AMGA 2024 Daily Diary – day out with students Day Nine- segun odegbami www.sbenews.com.ng www.efficiency.com.ng

0 0

How time flies.
The days come and go in a jiffy.
I do not go to the stadium this morning. I have a date to keep with one of my passions.

I am to visit the students of a private school in Abuja. There is a book-fair and book reading in Banky Private Schools, organised by Dr. Anthony Akpokena, a petroleum engineer formerly with Shell.

I am interested in the combination of ‘children, education and sports’. I cannot resist any opportunity to share my experiences in that field.

I run a specialist sports school designed for children that do not like school (because Maths is too difficult to comprehend, or English is not easy to pass) and are adamant they would rather pursue a career in football and become another Jay Jay Okocha.

Worried parents run to me for a solution. They seek a ‘miracle’, a magic formula to convert their child that only wants to play football to a student that also wants to become an engineer or a lawyer.

The parents come and hand over their difficult children to SOCA, the Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy.

We take up the challenge and attempt a conversion of these children into genuine scholar-athletes. They love the environment, the philosophy and the special teaching methodology. They suddenly start to realize that learning can be fun and not as difficult as they thought before coming to SOCA.

The school adopts an innovative teaching methodology designed in collaboration with an expert in education curriculum design from the UK, for children that have learning difficulty.

It works. In 17 years of SOCA, we have provided the children with 4 hours of rigorous sports every day, and completed the national curriculum in academics.

The students are prepared to sit for, and pass their WASCE, NECO, GCE O’Levels and SAT (the scholastic Aptitude test for qualification into American Colleges and Universities).

I am always proud to share the story of our experiments, experiences and outcomes after 17 years and 15 sets of graduates.

I often share our work with families and children that dream sports success, but need an education to back it up and ensure that life after a sports career is secured with a good education and the acquisition of a needed trade or technical skill.

So, on this day, I go to Banky’s Private School, in APO Mechanic Village, Abuja, to share my experiences as well as the power of belief, passion, hard-work, single mindedness, and perseverance. I love to advertise the successes and outcomes of the work in SOCA, this laboratory of sports and education in Wasimi. It impacts and motivates the young students.

I provide young people with a window into the vastness of the opportunities in the world of sports outside active participation. The opportunities exist in business, leisure, the arts, science, media, engineering, architecture, manufacturing, merchandising, tourism, management, law, town planning, health, real estate and so on, all connected to sports.

I enjoy my sessions because I tell the children how in the world of sport ‘impossibility is nothing’ and ‘belief makes every dream achievable’.

I often watch them soak in the lessons and experiences like a sponge, and the lives of several of them never remain the same, altered for good, forever.

These are what motivate my visits to academic institutions to share time with students.

So, I seize the opportunity of the book fair and book reading session at Banky’s Private School to further spread the message.

It goes very well, even if I am not at my best.
None of the students recognizes me. Only one of the teachers eventually guesses right when prodded by the head of the school.

I introduce myself to the large assembly of students and staff, and tell them my story. I share my experiences. I challenge the students to imbibe the spirit of self belief in endless possibilities.
I wish them and well and end my talk.

I am about to take my leave when some of the students decide they want my autograph. I am besieged.

I spend several minutes signing note books and text books of the throng of students until I insist it is time to go.
I finally head back to honour my unfailing lunch appointment at Akisco’s and return to my primary assignment in Abuja.

The MKO Abiola National Stadium is witnessing an increase in number of visitors. More people are coming to watch the games and to socialize in the environment.
Many of the events have been concluded and a few small military contingents are already leaving and returning to their countries.

Yesterday, I overheard some Libyans tell some new friends how they will be returning to their country today after a thoroughly enjoyable period in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the athletics events are in full swing and on full steam. I head to the Main Bowl of the stadium to watch some. Most of the events now take place at night under flood lights. This is necessitated, facilitated and catalyzed fixing the lights and mastering their complex technology. The nights are now better, more illuminated and more beautiful.

As I drive out of the stadium, I pass by the Fans Park. The crowd at the entrance and immediate environment is massive. There is loud music in the air with flashing disco lights from a giant performance stage in the Park. The music is either by a DJ or a Live band (I can’t tell which). It is a good prescription for the athletes’ and visitors’ after-events, evening socialization and enjoyment.

I decide that my next port of call the following day will be a visit to, and experience of, the Fans Park at night.

Nigeria are still leading on the medals table. The last race I watch is the 100 metres hurdles for women. The female Nigerian runner dives and crosses the finish line with her last breath and last stride to win a very important event. The race reminds everyone here that to a Nigerian, Tobi Amusan, belongs the honour of being the world’s best women’s 100 meters hurdler.

Dr. Olusegun Odegbami MON, OLY, AFNIIA, FNIS.

SB E-news
SB events magazine
Efficiency magazine
Efficiency award for Excellence EAE.
www.sbenews.com.ng
www.efficiency.com.ng
ceo_sbenews@efficiency.com.ng
sbeventnews@gmail.com

About Post Author

admin

admin@sbenews.com.ng

https://sbenews.com.ng

Happy

0 0 %

Sad

0 0 %

Excited

0 0 %

Sleepy

0 0 %

Angry

0 0 %

Surprise

0 0 %

About the Author

admin

Administrator

Visit Website View All Posts