by Wilfred Okiche

Sports is a career path that favours the young. So you would think it would be a walk in the park gathering 10 young highflyers making giant strides in the sporting industry.

Not so easy. As the annual #YNaijaPowerList enters its 4^th year, we bring you the most influential young Nigerians in sports, under 40 who are doing it for themselves, and for the nation.

From a track queen on her way to legendary status, to a fast rising footballer at her prime, a media entrepreneur to mercurial footballers, these power 10 rock.

Ahmed Musa

Compared to the likes of Arjen Robben, 23 year old Ahmed Musa made history when he became the first Nigerian to score more than once in a FIFA World Cup match after putting 2 goals past the Argentinian defence at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Rated by Goal.com as one of the Hot 100 young football stars in the world to watch, Musa joined Russian side CSKA Moscow in 2012. He is a member of Nigeria’s 2013 AFCON winning team.

Asisat Oshoala

The most exciting female player on the continent is also one of the youngest. 20 year old Oshoala shone like a thousand stars at the FIFA under-20 World Cup in Canada last year where she emerged the most valuable player after putting 7 goals past the net and assisting with 2 more. In January, she scored double at the Glo/CAF awards, winning the African Women’s Player of the Year and Women Youth Player of the year. She is currently signed to Liverpool Ladies in The English Premiership.

Bambo Akani

Akani studied Chemical Engineering, has earned an MBA, worked with Goldman Sachs in investment banking, but all that hasn’t stopped him from doing his bit to tackle the problem of underperformance in athletics. His sports media and management company, Making of Champions was conceived after Nigeria’s dismal performance at the London Olympics. A documentary featuring past national heroes like Francis Obikwelu and Glory Anozie was commissioned and is set to be released in time for the 2016 Olympic games in Rio. A reality tv show Top Sprinter is planned to follow shortly.

Blessing Okagbare

Nigeria’s biggest track athlete to play in the big leagues since the likes of Mary Onyali-Omagbemi and Falilat Ogunkoya comes in the form of Blessing Okagbare. The reigning African queen of the sprint, Okagbare won the 100metres final at the London Anniversary games, beating Olympics champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and eclipsing the 5 year record set by Glory Alozie. Okagbare is also the 100m and 200m champion at the Commonwealth Games. Her 10.85 posted in the 100metres broke the 12 year old games record. She is the 4^th woman in history to win both titles.

Brown Ideye

Nigerian international Brown Ideye signed a 3 year contract with English Premier league club, West Bromwich Albion in July 2014 in a record signing deal that has been pegged at 10million Pounds. He started slowly, scoring his first goal for the club in the Boxing day 2014 loss to Manchester City but picked up form later, hitting the back of the net 4 times within a 6-day spell in February. Ideye was part of the AFCON winning Super Eagles team in 2013 where he featured significantly, scoring once against Mali.

Jimmie Akinsola

Akinsola anchors Sports Extra on urban radio station, Beat FM where he also works as Sports desk manager. His easy listening but knowledgeable approach to his beat has earned him numerous followers who throng to the station, and to Classic FM for their daily sports fix. A die hard Arsenal fan, Akinsola also works as an events compere and hype man to celebrities like D’banj. He hosted D’banj’s much hyped 10^th anniversary gig and with his confident display, perhaps, saved the event from going the way of the koko master’s career of late.

 

John Obi Mikel

The Chelsea midfielder may not be known for scoring goals with prolific efficiency but he has steadily built his profile as one of the most successful African football players of his generation, joining Chelsea FC in Europe Championship and Premiership victories. One of the most decorated players on the continent, Obi was also part of Nigeria’s African Cup of Nations winning team in 2013 and starred in an Amstel Malta sponsored film ‘The Journey’ alongside Genevieve Nnaji. He made his World Cup debut in Brazil 2014, where he earned a man of the match award against Iran. Who cares that he scores goals once every 2 years?

Olalekan Okusan

Formerly of the Guardian newspapers, but now with The Nation, Olalekan Okusan is one of the hardest working sports reporters in the country, devoting time and energy to comprehensive coverage of the often underserved Tennis beat. A past winner of the Sports Business Media Award Sportswriter of the year prize, Okusan commands a lot of clout in his field and has helped countless talents secure much needed press coverage.

Samson Adamu

This fast rising entreprenuer is the brain and chief executive officer of Kinetic sports, organisers of the annual Copa Lagos Beach Soccer event. Tagged as Africa’s biggest soccer and event, Copa Lagos boasts a fusion of football, music and fashion and attracts teams from Africa, Europe and South America. A scion of a former football administrator, Amos Adamu, Samson has been plagued by corruption and graft rumours but even his detractors do not deny that with Copa Lagos, the man definitely knows how to put up a good show. He has been doing it for 4 years now.

Vincent Enyeama

Vincent Enyeama brings a steady, important presence to the goal posts and has saved the country on more than one occasions from near disastrous outings. As the active captain of the national team, Enyeama led the Super Eagles to their third continental victory in 2013 and has been a Goal.com World Player of the Week. He became only the second Nigerian- after Joseph Yobo- to hit the 100 cap milestone for country this year and was a finalist for the Glo-CAF African footballer of the year.  He currently plies his trade in France but is always available for country whenever his services are needed. And they are always needed.