Legendary Footballer, Chief Segun Odegbami, and Sports Historian, Emeka Obasi, are on the podium this coming Sunday, October 13, 2024, on the popular monthly online interview discourse, Boiling Point Arena, to brainstorm on the declining fortunes of sporting activities in Nigeria.
Both Odegbami, otherwise called “Mathematical” and Emeka Obasi, former Managing Editor of Telegraph Newspapers, are to dissect how to rescue Nigeria from all-round defeat in virtually all sporting activities over time.
The topic of discourse is: *”Sports: A Mirror of the Cesspool of Corruption In Nigeria, 64 Years of few Gains, Many Misses and Bunglings”*
The 24th in the series, the once-in-a-month current affairs programme holds on Sunday at 8pm for a two-hour duration via Zoom and to be transmitted live on a radio station, Sweet 107.1FM.
Boiling Point Arena, with an incredibly large online followership, is the brainchild of the Convener, Dr Ayo Arowojolu, a media professional with 34 years multi-varied work career spanning the media, banking and education sectors.
Patrick Olusegun Odegbami, who turned 72 last August, was a Nigerian Professional Player who was the toast in football circles many decades ago around the 1970s and the 80s.
Odegbami won 46 caps and scored 23 goals for the Nigeria National Team which he guided to its first Africa Cup of Nations title at the 1980 tournament.
Nicknamed Mathematical, he was famous for his skill on the ball, speed and precision of his crosses from the right wing, with Jersey number 7. He played for IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan his entire career, from 1970 to 1984.
In 1976, he won the African Cup Winners’ Cup with Shooting Stars F.C. Nigeria’s first African club trophy. A Mechanical Engineer, Odegbami is owner of a radio station called Eagles 7 Sports Radio 103.7 FM located in Wasinmi, near Abeokuta.
For his part, Emeka Obasi, a multifaceted journalist with several laurels who has been reporting sports since close to four decades, was erstwhile Sports Editor, Champion Newspapers.
Obasi had covered Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, African Union Summit, FIFA Under-20 Championships and the African Nations Cup a couple of times.
A comparative historian, he is also a one-time Board of Trustees, Nigeria National Sports Hall of Fame. Emeka Obasi’s two weekly Columns, SportsFlakes and Emissary, are favourites to many newspaper readers.
A foremost traditional ruler, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Prof. Saka Matemilola, is expected to deliver a keynote speech to herald the discourse, in his capacity as Chairman, Boiling Point Council of Royals and Elders.
According to a statement by the Chairman, Organizing Committee for the programme, Dr Eddy Ademosu, one of Nigeria’s notable Public Relations Icon, the interview discourse would attempt an appraisal of how Nigeria has fared with sports development and dissect the issue of corruption within the various agencies of government saddled for that purpose.
Dr Ademosu commended the Management of Sweet FM, chaired by its Promoter, Senator Olugbenga Obadara, for identifying with worthy causes through partnering with the Boiling Point platform to widen the audience reach of the programme through its terrestrial and online channels
BOILING POINT, a news and general interest Group, comprises an array of eminent personalities including over 300 Professors, technocrats, industry leaders, High Court Justices, traditional rulers, security top shots, media professionals and several others.
