Segun Odegbami

An engineer on the wing

Patrick Olusegun Odegbami was born in Lagos on 27 August 1952 and grew up in Jos, where he attended St Murumba College. His family roots are in Ogun State. He studied mechanical engineering at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and his precise passing and crossing earned him the nickname Mathematical.

Shooting Stars

Odegbami starred for IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan, winning Nigerian league titles and the 1976 African Cup Winners’ Cup. His last match was the 1984 African Champions Cup final; a knee injury ended his career.

The 1980 final

Odegbami won 47 caps and bronze at the 1976 and 1978 Africa Cups of Nations. In the 1980 final in Lagos he scored in the 2nd and 42nd minutes as Nigeria beat Algeria 3-0 to win the Cup for the first time, and he finished as joint top scorer.

After football

A writer, broadcaster and educator, Odegbami founded the Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy in Wasinmi, Ogun State, launched Eagle 7 Sports Radio in Abeokuta in 2022, and in May 2025 was named Ogun State’s Grand Sports Ambassador.