The a co-educational, fully residential and specialist Senior Secondary School was founded founded in 2021.

Its second edition screening exercise to admit students into academy, kicked off on Wednesday, with students from Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Edo, and Delta State taking part in it.

Mutiu Adepoju while giving his general assessment on the project said: “It’s fantastic; overwhelmed with what I have seen here, from the structure, facilities and environment, it is top notch. I have to thank Engineer Lanre Adeleke for what he’s doing to humanity with this project.

“This is a laudable one and I think we should be grateful for having this kind of edifice here in Osun State.

The ‘Head Master’ who had a session with the students, said further: “Am quite satisfied as we have seen different set of talents as more than 200 students enrolled for the programme.

” Sadly, we can’t pick all of them but we will do our part by picking the best. 41 students will be picked for the different sports.

“The future is bright for Lanreleke Sports Academy (LSA), as am yet to see one sports academy in Nigeria that has the kind of facilities they have.

“For it’s students, they should work hard as the sky is their limit. They have the best platform to excel while combining academics and sports together.”

Green Eagles now Super Eagles legend,
Segun ‘Mathematical’ Odegbami who also was at the screening held at Lanreleke Sports Stadium, Ileogbo, said.

“It’s a world of a difference here as the structures and facilities are well established, as it’s one of the best sports academy in the country. Once the vision and mission remains the same, I foresee a bright future for the academy.

“The turnover has been massive as over a 100 have come on their own to join those we have invited from the five states, just to tryout by showcasing their talents.

” This is a reflection of the results been achieved by the academy.

“Yes we can unearth the next football or sports star from the academy, once the right strategy and coaching are been used.”

The Osun Youth and Sports representative, Special Assistant (OYES) to Osun State Governor, Adeola Olayiwola couldn’t hide his delight too, as he did say, “The academy is a site to behold, delighted at the level of progress and the number of talents that have enrolled for the screening programme with a view of, gaining admission into the sports academy.”

It’s pioneer set of students, made up of 40, (30 boys, 10 girls), all enjoyed a full scholarship, as academic work began in October 2021.

The students aged 14-years, have the minimum educational qualification of the Junior Secondary School Certificate(Junior WAEC) or have obtained their first and second term JSS 3 results, alongside possessing special abilities to do sports, excelling in at least one of football, basketball, athletics and tennis.

Former International and IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan legend, Patrick Olusegun Odegbami has added his voice to the debate on the existence of ‘juju’ in football, confirming its existence, but doubts its efficacy.

Odegbami, it could be recalled, took to his column in some newspapers penultimate week to discuss his experiences on the practice of ‘juju’ while his playing career lasted, said there is ‘juju’ in the game right from the cradles. He spoke as a Guest of the FCT FOOTBALL UPDATE WhatsApp group “PERSONALITY INTERVIEW.

Mathematical Odegbami as he is fondly called said “there is juju in football. There is juju in primary, secondary schools football. There is juju in Nigeria football, there is juju in Africa football, there is juju every where. But, it depends on the context you are looking at it.

“Juju is not always from the negative aspects that people are looking at it. If you seek anything divine to the game of football, it becomes ‘juju’ and everyone is using it one way or the other”.

Odegbami reiterated that on his personal experiences in the game, shows that such does not work. That to succeed in football, that all the basic and fundamental principles of practice and training in the game must be observed.

The former NTC FC of Ibadan and Housing Corporation of Ibadan mesmerizing winger whose skills demystified the then dreaded WNDC Shooting Stars of Ibadan, for NTC to win the Region’s Challenge cup in 1972,
said the composition of the present Super Eagles team with majorly foreign based players should not be a sort of worry to anyone, as every country uses their best of players, no matter where they are based.

He said in the past, majority of the players play at home, so, the bulk of the national team players came from home. He observed that the trend changed in the 80’s following the mass movement of players overseas.

He however sees hope for the NPFL players immediately after the Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world ” I am seeing hope for the best players in country staying at home after the pandemic, as the mass rush to overseas will be reduced, and this will give the Coaches the opportunity to work with the best of players in the domestic league” he concluded.

