Vinod Obasa: Turning Agege To “Mecca Of Sports” In Nigeria

Agege is not a city but a large, densely populated local government area and suburb within the Ikeja Division of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.

It is a bustling commercial and residential hub known for its markets, including the famous Agege bread market, and is a significant part of Lagos’s dynamic atmosphere.

Agege is also synonymous with soccer, top players like former Super Eagles star, Ramon Azeez of Almeria of Spain, Dele Adeleye who played in Ukraine, the late Razak Omotoyosi who owned a dual citizenship of Nigeria and Benin Republic all birthed from Agege.

In fact, the famous Pepsi Football Academy led by the late Kashimawo Laloko started the soccer academy from Agege that produced top players like Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwingie and a few others.

In the area of school sports, Agege is also known for winning the popular Shell Cup and the Principal’s Cup in the 1990s with schools such as Sango Secondary School, Anwarul Islam, Vetland Grammar School, Oniwaya High School and others.

So what’s the latest about Agege?

Now one man is trying to revive sports in Agege by taking the kids out of the street using sports as a tool for the betterment of the future of the Nigeria youths in Agege.

He is Abdulganiyu Vinod Obasa, Chairman of Agege Local Government, who owns a football academy in Agege, Vinod FC.

The team, which has sold some quality and outstanding players to Europe, just got promoted to the NLO.

Speaking during an interview, Chairman Vinod Obasa was elated that Agege Local Government had great history in sport development and some testimonials.

“Well I feel it’s time to make our sports bigger and better, we all know Agege was known to produce top sports athletes especially football players.

<strong><em>Agege Local Government chairman, Abdulganiyu Vinod Obasa (left) with </em>f𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐂 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐀𝐳𝐞𝐞𝐳 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧.</strong>

“In the 1990s Taribo West used to have a soccer academy called Tamuno somewhere in Agege. This was an academy that had taken a lot of players to Milan Italy, same with Churchil Oliseh’s Ebiebe Football Club that produced Tata, Frank Oyenka and a few others before they moved to Sagamu.

“We should not forget the late Kashimawo Laloko who used his popular Pepsi football Academy to shape grassroots football development in the country. He started this exploit from Agege.

“Agege was number one when it came to sports development, education and other cultural values.

“I want to tell the world that it’s time for us to revive sports back in the Agege Local Government, especially football. This is the motivation behind my setting up a football academy called Vinod FC. The club has been on for over three years, and by the special grace of God, we have transferred a few players abroad.

“Vinod FC is not just a football academy, it’s more of a football school. We have accommodation for the players, HMO in terms of medical, some of the players are in the schools. We arranged classes for them to be taught other languages in order to give them language advantage if there were opportunities for them to travel abroad at least they can speak other languages like French and Spanish.

“We are also exposing these players at Vinod FC to learn other skills while playing football. Life skills such as barbing, mechanics, tailoring and others.

“We are giving them a total package of life. I am here to serve, and to be a servant leader to my people. Among other things, my priorities are sports and education,” the chairman said.