Nigeria cricket honours Olajide Bademosi at 80

The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has honoured Olajide Bademosi, a former national team captain, who clocks 80 years old on February 25.

In a statement on Wednesday, Yahaha Ukwenya, president of NCF, said the dedication and professionalism shown for the sport by Bademosi are worthy of being emulated by the young generation of players.

According to him, the ex-captain, who represented the country for eighteen years, excelled in the sport both on and off the pitch.

“Bademosi represented Nigeria for eighteen years and was captain of the national team for the last four years of his career,” Ukwenya said.

“Right from his first contact with cricket at the Government College, Ibadan he gave equal attention to both academic and his cricket talent. We see his life as part of the numerous sacrifices that form the foundation of the growth and sustenance of cricket in Nigeria today.

“We have had a lot of changes since people like him retired from active cricket, but there are quite a number of things that can be learned from his life of total service to the sport.”

Among the most cherished achievements recorded by the ex-captain, who is also an all-rounder (batter and bowler), was leading the national team to win the Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Quadrangular Series for the third time in 1982 — leading to Nigeria retiring the event’s first trophy.

A professor and renowned neurologist at the University of Ibadan, Bademosi also administered cricket at various levels, including serving on the working committee of the Nigeria Cricket Association (NCA) from 1981 to 1989, rising to become the association’s vice chairman in 1987.