Tag: Olumide Oyedeji

Former NBA star, and captain of the Nigeria Basketball team take time to chitchat with TAIWO ALIMI, on his illustrious career, retirement and plans to empower Nigerian youths.   

At every point of this interview with Olumide Oyedeji, the longest serving captain of Nigeria Basketball team D’Tigers, you know you are with a man who is passionate about God, his people and his environment. “A man plans his ways, the Lord directs,” was his simple answer when the reporter asked how he turned out to be the first Nigerian National Basketball Association (NBA) draft, without attending U.S College.
Born and bred in Mokola part of Ibadan, Oyo state, Olumide said he never dreamt that he would become a professional basketball player, not to talk of a successful one that would play in most continents of the world.
Hear him: “I did not know I was going to be a professional basketball player. I grew up in Mokola area of Ibadan in a family of six. I played all kinds of sports at Loyola College; volleyball, football, basketball, track and field, handball, table tennis, badminton and field hockey. I chose basketball because I found myself growing taller than my age group.” Olumide’s daily routine as designed by his mum only accommodated school and church and she would not hear of him going off to play basketball or any sport for that matter. “My mum had designed my daily activities around school and church, so I could not tell him about my passion for sport. Aside from the Sunday service, I must be at the Wednesday vigil. School is also paramount as well as after school lesson from 2-4pm.”
In between, young Olumide had to trek 12 kilometers to Liberty Stadium for basketball training and 15 kilometers back home. “On getting home my mom would punish by withholding my allowances and launch. It was tough because my mum was strict but I did not mind the extra efforts to play the game. Sometimes I would go to vigil and be sleeping and my mum would notice, but I did not tell him about the games.”
Fortune smiled on him when Dodan Warriors of Lagos spotted him, but after three games, he was on the move again. “Customs Basketball team lured me with a job offer in 1996,” he revealed. And, it is from here that his career blossomed.
He later travelled the Nigeria Basketball team to Senegal 1997. “Coach Ayodele Bakare gave me the chance to be with the team, although I was the youngest in the team as I was very young and inexperienced.
I practiced with the team and gained confidence that prepared me very well for the job ahead.” The 6ft 10 in star has seen it all, played in the Olympics, Commonwealth games, All Africa games and captained D’Tigers.
Last year, Olumide announced his retirement from D’Tigers after 20 years of dedicated service. “I captained the team for nine years, though tough, I learnt the rope and grew with each game. There were lots of things to complain about, but we try to ignore many things and just play our game.”
An NBA veteran with stints in China, Korea, Kuwait, Russia, Spain, and Italy, Olumide would love the game to be better organised in his country. “It is important for us to progress and handle things better. We should stop putting people who don’t know about a sport to run it. Professionals should be allowed to run things in sport, as it is done in other sphere of governmental industry. In health, you expect someone with medical background to be in charge, so, why don’t we have same orientation in sport.
Welfare of players should be paramount because athletes can work forever like people that work in offices do. Our career is short and there is no pension. So, we need to take care of ourselves. I was injured in the 1999 Africa games and was neglected by my country. There is no insurance for us, so I took care of myself and came back to play for Nigeria. We deserve to have a say in how Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBF) is run.”
Oyedeji advocates for fresh and young Nigerians to get in charge of sports. “I’ve been hearing the phrase ‘young shall grow’ since I was born’, when will the young grow when we are still here and after what we have done for our country. We have to appreciate what we have. I am the first African player to play in every major basketball tournament in the world: World Championship, Olympic, NBA, Euro League, Asia League, South America League, Commonwealth Games, and Africa Games.
I have seen it all and that is why I have offered myself as role model to Nigerian youths. There is a need to improve on the way we run sport and allow the athletes to run the game. ”
In spite of his frustration,Oyedeji said he would continue to build bridges and influence positively on Nigerian youths. His Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp (OOBC) is waxing stronger after 18 years, and has added three more foundations since then. “I have launched the Olumide Oyedeji Youth programme, Shot a ball not a gun initiative, Prove to succeed: Readers to be Leaders, Inter College Basketball programme and others to empower youths, reduce crime and show them the right way,” he said.
“For 18 years I have been running OOBC and I have watched many kids grow into stars and responsible adults. Over 4500 kids have attended it and one of them is Kaffy (Popular dance instructor and choreographer), who has done well for herself today. About 75 are playing professionally and 250 in U.S Colleges playing basketball too. I am happy that I have brought smiles into their lips and that is what I set out to do.”
Oyedeji did not just set out to do all these; he said he was inspired by his background and under vow to his creator. “In December 1995, I made a vow to God that if He would bless me I would take care of the unprivileged. I would empower the youth and use my resources to bless others. ”
Yet, he abhors wastefulness. “I love good cars but I am not the type you find driving a Ferrari or Porch.
These are racing cars that you cannot drive very fast because of mandatory speed limit in developed countries, so, why waste money on them. I prefer my BMW s, Mercedes Benz, and Audi. They are classic cars that are efficient too. I do not fret about what I eat too. I eat whatever that is set before me. I am not choosy. In-fact I love to cook my food myself. I am the homely type that would not be caught eating out every time. I love to cook my own food,” he added.
Without been told, Oyedeji has a strong personality. “I just want to be the best. That is my philosophy in life. Everything I touch, I just want to come out the best. I am a warrior and I like competition. I thrives best where there is a goal to meet and go for things that look impossible to achieve. I just want to be the best,” he added as his voice rose to drive home his point.
“That is the personality I try to build in youths that comes for my programmes. Make them strong and believe in themselves. Make them to believe that they can climb any mountain and achieve whatever they set their minds on. It is the way I started and they can get to the highest point too by believing in their abilities,” he said. Life in retirement, Oyedeji reasoned is an opportunity to do things that are important to him.
“I retired from the national team to do other things that I have passion for. I’m not entirely out, I still offer useful guide to the team and NBBF. I can now contrite on running my foundations and programmes. I build bridges, I don’t burn bridges.”
Oyedeji is blessed with five children: three boys and two girls. “My first and second sons play basketball while the third plays soccer. The girls are active too in sports,” he added.

