How time flies – Debola has made it in America!
Categories: Sports Development
Written By: Segun Odegbami
Can you believe it’s been 3 years since I wrote about this young Nigerian football player I had supported to attend a university in the United States of America. In 2005 Sam Okpodu, former international football player and former coach of the Falcons, came to Nigeria in search of qualified talented footballers that had an interest in combining their football with academics in the university where he was Head Men’s soccer coach! Of the 6 players he wanted to recruit only Debola Ogunseye was lucky enough to pass through the microscopic scrutiny of the American embassy. Debola was a student then of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, from where he was admitted as a transfer student on a full athletics scholarship into Newberry College, a private university in South Carolina, owned by the Lutheran Church.
A few months into his stay at Newberry he had made a name for himself and established a solid reputation in the whole of South Carolina. He became not only the star of the university team but its most outstanding player. Aside from football Debola was also a first class student of exemplary conduct! I saw him then, watched him play and wrote about him in this column!
I met him again this past week. Guess what? He has graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. Whilst waiting for the opportunity of a professional career in Europe, or even in the blossoming MSL in America, he has moved to Furman University, another prestigious private university in Greenville, South Carolina, under another full scholarship to study for a Masters degree. By the way, Debola is still in his early 20s and has the prospect of a full professional career once he is done with his academics!
Francis Moniedafe, Sam Okpodu and I visited him in his university this past week to celebrate his achievement. I saw a very happy and contented young man that had listened to wise counsel and good advice. As we bade him goodbye that evening I could not help but ask him how he now felt about his life. He looked at me with a broad smile and said, ‘I am loving life’. That, for me, says it all. At slightly over 20, with a degree in hand, a second in the making and good prospects of still going on to play professional football, Debola is set for life! Like many others before him that have trodden that path, he sets another example for all Nigerian (indeed African) young sports persons that they should spend the years between ages 17 and 22 acquiring higher education before concentrating on football or any sport for that matter. Check it out, after all 21 or 22 is about the real age (not 17) that most African players (unlike their better fed, early-developing Caucasian counterparts) become ripe enough to start a career at under-17. Let those who are wise work out the arithmetic! Well done Debola!
March 22nd, 2009 at 1:05 PM
I heard about Debola. And to listen to Sam Okpodu speak about him is to hear a proud (very proud) father talking about his child. I agree with Big Seg almost entirely, but for the fact about the age they should turn professional and or concentrate on their chosen sport.
This is very true for football and other team sports, as facts abound; Ian Wright did not turn pro until his very late twenties. See where he is today.However as I am rapidly acquiring a serious and indepth knowledge of tennis first hand, this does not apply to some individual sports(golf is one); in this instance tennis.
If a tennis prospect is not a defined player between 12 and 14, and turn professional between 17 – 19 at the latest 20, then forget it.
That is not saying he/she cannot take it up as a sport or a profession, and actually do well and earn well enough to sustain a high standard of living from it, but he/she is not going to make the top echelon of the sport. Simply because the game relates to age in terms of forming habits (good and bad) and these define the tennis player.
That is also not saying that he/she should neglect education. NO WAY. However, It is a very serious balancing act, with huge financial and psychological demands as I am finding out.
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Janguar, I am glad you are doing your research on tennis and its intricacies. I cannot agree more with your conclusion on this matter. Segun tell “Commander” Felix Owolabi that I will visit in Oyo State soon. Where is my other friend Rahid Yekini? We went to the 1988 Olympics together? Great guys!
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 PM
I shall deliver your massages Sadiq. They are both still in Ibadan and doing well. The issue of sports and education is one that will go on for a long time. I am glad that we have intellectuals and practitioners are getting involved in the discourse.
May 5th, 2009 at 5:25 PM
I cannot be more happier for debola,thank GOD on his life,and family.
God will continue to be with you in all that you do.In case you are reading this,is Lola Aladejebi from sanngo Secondary School,am in Canada.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Hi uncle Segun,
Tks for the enlightened articles people like us read free of charge in you website.
I am happy to read of DEBOLA. Thank God for him and good advisers like you.
Uncle segun, i wrote u a letter through your e-mail last year about my son that need help on his passion to play football, it was not replied. Although he is waiting for admission to the university (sat for JAMB in April), he would love to combine sports
with academics, he is 19 this year.
What do you suggest?
Best regard,
May 13th, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Let him seek for admission into one of the few sports-friendly universities here in Nigeria . I can give some advice on that if you get across to me via email again please! Thanks for your warm words!
June 3rd, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Dear Big Seg,i used to be very sad then when i read you talking about ogunseye debola on dailies because I felt you do not know debola that well as you published in the dailies like you got him that feat he has attained today. Thank God for His understanding,I found out you were realy a great guy who has the youths’ development as a priority,well God bless you sir….. Am sure you want to know how close i was to debola…..
Well I was THE SPORTS DIRECTOR OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION GOVT OF OOU when KOSOMONA( debola’s nickname) was playing soccer. Everyone knows the boy has a career in the game but the unique thing also was the fact that he was doing very well accademically. I used to be the person that helps the boys as per how to get their full allowances whenever there was time for Nuga or Nufol where he was seen as a potential player.
