Izuchukwu OkosiFormer Nigeria international Chief Segun Odegbami who was a member of the Green Eagles that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Nigeria has bared his thoughts on the reward system for Nigeria’s age grade teams in international sporting competitions reports Prime Business Africa.
The onetime IICC of Ibadan winger who is now a media mogul, Consultant and is on the board of a leading Sports newspaper in Nigeria spoke on Sports Parliament on the network service of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
“What is more important to these girls should be their education. At their age, they should be in school and then play football as well.
“If really they are 17 year-olds, then money shouldn’t be the priority now. I would like to see the government offer them scholarships,” Mathematical, as Odegbami was known in his playing days stressed.
Meanwhile, Odegbami’s position is supported by Olympic gold Medallist at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Eniofok Udo-Obong who spoke at Sports Impact Africa a two-day conference organised by media organization, Sports Vision in Lagos Thursday and Friday (November 3 and 4) with the theme: ‘Unleashing Nigeria’s Sports Industry Value Chain and Youth Development Potentials’ held at The Zone, Gbagada, Lagos.
“We need to review our reward system in sports. The U-17 girls are already being promised money but I believe that if a player of the U-17 team is not in the Secondary school, such a player should have no business in the national team,” Udo-Obong who also spoke on other sporting issues added.
Several individuals and corporate organisations have made pledges and monetary donations to the team including Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa who redeemed his promise of N3m to the team coached by Bankole Oloworooke.
The Flamingos are expected to be hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari when he returns from his trip abroad on health grounds.
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.
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