234sportsng.com
Towards a sports industry that works for all
We envisage in sports the kind of revolution that took place in our entertainment industry about two decades ago that propelled the likes of Wizkid, Davido, and others to the international limelight.
Olukayode Thomas January 3, 2022
Education, entertainment, and sports remain the best tools to empower the youth.
Of these three, sports is the most accessible and affordable and therefore, the most potent tool for democratising growth opportunities.
The above is true for many countries but Nigeria.
This is why SEEM Nigeria Limited, a Lagos-based multimedia company, launched www.234sportsng.com on January 3, 2022, as a platform to invigorate Nigeria's sports industry.
Our mission is to provoke conversations that will make our sports sector work for all and create growth opportunities for youths.
Global experiences have shown that sport is a tool for achieving success in the following industries: Education, Entertainment, Tourism, Trade and Investment, Combating Crime, and many more but our experiences in Nigeria in the last three decades have been the opposite.
Nigeria is the only country in the world whose citizens are talented in virtually all sports, have decent facilities, an economy that can support sports yet her sports industry is in comatose.
We are the only country known globally for its football prowess, yet her football is struggling at all levels.
In the 1980s, American coaches saw Nigeria and not Jamaica as the threat to their global dominance of sprints, quarter-mile, hurdles, jumps, and relays but it’s another typical Nigerian tragedy as we failed to fulfill potential.
If the mother of all sports athletics and king of sports football are endangered species in Nigeria, the fate of lesser sports are better imagined
In most parts of the world, sports without the media will revert to what it was decades ago - a mere recreation exercise.
In Nigeria today, sports is still a recreation exercise not just because our administrators abhor democracy and are inept but because our sports journalists are not playing the roles their counterparts elsewhere are playing.
We are beset by the malaise that is killing the larger society - sleaze, and ineptitude.
234sportsng.com is here to change the game by raising awareness about the power of sports and what a country with highly talented citizens like ours can achieve.
We will be an advocate of a paradigm shift from just sports reporting to setting an agenda that will ensure all hands are on the deck to right the wrongs.
We envisage in sports the kind of revolution that took place in our entertainment industry about two decades ago that propelled the likes of Wizkid, Davido, and others to the international limelight.
We envision a proactive sports industry that will not only generate employment but stem the illegal migration of youths.
We intend to achieve all these and many more by practising clean and ethical journalism.
Examining the sociological implications of stories before we publish.
234sportsng. com main focus will be sports but will not shy away from important issues in education, entertainment, lifestyle and everything that can make our youth better.
There will be regular events like conferences, sports events, workshops, awards, training, and seminars.
All the above and many more will be on 234sportsng.com news website, radio, television, and our social media platforms
We cannot achieve our goals without you. That is why we make a passionate appeal that you do the following and many more for us:
- Follow us on our website, radio, and television:
- Follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and others
- Like our content
- Recommend us to the world
- Share our content
- Partner with us
- Sponsor our events and programs
- Advertise with us
- Donate to us
- Support us with contacts and stories
- Send your stories, photographs, video, and other materials
- Practice citizen journalism with us
- Share ideas with us
Our Team
Publisher & Reporter: Olukayode Thomas:
A graduate of Sociology from the University of Ibadan, Thomas began his career in 1996 when he joined The Guardian Newspapers as a reporter.
He became the Sports Editor of The Guardian Newspapers in 2005. In 2008, he joined Next Newspapers as a pioneer Sports Editor.
He has worked with The Comet, The Nation, City Voice and as Director Communications and Media for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
Thomas is unarguably the most decorated sports journalist in Nigeria. Between 1997 and 2008, Thomas won 36 awards and certificates including the CNN International African Journalist of the Year Award twice, in 1998 and 2000.
In 2003, he won the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), Ernest Sesei Okoli Prize for the Newspaper Reporter of the Year. He also retained the NMMA Abubakar Imam Prize for News Feature Writer of the Year which he had won the previous year.
He won the NMMA Travel and Tourism Writer Award twice — 1999 and 2000.
He won the Bashorun MKO Abiola Prize for Sports Writer of the Year in Nigeria by NMMA a record seven times in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
He also won the Best Sports Writer in Nigeria by Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) a record five times; 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004 and others
He has participated in several local and international training sessions, workshops and seminars. He covered the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, World Athletics Championships (Indoor and Outdoor), and several other local and international games and championships.
