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Odegbami Appeals for Aide for Stricken Ex- Nigeria Goalkeeper Fregene
Odegbami Appeals for Aide for Stricken Ex- Nigeria Goalkeeper Fregene
By Tobouke JEMINE
Segun Odegbami, a Nigerian football legend, is seeking financial help for Peter Fregene, a former Nigerian goalkeeper struggling with severe health issues.
Fregene, who played for the Nigerian national team for over two decades, is currently hospitalized in Sapele, Delta State, and urgently needs medical attention and financial support.
Odegbami revealed that Fregene is waiting for help to be transferred by ambulance to the Ohara Teaching Hospital, but more funds are required despite Tony Ojesina covering the ambulance costs .
This situation highlights the need for a comprehensive welfare scheme for Nigerian athletes, both active and retired, to ensure their well-being in old age and ill health.
Fregene’s plight has sparked concerns about the lack of support for retired athletes in Nigeria, with Odegbami emphasizing the importance of establishing a functional welfare system
This is not the first time Fregene has faced health challenges; in 2001, he was critically ill, and billionaire Femi Otedola covered his medical bills.
The statement reads in full;
I am frustrated because I am publishing this ‘horror’ picture (a picture of Fregene in a hospital bed), wishing I could do what needs to be done for a colleague without having to resort to yet another public appeal to the same few Nigerians that have, through the years, intervened in the matter of ill-health of a few retired, suffering Nigerian football heroes.
By now, we must have exhausted any remnant of ‘goodwill’ we have with Femi Otedola, Mike Adenuga, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Babatunde Fashola, Benson Ejindu, Allen Onyema, and a few other Nigerians who often came to the aid of a few lucky sports heroes several times in the past.
Even if they have not complained, we are ashamed to go back to them again.
Why don’t we have, or why can’t we set up, even on our own, a simple welfare scheme for active and retired athletes across all sports in the country, to take care of our declining health in old age, long after our sports careers?
Doing so does not require knowledge of rocket science. What is needed are the will, hard work and a few good and committed people of integrity.
The danger now is that the number of retired ageing sports heroes languishing in poverty, neglect and ill health is legion already, and growing. Their stories are ugly and shameful.
The government has demonstrated time and again that sport is not a priority. 64 years after Independence they cannot and will not see it differently, period.
So, Peter Fregene is a reminder to us all again. As I look at him lying comatose on a hospital bed in Sapele and experiencing the suffering he must be going through, my frustration is mounting.
It appears doing something for, and beyond, Peter is a responsibility that ‘fate and metaphysical aid’ seem to have put around my neck. So, we shall see, as our people would say when they do not know what’s coming next.
So, what is the situation with ‘Apo’ now? He is still waiting for help to come in order to be moved by ambulance to the Ohara Teaching Hospital, Ohara, Delta State. He has been waiting since yesterday.
I hope Globacom that have been taking care of his every need in the past year would respond once again and come to his aid.
A friend sitting next to me yesterday as I discussed Peter with his wife on the telephone last night, Tony Ojesina, immediately paid for the cost of the ambulance that would convey him there. But he still has other bills to pay before he can be moved.
Fregene was the first-choice goalkeeper for the Nigeria national football team from 1968 to 1971. He was then recalled for the 1982 African Cup of Nations finals. He also represented Nigeria at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.
- By Favour Bibaikefie
Labour Party’s former Presidential flag bearer, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, has officially declared his intention to run for the presidency again in 2027. Speaking during a live interactive session on X Space last Sunday, Obi pledged to serve only one tenure in office if elected, aligning with the conditions of any national coalition formed to rescue the country.
His spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim Umar, followed up with a formal confirmation of Obi’s statement on Monday.
Obi clarified that his ambition is not driven by a desire for power but by a commitment to national transformation. He stated unequivocally: “If the coalition is one term, I will leave on May 28, 2031 – not even May 29. I am not desperate to be president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work.”
He underscored that any such coalition must be guided by principles of integrity, character, and accountability, rather than political compromise or personal ambition.
