Connect with us

BIG STORY

Segun Odegbami At 70: Restless, Creative And Mathematical

Published

on

On this day, August 27th, exactly 70 years ago in 1952, a star was born into the family of late Pa Jacob Adebola and Madam Bintu Abeke Odegbami, the former, a retired Nigerian Railway worker; and the latter, a successful and very popular trader. They both hailed from Wasinmi Community in Ogun State and long settled in Jos, Plateau State, where they lived into their advanced years. That little star is Nigeria’s sports icon, serial entrepreneur, master storyteller, great writer, broadcaster, educationist, author, actor, publisher, and sports administrator per excellence, Chief Patrick Olusegun Odegbami, (MON). Turning 70 in Nigeria of today is clearly a big deal.

The reasons are obvious. But ask any close watcher of the celebrant’s daily work ethic, cerebral endeavors, and athleticism. One of the most popular Nigerians of his generation, Big Seg came into everything desirable quite early in life – fame, money, travels, cars, houses, and the good life. By a stroke of divine luck, he had successfully managed the highs and lows and is in good health; in the company of his loving wife, and children and he can happily look back and thank God. Big Seg is a quintessential gentleman; extremely charity-driven, easy-going though fun-loving; ever courteous, highly detribalized, humorous; friendly, God-fearing, and a master on the dance floor.

Nigeria owes this man a deserved acknowledgment and celebration on a day like this given his contributions to national development via his three areas of passion, namely sports, education, and youth development/entrepreneurship. Though he came into prominence in the late ’60s through football, starring as a member of the all-conquering Western State Academicals, then onto NTC FC, WNTV/WNBS FC, Housing of Ibadan FC; it was when he joined the popular Shooting Stars of Ibadan from 1970 to 1984 that he shot into true stardom and attracted national attention; earning an instant call up to the senior national team as a 22-year-old in 1974.

He however did not play for the national team until 1976, making his debut against Sierra Leone and going on to establish himself as the poster boy of the team until October 30, 1981, when he made his last appearance in a 2-1 home loss to Algeria.

To be sure, he was still at his football best but had to consider early retirement owing to a recurring knee injury that defied huge investments in treatment at home and abroad; halting his glittering career and leaving him to pursue even more technical and creative endeavors within and outside sports, which have kept his name and image not only relevant but soaring till date.

Big Seg’s ability to switch, interplay, and multitask in different extreme roles, requiring completely unrelated skillset, to my mind, has been his defining strength over the years. At different times since leaving active football, he has been a newspaper columnist, writer, publisher, television producer, sports school proprietor, actor, track and field athlete manager, football administrator, national team manager, and much more… making a success of all. It is on record that this great man conceptualized and created Nigeria’s first wholly private sports show on television, SATURDAY SPORTS SPECIAL, in the early nineties.

A man of many novelties, Big Seg did not only give Nigerian sports fans quality entertainment on this show but also delivered an unforgettable legacy by his ingenuity in featuring two little but very sharp boys, Wole Opatola and Shina Okeleji, then in their early teens, as co-presenters.

To his eternal credit, the two youngsters are now very accomplished sports journalists holding their own in the industry. Wole runs a successful sports publishing and radio /TV production business in Benin while Shina is a leading producer at BBC World Service. Though he has extended his creative abilities into other areas outside sports, especially education and entrepreneurship in the last 30 years, Big Seg however kept digging further and deeper into more creative endeavors in sport. In 2003, he founded Nigeria’s first multisports secondary school, Segun Odegbami International College & Sports Academy in Wasinmi, Ogun State. Indeed, Odegbami could be rightly described as “creatively restless”. He possesses an uncommon capacity for thinking up one brilliant idea after the other.

Those close to him will confirm how boundlessly creative he is. Big Seg has had his good and bad experiences, especially in Sports Administration but he is unfazed about it. At different times in the last 25 years, he aspired to be President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

He also toyed with the idea of a joint World Cup hosting involving four West African countries, Togo, Republic of Benin, and Ghana, led by Nigeria. Just as he also at a time took a shot at the FIFA Presidency. Often, he never seeks your concurrence or endorsement no matter how close. He just to puts you in the know and have you understand his motivations, objectives, and convictions.