Mr Mathematical,will it interest you to know that i was the guy that officiated the match where coach sam okpodu eventually selected debola and 4 others who unfortunately could not get their transcripts before coach sam returned to the state,I even interviewed him which we published in our school sports paper “famesports” (am sure you remembered sponsoring 2 of our crews to ghana for WAUG IN 2005….. THANK YOU SIR). I am the vice chairman of that organisation under the chairmanship of Mr Kenny Adeyemi,the soccer coach of OOU and the coach psychologist of Gateway FC of Abeokuta at the moment.
Well I thank God for Debola because people can say something good today because the boy has done himself good. Yoruba will say with all due respect to you sir that “a n mesin de odo ni,a kii fipa mu momi”,debola has given himself such accolades to warrant people talking about him. Still you have been a good adviser but you need to do more….. Like an oliver twist,I still ask you for more,let some other guys name start coming up and not just debola alone should be used to thank you…
I would have love to have a personal interraction with you sir but I do not have your personal email….if I can have that,it’ll be good to know what I have in mind..Poeple that has good things in mind do not have a supporter and people without ideas have backups in Nigeria… I was the one that did all the documentations of debola’s team mate in person of doyin also from OOU but we came to your office and we could not meet you,the boy was denied and it was very frustrating for me as a person.. Coach sam said if there are still very talented ones that there wont be problem,……..I like to see you in this area…am not a footballer but have been into sports all my life and i studied economics at OOU,I played volleyball,badminton for OOU before playing ABULA for the states at the last zonal elimination for NSF and infact, was named the state’s overall captain by the commissioner of sports,mr olopade(ozogular) who knows what am capable of doing even as a young athlete manager…
Pls sir, kindly put me on to your email so i can get close and personal with you….
Am presently working with one of the stadia in ogun state as a P A….
TO THE WORLD,UNCLE SEGE HAS BEEN A GOOD INFLUENCE TO YOUTH AND TALENTS…… THANK YOU SIR EVEN AS I HOPE TO READ FROM YOU A TEXT ON 08050271253….
Note>>> sir,when u get to this website ,u’ll see a long jump picture,thats me during a nuga games at U I. 2002……..SEE THE WEBSITE AND PLS ADVICE
July 27th, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Big Seg,am still expecting my response to what i posted on your site… At least a reaction will do me..tenx
July 27th, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Hi Adedeji,
I read your article with interest and was wondering what exactly you are trying to say.
Is it that Big Seg claims to know and has helped Adebola and those are not true?
Or is that your contributions to Adebola’s development were not recognised or acknowledged?
Also, what website is the picture of you on?
Well done for what you say you are doing for the Nigerian youths that you have come in contact with. You are in a good position and seem to be using it well. Keep it up and God bless you.
Big Seg’s email is often at the bottom of his articles – it is segunodegbami@hotmail.com
August 18th, 2009 at 5:20 PM
I am also very proud of Debola as his American Mom:) He works very hard and it shows.
September 13th, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Hello Mr Jaguar,thank you for taking your time to read my post.Well am not realy begging to be recognised but sometime you wonder how it fels to be part of something people are talking about yet not even saying anything like you exists.
Am happy to be the guy that refferred the exhibition match that got debola to where he is today. Not just that i did a lot of work during these period and if you realy want to know what am trying to say… go to .. famesports.8m.com….. just copy from here and paste………
Debola and i have been getting in tourch with each other but of course am not that bouyant to visit yankee as big seg is doing….. Anyway,i still give him kudos cos i knew him when he was the GM of GATEWAY FC……. thenx again for caring…..your words of encouragement is all i need to move on….
September 19th, 2009 at 1:32 PM
You are welcome, Mr Abiodun, It is a pleasure.
I have checked out famesports.8m.com and I am impressed with what you have so far achieved and are doing.
I think I know where you are coming from now, and as I said in my last post, keep up the good work and well done to you and your team.
Your not been acknowledged by Big Seg is not a deliberate omission and does not constitute a lack of appreciation.
As a Frenchman; Alexandre Dumas Pere; once wrote;
“Friendship consists in forgetting; what one gives, and remembering what one receives”, so I am very glad that Adebola has not forgotten what you did for him and that is all that really matters.
Also, remember that; “Blessed are those who can give without remembering and those who take without forgetting”; Elizabeth Bibesco.
September 24th, 2009 at 1:40 AM
Well said Jaguar! Appreciated!
November 13th, 2009 at 5:13 PM
debola, well done boy.
you have made us proud
June 15th, 2010 at 12:57 AM
Good to know this guy is doing well,considering the background and our source (i.e home and church) we came from,i am not surprised but on ly impressed.we were thought to be delligent,focus,determined.even in hardship never giveup.our slogan as friends was WE WILL GET THERE WITH GOD BY OUR SIDE.We put GOD first in all we do.He was a dedicated member in choir then.He plays lead guiter so well.Thks Uncle Seg and pls inform NFF about this guy before hes claimed by other.i know he loves nija and be willing to were the green jersey.So proud of you
July 15th, 2010 at 12:45 AM
Mathematician Sir where does Debola play for currently i heard he play for LA GALAXY…