No Alliance With Atiku, Focus Remains on National Challenges
The former Anambra State Governor dismissed speculations of a potential Alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Obi stressed that his focus is not on political arrangements but on assembling a result-driven team capable of tackling the country’s pressing issues, particularly insecurity and economic hardship.
“If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue, Zamfara, how to revive our economy, how to make our industries productive, how to put food on the tables of Nigerians, count me out,” he asserted.
Vision: Stabilising Nigeria Within Two Years
Obi expressed confidence in his ability to bring stability to Nigeria within two years of assuming office. He pledged to prioritize key sectors such as security, education, and poverty reduction. He also vowed to run a clean administration, assuring that his family would be kept out of government business and contracts.
“To bring order in governance, I will prioritise security, education and pulling people out of poverty,” he said.
Criticism of Tinubu’s Foreign Trip Amid Crisis
During the session, Obi took a critical stance on President Bola Tinubu’s recent trip to St. Lucia, describing it as disconnected from the nation’s current realities. He questioned the President’s leadership commitment amid ongoing security and economic challenges.
“You can’t build strong international relations when your domestic house is on fire. We’re losing lives in Niger, Benue, Zamfara and we’re gallivanting,” Obi lamented, adding that the President had not spent a single night outside Lagos in any Nigerian state since taking office.
No to Political Cross-Carpeting and Electoral Manipulation
Reaffirming his commitment to electoral reforms, Obi said he would champion credible elections and condemned the trend of elected politicians switching parties for personal gain.
He pledged a peaceful and transparent campaign, highlighting the importance of respecting voter decisions. He also restated his support for regional power rotation, noting his adherence to this principle while governing Anambra State.
In closing, Obi called for a compassionate and people-centered leadership approach, drawing from his own experiences of empathising with victims during crises in his home state.
With this declaration, Peter Obi sets the stage for what promises to be a defining moment in Nigeria’s 2027 electoral cycle.
Breaking
BREAKING: TINUBU SEEKS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVAL FOR US$21.5BN LOAN, NGN₦758BN DOMESTIC DEBT TO FUND KEY SECTORS
By: Favour Bibaikefie
Abuja – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the National Assembly’s approval to secure a new round of multi-billion-dollar foreign and domestic loans aimed at supporting critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy and addressing longstanding pension obligations.
In a detailed letter sent to both chambers of the National Assembly, the President sought approval for an external borrowing plan totalling US$21.5 billion, in addition to EUR€2.19 billion, PRC¥15 billion, and a EUR€65 million grant.
The request is part of the Federal government’s 2022 – 2024 borrowing framework intended to fund major development initiatives.
Additionally, President Tinubu is asking for legislative endorsement to raise NGN₦757.9 billion through domestic bonds. According to the Presidency, these funds will be directed primarily toward offering federal government pension liabilities, especially accrued pension rights under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The proposed external loan, the government clarified, will be deployed across priority sectors including infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, job creation, water resources, and security. A statement from the Federal Ministry of Finance emphasized that the loan requests are consistent with Nigeria’s Midium-term Debt Strategy and will be responsibly managed to avoid placing undue burden on future administrations.
“This borrowing is not arbitrary, ” the statement said. “It is structured to support growth-driven projects across key economic areas and improve the living standards of Nigerians.”
Despite these assurances, critics and civil society groups have raised concerns over Nigeria’s growing public debt profile and the need for greater transparency, fiscal discipline, and measurable outcomes in loan utilization. Some have accused the government of pilling on debts without clear accountability mechanisms or demonstrable impact on productive sectors.
However, the government insists the borrowing will not increase Nigeria’s debt distress risk and that appropriate debt management strategies are in place.
The National Assembly is expected to deliberate on the requests in the coming days.
(c) IduwiniVoice
Assassination Fear: Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei Chooses 3 Successors, Skips His Own Son
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly handpicked three potential successors in case he is killed during Israel’s ongoing military campaign — a revelation that signals unprecedented urgency inside Tehran’s highest ranks.
According to an investigative report by The New York Times on Saturday, the 86-year-old Supreme Leader, now operating from a fortified bunker, privately named three senior clerics to assume power should he die during the conflict.