MEDIA
Let’s Celebrate My Mentor @ 80 !
BY GBOYEGA OKEGBENRO
Today, one of the greatest influences on my sportswriting career, Uncle Fabio (real name, Adesola) Lanipekun turns 80.
It all seems like yesterday when his childhood friend and confidant, my late Oga and first Editor, late Elijah Ayo Ositelu (aka The Arena), set me off to the National Stadium on my pre-hire, test- assignment as a young Sports Reporter for Punch Newspapers in August 1983.
It was a boxing assignment and Arena, after the preliminary rookie reporter review protocols in his office, tucked his call card into my hand, with a short note on the back, to give to “Mr. Fabio Lanipekun” at NTA Sports portacabin office.
Time was 4pm. thereabout and I was to watch two key bouts of a rigorous pre-1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games national boxing selection trials; and race back to Onipetesi with a report for the next day’s publication.
I got to his office in a jiffy but Uncle Fabio was very busy. After about 20 minutes wait, I was restless and sweating in the well- ventilated reception.
I soon walked up to late Uncle Yinka Craig as he was about to drive out in his Honda Civic car.
I introduced myself and my mission in their office. YC took me straight to Uncle Fabio’s office and instantly, he asked one of the junior staff to take me to the sports hall and hand me over to late Walter Oyatogun who was Announcer and Media Coordinator at the trials.
I got my job done, raced back to Punch; my report made the next day’s second edition and pronto……the journey started.
In his typical humane and youth-friendly style, I soon became one of Uncle Fabio’s favorite “aburos” in the then sportscity.
Over time, I got so close to Uncle Fabio and learnt invaluable skills and insights from his deep knowledge of ALL SPORTS.
Though a tv supremo, he was such an avid reader that would note and point out every wrong point, logic or perspective in your newspaper reports. The boys loved that aspect of him to bits !
Uncla Fabio’s passion was teaching, encouraging and “spoiling” us his younger colleagues, especially on foreign trips where, every evening after work, he relished telling us stories of past historic sports events he covered in different parts of the world; challenges encountered; triumphs; frightening flight experiences; and of course, his tireless and generous indulgences of our culinary and gulping appetite .
My prayer today as our very resourceful, likeable amd generous Oga, the great Uncle Fabio Lanipekun, the Iroko of Sports TV Broadcasting in Nigeria, turns 80, is that God Almighty continues to uphold and bless him with good health and abundant happiness.
Happy birthday Sire and thanks for EVERYTHING !!!
By KUNLE SOLAJA.
Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has urged Nigeria to adopt sports as a central pillar of national economic development, describing it as an untapped solution to the country’s youth unemployment crisis.
Speaking at the public presentation of sports journalist Mumini Alao’s autobiography at the University of Lagos, Fashola said Nigeria’s policymakers have “ignored a solution hiding in plain sight” by failing to fully develop sports as a business.
“Sports is a profession that employs mainly young people from their teenage years to around 40.
“When I reflect on the Nigerian problem of youth employment, I tell myself that it persists perhaps because we have been ignoring the solution,” he stated.
Fashola cited global examples of sports as a major economic driver, including the English Premier League’s £3.36 billion GDP contribution to the UK economy in 2015, and Saudi Arabia’s recent sports investments that have added 1% to its GDP.
He recommended integrating sports into national development plans, revamping school curricula to nurture talent from an early age, developing modern sports infrastructure, and ensuring safety, security, and good governance in sports administration.
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Top dignitaries expected at the public presentation of frontline journalist Mumini Alao’s autobiography have been confirming their attendance at the event, which will hold at the Tayo Aderinokun Lecture Theatre, University of Lagos, on Sunday, 10th August 2025, at 1:00 pm.
Top of the bill is former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who will deliver a lecture on the topic, ‘Rethinking the Current Football Business Model in Nigeria As a Catalyst for Sports Development.’ Fashola met Alao at the final of the ITTF Africa Youth Cup table tennis tournament at the Teslim Balogun stadium on Tuesday, 5th August and reassured the author of his preparedness for the lecture.
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, also noted his commitment to the event in a message sent to the author, who is the speaker’s constituent in the Agege area of Lagos State, where he (Alao) grew up.
Obasa will be the chief presenter of the autobiography. He will be supported by Honourable Kabiru Amadu, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports.
Also confirming his attendance is the Chairman of the occasion, Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC). Dikko will lead other top sports officials from the NSC, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to listen to Fashola’s postulation on Nigerian football.
Rounding off the list of principal guests expected at the public lecture and book presentation is former sports minister Senator John Owan Enoh who is currently the Minister of State for Industry. Enoh wrote a foreword in the book alongside former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu.
Other guests expected at the event are federal and states sports associations officials, Nigerian former Olympians and former Super Eagles players, journalists, family, friends, associates and fans of the book writer.
Dr. Mumini Alao, is an accomplished Nigerian sports journalist, author and media entrepreneur. He rose to the position of group managing director of Complete Communications Limited, publishers of widely-read popular journals, Complete Football magazine and Complete Sports newspapers. His last published book was “The Making of Nigeria’s Dream Team: Football Gold Medal Winners At Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games.”
Alao’s latest work, his autobiography, is a no-holds-barred narration of his professional and private lives spanning 60 years. Dr. Bolu John Folayan of the Department of Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro will be the book reviewer, while SuperSports presenter, Mozez Praiz, will be the master of ceremony.
The event will be streamed live to a global audience on the YouTube channel of Complete Sports.
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All is set for the public presentation of the autobiography of renowned Nigerian sports journalist, Dr. Mumini Alao, with former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), confirmed as the keynote speaker at the high-profile event.
Dr. Alao, a respected figure in Nigerian sports media and former Group Managing Director of Complete Communications Ltd., announced the development following a meeting with Fashola on Tuesday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium during the finals of the ITTF Africa Youth Cup.
Everyone anxiously awaits the launch of the autobiography. It is about one of Nigeria’s best sports journalists. This author has contributed appreciably to Nigeria’s sports literature.
The former governor, who was at the venue to present trophies at the continental table tennis event, confirmed his readiness to speak at the book launch scheduled for Sunday, August 10, at the University of Lagos.
According to Dr. Alao, Fashola will speak on the topic: “Rethinking the Current Football Business Model in Nigeria as a Catalyst for Sports Development.”
“I’m sure this topic will be of interest to all of us stakeholders in Nigerian football,” Dr. Alao remarked, while inviting members of the public and sports community to grace the event.
The book, chronicling Alao’s decades-long career in sports journalism, promises to be a compelling reflection on the evolution of Nigerian sports media, landmark events, and the personalities that have shaped the industry.
The launch is expected to attract a broad audience of media professionals, football administrators, athletes, and policymakers.
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