Ex-Abiola Babes, Victor Ogunsanya Counsels Young Footballers On Importance Of Education

Victor Ogunsanya

ThankGod Solomon

ABEOKUTA - A former player of Abiola Babes, Victor Ogunsanya has advised young footballers to also take their education seriously, saying that a football career without proper education can limit the growth of a player.

Ogunsanya, better refered to as Adebisi Adeniran made this known in an interview with our correspondent in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

The America based ex-international maintained that his longevity in sports is connected to his educational background, adding that without proper education, a player, after retirement could be back to the street.

"Since I was born, till now, I am still making use of soccer for a living. 

"Infact, I was the first person that played for Abiola Babes that went to Ogun Polytechnic. Chief Abiola insist when I said I want to go to school. My parents always tell me to go to school so I told them I will use my talent. 

"So, Abiola commanded that I go to school and still play. Because the way Nigeria is structured, it is either you play or you go to school. When you get to higher institution, no club will take you.

"But then, Abiola made it compulsory that if I want to go to school, why not. So, I started with Ogun Poly, then to the US through Tajudeen Disu. I went to Brooklyn College, I graduated there.

"From there I was drafted to Pro-team in the American Professional League. I played one year there and an agent saw me, and took me to Portugal. I had the opportunity to play with Rashidi Yekini, Samson Siasia and Peter Rufai, I met them in Portugal. 

"I went to Seoul Olympics for Nigeria in 1988. It was after the Olympics, that I actually went to America. Guess what, some of these my friends that only played soccer, I still met some of them still playing but then I already had my degree and still play soccer. That is why I know that without education, this soccer is going to be limited.

"There will be time you can't play again, you leave soccer or soccer will leave you because of the age. You can't run like before, so soccer will leave you. So when soccer leaves you, what are you going to do? Are you going to be on the streets looking for what to do. 

"Meanwhile, there are tonnes of opportunities when as a soccer player that you can still do, like coaching school, developing young kids. I don't really know how it is in Nigeria but in America, they pay for all these, it is not free", he added.

As part of his desire to give back to the society, Ogunsanya, in 1997 founded the Ade-Sports Management, which he said will scout for players from ages 10-16, who can combine their education with the sports skills.

"I started my soccer school in 1997 in America, called Adeyouth Soccer Academy. I get to advanced it to Ade-Sports Management, which I managed players in Europe, in colleges, I manage those that wants to further their education in America through Sports.

"There was a year I was in the country to do MTN scholar, and it lasted for 3 seasons. Right now, we have 61 students in America going to school. It was after all these, I decided to start an academy in Nigeria. 

"But before I started the academy, I told some of my friends that you need to have something that would be bringing money in for you, because starting the academy is not the issue, but if you cannot fund it. After some years it may die down."