Sports fans and members of the Nigerian Football family are waiting with their breath bated as the countdown to Sunday’s hosting of Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, at Sportshaq, Nigeria’s premier sports lounge commences.
Godwin Dudu-Orumen, Sportshaq’s founder and Chief Executive Officer(CEO), said Eguavoen, fondly called Cerezo, was being hosted among many reasons for the sprite, class and purpose he had brought to the Super Eagles since he was appointed Interim Manager of the team in late 2021.
“The Eagles were a shadow of their erstwhile rugged and purposeful selves under the German, Gernort Rohr. Their play was listless and uninspiring but that changed with the coming of Eguavoen.
“As we saw at the last Nations Cup, Eguavoen rejuvenated the Eagles, imbuing them with the confidence and zeal that the team lacked for years under Rohr”, said Dudu-Orumen, one of Nigeria’s sports administrators and repository of football knowledge, which earned him the moniker, Football Aficionado.
Speaking further on the hosting of Eguavoen, himself a former captain of the Eagles, Dudu-Orumen said the event will attract leading members of the Nigerian sports fraternity including Barrister Seyi Akinwumi, First Vice President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Chief Segun Odegbami and former Chairman of the board of the National Institute for Sports and one-time captain of the Eagles.
Others are: Dr. Larry Izamoje, one of Nigeria’s most respected journalists and founder of the country’s first sports radio station, Mitchel Obi, President of African Sports Journalists Union (ASJU) and other top journalists like Tayo Balogun, Gboyega Okegbenro and Godwin Enakhena.
He added that in addition to the personalities above, other guests to grace the occasion include communication industry captains and brand custodians like Gamaliel Ese Onosode, Ehi Braimah, Tony Agenmomen, Igbo Amadi-Obi, Nnanke Harry-Willie and Chidi Okoro.
Also expected are Corporate Executives such as Chidi Anadozie and Ohimai Unuigboje, legal luminaries- Chief Charles Umwensuyi-Edosomwan SAN, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, Hrm Babatunde Ogala SAN, Adedapo Tunde-Olowu SAN, Chijioke Okoli SAN, Ikenna Okoli SAN, Biriyai Dambo SAN, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Bayelsa State, Sola Aiyepeku , Chairman Lagos State Sports Commission and Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye former Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The Football Aficionado disclosed that the event, which will commence by 6pm will afford the Super Eagles coach the opportunity to feel the pulse of the many football fans who daily throng Sportshaq to savour the best of football and other sports.
“It promises to be an interesting time this Sunday at Sportshaq. It will be an evening to remember”, Dudu-Orumen said.
Eguavoen himself is looking forward to the event as it will afford him opportunity to connect with football fans in Lagos where for many years he titillated them with his deft marking skills as a defender with the Eagles.
