As the African Cup of Nations countdown continues, it is only right that we pause to honour one of the greatest Nigerians ever to lace a pair of boots — Olusegun Patrick Odegbami. In a country blessed with talent, some names live forever. Some names grow beyond football, beyond entertainment, beyond generations. Some names become culture, and Segun Odegbami is one of them.

The tragedy of our society is that we often wait until our legends are gone before we celebrate them. But not today. Not with him. Not with a man whose life has become a textbook on excellence — on the field and far beyond it.

Because Segun Odegbami is not just a football legend — he is an institution.

THE MAN BEHIND THE LEGEND

Segun Odegbami is a household name that travelled through every nook and cranny of Nigeria — from radios in the 70s, to black-and-white TVs in the 80s, to textbooks, newspapers, billboards, and now digital platforms.

He is the rare human who seems to succeed at everything he touches:

• A graduate of The Polytechnic Ibadan (one of Nigeria’s most prestigious institutions)

• A celebrated broadcaster and columnist

• A sports administrator and athlete manager

• A businessman, founder, and proprietor of multiple ventures, including The International Sports Academy (WASCE)

• A community leader, mentor, author, thinker, and one-time FIFA presidential aspirant

But long before the fame, before the microphone, before the business ventures, there was football.
And on the football field, he was poetry.

GROWING UP WITH ODEGBAMI: A PERSONAL MEMORY

For many Nigerians, Segun Odegbami wasn’t just a name — he was a weekend ritual.

Growing up, I never wanted to miss his Saturday program on NTA Channel 10, where he broke sporting stories with the precision of a surgeon. His voice was calm but firm, his angles were detailed, and his opinions always had weight. He didn’t just analyze sports — he educated you.

He spoke with a blend of charm and authority that made women admire him and made young boys dream of being like him.

He was — and still is — the definition of grace.

THE FOOTBALL EXPLOITS: “MATHEMATICAL” FOR A REASON

Segun Odegbami earned the nickname “Mathematical” because of the precision of his dribbling, his flawless ball control, his intelligence, and his ability to calculate passes and finishes like a man solving equations on the field.

He played as a right winger, but his style was so unique that he looked like a modern forward decades before modern football was invented.

SHOOTING STARS OF IBADAN: THE STAR THAT SHONE EARLY

Odegbami’s club career with Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in Ibadan remains one of the greatest ever.

With Shooting Stars, he:

• Became one of the most feared wingers in Africa

• Led the club to multiple domestic successes

• Was a key part of the team that won the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1976, giving Nigeria its first continental club title

His pace, his crosses, his intelligence — everything was elite. Shooting Stars fans still speak his name with pride and the kind of emotion reserved for kings.

THE GREEN-AND-WHITE HERO: CARRYING NIGERIA ON HIS SHOULDERS

Odegbami played for the Nigerian national team between 1976 and 1982, earning over 40 caps and scoring 23 goals, making him one of Nigeria’s all-time top goalscorers.

But his greatest chapter — his immortal chapter — came in 1980, right on home soil.

AFCON 1980: THE YEAR HE LED NIGERIA TO CONQUER AFRICA

Before 1980, Nigeria had never won the AFCON.
We had come close, we had tried, we had hoped — but the trophy always slipped away.

Then came Segun Odegbami.

At AFCON 1980, hosted in Lagos and Ibadan, he didn’t just play — he carried the nation.

His AFCON 1980 Highlights:

• Led Nigeria’s attack with unmatched brilliance

• Scored two iconic goals in the final against Algeria

• Finished the tournament as joint top scorer with 3 goals

• Helped Nigeria win its first-ever AFCON title

• Delivered one of the greatest individual performances in AFCON history

He didn’t just win the trophy —
He defined the tournament.

The image of him lifting the AFCON trophy in Lagos remains one of Nigeria’s greatest sporting memories.

HIS OTHER AFCON APPEARANCES

Odegbami also represented Nigeria in earlier AFCON tournaments, including:

AFCON 1978 in Ghana

• Helped Nigeria win the bronze medal

• Played a crucial role in the attack

• Emerged as one of the best wingers in Africa at the time

He might have played only two AFCON tournaments, but his impact is the stuff of legend.

AFTER FOOTBALL: A LIFE OF CONSISTENT SUCCESS

Many footballers fade away after retirement.
Segun Odegbami did the opposite —
He became even more influential.

He:

• Became a respected columnist whose articles shaped the way Nigeria talked about sports

• Hosted top-rated sports programmes on TV and radio

• Built sports academies that developed the next generation

• Entered politics

• Ventured into business

• Championing youth development

• Stayed relevant for over four decades

Most importantly, he became a bridge between generations — from the old Nigeria to the new.

He remains a symbol of excellence, intellect, and discipline.

WHY WE CELEBRATE HIM TODAY

Segun Odegbami is more than a footballer.
He is a mentor, a national treasure, a cultural icon, and a man whose life proves that greatness is not a moment — it is a lifestyle.

As AFCON approaches and Nigeria turns its eyes to the continent once again, it is fitting to honour the man who first showed us that we could conquer Africa.

A man who showed us that with discipline, intelligence, and passion, anything is possible.

A man who is still alive, still active, still inspiring.

Segun Patrick Olusegun Odegbami — Mathematical — we celebrate you.
Today, tomorrow, and always.

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