The former Green Eagles captain developed a formula that will help Nigerian sports to attain global standard, this he gave out to members of the FCT Football Update when he appeared as a guest on their PERSONALITY INTERVIEW segment.

He emphasized the setting of models that will help make the difference and be intentional in the processes, stressing that these processes are basic and inexpensive.

“We have to put in place what will make the difference, what will make the players get better and those things are very basic, they are inexpensive and they are at the ground level- the pitches, the equipment. In football, you have to make the ground first class.

“In other sports, you have to put them into the school curriculum of Primary School and Secondary Schools. You have to give them the power to organize competitions, you have to put the structures in place which have to be functional at local government and State level where development will take place.” He stated

He added that “At the national level, where they will now select the best from all local governments and states, convert them into the elite teams and those are the ones from which you will select those that will represent the country. So you have to take those steps”

Meanwhile, he lamented the state of our local leagues in the country as he preached against making money as the priority. He noted that sponsors will be attracted if structures are reorganized for football to flourish.

Odegbami who made this claim against the insinuation that he had a shortfall in his entire career for not playing overseas, said during his time, playing in Europe was not lucrative. He spoke while fielding questions a guest on FCT Football Update Whatsapp Group.

While many plied their trade in Europe and we’re never heroes, Odegbami noted that he was listed as one of the Best Football Award in Africa while playing at home. A feat which he cherishes the most.

His words “There is no shortfall in my football career. The inability to play in Europe was not a shortfall”.

“I played all my football here, so it ended here so not playing in Europe did not affect it in any way. I attained the greatest height, even beyond Nigeria. Three times I was listed for the Best Footballer in Africa award, this was second to none”

However, the former Green Eagles Captain admits that missing out of the World Cup remains a big regret.

“I narrowly missed out to the World Cup which is the one I really wanted not really playing in Europe, wasn’t fanciful to me at all”

Odegbami who was very prominent in the success stories of Shooting stars in 70s and 80s spoke in an online Personality Interview with the FCT Football Update WhatsApp Platform.

He appreciated the efforts of Rangers International in ensuring that they remain in the top plight of the league since inception in 1970, but bemoaned the inability of Shooting Stars to replicate that, instead, they continued to fluctuate between the Premiership and the lower division of the league.

Odegbami who was the first Nigerian to be named among the 10 best African players in 1976, said until the Oyo state government realized the importance of Shooting Stars in the Socio-political economy of the state, and give it the required attention, the fortune of the club will continue to fluctuate.

He said that the victory of Shooting Stars in 1976 African Winners Cup changed the perspective of many about Nigeria football, leading to his nomination as the third best player in Africa then.

Mathematical Odegbami paid glowing tribute to General David Jemibewon who incidentally clocked 80 years recently, saying he was the best football friendly governor that has ever ruled any of the Western States, with exemption of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

He said that when Shooting Stars (then known as IICC) won the first continental trophy in 1976, General Jemibewon paid all the bonuses and promised to give them a Volzwagen Bettles car if they retain the trophy in 1977.

“General Jemibewon still gave us the cars for our efforts, despite losing in the semi finals to Rangers International of Enugu” he concluded.

Odegbami who was the guest of FCT Football Update WhatsApp Platform said the cancellation of the League season was the best that could have happened at that point.

According to the Ex-international , ” it made absolute sense that in the midst of a pandemic that Nigeria is unprepared for, that we don’t know much about, that the whole world is learning about the virus, for us to plunge our young people and those who follow football into that kind of risk, does not make sense.”

He insisted that the health and safety of the players, officials and the spectators were non negotiable, thereby applauding the cancellation.

The man popularly called “Mathematical” by his admirers said that the high moments in his playing carrer, was “winning the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time”.

Odegbami cited the none qualification of the country for the World cup, as the only regret of the period. He rated improvement in the facilities, equipment and technicalities as the high point of present day football.