Just in case…..
….you missed it yesterday in the Vanguard, the Guardian on Saturday, Complete Sports and Naija Times online…pls read this:
At the tail end of the 2022 schools’ academic year, the Hisdustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, India, a very reputable Indian University, came knocking on the doors of the Segun International College and Sports Academy, SOCA, in Wasimi, Ogun State.
The university was interested in SOCA’s unique program of equal combination of sports and academic in its curriculum. It sought collaboration with SOCA to enhance the Indian university’s sports ambitions by offering full scholarships to three graduating students of SOCA to study in India whilst pursuing their sports ambitions.
AVI ENIOLA OYEINLAYEFA was SOCA’s assistant Head boy and football Captain. He was gifted in football but probably not good enough for the elite colleges in the USA or the professional leagues in Europe due to his genuine young age.
Meanwhile, in SOCA, he led the school’s team to win several domestic trophies including the LISABI Cup in 2022.
He took up one of the scholarship offers and went straight to India after graduation. He did not miss a single beat in his educational calendar.
Last week we received the good news.
Eniola Avi not only won trophies and awards for his Indian university, he has graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Management.
He has been offered fresh admission into a Post graduate program on full scholarship also, starting this September.
Meanwhile, he is still only 19 years of age! And this is not a ‘football age’.
OSARO OSARETIN DESTINY is another 2022 graduate of SOCA. He spent only the last two years of secondary school in SOCA. He was a good footballer, but probably also not good enough at the time for an elite program in the USA.
He took up the offer of the full scholarship to study Sports Management at the Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science.
Despite struggles with incessant injuries during his program in India, he was very sound academically. Like Eniola, he also graduated last month with a First Class Honours degree.
He has been immediately offered admission for a Masters degree program at Lithuania Sports University starting this September.
Osaro is 20 years old. And this is Not ‘football age’ also.
BELLO SHAMSUDEEN is from Sagamu, in Ogun State.
Unlike the first two, and uncharacteristically, he spent only his final year in SOCA in 2022.
His focus was on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) program, but shortly before writing the SAT exams, he was scouted by the same Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science and offered a full scholarship to study Civil Engineering.
He took up the offer and is currently in his final year with a very good GPA.
He is 20 years old. And this is also NOT ‘football age’.
All three graduates of SOCA have done very well as Ambassadors of the Nigerian Sports secondary school in India. Three new student/athletes from SOCA have again been offered full scholarships to resume at The Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science this September.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, SOCA students are not the must talented stock in Nigeria, and are not enrolled into the academy because of their exceptional skills in sports.
Most are ordinary students with average sports skills but with a great passion and appetite to conquer the world of sports through hard work and a willingness to ride to success on the back of academics.
Parents love the concept and the programs of SOCA. The children, initially and reluctantly, accept and pursue that route to a successful life. Collaborating foreign institutions benefit from the intensive moral, social, academic and sports programs that SOCA takes the children through.
At the end of the day, everyone in the value chain benefits – the Children, the foreign institutions, parents and SOCA.
Eniola, Osaro and Bello may not end up being a Tobi Amusan, or a Jay Jay Okocha, but they are guaranteed becoming the best version of themselves, in fulfillment of the motto of SOCA: ‘to be the best I can be’.
A few places still remain for Boys and Girls to choose to be a part of the SOCA 120-strong community starting September 14, 2025.
Dr. Olusegun Odegbami MON, OLY, AFNIIA, FNIS.
