The Oyo State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) is partnering with the family of late former goalkeeper Best Ogedegbe to organise a memorial lecture.
The lecture is to mark the tenth anniversary of the demise of the legendary goalkeeper of the defunct IICC Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan and the then Green Eagles.
Adewale Tijani, Secretary of the event’s Organising Committee, disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that the lecture would hold on Nov. 6 at the Conference Hall of Tribune Newspapers in Ibadan.
“A close friend of the late football legend who played with the departed goalkeeper in the national team and the then IICC Shooting Stars in Ibadan, Segun Odegbami, will deliver at the event a lecture titled `Solving the Goalkeeping Problem of the Super Eagles: The Best Option’,’’ he said.
Tijani, who is also the Secretary of Oyo State SWAN, said another one of Ogedegbe’s friends and teammate, Felix Owolabi, would also speak on the exploits of the late footballer.
Femi Okenla, Chairman of the Best Ogedegbe Memorial Lecture Organising Committee, also said the programme would help to bring together many former football stars, personalities and other stakeholders.
“We are putting this memorial lecture together to honour one of Nigeria’s heroes, the late Best Ogedegbe. He gave his all for Nigeria. He lived for Nigeria. He used his talent for the glory of this country.
“Best made millions of Nigerians happy during his lifetime. Such an outstanding personality should never be forgotten. This is why we are partnering with his family to honour this great Nigerian”, Okenla, also a former footballer, said.
Niyi Alebiosu, the Chairman of SWAN in Oyo State, said the memorial lecture was important to his Association.
“We see it as our duty to honour this illustrious citizen of Nigeria who was one of the exceptional sportsmen who made our country a powerhouse in African football.
“Having this memorial lecture is our own way of ensuring that the exploits of this patriotic and extremely gifted Nigerian, who used his talent to promote Nigerian sports, are not forgotten”, the Oyo State SWAN Chairman said.
Folasade Ogedegbe, the late football legend’s widow and retired Director in the state-owned Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), applauded the honour being accorded Best who was one of Africa’s best.
She pledged her full support to the programme, saying she would ensure it was held successfully.
The late Ogedegbe was for several years the number one goalkeeper at the defunct IICC Shooting Stars.
Remarkably, he was in goal in 1976 when they made history as the first Nigerian club side to win a continental trophy.
They beat Tonnerre Kalala of Cameroon in the final match of the then African Winners Cup competition.
Late Ogedegbe was also in goal for Nigeria’s senior national football team, then known as the Green Eagles when they won their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980.
He died on September 28, 2009, at the age of 55, following an eye surgery which made him fell into coma, and he was buried on November 6 same year.
Story Credit: Sportingtribune.com
