SportsPeople With Gboyega Okegbenro

23/05/2025

My Beautiful Sports Festival Story – Ireland based Handball Great, OSAWE.
His full names are Adeyemi George, a full-blooded Yoruba of Lagos and Ogun state origins.
But he is widely known in sports circles as OSAWE… a moniker he confesses he hardly remembers how it stuck.
Osawe is one of the true heroes and legends of the National Sports Festival (NSF) vision, having taken part in five editions Lagos ‘75, Kaduna ‘77, Oluyole ’79, Edo ’81 and Rivers ‘87 before going abroad for a professional career.
The highly prolific ex-national handball captain and hero of many international competitions is one of the stars and legends lighting up various venues of the ongoing Gateway 2024 Sports Festival.
He spoke to Sportspeople at the Ijeja Stadium handball venue, expressing his delight at the quality of the competition so far. “I’m indeed very happy at the level of play so far. Surely, there’s hope of a great future for the young boys and girls showing their skills here”
Osawe is on record as the first African handball player to get a professional contract in Europe back in 1990. He played for various top clubs in Germany, namely Steinhagen, Spenge, Birhfeld and Hameln before retiring in 2007.
He now lives with his family in Ireland and has a new career in IT, working as a Software Development Engineer. On the side, he coaches the Cork University Handball team and describes Nigeria as a place after his heart.
“Right now, I’m home to see how to help the new generation players develop in the game. I’m presently looking to represent the Southwest Zone on the Handball Federation.
“It’s important to get actively involved”, he says.

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21/05/2025

NULLI SECUNDUS….. OLOPADE'S 500m TREK TO ALMA MATER FOR BOXING
“Nulli Secundus” is a Latin phrase that means “second to none”. It’s also the motto of the illustrious Baptist Boys High School (BBHS), Abeokuta, a school renowned for producing countless world-class leaders including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, late Aare M.K.O Abiola and former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel to mention a few.
It is also the school that produced the current Director General of the National Sport Commission (NSC) and ex-state Commissioner for Youth and Sports ; Hon. Bukola Olopade, currently leading the organization and ex*****on of easily the biggest National Sports Festival hosting in history, Gateway Games 2024 which got underway a few days ago in Ogun State.
The afternoon of Tuesday 20th May was a very busy day for all involved in one aspect or the other with activities of the sports festival.
DG Olopade was one of such top officials running through his heavy schedule and minutes after addressing the media at the Cultural Center, his convoy headed to BBHS venue of the boxing events. After meandering here and there to beat the heavy traffic that had built up at the Sapon intersection, the convoy veered leftwards towards Saje axis and just came to a sudden stop.
The DG, popularly called “ Ozooo”, jumped out of his vehicle, crossed the four lane road to the other side and walked right through the next 500 meters to the school entrance.
He immediately intercepted some young school boys leaving for home, giving them high fives and hailing “ Nulli Secundus…… Nulli Secundus…….
The excited kids were all cheers as he raced through the crowd to take his seat at the arena.

21/05/2025

VETERAN OLYMPIAN, IJIRIGHO WANTS ATTENTION ON MAINTENANCE
Urges States To Replicate Ogun Sports Infra-structure Vision
Lauds NSC On IJA Idea
Though impressed with the state-of-the-art facilities in place at the M.K.O Abiola Sports Complex for the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Gateway Games 2024, veteran Olympian, Dr.Bruce Ijirigho, has expressed concerns over the maintenance culture of such facilities in the country.
The US-based Olympian and erstwhile African and national quarter mile champion urged the Ogun State Government and National Sports Commission (NSC) to urgently work on a clear and sustainable maintenance plan that will ensure these new facilities do not go the way of such heavily-invested sports facilities all over the country.
“We must change from our past poor maintenance culture of our sports facilities. The state government has done very well putting the facilities in place for the use of the athletes, but it does not stop at that.
“They must also ensure that they give proper attention to the maintenance of the facilities in order to help groom and nurture future Olympians. These facilities are new and top class. But if in a couple of months, anything goes wrong, the same Governor would have to source scarce funds to bring them back to standard. So, its much cheaper and advisable to put a maintenance plan in place from this moment. I hope Gov. Dapo Abiodun will give serious consideration to this”, he said.
Ijirigho also urged other states in the country to replicate the intra-structure vision of Ogun State government and also encourage our coaches to go round and identify talents who abound in our towns and villages.
He also applauded the re-introduction of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) idea at the Gateway Games, describing it as a welcome development. “Definitely, we are getting there with the re-introduction of IJA. The idea is timely and should be supported by all. The NSC should be praised for this idea and should go a step further to ensure, as a matter of policy, that it stays through future editions of the NSF”, he concluded.

