By Daily Sports on April 15, 2019

Last week, many news items made the headlines and the ones that found much space in my heart was the Christian Chukwu’s health issues and the misplaced call by ex-captain of the Green Eagles, Segun Odegbami to John Mikel Obi to retire from the Super Eagles where he is the current captain.

First, let me give a passing comment on the Chairman’s health issues. It was one costly and silly mistake the Rangers Management, immediate family and Enugu State Government nearly made on Chukwu. Don’t mind the damage control government agents have been dishing out to the public.

My take here is that we all thank God for the legend of the legends. God would continue to sustain and keep him in good health. To buttress the goodwill the former national team captain has, billionaire oil mogul Femi Otedola came up with a great lifeline to the man that led Nigeria and her football to her first-ever victory in Africa Cup of Nations football summit in 1980. It was icing in his football career and others in that year’s class.

Otedola rightly captured the mood by reminding us that Chukwu was like a role model to many footballers of his generation and beyond and in short form, discipline personified. Femi spoke the minds of many during the very few words that heralded his humanitarian gesture to one of Nigeria’s finest footballers, a game changer of all sorts. Femi Otedola is Odenigbo Ezinwanyi; Femo Baba, Ekuseo! Chairman Christian Chukwu, please get well soon, Nigerians are praying fervently for your quick recovery!

Come Tuesday, April 16, Pitch Awards organisers will address the media as it announces the winners of 2018/19 winners. It is another soar away football Awards that has wider acceptance after NFF/AITEO Awards. Watch out as your very authoritative and reliable online portal, Daily Sports will be there to file in incisive reports on the big event.

Still same last week the unexpected happened and it came from one of the finest wingers Nigeria has ever produced. Segun Odegbami’s misplaced call that John Mikel Obi should quit the Super Eagles is unnerving, to put it mildly. Odegbami, who was emphatic about it, gave highly prejudiced out of place statement on the current Super Eagles captain. He did not act like someone that we thought knows. I must say here that while I don’t hold any brief for Mikel Obi; however Odegbami’s call is unwarranted and most regrettable.

Whatever prompted the ex-international to make such outrageous call not only gave him out as speedily losing touch with the realities of the happenings with our stars abroad but it also presented him as a bloody hypocrite. Why he has become totally disconnected with the game gives followers of our sports thought for great concern.

It is instructive to state here that this columnist is not condemning the ex-Eagles captain but deeply pities him because that what he needs at such a time as this.  He deserves our pity and not the other way round despite the fact that he misfired on John Mikel Obi. This reporter as you can read between the lines is finding it extremely difficult to give Odegbami the full length of his tongue because his statement came to him like a thunderbolt.   Odegbami should be forgiven for he knows not what he has done.

Let me repeat here that John Mikel Obi is still in his best of forms. Messi is his mate from the junior team level and is still playing in the Argentine national team. His legs are still carrying him big time like his Nigerian counterpart, Mikel. For Odegbami to call for his retirement from the national side smacks off blackmail.

It may not be out of place to say here that it is ‘bad belle’ and why Odegbami chose to involve himself on this leaves sour taste in the mouth. He ought to have shut up and allow the Super Eagles skipper to be instead of bringing himself to this level of ridicule. He gave himself out as cheap; after all what is John Mikel Obi blocking for him. Odegbami descended so low on this and come to think of it, when did he become the sentinel of the senior national team or its spokesperson that determines when a player should quit the scene. He was overzealous on this and so his step in that direction remains silly and it would continue to haunt him over and over again.

We will anchor here as we shift discussions and comment to our social media handles. Keep shooting hard, till next week!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 15, 2019

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