MEDIA
Segun Odegbami: Nigeria’s all-time best number 7 lands on 7th decade milestone
GBOYEGA OKEGBENRO
This day, August 27th, exactly 70 years ago in 1952, a star was born into the family of late Pa Jacob Adebola and Madam Bintu Abeke Odegbami, the former, a retired Nigerian Railway worker; and the latter, a successful and very popular trader.
They both hailed from Wasinmi Community in Ogun State and long settled in Jos, Plateau State, where they lived into their advanced years.
That little star is Nigeria’s sports icon, serial entrepreneur, master storyteller, great writer, broadcaster, educationist, author, actor, publisher, sports administrator per excellence, Chief Patrick Olusegun Odegbami, (MON).
Turning 70 in Nigeria of today is clearly big deal. The reasons are obvious. But ask any close watcher of the celebrant’s daily work ethic, cerebral endeavours and athleticism.
One of the most popular Nigerians of his generation, Big Seg came into everything desirable quite early in life…….fame, money, travels, cars, houses and the good life. By stroke of divine luck, he had successfully managed the highs and lows and is in good health; in company of his loving wife, children and can happily look back and thank God.
Big Seg is a quintessential gentleman; extremely charity-driven, easy going though fun-loving; ever courteous, highly detribalized, humorous; friendly, God-fearing and a master on the dance floor.
Nigeria owes this man a deserved acknowledgement and celebration on a day like this given his contributions to national development via his three areas of passion, namely sports, education and youth development/entrepreneurship.
Though he came into prominence in the late 60s through football, starring as a member of the all-conquering Western State Academicals, then onto NTC FC, WNTV/WNBS FC, Housing of Ibadan FC; it was when he joined the popular Shooting Stars of Ibadan from 1970 to 1984 that he shot into true stardom and attracted national attention; earning instant call up to the senior national team as a 22-year-old in 1974.
He however did not play for the national team until 1976, making his debut against Sierra Leone and going on to establish himself as the poster boy of the team until October 30, 1981 when he made his last appearance in a 2-1 home loss to Algeria.
To be sure, he was still at his football best but had to consider early retirement owing to a recurring knee injury that defied huge investments in treatment at home and abroad; halting his glittering career and leaving him to pursue even more expository, technical and creative endeavours within and outside sports, which had kept his name and image not only relevant, but soaring till date.
Big Seg’s ability to switch, interplay and multi-task in different extreme roles, requiring completely unrelated skillsets, to my mind, have been his defining strength over the years.
At different times since leaving active football, he has been a newspaper columnist, writer, publisher, television producer, sports school proprietor, actor, track and field athlete manager, football administrator, national team manager and much more… making a success of all.
It is on record that this great man conceptualized and created Nigeria’s first wholly private sports show on television, SATURDAY SPORTS SPECIAL, in the early nineties.
A man of many novelties, Big Seg did not only give Nigerian sports fans quality entertainment on this show, but also delivered an unforgettable legacy by his ingenuity in featuring two little but very sharp boys , Wole Opatola and Shina Okeleji, then in their early teens, as co-presenters.
To his eternal credit, the two youngsters are now very accomplished sports journalists holding their own in the industry. Wole runs a successful sports publishing and radio /tv production business in Benin while Shina is a leading producer at BBC World Service.
Though he has extended his creative abilities into other areas outside sports, especially education and entrepreneurship in the last 30 years, Big Seg however kept digging further and deeper into more creative endeavours in sport.
In 2003, he founded Nigeria’s first multi-sports secondary school, Segun Odegbami International College & Sports Academy in Wasinmi, Ogun State. Indeed, Odegbami could be rightly described as “creatively restless”.
He possesses an uncommon capacity for thinking up one brilliant idea after the other. Those close to him will confirm how boundlessly creative he is.
Big Seg has had his good and bad experiences especially in Sports Administration but he is unfazed about it. At different times in the last 25 years, he aspired to be President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
He also toyed with the idea of a joint World Cup hosting involving four West African countries, Togo, Republic of Benin and Ghana, led by Nigeria. Just as he also at a time took a shot at the FIFA Presidency.
Often, he never seeks your concurrence or endorsement no matter how close. He just to puts you in the know and have you understand his motivations, objectives and convictions.
This year alone, he has launched into many innovative and audacious projects, including the highly successful CONVERSATIONS initiative; which is leveraging on his interesting relationship with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA); an idea that seeks to position Sport in its right place as a tool of international relations and diplomacy.
His latest baby, Eagle 7 Sports Radio is also on full throttle, blasting quality programs through the airwaves from its Panseke, Abeokuta base to the entire South West and neighbouring cities.
At 70, it’s clearly not slow-down time for my friend and confidant…the one and only Mathematical!
*Okegbenro, a sports and communications consultant writes in from Lagos
The Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Tunde Popoola, has commended the organisers of the annual Sportsville Special Recognition Award for sustaining the initiative and maintaining consistency since its inception.
Popoola, a former international hockey player, remarked on Thursday night after receiving a briefing on preparations for this year’s ceremony scheduled for March 28 at the Lagos Country Club.
Speaking during the briefing, Popoola praised the organisers for keeping the awards running successfully over the years.
“I must commend you guys for doing a great job. I can’t believe this is already the sixth edition. I am glad about the sustenance of this laudable initiative,” he said.
He noted that consistency remains a major challenge for many initiatives in Nigeria, adding that the Sportsville Awards have distinguished themselves by staying true to their vision.