This year alone, he has launched into many innovative and audacious projects, including the highly successful CONVERSATIONS initiative; which is leveraging on his interesting relationship with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA); an idea that seeks to position Sport in its right place as a tool of international relations and diplomacy. His latest baby, Eagle 7 Sports Radio is also on full throttle, blasting quality programs through the airwaves from its Panseke, Abeokuta base to the entire South West and neighboring cities. At 70, it’s clearly not slow-down time for my friend and confidant – the one and only Mathematical!

Credit: Gbenga Okegbenro

BIG STORY

JUST IN: CBN Increases Banks Capital Base To N500bn, N200bn For National Commercial Banks

Published

on

The capital basis for commercial banks with international permission has been raised to N500 billion by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The policy change was confirmed by Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, CBN’s acting director of corporate communications. in a declaration.

She added that commercial banks with regional authorization are expected to reach a capital floor of N50 billion, while those with national authority must meet a ceiling of N200 billion.

Announced on Thursday, March 28, 2024, this comprehensive financial reform requires significant increases in banks’ minimum capital bases, which vary depending on the size of the bank.

The latest policy directive specifies that commercial banks with international authorization are now required to shore up their capital base to N500 billion.

In a bid to tighten the financial fabric, the CBN has not overlooked merchant banks, which are now subject to a N50 billion minimum capital requirement.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

Detained Binance Executive Gambaryan Drags EFCC, NSA To Court

Published

on

Tigran Gambaryan, the CEO of Binance who is currently in detention, has claimed that he has been violated in his fundamental human rights by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission and Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.

Gambaryan, in an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution.

He urged the court to order the NSA and the EFCC to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect.

Gambaryan also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further detaining him in relation to any investigation into or demands from Binance.

He also urged the court to order the respondents to issue a public apology to him.

Gambaryan averred that he was in Nigeria alongside fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla to honour the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to discuss issues relating to Binance in Nigeria.

Anjarwalla escaped from the guest house where he and Gambaryan were being held

He argued that he had not committed any offence during the meeting, and neither was he informed in writing of any offence he personally committed in Nigeria at any other time.

“The only reason for his detention is because the government is requesting information from Binance and making demands on the company,” he added.

The fleeing Anjarwalla also filed a similar suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24.

At the proceedings on Thursday, T.J. Krukrubo (SAN) appeared for the plaintiffs, while the respondents had no representation.

Krukrubo informed the court that the respondents were served two days ago.

Shortly after that, he announced to the court that he was withdrawing from the matter as counsel for the fleeing Anjarwalla.

He did not give reasons for his withdrawal.

The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, adjourned the matter till April 8.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

Federal Government To Arraign Binance Executives Over ‘Tax Evasion’ On April 4

Published

on

On April 4, the federal authorities will file charges against senior executives of the cryptocurrency company Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, for allegedly engaging in “tax evasion.”

Anjarwalla is Binance’s regional manager for Africa, while Gambaryan oversees the company’s compliance with financial crimes.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) charged Binance with a crime on March 25th for “tax evasion.”

The service claims that the action is intended to maintain national economic integrity and fiscal discipline.

The lawsuit, designated as suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, is said to “implicate Binance with a four-count tax evasion accusation”.

However, on Thursday, NAN reported the federal government will charge the three defendants before Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, at the federal high court (FHC) in Abuja on a four-count charge.

Despite not being a vacation judge, according to the report, the chief judge granted the fiat for the judge to oversee the case during vacation because it is a matter of critical national interest.

The lawsuit comes a month after Anjarwalla and Gambaryan were detained by the Nigerian authorities.

Anjarwalla and Gambaryan had flown into Nigeria but had their passports seized by ONSA.

On March 12, Anjarwalla was transferred to a local hospital after he fell ill while in detention in Nigeria.

However, on March 25, Anjarwalla escaped from custody and fled Nigeria with a smuggled passport.

Meanwhile, Gambaryan, on March 28, sued Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging violation of his fundamental rights.

Continue Reading

Most Popular