Giving back to youths is my passion -Oyedeji

OLUMIDE Oyedeji is well known when it comes to basketball in Nigeria. The captain of Nigeria’s basketball team, D’Tigers, he is the founder of the Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation, organisers of the annual Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp.

For the past 15 years, Oyedeji has been saddled with the responsibility of using the basketball camp to empower and help young people create a brighter future.

The annual camp has recorded over 30,000 participants since its commencement 15 years ago. It has also produced young talented Nigerian players including over 200 players in colleges in the United States; over 300 players in High Schools in the United States, over 45 professional basketball players within and outside the United States as well as over 150 players who have played for the Nigerian national basketball teams in both junior and senior categories.

The camp has been held in different parts of Nigeria.

Oyedeji last year hosted a three-day charity basketball clinic at the Damilola Taylor Centre in the heart of Peckham, London, with the theme ” Pick a Book NOT A Knife, shoot a ball NOT a Gun”.

In a chat with NationSport at the media briefing heralding the 15th edition of the basketball camp at the National Stadium, Surulere, during the week, Oyedeji, who recently built a standard basketball court for his alma mater, Loyola College, Ibadan, declared that he is pleased to give back to the society.

He said: “What has been driving me all these years is to see all these young men and women doing something for their future, doing something in their lives and I’m really so happy that I’m seeing them getting better. So, the bottom of it is just to give glory to God for His love, care, blessing and I just want to spread it to the youths and I’m seeing them doing great things in life.”

Oyedeji said he was motivated by Dikembe Mutombo, a Congolese American retired professional basketball player who has become known for his humanitarian work.

“I was motivated by Dikembe Mutombo,” said he. “He was the one that built a hospital for his country. Definitely, I don’t have the kind of money to build hospitals but in my own little way, I’m happy to contribute to their lives through a basketball career, talk motivational speech, stay in school programmes and as an educationist, I combine education and sports. So, that is the way I believe I can contribute to be their mentor, because you have all these kids looking up to you that they want to be with you. I always tell the kids, don’t try to be like me, you have to learn to be better than me. If you try to be like me you are doubting your ability. So the higher you aim, the better you can be.”

Oyedeji can be described by the proverb, “A prophet is not recognized in his own land”. But to Taye Ige, the CEO of Hotsports, the media/marketing consultants for Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation, the 2011 FIBA Africa Championship bronze medalist deserved to be commended for his passion towards youth development.