Thomas also has experience in sports administration. He has served as a member of the board of AFN, Special Adviser and Consultant to Sports Ministers.
Thomas' advocacy of good governance in sports has led to threats, intimidation and libel suits.
In 2009, he won the biggest libel suit (N500 million) in the history of Nigerian media.
General Editor& Reporter: Nneka Ikem: An alumnus of the University of Lagos where she did her first and second degree in Mass Communication.
Ikem began her journalism career at Radio Nigeria. She also freelances for many medium locally and internationally.
A widely traveled journalist, Ikem has covered the FIFA Football World Cup, Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, All African Games and other global and continental games and championships.
Ikem has served as SA Media & Publicity to two Federal Ministers, she also participated in the Hilary Clinton Fellowship Programme.
United Kingdom Special Correspondent Abdus-Semiu Osho: A gentleman with a brave pen, Osho’s gentle mien contrasted sharply with the exclusive and well-investigated enterprise stories he did as a reporter with Complete Sports and Next Newspapers.
Sports aficionados will not forget how Osho nicknamed Stanley Okoro Little Messi on the eve of Nigeria 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
A graduate of Mass Communications from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and London School of Journalism, Osho is a freelance reporter for many Afrocentric mediums in the United Kingdom.
Central Europe Special Correspondent: Olubunmi Akande: Trained in Nigeria but practising abroad, Akande read Linguistics at the University of Ilorin and did a postgraduate diploma in Journalism at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Ogba.
Akande relocated to Austria where he reports for African Radio Vienna and as a freelance for many Afrocentric broadcast stations in Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and other parts of Europe.
Apart from covering sports, Akande is also a diehard fan of Afrobeat. After following the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti on a tour of Europe, he reports on the Femi and Seun Anikulapo-Kuti whenever they are in Europe.
Central Europe Special Correspondent: Charles Ambrose
From a very young age Charlie, as Charlie Ambrose is popular now, has always been fascinated with cameras, videos, and anything that has to do with computers and electronics.
So those who knew him from way back are not surprised that he has turned his passion and hobby into a profession that today puts food on his table.
Charlie polished his raw skill in photography and electronics at Okto TV, Vienna, Austria. Okto TV is a multi-professional organization where trainees are instilled with competence that ensures they are successful in broadcasting and new media.
Okto TV also give technical support to staff and trainees
After acquiring multimedia skill at Okto TV, Charlie worked with MA48, Vienna, and Medien.Zustell GmbH, also in Vienna and as Cameraman, Photographer & Sound Engineer at Radio Afrika TV, Vienna, Austria
Apart from electronics Charlie also has a passion for event organization and acting. He has been involved with Stage Production Construction and Event Service with Edgar Parkas, Vienna, Austria, he has also done many minor acting roles with the same company.
Now a freelancer for several pro-Africa media houses in Austria, England, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium and other parts of Europe.
He is also passionate about the development of youths in entertainment and sports, especially football.
He is fluent in English, German and Yoruba.
Bolade Olusegun: West Coast Correspondent: Though a graduate of Industrial and Labour Relation from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Olusegun fell in love with journalism after passing Timbuktu Media Inaugural Intensive Journalism training programme and joined Next Newspapers as a Sports Reporter.
He also worked with Complete Communication publishers of Complete Sports and African Times Network before relocating to Accra, Ghana where he was freelancing for a number of European medium before joining 234Sports.ng.com as West Coast Correspondent.
Assistant Editor/Reporter David Meshioye: David Kolawole Meshioye: A sports journalist with degrees in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management and Mass Communication from Federal Polytechnic, Bida, and Lagos State University(LASU).
Meshioye started his reportorial career at National Interest before moving to New-Age, Complete Sports, Time Sports Egypt (West African Correspondent) and Opera News verified content creators.
A thorough-investigative reporter, Meshioye covered the 2006 African Cup of Nations in Egypt, the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana and the 2019 African Nations Cup.
He also covered the 2010 IAAF Diamond League in Crystal Palace, London where he conducted an exclusive interview with some of the best Track and Field athletes. He was in Kigali, Rwanda for CHAN 2018.
