Former Super Eagles star, Godwin Odiye and Paul Okoku have donated sport equipment to Saint Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos State, on the occasion of their 60th inter-house sports on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the school premises in Yaba.
The distinguished Nigerian ex internationals, who passed out from Saint Finbarrs College, also handed out an undisclosed sum of money in scholarship to the school through the Old Boys Association of the acclaimed secondary school.
At the colourful St Finbarr’s College 60th Inter-house sports competition, where the sports equipment donated by Okoku and Odiye were presented to a packed cheering crowd in the school ‘s sports complex, the school authority, parents, students, well wishers and disguised former students of the illustrious secondary, spoke glowingly of the humanitarian efforts of the US-based former students .
Okoku, a distinguished member of the Saint Finbarr’s College Old Boys Association and the vice captain of the 1983 Flying Eagles which became the first Nigerian team to participate in a FIFA-organised competition, alongside a legendary former defender,Odiye, donated the equipment to their alma mater, as a way of giving back to the college to promote sport among the students.
The sport equipment include adidas jerseys, football boots, branded track suits, hoses and shin guards for the school football team.
The equipment and jerseys were presented by Friday Okoku to the school administrator, Rev Father Babalola Emmanuel, who was elated with the humanitarian gesture of Odiye and Okoku.
“We are grateful for this great gesture of you two and pray that you will see God’s goodness”.
Okoku and Odiye drew commendation from the President of the Saint Finbarr’s College Old Boys Association and veteran Nigerian actor, Patrick Doyle, for the gesture, during the presentation of the equipment at the sporting event, to the cheers of parents, teachers, school officials and students.
“Paul Okoku was the vice captain of the Junior Eagles called the Flying Eagles. That tem was the first team in Nigeria to play a FIFA-orgamised competiton. He went on to play for the Super Eagles before he went to America to study and he is still resident there till this day,” Doyle told the delighted crowd.
“The other is the legendary Godwin Odiye. Godwin Odiye is one of the greatest defenders on the continent and an old boy of this school. So on their behalf, he has sent his brother here to do the presentation. We have a good number of football boots, track suits for the the school, branded track suits for the football team, all the way from the United States.
“Adidas jerseys for the football team, who have shin guards, hoses and hand gloves for the goalkeeper. Ladies and gentlemen, I urge you once again, to applaud our proud old boys, Paul Okoku and Godwin Odiye. These jerseys are going to be worn in the final of the Heritage Cup and we are going to left the cup wearing these jerseys donated by these gentle men who were in this school many years ago.”
The thespian also appreciated the sense of giving back to the college displayed by Okoku and Odiye.
“These gesture that they have done shows that of a truth and in deed, they are appreciative of what this school did to them and for them. I am particularly proud of Paul and Godwin Odiye because these are sporting legends and they have found it first to give back to St. Finbarr’s. I just boasted that we would be wearing the jersey they donated at the next final of the football competition in Lagos State,” Doyle stated.
Also lauding the donation, Head Teacher of the school, Biyibi Victor, said the sport equipment will go a long way to motivated the school team.
“About a month ago, they (Okoku and Odiye) called me and told me that they would love to do that presentation. I said it would be took hidden if they come on an ordinary day. So I said they should come on the day of the inter-house sport; let the whole world know what they are donating to us, so that the publicity will shine on them, to show what they are giving back to their alma mater, which is a good thing to emulate,” he said.
The head teacher also said the donation will boost sport in the school and further enhance its rich sports history.
“It (donation) will go a long way to motivated the boys, being that these are old boys giving back to the school. And you know sport kits are very expensive now, so for them to do this is a very laudable experience for the boys and three boys will benefit from it because as a school, we don’t push sport aside, we put sport and academics side-by-side, just because the founder, Reverend Father Slattery was also a sport man and he loved combining academics and sports,” Victor stated.
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