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SPORTS JOURNALISM LEGEND, OJEAGBASE HITS MILESTONE OF 70
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Nigeria’s sports journalism living legend, Dr. Emmanuel Sunny Ojeagbase who was formerly known as Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase is 70 years this Thursday, 31 December, the eve of the New Year.
He is founder of the longest running all-sports news publication outfit in Nigeria, the Complete Sports Communication which has rolled out more sports publications than any other organization in Nigeria.
The former soldier turned journalist, publisher and businessman as well as inspirational figure was born on 31 December 1950 in Oshogbo which is the capital of Osun State in South West Nigeria.
Being born on that day in Yoruba land and as he is very fluent in the Yoruba language even though he is ancestrally from Edo State, he could have been called Abiodun as his birth date coincided with festive period.
He became a trail blazer with his Sports Souvenir which hit the newsstands in November 1984 as Nigeria’s first all sports weekly publication that was unrelated to pools betting unlike the Sporting Record of the then Daily Times of Nigeria.
Yet, the advent of Sports Souvenir was not the beginning of Ojeagbase’s sporting journalism career. He was hitherto unheralded when he was a freelancer for Herald newspapers in Ilorin and the New Nigerian in Kaduna before doing the same for Daily Times in Lagos.
At the time, he was in the Nigerian Army which he joined in 1969, a year to the end of the Nigerian Civil War. In 1979, the soldier journalist voluntarily retired as a corporal to take a full time sports writing job under the celebrated Solomon Babatunde Oshuntolu (ESBEE) in the Daily Times.
That was the launch pad into great fame. The hitherto golden fish can find no hiding place in the waters again. In 1980, he joined the Concord Press of Nigeria and was editing the sports pages of Sunday Concord.
Here, his writings, largely in simple flowing English and in-depth analyses were delightful to read. One of such was the unearthing of the causes of frictions that existed between the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the then government-ran National Sports Commission (NSC). the Sunday Concord write-up captioned “Strange Doings at NOC” was published on August 8, 1982.
It was a hallmark of investigative journalism and in-depth reporting.
Ojeagbase traced these to 1966 in the days leading to Nigeria’s participation at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica when a newly appointed NSC military helmsman, Colonel Mike Okwechime broke into a meeting of the NOC under the presidency of Adetokunbo Ademola.
Another masterpiece of Ojeagbase in the Sunday Concord was his unearthing the remote and immediate causes of Nigeria’s elimination from the 1982 World Cup qualifying series.
He easily fitted in into the high-profile journalism package that The Guardian set out to achieve when the acclaimed flagship of Nigerian print journalism began in 1983.
At The Guardian, he headed a power-packed sports desk that included Michel Obi, Trigo Egbegi, Chris Okojie, Ikeddy Isiguzo, and Sam John among others. Interestingly, all later became sports editors of notable Nigerian publications.
He left The Guardian and set up Sports Souvenir in November 1984 to begin his illustrious career as a publisher and entrepreneur. A year later, he founded the Complete Football magazine as the first colour sports magazine in Nigeria.
As its title implies, it was devoted entirely to football and profited greatly from Nigeria’s exploits at the inaugural FIFA under 16 World Tournament in China. Six years later, other titles came in quick succession – the International Soccer Review, Complete Football International and Complete Football Extra which was devoted to the domestic Nigerian football.
On 18 December 1995, Ojeagbase’s Complete Communications Limited rolled out the Complete Sports newspaper which has remained not just the market leader, but the longest running daily sports newspaper in Nigeria.
Ojeagbase’s contribution to sports is not limited to establishment of publications. He has contributed also to human capital development in sports journalism.
His stable has seen the development of notable sports journalists. Standing tall among these is Dr. Mumini Alao, the organisation’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Group Managing Director.
As a thorough-bred sports journalist, he is the longest serving editorial member of the organisation which he joined in 1988, making him the Nigerian Lionel Messi of sports journalism.
His long service in just one organisation is teaching other professionals the need for perseverance, dedication and loyalty. Alao in 1996 had the honour of being the first to win both the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA) and Diamond Award for Media Excellence (DAME) sport sports writing in the same year.
Ojeagbase’s stable has also produced the likes Simon Kolawole, Tunde Sulaimon, Ehi Braimah, Ejiro Omonode and Frank Ilaboya among others.
Diego Maradona’s death “would have been avoided” if the medical team around him had done their job, his daughter Dalma accused on Tuesday at the trial of health professionals of the circumstances of the death of the Argentine football idol
Dalma, 38, the elder of Maradona’s two daughters with his ex-wife Claudia Villafañe, was a star witness on the 11th day of the trial in San Isidro (north of Buenos Aires). And like others since the start of the trial, she blamed the caregivers of her father’s final weeks and the framework of his convalescence.
” If they had done their job, (his death) would have been avoided,” Dalma said, referring to the medical team and in particular to three of the accused: attending physician and neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Diaz.
” They deceived us (the family) in the most cruel way (…) They made us believe that the only possible option was to convalesce at home after his operation, in a house that was rented for the occasion in Tigre (north of Buenos Aires),” Dalma said.
According to them, ” it would be a serious home hospitalisation,” Diego would have everything like in a clinic, but in a house,” with 24/7 medical attention, medical equipment, an ambulance at the door permanently, she continued.
” It never happened,” she said in a statement often interrupted by tears. In this “disgusting, piss-smelling ” house, a doctor only came to see him from time to time.”
Maradona died at the age of 60 on November 25, 2020, from a cardiorespiratory crisis complicated by pulmonary oedema, in this private residence, where he had been convalescing for two weeks after neurosurgery for a head hematoma.
