By Femi Fasetire
Nigeria’s football national team, Super Eagles’ immediate past media officer, Toyin Ibitoye was a delight to behold on Friday, as he spent time mentoring students at the maiden edition of an inter-class scrabble competition at Will-B Excellence Secondary School, Ikotun, Lagos.
Although the competition held just a few hours before the Eagles lined out in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone at Samuel Ogbemudiua Stadium, Benin City, Ibitoye opted instead to stay back in Lagos in order to attend the event that held in the Will-B school hall.
The competition that had initially been meant to comprise only eight participants ended up having 30 students expressing interest, but the organizers then reduced their number to 16, who all hit the scrabble boards with gusto and enthusiasm.
At the end of the day, the participating students and their non-playing colleagues as well as the prefects, who were all officials and members of the organizing committee, had a very fulfilling competition, which was graced by several of the school’s teachers, led by their principal, Mr. Gboyega Adeuyi, who also nobly represented the proprietor, Mr William Folorunsho Olaoye.
The male games’ prefect, Daniel Aribatise thanked all his colleagues for making the occasion a huge success, especially his assistant, Chinecherem Moughalu as well as the head boy, Toluwani Olaoye, and head girl, Miracle Innocent (Mimi), who handled various aspects of the competition.
Aribatise also thanked Italy-based professional bodybuilder, Seun Kuku, and Swaziland-based clergyman, Pastor Victor Ukozor Macdonald for uplifting the event with various cash donations, while ace broadcaster, Bimbo Adeola (Top Striker) supported them with three scrabble boards.
The sponsors ensured that a cash prize of N3,000 went to a female student, Adaeze, who turned out to be the overall winner, while the runner-up, Emmanuel Nkanta got N2,000 and Azeez Abdul smiled home with N1,000 as third-placed, on a day all the participating students were made happy with various kinds of refreshments.
Along the line, Aribatise was joined by the teachers present and their principal in heaping lofty praises on Ibitoye for agreeing to turn up physically, even at short notice, as the very humble and approachable sports presenter on MiTV and Channels Television disclosed that he was still on holiday after recently concluding a busy tenure as spokesman of the Super Eagles.
He used the occasion to provide a rundown of his career progression as a football enthusiast and analyst during his days at school, which crystalised into him commencing a career in journalism from his days as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) from the University of Ilorin, where his passion for analyzing sports hit a crescendo and snowballed into broadcasting.
Ibitoye, who turned up for the occasion with his loving wife, enjoined all students in attendance to make the best of each opportunity they get to take a step forward in life, as he warned them that nothing good comes easy; though he also assured them that they can make their desired progress through hard work and prayers to God for guidance and support.
He cited the example of Wellington Jighere, who gained global acclaim as a top scrabble player from Nigeria, as well as one of his senior colleagues at school, Kayode Oluyemi, and a junior, Fatimah Yusuf, who looked so ordinary while growing up but all became world-beaters in their respective sporting events because they never lost sight of their dreams.
The highly respected Ibitoye concluded with a reel of prayers and prophetic declarations for the students, as he expressed a strong belief that his historic visit to Will-B Excellence Secondary School, Ikotun would yield strong and bright dividends in years to come, with one or two stars emerging into limelight from the backstreets where the institution is located.
Ibitoye declared at length: “This is another opportunity for us to discuss and share ideas on how to make the best of our future. Life is all about opportunities, but opportunities don’t come all the time. You have to take each opportunity you get in order for you to get the best in life.
“Opportunities are hard to come by, and one opportunity lost may never be regained. That’s why we have to take each opportunity whenever we get one. Don’t let your opportunity slip by. That means you have to put in every effort to make the best of every opportunity you get in life.
“Declare after me: I will not let my opportunity slip by, in Jesus’ name. Say this: God please give me the power and wisdom to make the best of each opportunity I get in life. I pray that from now on you will begin to see each opportunity you get and will use it in the best way possible.
“I want a situation in which 15, 20 years from now one of the students here will become great in life. I want a situation in which we will remember this day in years to come and thank God that He made someone’s dream come true from something we gained at this gathering. I pray that will be the story for someone here listening to me.
“Those type of prayers are what you need to repeat regularly, because they help to propel you to the top. You may look ordinary today; nobody knows how big you can be tomorrow. That was one big experience that I learnt in school.
“I had the opportunity of seeing two people very close to me grow from nothing into something. One of my seniors, though now late, never appeared like someone who could get something big, let alone talk about becoming a champion for Nigeria in athletics.
“Same was for one of my juniors, who went on to become a top female quartermiler and even won a silver medal at the Olympics. While we were in school, no one thought any of them would become great sports stars. That is the same feeling we may be having about some of you here.
“That’s why I want you to take this game of scrabble very seriously; because it is part of sports that can take you very far in the world. I know a young Nigerian who became a world champion in scrabble and he got the opportunity of meeting our former president, Goodluck Jonathan.
“Though it might be regarded as a small sport by many people, scrabble has become as relevant as any other sport. Through scrabble, that young man got the opportunity of a lifetime. He went all over the world, he became a world champion and he met the president. You can do the same if you take each opportunity you get seriously.
“I also want to encourage you with my humble story – from Kogi State to University of Ilorin. I started sending stories to Multi Sports newspaper in Lagos as a youth corps member. Then I began to appear on television as a sports broadcaster; and one of my friends remembered how I used to analyse football while we were in school. Someone then said ‘No Wonder.’
“As Super Eagles’ media officer, I remember all the people I met in the various places that I had the opportunity to visit across the world, and I give God the glory for making it possible. That is one thing you all must also learn to do. The Psalmist says except God keeps the house, the watchman watches in vain. That means nothing is possible without God.
“I remember how it was during the draw for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It was in 2017, and I cannot forget the experience of a lifetime that I got. I remember being in line for meals along with personalities like Brazil’s coach, Tite and the veteran from Portugal. I felt like I was in a dream, but it was all real. It was another opportunity made possible by God.
“You too can live your dream. Through your trust in God and ability to work hard, your dreams will come true. I am happy to see that this is a Christian school. The way we opened this event with a prayer by one of our mothers shows that we believe in what God can do for us.
“We must not stop believing in him. That’s why the Bible says we must work and pray. Once you play your part, God will do the rest for you. Through your trust in God and ability to work hard, your dreams will come true. Work hard and live a righteous life; many doors will open for you.
“Things may be tough at a point, but don’t you give up. Tell yourself, I will not give up and my dreams shall come true. Tell yourself, I am determined to succeed and I will be great through the grace of God. Always repeat this declaration: Whatever it is that I face in life I will not give up.
“That is another big way through which you can achieve greatness. Don’t give up. Keep trying and working hard, until you get what you want. That is the summary of this discussion. Make use of every opportunity you get, put your trust in God, work hard and don’t give up. I pray God will answer all your prayers and make your dreams come true. Thank you.”
