamalek of Egypt in December 1984?

His voice cannot be ignored in any discussion of football matters, whether is technical, political or point-blankly, or administrative.

He had made several attempts to join the class of Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer in transiting from the pitch to the board room.

The athletic figure of Segun Odegbami, one of Nigeria’s greatest sportsmen of all time is unmistaken. Slim, tall and often wavering as he towerly takes pacy steps Odegbami remains an icon.

Perhaps, nothing physical has changed much in him when compared with his active playing days in the mid-1970s up to the same period in the 80s.

The only sign of ageing is perhaps the thinning hairs which make him wear a clean-shaven head. He has however been constantly visible in sports scenes, even years after his football career ended.

Mr Mathematical

The inimitable sports commentator, Ernest Okonkwo, nicknamed him “Mathematical” for his wonderful acceleration and precision crosses from the right flank.

Standing at 1.8 metres with a leggy stature and looking very lanky, he could not have been anybody’s idea of a perfect striker in those days.

Odegbami was a sluggish striker

Just few notable Nigerian strikers before him had that almost fragile stature. But he rose to be acknowledged as a continental soccer icon. What impact did his tall physique have not his skill?

“They used to call me sluggish striker” ‘ he once said while recalling his humble beginning as a club player in Ibadan, where he attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan and featured for Housing Corporation before his skills attracted attention from the bigger IICC Shooting Stars in 1974.

He also featured for the Western State team at the first National Sports Festival in 1973.

When he joined the IICC Shooting Stars, he was an inside left player often in jersey number 10 and a support striker playing behind the thunderbolt-shot gifted Moses Otolorin.

Truly, on account of his stature, just like that of the later-day Nwankwo Kanu, he would need space to get perfect control of the ball.

But the tip-tap football that the Shooting Stars were noted for at the time, as opposed to that of kick and rush of Enugu Rangers, seemed okay for the sluggish offensive.

At least that was good enough for him for his skills to be noted when as a member of the Western State team at the inaugural National Sports Festival in 1973, he was invited to the national team under German coach, Othman Calder, in December 1974.

He was just like a snake that moved on rocks without leaving a mark. It would take another 48 months for Odegbami to get to national prominence.

On account of academic pursuit, he agonizingly missed the final match of the 1975 Challenge when IICC Shooting Stars lost 1-0 to Enugu Rangers.

Transformation to speedy striker

Segun Odegbami will also point to any inquisitive journalist that the match against Sierra Leone was the turning point in his international career.

According to Odegbami, who was on the reserve bench in the first leg match in Freetown, the plan of the coach was to bring him in as a substitute for Solomon Oriakhi.

But the plans changed following the drop in form of Baba Otu Mohammed who was featuring on the right wing.

Odegbami was brought in the 42nd minute to replace him and he was quite impressive. “During the training sessions for the return leg, Coach Father Tiko discovered I could be effective on the right wing.

“He instructed me to practice running down the flank and then pulled out towards the goal. I did this several times during the training sessions and it proved effective in the match”, remarked Odegbami.

Odegbami’s first goal for Nigeria

He did not just open scoring in the 25th minute of the match, his other crosses after leaving the left rear guards of the Sierra Leoneans stranded led to Aloysius Atuegbu scoring a brace and Kelechi Emeteole scoring another goal.

For the records, the opening goal was the first of Odegbami’s 21 international goals.

From that moment, he became the speedy right-winger whose effectiveness for both the national team as well as his club, the Shooting Stars, remains unrivalled till today.

Of his goals in international matches, Odegbami rates the goal he scored in Bouake against Côte d’Ivoire in a July 27, 1977 World Cup qualifier as his best.

The goal was the first for Nigeria in a 2-2 draw as the Green Eagles rallied from two goal deficits.

Left winger, Adokiye Amiesimaka levelled up for Nigeria almost in the same fashion that Odegbami scored the first goal.

At the club level, Odegbami rated the goal he scored for Shooting Stars against Maghreb Fez of Morocco in the 1-1 drawn quarter-finals of the 1984 Africa Cup of Champions Clubs as his best.

Shooting Stars won the return leg 4-1 in Ibadan to advance 5-2 on aggregate.

Years ago, recalling some of the memorable moments he had in his playing days, Odegbami spoke of the odd timing of the 1977 Challenge Cup final match of IICC Shooting Stars and the defunct Raccah Rovers of Kano that was played Sunday morning to enable Nigeria beat the CAF deadline for registration for the 1978 Africa Cup Winners competition.

Shooting Stars won the ill-tempered match 1-0 from an Odegbami’s goal which Rovers’ officials were to contest much later after the match had restarted.

Rovers’ players later walked off the pitch.

According to Odegbami, he was mobbed by admirers who stripped him almost to his underwear as the team inched its way back to a hotel in Sam Shonibare Street, Surulere where it lodged.

Odegbami’s 21 goals for Nigeria

• Oct.30, 1976 – World Cup qualifier- Nigeria 6-2 Sierra Leone – 1 goal
• March 26, 1977 – Afcon qualifier-   Nigeria   2-0 Sierra Leone  – 2 goals
• June 25, 1977 – Afcon qualifier Nigeria 3-0 Senegal         – 1 goal           
• July 27, 1977 – World Cup qualifier – Nigeria 2-2 Cote d’Ivoire   –1 goal
• August 27, 1977 – ECOWAS Games- Nigeria 2-0 Sierra Leone   – 2 goals
• October 8, 1977 – World Cup qualifier- Nigeria 4-0 Egypt           –2 goals
• Jan 14, 1978 – All Africa Games qualifier – Nigeria 7-0 Benin    – 3 goals
• Jan 17, 1978 – All Africa Games qualifier – Nigeria 2-0 Benin    – 1 goal
• March 5, 1978 – Africa Cup of Nations – Nigeria 4-2 B/Faso     – 2 goals
• March 8, 1978 – Africa Cup of Nations – Nigeria 1-1 Ghana        – 1 goal
• Nov. 4, 1979 – Friendly- Nigeria 5-0 Benin                                 – 1 goal
• Jan. 26, 1980 – Friendly   Nigeria 1-0 Liberia                        – 1 goal
• March 8, 1980 – Africa Cup of Nations- Nigeria 3-1 Tanzania       – 1 goal
• March 22, 1980 – Africa Cup of Nations      Nigeria 3-0 Algeria   – 2 goals