NIGERIA’S LEAD SPORTS PUBLICATION, COMPLETE SPORTS HITS MILESTONE OF 25

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Nigeria’s longest running daily sports publication, Complete Sports clocks 25 this Friday December 18. First published on 18 December 1995 as a successor to an earlier weekly publication, Sports Souvenir and monthly magazine, Complete Football, Complete Sports have become sports fans’ favourite.

Dr. Mumini Alao, the publication’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Group Managing Director, elatedly informed Sports Village Square of his joy at paddling the newspaper to the remarkable silver jubilee anniversary.

“Twenty-five years is a long while and I am proud to be a part of what has become an institution in the history of Nigerian sports media.

“At the beginning, few people gave Complete Sports a chance because it was a novelty in the country. Advertisers in particular wondered how we would be able to fill up an all-sports publication.

“But today, specialization is the rule in global media practice, so we thank God for giving us the grace to start early and to be persistent’, remarked the debonair sports journalist.

Continuing, he remarked: I’ve also been privileged to work with Dr. Emmanuel Sunny Ojeagbase who is the doyen of sports publishing in Nigeria, and we have been blessed with very committed staff. The success of Complete Sports is the result of team work and the grace of God.”

In its maiden publication, Emmanuel Amuneke hit the headlines with an offer of N425 million by Spurs. Former Flying Eagles’ goalkeeper, Willy Opara has the honour of being the first person to have his photograph on the front page of Complet Football.

He was holding alof, the then African Cup of Champions Cup trophy which he won with South African side, Orlando Pirates.

A story on Christopher Ohenhen, a freekick specialist of that era, made the second story on the cover.

Complete Sports newspaper has been blessed with many sports journalists. But the first lead story of the publication was written by Jerry Odey.