Promise Kept! Chief Odele Commences Full Sponsorship Of Tennis Sensation
Chief Gbolahan Odele, sponsor of the recent Gbolahan Odele Junior Tennis Championship in Lagos, has made true his promise to sponsor a tennis talent from the event.
During the weeklong event held inside the Adejumo Tennis Complex in Ejigbo, Lagos State, sometime in August, Chief Odele had pledged to identify and sponsor one tennis talent from the competition, and see to it that he reaches the highest point of hiss career.
And after the event, he identified Godwin Afaramai, one of the participants at the tournament, as the player he believes should be sponsored thoroughly.
Even though he kept it as a secret after the competition had ended, Chief Odele ensured that he made true his promises by setting machinery in motion to facilitate the sponsorship of the youngster.
Nigeria Tennis Live, therefore, reached out to him, to confirm what is being done or being planned for the youngster who was one of the most interesting during the competition, and he explained in details.
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“My focus, like I said during the tournament, is to find that one talent and I believe we’ve found that one player, who is Godwin.
“Second focus is to track and I’ve already started to track him in the following areas, his health – he’s malnourished and I have set up things to fix that. Before I left Nigeria, I ensured his feeding is done, I sent money to key people at the place where he trains, to make sure he gets nutritional foods – eggs, milk, yams, etc, and everything he needs to develop.
“I have also directed every six months of medical check-ups with a professional medical practitioner (a Dr) of his mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
“Regarding his tennis programme, I have a coach for him already – Gospel. I pay the coach to train him because he’s the one who’s been coaching him all the while. Coach Dele has been there to ensure the training and other parts.
“On his education – he is not well educated, we have instituted a programme where Coach Dele has made several stops to his school. I’ve spoken with the Principal and told them that he has to be well fed and taken care of in other aspects. I speak with the principal every now and then to know how he’s faring. He’s behind in all areas apart from his tennis.
“Also, we’ve gotten uniforms, shoes, and the gears for him to look good. The first batch has been delivered to his mother, and the last area we are looking at is the continuity of his life as young man. That means the totality of his life, and not just tennis. How will Buhari excel as a young man, as a citizen of Nigeria. I’m looking at all aspects as if he’s my son,” Chief Odele generously explained.
Speaking further, the philanthropist noted that: “I’m not just looking for Buhari, but more talents. That’s why we’re looking for more sponsorship. I’m just starting, and the enthusiasm is there. I’m excited about this and I can continue from there”.
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As for Chief Odele, the idea of picking a player up for full sponsorship and scholarship does not end with the youngster nicknamed Buhari as he revealed that this will be a regular activity with him.
He said: “I will pick up another player in the next event, and it’s intentional. I’m also eyeing one or two other players. I have their names already.
“As I sponsor Buhari, I have to do a statistical review of what that is doing to my own pocket and look at the next child I pick on and how financially challenging that would be.
“Even though I’ll love to pick all the kids, but one man cannot do it. I need all the support I can get. But I’ll do what I can do. If I see any other player who’s as good as Buhari, I’ll pick that child up.
“You were also at the tournament and the feedback was immense. If we see corporate sponsorship, imagine how much bigger we could have gotten.
“My goal is to sponsor these kids, get them to their highest level with nothing for me to gain but to watch the kids succeed. I was amazed at the talents of the kids during the tournament.
“Imagine if I had to bring all the tennis players of Nigeria, imagine what that would have done for us – and that’s where we are going. I want every state to participate in this tournament subsequently. I pray for 12 more states to join in this tournament”.
“We had the blessings of the Adejumo Tennis Facility, and we are grateful to them for their support because it was their support that helped us host the tournament at the facility”.
Nigeria Tennis Live took a step further to speak with Coach Dele, the man who oversaw the tournament and currently handles the sponsorship of Godwin on behalf of Chief Odele.
He narrated what has been done and what is being worked out to ensure the youngster is up to speed with what his other colleagues are currently doing.
According to Coach Dele: “In September, we bought foodstuffs totaling about N45,000 to the mother, N10,000 was given to the mother for the boy’s upkeep. We got a set of tennis wears, a top and knicker, three pairs of socks, a pair of canvas, three strings for his rackets, and about four grips and left them with his coach Gospel.
“We are paying Gospel on a stipend to be able to coach the boy regularly and I will be monitoring their development.
“I followed up to the boy’s school for education. He had nothing, tattered uniform, no sports wears, not even socks to wear, either to school or wherever and we have provided the uniform, sports wear with the cap and socks. Then, I took a crate of eggs to the school and handed it over to the kitchen and he’ll take one per day to boost his intellect.
“We also gave the mother N50,000 worth of foodstuffs as well as cash support. But now, instead of buying foodstuff, I arranged for him to have his breakfast and lunch in school, I arranged with the head teacher.
“I also went to Police College, and doubled (or tripled) the amount I left in the school for the month. Now, Chief Odele is also planning to get him a private tutor to teach him because he’s a little bit behind in his academics.
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“The promise was made in August, we commenced in September, we did it in October and now we shall do it again in November. I pass by the College to monitor his progress, I’ve been there about three times already.
“The budget for the next one year has already been made and approved for him. His academics has been satisfactory but he needs to be brushed up, that’s why Chief Odele is working on a private tutor. He also needs to improve his handwriting”.
When asked how much improvement he has seen with the boy since the sponsorship commenced, the Badejo Sports Proprietor noted that: “I will say it’s too early to talk about improvement. He has the stamina to continue playing, but he cannot continue playing without good health and good nutrition.
“We need to beef up his physique, beef up his stamina by giving him a good diet. I will want to see him improve physically first, and he’ll have the stamina to take on tennis. If you play tennis and you’re always training, tournaments are like your examination.
“In between, we do our best to prepare for the next tournament. If there’s a tournament today, he will attend with his coach. If there’s a tournament today, he will approach it with a different psyche because he will play as someone who has a sponsor.
“I don’t foresee any change until maybe December. I took a nurse to examine the boy and we spent over 20k on him for supplements and all”.
Godwin’s mother was also asked to confirm all that had been done and she had nothing but kind words for the sponsor and Coach Dele, both of whom have ensured that the youngster is exposed to what he needs to grow on all sides.
“They’ve given me foodstuff like rice, garri, ororo, and some other food items since the Baba started helping us.
“I am very grateful to him even though I have not been able to speak directly to him to appreciate him for all he’s doing for Godwin.
“Godwin now has new school uniforms, and they sent his food directly to his school and even the coach that trains him now is getting paid because of this man. God will surely help me bless the man,” the grateful mother revealed.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep monitoring the development of the youngster as the months go by and report his progress to our teeming audience scattered across the globe.
