http://mathematical7.com To instigate, contribute to and promote the development of youths in Nigeria using the power of Sports Fri, 18 May 2012 15:36:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://mathematical7.com/rashidi-yekini-why-the-police-must-step-in-today/ http://mathematical7.com/rashidi-yekini-why-the-police-must-step-in-today/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 10:53:09 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1525 This is one of the most difficult articles I have ever written. I now believe that the universe sought me out some months ago for an assignment, to bear witness and to testify in the unfolding events surrounding the life and death of Rashidi Yekini! But why me?]]> http://mathematical7.com/rashidi-yekini-why-the-police-must-step-in-today/feed/ 24 http://mathematical7.com/barca-the-greatest-team-in-history-messi-the-greatest-player/ http://mathematical7.com/barca-the-greatest-team-in-history-messi-the-greatest-player/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:09:44 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1498 Many people have asked me what team I support. They often expect me to name any one of several teams in the English Premiership. I dissappoint them with my choice. I am an unrepentant fan of the Barcelona FC football style and tradition. Two seasons ago I wrote about the club, what makes them the greatest football team in the world at the time. I also paid my respect to the greatest player I have seen in world football. Two seasons later, my position has been even more reinforced.]]> http://mathematical7.com/barca-the-greatest-team-in-history-messi-the-greatest-player/feed/ 2 http://mathematical7.com/the-return-of-rashidi-yekini-the-goal-scoring-machine/ http://mathematical7.com/the-return-of-rashidi-yekini-the-goal-scoring-machine/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:14:53 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1488 You better believe it - Rashidi Yekini is back! I doubt if there is any African with any interest in African football that will not be familiar with that name. He is that footballer that scored Nigeria's first ever World Cup goal and tore at the net behind the Bulgarian goalkeeper in a scream that reverberated around the world. Only Lauren Pokou before him (with 14 goals) and Samuel Eto (with 15 goals) after him, have scored more goals than him (with 12 goals) at the African Cup of Nations. So good was Rashidi Yekini that he became the first Nigerian to be awarded CAF's African Player of the Year in 1994.]]> http://mathematical7.com/the-return-of-rashidi-yekini-the-goal-scoring-machine/feed/ 9 http://mathematical7.com/kata-kata-when-government-the-law-and-football-mix/ http://mathematical7.com/kata-kata-when-government-the-law-and-football-mix/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:35:17 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1461 This is politics of the football kind. The Nigerian Minister of Sports led a delegation to FIFA in Zurich two weeks ago to inform the FIFA President that peace had finally returned to Nigerian football. Mr. Sepp Blatter was reported to have congratulated him and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, for finding a way to settle the crisis that has been lingering since August 2010 following the controversial elections into the Executive Committee of the NFF. Before 2010 the body that had been administering football in Nigeria was known as the Nigeria Football Association, NFA. In 2010 the congress of the association changed its name to Nigeria Football Federation,]]> http://mathematical7.com/kata-kata-when-government-the-law-and-football-mix/feed/ 0 http://mathematical7.com/the-locust-years-of-african-football-development/ http://mathematical7.com/the-locust-years-of-african-football-development/#comments Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:03:35 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1428 I watched some truly terrific football matches this past week in the various European club championships. That I have chosen to write on another subject matter entirely surprises me also. But the finals of Nigeria's biggest grassroots football championship, the All Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship for the NNPC/Shell Cup takes place this weekend in Lagos, Nigeria, so all eyes shall be riveted there in search of the next generation of players for Nigeria's junior national teams.]]> http://mathematical7.com/the-locust-years-of-african-football-development/feed/ 0 http://mathematical7.com/afcon-2012-the-real-battles-begin/ http://mathematical7.com/afcon-2012-the-real-battles-begin/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:15:02 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1395 The African Cup of Nations, AFCON 2012, are just about to enter second gear. The championship that started rather tamely and tentatively has steadily built up to an exciting mid-competition tempo last Tuesday night when the last 2 teams to pass through the crucible of fire emerged to make up the last 8 teams still standing. The final teams are hosts Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, pre-tournament favourites Cote D'Ivoire and Ghana, trusted fighters, Zambia, last-minute qualifiers, Mali, North African representatives, Tunisia and surprise qualifiers, Sudan. I admit that I got my estimation of Sudan and Senegal very wrong before the start of the championship. I dismissed Sudan by not even listing them amongst the teams in the championship, and chose Senegal as one of the three favourites to get to the finals. Otherwise, at the half-way mark, I give my self a humble pass mark for my other pre-tournament predictions.]]> http://mathematical7.com/afcon-2012-the-real-battles-begin/feed/ 0 http://mathematical7.com/the-fall-of-the-giants-south-africa-egypt-cameroon-and-nigeria/ http://mathematical7.com/the-fall-of-the-giants-south-africa-egypt-cameroon-and-nigeria/#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:41:29 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1358 Without question, the most significant development in African football in 2011 is the fall of the four giants. That South Africa, Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria will be absent from the Africa Cup of Nations coming up in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in about four weeks time marks a milestone in the history of the championship.]]> http://mathematical7.com/the-fall-of-the-giants-south-africa-egypt-cameroon-and-nigeria/feed/ 0 http://mathematical7.com/a-tribute-to-an-african-athletics-legend-sunday-bada/ http://mathematical7.com/a-tribute-to-an-african-athletics-legend-sunday-bada/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:05:56 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1335 I am still in deep shock. Four days ago I was in Abuja when a journalist called and informed me about the death of Sunday Bada. I was numbed in pain and shock. My work for that day terminated immediately, followed by an explosion of questions. How? Where? When? What?]]> http://mathematical7.com/a-tribute-to-an-african-athletics-legend-sunday-bada/feed/ 7 http://mathematical7.com/lets-build-mega-clubs-in-nigeria-rauf-aregbesola/ http://mathematical7.com/lets-build-mega-clubs-in-nigeria-rauf-aregbesola/#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:36:21 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1282 I did not know him or anything about him until he became commissioner of works in the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Even then I did not have a personal encounter with the man even if his reputation preceded him everywhere. It was almost mystical. He was described by those that knew him as a fanatical workaholic! Since he became governor of Osun State,..]]> http://mathematical7.com/lets-build-mega-clubs-in-nigeria-rauf-aregbesola/feed/ 1 http://mathematical7.com/samuel-ojebode-is-critically-ill/ http://mathematical7.com/samuel-ojebode-is-critically-ill/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:30:53 +0000 Segun Odegbami http://mathematical7.com/?p=1280 I am writing this on Thursday morning. I am about to put my original write-up to bed when I receive a call from a former colleague in Shooting Stars Football Club, Ibadan. His words pierce my heart like an arrow. No, God, please do not let it be true. I am blaming myself already. Did I wait too long before making contact with the government of Oyo State?]]> http://mathematical7.com/samuel-ojebode-is-critically-ill/feed/ 3