Ojomo, who arrived in Lagos on Wednesday with his parents and sister, spoke about his vision to create opportunities for the youth and to nurture the next generation of athletes in Nigeria.

Ojomo, at a meeting with the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on Saturday in Abuja, shared his belief that the future of Nigeria lies in investing in its youths.

In addition to his plans for the academy, Ojomo also discussed his commitment to working with local organisations to promote flag football in Nigeria, with the hope of qualifying teams for the 2028 Olympics.

In the meeting yesterday, we proposed a plan to ultimately build an academy that not only promotes Nigerian-born athletes overseas or Nigerian descendants who come back and visit but also points to the youths and gives them abilities to grow in strength and grow into skill. That is what is in the pipeline.

“The goal is to see Nigerians doing well in American football. I believe the sport is not popular in Nigeria because people do not understand it.

“There is a lot of work being done with the flag football team. Some tryouts are happening in Lagos right now. I think they want to get them ready for the Olympics in 2028,” the footballer explained.

He emphasised the importance of providing young people with the resources and platforms to grow in both strength and skill, with the ultimate goal of making Nigeria the greatest country in the world.

“The youth is where change is made, and investing in them is of the utmost importance,” he said.

Ojomo, who was born in Lagos and moved to California at the age of seven, reflected on his own journey to success and how his Nigerian roots played a vital role in shaping his determination and perseverance.

He credited his upbringing for the values that helped him achieve his Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles, a feat that has now placed him alongside other Nigerian-born NFL champions.

“I would not be here without Nigeria. I think that there is a saying that the grass is not greener where you go, it’s greener when you water it. We have the opportunity to water it,” he said.

He expressed his belief that Nigeria is a country full of potential, and through collaboration and investment in the youth, Nigeria can become a global leader in sports.

“What we are working on now is just to provide more opportunities for the youths and ultimately make Nigeria the greatest country in the world. So that’s the goal,” Ojomo remarked during the meeting.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in her remarks, congratulated Ojomo on his Super Bowl victory and his contributions to promoting Nigeria’s name on the global stage.

She acknowledged the national honor that will be conferred on him by the Nigerian government, noting that his success serves as an inspiration for younger Nigerians.

She expressed her appreciation for Ojomo’s dedication to his roots and his vision for creating lasting change in the country.

“We thank you for making us so proud and I know that you are passionate about your country. You are passionate about the younger Nigerians, and you want to make a difference in their lives.

“Home will always be home, no matter how much you excel abroad,” she said, inviting him to participate in the upcoming Diaspora Day on July 25 to share his story and inspire others.

Ojomo, who was born in Lagos in 2001 and moved to California at age seven, played a key role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl win, securing their second-ever championship title.

His victory places him alongside other Nigerian-born NFL champions, including C.J. Uzomah, Chukwuebuka Godrick, Chris Oladokun, and Charles Omenihu.

Marathoners set to take off.

Kenyans and Ethiopians dominated the half-marathon event of the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon on Saturday, while Nigerian runners claimed victory in the 5km race.

Kenya’s Harrison Muchira Wanjiru won the men’s half-marathon in 1 hour 04.39 minutes, followed by compatriot Adam Sulaiman Muhamad, who finished second in 1.05.27, while Nigeria’s Francis James Musa took third position in 1.05.51.

In the women’s category, Ethiopians ruled the race as Lydia Natiyaka Wamalawa crossed the finish line first in 1 hour 15.3 minutes. Her countrywoman, Aberash Minsewo, came second in 1.17.14, with Nigeria’s Patience Dalyop finishing third in 1.21.15.

Nigerian runners dominated the 5km race and claimed most of the prizes reserved for ECOWAS citizens.

Thousands of participants took to the streets of Abuja on Saturday as the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon kicked off at the ECOWAS Commission Yakubu Gowon Way shortly after 8am, with the 5km race following soon after.

Elite runners in the 21-kilometre race competed for Africa’s most lucrative half-marathon prize of $10,000 for the top finisher, while top runners in the 5km race also aimed for substantial prize money.

Former presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore, a familiar face at marathons and road races in Nigeria, America and other parts of the world, used the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon as another platform to spread his message of justice for humanity.

Sowore ran alongside members of the #Run with Sowore Group and his Lazy Man Athletics Club.

For many participants like Blessing Mozie, running has become a lifestyle choice. As a staff member of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, Mozie participated because running is integral to her life.

Having previously completed several full marathons in the Lagos City Marathon, Mozie opted for the 5km race in Abuja as she was unfamiliar with the capital’s routes.

“I was born in Lagos, I grew up there, so I am familiar with the route, but I am not too familiar with the Abuja routes. Maybe in future, I will run the half marathon and the full marathon in Abuja,” she said.

“I think running is something everybody should do because of its immense health benefits.”

“For me, running is not a fashion statement but a way of life because it is good for the body generally, and I am encouraging everybody to embrace the culture of running; the benefits are immeasurable,” Mozie added.

An estimated 5,000 Nigerian and international runners competed for the $71,000 prize money on Saturday, with men’s and women’s winners of the 21km half-marathon each receiving $10,000.

The first 200 runners to cross the finish line received bronze medals for their participation.

The Chairman of the Main Organising Committee and ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani, said the event was part of activities marking ECOWAS at 50.

Njoaguani stated that the initiative aims to encourage regional participation and celebrate homegrown talent.

He noted that the goal is to achieve World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.

The management of the Niger Delta Science School( NDSS) Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Port Harcourt has vowed to sustain it’s annual interhouse sports and Athletic competition.

The School Director Dr Emmanuel Egbuchiem said this last weekend, while declaring open the 25th edition of the school annual interhouse sports and Athletic competition.

He said the school which was is creating opportunities to enable students showcase their sporting talent.

Egbuchiem said the school which was formerly Ompadec science school has excelled in every areas of human endeavours, adding that both in the field of academics and sports the school has been rank high.

According to the Director, the school is also rated high in external examinations such as Waec  Neco and Jamb, stressing that the sports was to ensure an all round personalities to conquer territories.

Speaking in an interview later on,he expressed satisfaction with the performances of all the houses and students, describing it as fantastic and  excellent.

Also speaking chairman of the occasion, Chief Keeper D. Gbarane thanked the school management for living up to the expectations of the society.

He said the competition will provide opportunity for students who are not bookworm to develop talent that will enable them to be useful to the society.

The chairman stressed the need for the school not to relent and assured them of his support.

Speaking with newsmen the director of sports of  Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Daye Barango said the competition met the expectations of management of the school.

He however stressed the need for the Rivers state Ministry of Sports to always send its officials out to scout for talent during interhouse sports event.

Barango said this would enable the government to discover and pick out those that will make the state proud in future.

At the end the competition, Green House emerged the overall winner, followed by Blue house and Red house respectively.