“We at Hotsports are very privileged to associate with this foundation. Olumide has demonstrated to Nigerian youths what our government should have been doing and what we should all be proud to do if we can.

“Olumide is not the only basketball player that Nigeria has ever produced, he’s not the most successful. In his days, late Chief MKO Abiola, may his soul rest in peace, was not the richest Nigerian but he was the one that spent his money to the benefit of Nigerians. So, everybody saw him as the richest man.

“So for us at Hotsports, Olumide is the most successful Nigerian basketball player because he is the one that is doing something that everybody is benefitting from, my children, your children and he has been doing this not for four or five years, but 15 years. He’s somebody we should all be proud of.

Oyedeji is however not discouraged despite being the only person financing the annual camp over the years.

“The highs and lows have been finance. For the past 15 years, this camp has been solely financed by my humble self and with the help of the glorious God, and that is life. You keep moving, never get discouraged. I don’t know how much I’m spending and I don’t want to know how much I’m spending. I look at the kids and I see them moving up in life, which makes me happy every time.

“The low of it is that people in this country don’t really recognize what you do, government doesn’t recognise what people do and I don’t really care about that. I care about what the kids do and their development because they are the leaders of tomorrow.

“When I was young, I didn’t have the opportunity like this. Maybe if I had the opportunity like this, I would have been better. If I had somebody I would look up to. But, so far so good, I don’t look at the negative aspect of things, I look at the positives because they say losers look for excuses and winners face the challenge and make goals.”

Oyedeji said the event which was scheduled to hold in about five states in the country is limited to only Lagos as a result of the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease.

“We are introducing a lot of things in this year’s edition. We will be having the 15th edition of the camp only in Lagos State right now due to the situation of things in the country.

“Right now the lives of the youths are more important than basketball or anything else and nobody wants to jeopardise their future. That is why we are limiting it to only Lagos.”

High profile individuals in the entertainment industry including Kunle Afolayan, famous actor and director; Nigeria’s dance queen, Kaffy and another Nollywood actor, Mike Ezuruonye are also expected to take part in the Celebrity All Stars Game.

This year’s edition of the camp which is scheduled to hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos from September 1 to September 6, would be open to youths within age 7 and 17 years who will be handled by different experienced and national team coaches.

The 15th Annual Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp, the famed summer basketball camp for youths which has been held in many cities across the world since 2000, is scheduled to commence on September 1.

At a press conference at the National Stadium, Surulere, yesterday, Olumide Oyedeji, Founder of the Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation, organisers of the yearly event, explained that this year’s edition would hold in Lagos at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium. He hinted that all arrangements have been made by the foundation to ensure a hitch-free camp.

“This year’s edition of the camp is scheduled for September 1 to September 6 in Lagos. The 6-day camp will feature exposure to the rudiments of basketball and basketball drilling to be handled by experienced and national team coaches with world class training facilities; motivational speeches by successful individuals and sports icons as well as career talk and mentoring on having successful sporting and non-sporting careers. Alumni of the Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp are also going to be on ground at the camp to educate and motivate the participants,” Oyedeji said.

He further explained that “a major highlight of this edition is the Celebrity All Stars Game where high profile individuals in the entertainment industry including Kunle Afolayan, famous actor and director; Nigeria’s dance queen, Kaffy; Mike Ezuruonye and Sound Sultan among others are expected to slug it out inside the basketball court and also interact with the participants.”

He mentioned that the camp would be open to kids and youths within the age of 5 and 18 years. The forms, according to him, are available from Thursday, August 14 at the National Stadium Basketball Office, Surulere; Rowe Park, Yaba and Police College, Ikeja.

Oyedeji who expressed appreciation to the Nigerian media for the support his foundation has enjoyed so far also urged the media to sustain the support as this is key to achieving the foundation’s objective of making more impact in the lives of the youths.

The Annual Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp is one of the foundation’s initiatives used in empowering and helping the youths create a brighter future. It is aimed at teaching personal excellence in basketball and life. It encourages belief in personal responsibilities. It instills habit of hard work and also stimulates youths’ interest in actively taking up sports, particularly basketball for recreation and profession instead of crime.