“One thing I have seen and observed in Nigeria is that only a few organisations like yours are consistent when it comes to pursuing their vision. I am excited that Sportsville is making all the difference because it is consistency that builds big brands globally,” Popoola added.
In his response, the Chief Executive Officer of Sportsville, Frank Ilaboya, thanked the NOC secretary general for recognising what he described as the organisation’s modest contribution to the nation’s sports ecosystem.
Ilaboya, a former chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos State chapter, said the organisers remain committed to building a credible platform that celebrates excellence in Nigerian sports.
“We are here for the long haul. The vision is clear—to build a brand that is not only credible but one that will stand the test of time. I am very positive that the Sportsville Special Recognition Award will achieve this status in a few years to come,” he said.
The sixth edition of the awards ceremony will be chaired by the Chairman of Brila Media Group, Larry Izamoje, one of Nigeria’s foremost sports media entrepreneurs.
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Organisers of one of Nigeria’s most glamorous and credible sports award ceremonies have announced March 28 as the date for this year’s edition of the Sportsville Special Recognition Award.
According to a statement signed by Harry Iwuala, Chairman of the 2026 Award Committee, the ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 28, at the prestigious Lagos Country Club, Ikeja.
Iwuala, who also serves as Media Director of the Nigeria Premier Football League, described the announcement as the culmination of months of meticulous planning and a painstaking selection process.
“We’re delighted to announce a date for this year’s ceremony following a painstaking planning and selection process. It has been months of planning and preparations, and I am glad that we have finally picked a date for the ceremony,” Iwuala said.
He assured stakeholders that the list of honourees — to be unveiled in the coming weeks — would reflect the award’s core values of integrity and credibility.
“We will be unveiling the personalities and corporate organisations to be celebrated very soon, but I can assure you that they are men and women who have done a good job in sports development in the country.
“Our selection process was thorough to keep faith with the Award motto, which is credibility,” added Iwuala, who has also headed the Media Committee of the successful Niger Delta Games in successive editions.
Sixth Edition Promises Innovation
Speaking on behalf of Sportsville Communication Ltd, the organisers of the award, Chief Executive Officer Frank Ilaboya, said preparations are already in top gear for what promises to be an innovative sixth edition.
“This year will be our sixth edition, and I am happy with the impact and progress the award has made in the country,” Ilaboya stated.
He emphasised that credibility remains the cornerstone of the awards.
“One thing that gives me joy is the credibility of the award we give out every year. We ensure that those truly deserving get the award. And we are determined to keep doing this year after year.”
According to Ilaboya, awards will be presented in seven categories this year:
- Sports Icon
- Sports Personality
- Sports Transformative Category
- Special Recognition Category
- Achievers Category
- Innovative Category
- Sports Facilities Category
He added that the long-term ambition is to elevate the Sportsville Special Recognition Award into Africa’s most glamorous and respected sports honours platform.
“We will keep on working hard year in and year out until we achieve our target of making the Sportsville Special Recognition Award the best and most glamorous not only in Nigeria but in Africa.
“The past five years have proven to be exciting, and the level of plaudits from the awardees and non-awardees alike shows that we are on the right course,” Ilaboya said.
Celebrating Two Decades of Sports Broadcasting
The Sportsville Special Recognition Award was initiated five years ago as part of activities marking 20 years of continuous broadcast of Sportsville as an independent producer of sports programming in Nigeria.
Today, Sportsville stands as one of the longest-running independent sports shows on air in sub-Saharan Africa — a testament to resilience, consistency, and commitment to sports development.
With the March 28 date now confirmed, anticipation is building within Nigeria’s sporting community as administrators, athletes, corporate sponsors and media personalities look forward to another evening of celebration at Lagos Country Club.
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Journalists in Akwa Ibom State and beyond are set to converge in Uyo for a one-day workshop on investigative journalism organised by the Committee for the Ray Ekpu Prize for Investigative Journalism in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
The workshop, scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2026, will take place at the NUJ Auditorium, Information Drive, Uyo, beginning at 10 a.m.
Organisers say the training is designed to strengthen investigative reporting skills among journalists, enhance ethical standards, and deepen the culture of accountability journalism in Nigeria.
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Dayo Aiyetan, Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Abuja. Aiyetan, a respected investigative journalist and media development expert, is expected to share insights on contemporary investigative techniques, data-driven reporting, and navigating legal and safety challenges in the field.
Supporting the keynote address will be Ibanga Isine, an investigative reporting veteran based in Uyo. Isine will provide practical perspectives drawn from years of field experience, focusing on story development, sourcing, and sustaining impactful investigations at the local level.
Chairman of the Committee for the Ray Ekpu Prize for Investigative Journalism, Nsikak Essien, FNGE, described the workshop as part of ongoing efforts to promote excellence and integrity in journalism. He noted that investigative reporting remains a critical pillar of democratic governance and public accountability.
Also lending his voice to the initiative, the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Council of the NUJ, Nsibiet John, urged journalists in the state to take advantage of the opportunity to sharpen their skills and reinforce professional standards.
The Ray Ekpu Prize for Investigative Journalism was instituted to encourage rigorous, fact-based reporting and to honour outstanding contributions to investigative journalism in Nigeria.
Participants are expected to engage in interactive sessions, discussions, and practical exchanges to equip them with tools to uncover hidden truths and report with courage and responsibility.
The organisers reaffirmed their commitment to nurturing a new generation of investigative journalists capable of holding institutions accountable and advancing public interest reporting in the country.
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