According to Odegbami, former captain of the Nigerian national football team, he has been selected as one of the recipients of the Honoris Causa Doctorate at the upcoming Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) graduation ceremony.
Odegbami, a key member of the Eagles when they won the first Africa Cup of Nations in 1980 on home soil, will receive an Honorary Doctorate in Human Kinetics at the university’s seventh convocation ceremony in February.
Odegbami, over the years, has been one of the shining examples of successful Nigerian sports figures who have also excelled academically.
He earned the nickname ‘Mathematician’ after attending and graduating from Nigeria’s premier technical institution, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, where he studied Mechanical Engineering.
The talented winger, arguably one of the best players to wear the country’s green and white jersey, has other well-known academic achievements.
While he is understandably delighted with the honor to be bestowed on him, Odegbami admitted that it comes as a pleasant surprise for him.
“Even in an atmosphere of ominous gray and dark clouds, some sunlight shines through. Odegbami began on a Facebook post announcing FUOYE’s well thought out gesture.
“A week ago, completely out of the blue, I received a call from an emissary, followed by an official letter from the office of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, giving me the good news of the university’s desire to confer an Honorary Doctorate on me. Cause in Human Kinetics at the seventh convocation ceremony of the university to be held in February.
“I was going to keep it to myself, but the wiser advice of some friends I shared it with prevailed. So here I am, using this little outlet to publicly acknowledge this offer,” she added.
Odegbami expressed his deep gratitude to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, the Governing Council, the Senate, the Staff and the Students of FUOYE for finding him deserving of such exalted honor.
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“This is fuel for my spirit and my being. I will continue to make my humble contributions in the fields of sports, society and humanity,” Odegbami concluded.
It is heartwarming that more Nigerian football stars are also warming up for academic degrees, with Wilfred Ndidi, Taiwo Awoniyi, Rasheedat Ajibade and many more celebrating academic achievement even while playing football at the highest level.
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