Peter Fregene’s condition has reignited the debate over the need for a comprehensive welfare scheme for Nigerian athletes, both active and retired, to ensure their well-being in old age and ill health.
Delta State, Nigeria – Former Super Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami, has voiced his concerns over the deteriorating health condition of former Nigerian goalkeeper, Peter Fregene.
Fregene, a 1968 Olympian, is in dire need of financial assistance to facilitate his transfer to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital in Oghara, Delta State.
Fregene, who is currently receiving treatment at the Obule Medical Centre in Sapele, Delta State, has been battling severe health issues. Odegbami, in a statement, revealed that the ailing football legend requires urgent medical attention but is faced with financial challenges.
“As I look at him lying comatose on a hospital bed in Sapele, my frustration is mounting,” Odegbami lamented, expressing his distress over the lack of support for retired athletes. He emphasized the need for a welfare scheme to support the health of former athletes, stating, “Why can’t we set up a simple welfare scheme for active and retired athletes to take care of our declining health in old age?”
Odegbami further highlighted the growing number of retired sports heroes languishing in poverty, neglect, and poor health, describing their situation as “ugly and shameful.” He noted that Fregene is waiting for financial support to be moved by ambulance to the Oghara Teaching Hospital.
The former Eagles captain acknowledged the contributions of individuals like Tony Ojesina, who donated funds for the ambulance, and commended Globacom and other well-meaning Nigerians for their past support. However, he stressed that the government needs to prioritize the welfare of sportsmen and women, noting that sport has never been a priority for the government, even decades after independence.
“64 years after Independence, they [the government] cannot and will not see it differently, period,” he said. Odegbami also expressed frustration at having to resort to public appeals repeatedly, stating that they may have exhausted the goodwill of philanthropists such as Femi Otedola, Mike Adenuga, and other prominent Nigerians who have previously assisted suffering sports legends.
Reflecting on Fregene’s plight, Odegbami described it as a reminder of the urgent need to establish a sustainable support system for the country’s retired athletes. He remains committed to doing everything possible to assist the ailing goalkeeper despite the challenges.
“It appears doing something for, and beyond, Peter is a responsibility that ‘fate and metaphysical aid’ seem to have put around my neck. So, we shall see,” he concluded.
Fregene’s condition has reignited the debate over the need for a comprehensive welfare scheme for Nigerian athletes, both active and retired, to ensure their well-being in old age and ill health.
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