Izuchukwu Okosi
Former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha is one of former African football superstars who are presently at today’s (Monday) inauguration ceremony of the newly constructed Senegal National Stadium.
The Nigeria legend was a studio analyst at Supersport Television during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon which the Teranga Lions won, their first AFCON title.
The construction of the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, costing an estimated €238 million, began in February 2020 and was finally completed late last year. The 50,000 capacity multi-sports complex will host the Summer Youth Olympics in 2026.
Other African stars of yesteryear attending the opening of the stadium include Samuel Eto’o who is the current Cameroon Football Federation president and Didier Drogba.
“There will be a match between the former glories of Senegal, of all generations, and African stars,” Senegal’s Sports Minster Matar Bâ said.
The continent’s stars of yesteryears, Bâ confirmed, will face former Senegalese internationals in a gala match that will be the first to be played on the new stadium’s pitch. The game will be followed by a presentation of the prestigious AFCON Cup to the Senegal people, with 40,000 expected to grace the occasion.
“There will be a match between the former glories of Senegal, of all generations, and African stars,” Bâ said.
“There will be Okocha, Drogba, Patrick Mboma, Samuel Eto’o and so many others. Of course, the AFCON trophy will be presented to the Senegalese people.
“The stadium, with a capacity of 50,000 seats, will receive for the needs of the inauguration, 40,000 people.
“The opening of the stadium doors is scheduled for 12pm in Nigeria to allow all Senegalese to easily access it with the cards that will be distributed.”
Nearing a decade after quitting active football, Okocha continues to command respect and recognition across the African continent and worldwide.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
Nice link up by the former stars