Nigerian Football
Sports journalism icon, founder of Complete Sports, Ojeagbase transits to glory
Dr. Emmanuel Sunny Ojeagbase, founder and executive chairman of Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspapers, SuccessDigest and other online publications, has passed on to Glory.
He died on Saturday, 26 February, 2022 in Atlanta, United States of America (USA) after a brief illness. He was 71 years.
Dr. Ojeagbase hailed from Uzebba, Iuleha in Owan West of Edo State. Popularly known as Sunny Ojeagbase (or simply “S.O.”) before he added Emmanuel to his names, the late media entrepreneur broke into national consciousness as the pioneer publisher of sports news in Nigeria when he established Sports Souvenir weekly newspaper in 1984.
Before then, he was a retired soldier of the Nigerian Army who cut his teeth in sports journalism as a stringer at the Daily Times newspapers in the mid-1970s.
Through sheer talent, determination and hard work, Ojeagbase blossomed very quickly and was appointed sports editor of Sunday Concord newspapers at inception in 1980 and sports editor of The Guardian newspapers also at inception in 1983.
He resigned from The Guardian in 1984 to pursue his dream as an entrepreneur.
Between 1984 and 1994, Ojeagbase introduced several other pioneering sports titles including Complete Football magazine, Complete Football International (CFI) and International Soccer Review (ISR) into the Nigerian sports market.
Remarkably, the Complete Football titles played very prominent roles in ensuring Nigeria’s first appearance at the FIFA World Cup at USA 1994 as well as the country’s football Gold medal win at the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games also in the USA.
Between those two historic events in Nigerians sports, Ojeagbase introduced Complete Sports as the Number One daily sports newspaper in Nigeria in 1995.
Also in 1994, Ojeagbase co-founded with his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Esther Ojeagbase, the Success Attitude Development Centre (SADC) with a vision and mission to teach young Nigerian entrepreneurs how to start, run and make a success of their businesses. SADC has gone on to produce and inspire thousands of successful entrepreneurs who are protégés of the Ojeagbase’s and many of whom are now employers of labour.
Dr. Ojeagbase was ordained as a Pastor in March 2003 and he preached the message of God in words and in deeds to everyone who encountered him.
His mantra was to do business and live life with the fear of God, integrity, compassion and peace of mind. He was a totally self-made man who was passionate about acquiring knowledge as attested to by a huge library filled with books on business management, leadership, entrepreneurship and related fields.
He had a Diploma in Journalism from the University of Lagos, but he was conferred with a honorary Doctorate degree by a different institution for his accomplishments as an entrepreneur.
He also received tons of awards and recognitions for his contributions to sports journalism, publishing, business mentorship and entrepreneurship.
Pastor Ojeagbase was a rallying point for members of his immediate and extended families and also a benefactor to thousands of people.
He created and facilitated breakthrough opportunities and jobs for young journalists and contemporaries alike. His generosity and philanthropy was limitless.
He was completely detribalized and, despite being a Pastor, was extremely tolerant and unbiased to people of other faiths. He was a good man at heart and a great man in achievements.
Pastor, Dr. Sunny Emmanuel Ojeagbase is survived by his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Esther Ojeagbase, his children both biological and adopted, as well as grandchildren and other relatives. He will also be sorely missed by friends, mentees and business associates.
Condolence registers have been opened at Complete Sports headquarters at Plot 9, Alhaji Adenekan Street, Okota, Lagos; and at SADC headquarters, No. 36, Esuola Street, Off Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.
Burial arrangements will be announced by the family.
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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