Seven practitioners – doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses – are accused of “homicide with possible intent”, characterised when a person commits negligence while knowing that it can lead to death.
Mr. Luque, who was close to Maradona, ” was his primary care physician, and I didn’t think he was recommending something that wouldn’t be best for my father,” Dalma continued.
With his sister Gianinna ” we didn’t have much influence, we could say what we thought but didn’t decide anything .” Sometimes someone from the care team or from the entourage would say “that Dad was sleeping, sometimes that he didn’t want to see anyone,” that the best thing was not to disturb him. “
” In hindsight, we should have decided.”
Last Tuesday, Veronica Ojeda, ex-partner and mother of Maradona’s son born in 2013, testified that the star’s close entourage “kept him as if he were sequestered” in the last months of his life.
The practitioners on trial, who deny any responsibility for the death, are seeking sentences of 8 to 25 years in prison. The trial is expected to last until July, with one or two hearings per week.
–Le360 (with AFP)
Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava found out the hard way that there are consequences for seeking an autograph from eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner Lionel Messi — he was hit with a CONCACAF disciplinary sanction.
As the final whistle blew on Inter Miami’s 1-0 Champions Cup win over Sporting Kansas City, secured by a brilliant second-half goal from Messi, the referee known as ‘El Gato’ approached the Argentina international.
He appeared to be asking for the striker’s shirt to join the Messi-mania, but it turned out he was actually requesting an autograph for a relative with special needs.
Despite the heartfelt request, Ortiz’s actions did not comply with CONCACAF’s code of conduct for officials.
“Upon investigation, CONCACAF has learned that the referee approached the player to request an autograph for a family member with special needs,” the North American football governing body said in a statement to ESPN.
Although the exact nature of the disciplinary action was not disclosed, CONCACAF added that Ortiz accepted full responsibility for his actions and apologised for his breach of protocol.
The first leg of the premier continental tournament for clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean was initially postponed due to a winter storm warning in the area.
Inter Miami will host Sporting in the return leg at Chase Stadium on Tuesday.
“The referee’s actions were not in accordance with the confederation’s code of conduct for match officials and the procedures in place for these types of requests.”
Reuters
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The world’s top athletes don’t just dominate on the field—they lead the way financially, too.
From football icons to basketball superstars, these elite performers are earning staggering sums through salaries, endorsements, and off-field ventures.
Using data from Sportico, sportsunlimitednews breaks down the top 10 highest-paid athletes globally.
10. Jon Rahm
On December 2023, Jon Rahm announced he was joining LIV Golf after a very successful stint at the PGA, earning 11 PGA Tour wins since joining in 2016. Now signed under LIV Golf, the Spaniard is considered one of the best-paid athletes in the world, accumulating $85.6 (€82.3/£68.55) million in winnings and $20 (€19.2/£16) million on endorsement deals
9. Kylian Mbappe
Following his massive transfer to Real Madrid in 2024, Kylian Mbappe is now ranked the 9th highest-paid athlete in the world. The French forward earns $85 (€81.6/£68.9) million in salary and $25 (€24/£20) million in endorsements, totalling $110 (€105/£88) million—a ‘galactico’ price tag for one of the best players in the world.
8. Karim Benzema
Another former Real Madrid star, Karim Benzema is ranked amongst the top ten best-paid athletes in the world following his move to Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia). The French striker earns $108 (€103/£86.4) million alongside $8 (€7.6/£6.4) million in endorsements.
7. Oleksandr Usyk
Up next, we have an undisputed heavyweight champion, who took down Tyson Fury for a second time in 2024. Oleksandr Usyk is arguably one of the best fighters in the world right now, and his earnings reflect that. The Ukrainian makes an average of $120 (€115/£96) million in winnings alongside $2 (€1.9/£1.6) million on endorsements, standing on $122 (€117/£97.7) million.
6. Neymar Jr.
Neymar Jr. is in the final stages of his professional football career. The former Barcelona and PSG man has enjoyed a successful stint across multiple teams around the world. Now in Santos FC, the Brazilian star is still considered one of the highest-paid players in the world, earning a $108 (€103/£82) million salary and $25 (€24/£20) million in endorsements.
5. LeBron James
The Los Angeles Lakers veteran and NBA star is ranked fifth in the world following his jaw-dropping $85 (€81.6/£68.3) million endorsement deals with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Alongside his endorsements, he cashes in a salary of $48.2 (€46.3/£38.6) million a year.
4. Lionel Messi
The Inter Miami star has one of the most lucrative contracts in world football. The Argentinian forward earns $60 (€57.6/£48) million a year, alongside $75 (€72/£60) million on endorsement deals. He is linked to Louis Vuitton, Mastercard and Pepsi.
3. Tyson Fury
The ‘Gypsie King’ is ranked third in the world, despite his recent losses and retirement announcement in late 2024. Fury cashed in $140 (€134.4/£112) million in winnings alongside $7 (€6.7/£5.6) million in endorsement deals, a very fruitful 2024 for the former British heavyweight champ.
2. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry can still boast of having the highest-paying salary in the NBA for the eighth straight year. According to ESPN, his Golden State deal is worth around $55 (€52/£41.2) million this season. On top of that, the American point guard earns $100 (€95/£79.9) million in endorsements.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo still ranks at the top as the best-paid athlete in the world. The Al-Nassr star earns a jaw-dropping $215 (€206/£171.9) million salary, alongside $45 (€43.1/£35.9) in endorsements from Armani, Herbalife, TAG Heuer, and Clear Shampoo.
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