March 02, (THEWILL) – The death of Pastor (Dr) Emmanuel Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase, chairman of Complete Communications Limited, who died over the weekend in the United States of America, has been defined as “shocking” by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Amaju Melvin Pinnick, the NFF President, stated that the departed oracle of sports writing and publishing carved a bold niche for himself in the profession while making a profound impression on the terrain as he tutored and mentored those who came to be shining lights of sports media in the following decades.
All of these and more meant that the sports reporting pioneer left giant footprints in the sands of time, which will constitute his legacy and keep his memory evergreen.
“Anyone in the line of football, nay sports, knew Pastor (Dr) Sunny Ojeagbase. He was the authentic legend of sports writing and sports publishing, and even went into other terrains that people thought was not possible,” Pinnick eulogised.
“We are shocked by his death at this time because he still had so much to give. However, God loves him much more and he has taken him at the appointed time.
“Our joy is that he lived a full, fruitful and fulfilled life. On behalf of the Nigeria Football family, we pray that Almighty God will grant him eternal rest and also grant the family he has left behind, as well as the Complete Communications family, the fortitude to bear this great loss.”
According to the federation, sports journalists like Peter Osugo, Ishola Folorunsho, Solomon Babatunde Oshuntolu and Bisi Lawrence may have set the pace in the sports journalism trail, but Obazu-Ojeagbase, who led other illustrious names of the genre including Mitchel Obi, Ikeddy Isiguzo, Chris Okojie, Gboyega Okegbenro, Ejiro Omonode, Kunle Solaja, Sam John, Mumimi Alao, Tunde Sulaiman, Muyiwa Daniel and Dave Enechukwu put in the work to make sports writing and sports reporting a glowingly attractive field that was rewarding.
Described as soft-spoken, self-effacing, unclamorous yet far-sighted, Obazu-Ojeagbase made sports reporting an outstanding section in The Guardian Newspapers in the early 1980s, before leaving in 1984, as THEWILL reported.
The same year, he founded Sports Souvenir which became Nigeria’s first all-sport publication, to which he added Complete Sports, Complete Football International, Complete Football Extra, Sports Digest, International Soccer Review (ISR) and other publications in the following decades.
As a result, Obazu-Ojeagbase created a media juggernaut that nourished geniuses and prodigies who went on to dominate the profession with effortless brilliance.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