21/05/2025

ALI…..FOREVER UNSEEN HAND IN NSF SUCCESSES
Yusuf Ali is a household name in Nigerias sports over the last four decades. From a lowly beginning as a school boy athlete representing Ansar-Ud-Deen Grammar School in Lagos in the late 70s to the national stage, international stage and now a towering figure as top track and field coordinator; Ali has always produced top notch performances that impact successes in different form at major national sports events.
His impact at the ongoing Gateway Games 2024 hasnt been anything less. As head of the technical team saddled with the laying of the new ultra-modern tracks, the Auchi-born star has been working his socks off; driving a team of equally dedicated hands working round the clock to ensure everything works to perfection as track and field events got underway on Festival Day 3 (Wednesday, May 21).
Fondly called “Skippo” by friends in the sport for his long-run as captain of Nigerias athletics teams to numerous big stage global competitions, Ali remains dedicated and focused on his passion.
“Im truly glad at another opportunity to help ensure our young athletes have the right surfaces to run and jump on. Its the first step towards proper grooming and scouting our future stars”, he said beaming with smiles as the skies opened up with light showers Tuesday night at the M.K.O Abiola Sports Complex main bowl.

21/05/2025

HURDLES……..FOREVER IN OBASOGIE'S VEINS
Former national Mens Hurdles champion, Dr. Godwin Obasogie, is in the country from his New York, United States base, savoring the experience of the ongoing Gateway Games 2024 holding in different venues across Ogun State.
He has been on ground in Abeokuta alongside his compatriot Dr. Prince Ijirigho, also based in the United States, days ahead of last Sundays Opening Ceremonies, touring the various facilities and motivating young athletes.
In the evening of Tuesday, May 20, second day into the events proper, he was back at the newly refurbished M.K.O. Abiola Sports Complex, making his way onto the new, eight-lane recotan tracks inside the main bowl.
After exchanging pleasantries and words of encouragement with young athletes rounding up their training ahead of commencement of track and field events next day, both respected Olympians took a long walk round the tracks. Rounding up, Obasogie playfully, smiling in excitement as he spoke to various hurdling yechniques; the mental mathematics of strides management, pace management and scaling the hurdles. It was indeed a sight to behold as he really exhibited the axiom that “old tricks or skills never fade”.
Olympians Obasogie and Ijirigho are in town along with compatriot Charlton Ehizuelen to promote their legacy track and field project, FUTURE OLYMPIANS CLASSICS, debuting this year; as well as share ideas with national track and field administrators and the National Sports Commission (NSC) on how to keep Nigerias track and field talents on the front-foot through early scouting; exposure to regular competitions and mentorship; as well as overseas scholarship benefits.

18/05/2025

GREATEST SHOW IN THE LAND !!!
National Sports Festival ( Gateway Games 2024) Opening Ceremony Happening Live....
Ogun State Ticking All The Boxes !
Bold Mix of Power, People, Enterprise, Vision, Culture, Fashion, Pride and Elegance.
Parade, Speeches Over....
DAVIDO Wowing the Audience to a frenzy....
Governor Dapo Abiodun scores BIG on this !
Amazing People...Incredible Atmosphere @ Vintage Ogun Standard Opening Ceremony Showpiece@ MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta tonight!




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Pictures : Gboyega Okegbenro & Ayinde Faruq

13/05/2025

Follow the Gateway Games on the Rocks with ‘Sports People’

Ogun State is very significant in the country as the neigbouring state to the commercial nerve centre of the country, Lagos. Over 10,000 athletes will be competing for honours at the games, holding between May 16th and 31st in various centres of the state.
From the 18th of May, which is the opening ceremony day, yours sincerely, Gboyega Okegbenro, will bring my wealth of experience in sports coverage within and outside Nigeria to bear. I will bring to you SPECIAL FOCUS on behind the scene activities, lifestyles, events and happenings around sportsmen, women and activities beyond the usual daily reportage of events at the festival.
There will also be plenty of interviews and statistical insights into the future champions and who-is-who about the festival yesterday, today and in the future.
SPORTS PEOPLE with GBOYEGA OKEGBENRO will be a bang on all platforms. Join the train to follow the budding talents in the country competing in Nigeria’s version of the Olympic Games.
Come ride with me on this journey in the next two weeks, it will be FUN! Instagram: Sportspeople_with_GOK
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12/05/2025