In a heartwarming move that has brought joy to the 1998 victorious squad of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has approved the long-promised allocation of land to the team’s players and officials.
The gesture, which fulfills a 26-year-old pledge made by the then Military Administrator of the state, Compol Amen Oyakhire, is a reward for 3SC’s historic double in 1998, when the team won both the Nigeria Premier League and the WAFU Cup — the only continental title won by a Nigerian club at the time.
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As part of the reward announced in 1998, each player and official was to receive ₦1 million and a plot of land. While the cash reward was disbursed, successive administrations failed to implement the land allocation — until now.
Governor Makinde’s intervention has been widely applauded by the club’s former players, officials, and fans. Speaking on behalf of the 1998 squad, former club secretary Akin Maxwell Makinde described the governor’s gesture as “a sign of leadership driven by justice, integrity, and human compassion.”
“Engr. Makinde has put smiles on the faces of these heroes who made Oyo State and Nigeria proud. His commitment to redressing past injustices has set him apart from his predecessors,” he said.
The 1998 team, led by the late chairman Bode Oyewole and coach Jossy Ladipo, included a mix of homegrown and foreign talents who now stand as proud beneficiaries of the governor’s approval. Among them are:
1. Sunday Adu (Captain)
2. Andrew Aikhomogbe
3. Shanka Ugwah
4. Eric Ejiofor
5. Late Dimeji Adenekan
6. Niyi Elegbede
7. Samuel Yamta
8. John Benson
9. Leye Akinde
10. Late Mojeed Azees
11. Late Pius Daniel
12. Rafiu Salaudeen
13. Bauldwin Bazuaye
14. Golden Ajeboh
15. Sunday Ilevbare
16. Allain Njoh Njoh
17. Peter Obanor
18. Ochuko Otos
19. Shobayo Adesina
20. Kazeem Tijani
21. Kola Ademola
22. Friday Christopher
23. Late Jossy Ladipo (Coach)
24. Late Bode Oyewole (Chairman)
25. Barr. Owolabi Salami
The lands are expected to be formally allocated with Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) issued by the Oyo State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development in the coming weeks.
This decision reaffirms Governor Makinde’s commitment to honoring those who have contributed significantly to the growth and pride of the state, particularly in the area of sports.
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