By John Egbokhan

The year 2024 will begin in Lagos in a most exciting way, as Ajegunle area of the state will host the Ogedegbe Under-12 football tournament between January 9 and 10th, and 16th and 17th, at the Navy Barracks.

The tournament is being sponsored by former Nigeria international, Nathaniel Ogedegbe. The ex-Flying Eagles attended and played for Saint Finbar’rs College secondary school in Yaba. He was the captain of the school football team, and was then selected to play for the first U-20 national team. After playing with the Flying Eagles, he was drafted to play for the then-Green Eagles, along former coach of the Super Eagles, late Stephen Keshi, and Henry Nwosu.

Ogedegbe was recruited from Nigeria to join the United States men’s soccer program in 1981. While at Alabama A&M University, he received several personal recognitions and was a key contributor to the team’s success. He was inducted into the Alabama Hall of Fame in 2013, and was captain for two years. 

After his playing career, Ogedegbe,  continued to be active in football through youth coaching and coaching education throughout the US and Nigeria. He currently recruits collegiate players and players interested in playing professional football. He was a former member of the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Associate and Virginia Youth Soccer Association coaching education.

Ogedegbe is the Director of Flawless Soccer in the US, a part time pursuit for the former Green Eagle, who is a distinguished civil engineer in both the private and public sectors.  He currently works for the Town of Leesburg where his primary focus is on stormwater management and water quality.

He would be bringing his wealth of experience as a former footballer and currently a youth coach, to help identify and nurture young talents in Ajegunle, where the like of Odion Ighalo, Taribo West, Ifeanyi Udeze and many others who played for the Super Eagles were discovered through talent scouting initiatives.

Ogedegbe, who resides in the United States of America,  has been engaged in such programmes for decades, to support the development of young generation of footballers. Speaking on the importance of the upcoming event in Ajegune, the US-based youth coach stated that he “believes that the tournament will help address youth restiveness and positively engage them”. He appealed to youths to get involved in the tournament “as a way to horne their skills, expose themselves and become better.”