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• Coach Fanny Amun once invited me to play for Under-17 team, but I ran away from camp
Olumide Oyedeji is one of Nigeria’s most decorated athletes. He is the first African Secretary General of the World Olympians Association, current president of the Nigeria Olympians Association, and Third Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, among others, Oyedeji says he has cause to be grateful to God for all that he is and what he has achieved.
Sunday Sun recently caught up with the 6’ 10” player former NBA star. During the encounter, he opened up on his
Oyedeji in this interview opens up on his career, his family life and many more.
In a nutshell, how would you introduce yourself
Well, I’ll say my name is Olumide Oyedeji, a former captain of the Nigerian national team. AfroBasket champion 2015, Olympian, Commonwealth Games African Games medallists. I have won all colours of medals – gold, silver and bronze. I played in different continents and I am married with children.
What was growing up like for you?
I mean basketball was the last sports that I got involved in. Growing up, I played football and in the Laniyan U13, YSFON U14 and Venice Cup. There was a particular time I got invited to the national team under Coach Fanny Amun, but had to run away. I also did track and field. I did 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, long jump, high jump. In fact, I was a jack of all sports but the only sport I didn’t do was boxing. I felt I was ugly and boxing would further add to it.
I discovered basketball last, but fortunately that became the best sport for me. It exposed me and I went to the prestigious Loyola College and then moved to Obafemi Awolowo University where I met a lot of great players and where I learnt more about basketball.
I had a lecturer, Dr Quashiri who was kind and motivated me. There was also Dr Kofo Olorinishola. They taught me fundamentals of basketball by coaching and building me from the little I had learnt at Ibadan Poly. I had a lot of people that impacted my life growing up.
When I came to Lagos, I was going from one team to another but none believed I was good enough.
What teams were these?
At first I went to Dunkers of Surulere, Dodan Warriors, Air Force and many other teams that came for Division 2 then, but they said I was not good enough. I then decided started to play pick up games and Col. Sam Ahmedu, Proprietor of Dodan Warriors, saw me one day and asked me to join his team. He registered me for Division 2. And after that, that was the end of it. And they won all the games, came first year in the tournament. The team got promoted and from there I went back to school. Later, I joined the Customs Basketball team.
Let’s go back to your days with Coach Fanny Amun. Why did you run away from the camp?
But I just decided to run away. I mean up until now, Coach Fanny Amun, anytime he sees me will call me ‘Run away!’
It’s just maybe football was not for me. So, maybe to answer the question, I would just say I just had to leave. So I just left.
What was growing up in Ibadan like for you?
I mean it was difficult. It was extremely difficult. I mean I grew up in a very tough disciplinarian, Christian home. I was born into church, grew up in church. In fact, everything around me was centred on the Blood of Jesus Apostolic Church. Oke Ira, Ibadun. My mother made sure that I went to a Christian school – CAC Primary School and from there to college. Before then, I was in and out of school. I stopped going to school for some years.
Why was that?
I never knew what came over me. I left school and was just moving around town doing nothing until I decided I wanted to go back to school.
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For how long were you out of school?
I was out of school for about three, four years.
And what were you doing during that period?
Roaming around, doing bus conductor, manager… I just did a lot of things until one day I decided to go back to school. I must say at that time, things were difficult, but I had to do it.
I had to do bus conductor to send myself to school. I told my mum I was going back to school and she was like no, you’re not going to fool me a second time. I was so stubborn that mum didn’t believe me. At that time, I had lost some years such that when I was in Primary 6, my mares were in Class 4.
How did you feel then?
I felt embarrassed but later I realised I had to just carry my cross. I had to go to church every single day and if I didn’t go to church I would not eat, and so I love food so much that I was forced to go to church from school and then home before lesson. In all of these, I had to walk about five miles, five or six miles to church to meet my mum Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Was your mum a worker in church?
My mum is what you will call a prayer warrior and also after church service, there were also night vigils on Wednesdays and on Fridays. Often times, I would navigate my way to go sleep somewhere anytime the night vigil holds but she would still find me. I don’t know how she did it and whenever she found me, she would beat me up and say this is the time you’re supposed to be praying. All those evil spirit jumping inside you must leave you.
When I don’t attend, she won’t say anything but a punishment awaits me and that means no food for me. So, that kind of actually made me to buckle up, passed out and went to Ife.
How influential do you think your mother’s prayer worked on you?
That’s what they call Iri Adura. We are six in my family. I have five sisters. If my mum made 10 prayers, I believe eight are for me and the rest are for my sisters, for her and her husband. So I think that’s how dedicated she was. She went through a lot just to see me become useful.
What was it like growing up amongst five sisters?
Hmm…, it was supposed to be easy but it was hard. Everything happened for a purpose I believe.
They were really hard on me. They all did their own thing and they sent me here and there.
If you weren’t into basketball, what else would you have been doing?
Ah, I don’t know. But I can say I love journalism. When I was younger I wanted to be a doctor or lawyer or an engineer. But when I started playing basketball, all my focus was on it. The Bible says man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps. I never believed in basketball until I got to Ife. Until I got that dedication, until I said, you know what? I can make it through this, until I set a goal for myself.
I really wanted to do that because it inspired me. Just like I was inspired in school at Loyola College, when during prize-giving day, they call the best student in Mathematic, best student in English, Social studies etc. A friend then told me that even if it’s Yoruba, I should just do my best. Because I just wanted to get called out I studied hard and eventually got called out for two subjects.
How did you stay hooked to the game of basketball?
A lot of people discouraged me; some humiliated me and embarrassed me. Some people even blackmailed me. But every time I felt like quitting, I always remember the reason why I started the journey.
