Barrister Oliseh using FC Ebedei as pathway to stardom for football talents
Oliseh recognized the reasons behind Nigerian players' inability to reach the highest levels of the game or to maintain that success. Many African players viewed football merely as a pastime
Barrister Oliseh using FC Ebedei as pathway to stardom for football talents
FC Ebedei, one of Nigeria's premier football academies, was established in 1998. However, its foundation can be traced back to 1993 when Barrister Churchill Oliseh, a legal practitioner and astute sports businessman, began his career in player representation/management.
Churchill is the elder brother of Sunday Oliseh, a Nigerian football legend and former Super Eagles Head Coach.
In addition to Sunday, both Azubuike and Eguatu were also professional footballers, steering them, his foresight and his prior football career provided Churchill with a wealth of knowledge and a unique vision for the sport.
Confronted with the declining state of Nigerian football, Oliseh recognized the reasons behind Nigerian players' inability to reach the highest levels of the game or to maintain that success. Many African players viewed football merely as a pastime, a means to showcase flamboyance, and a temporary source of income without the necessity for commitment, training, or professionalism.
Moreover, there was no distinctive brand of football that could be identified as uniquely Nigerian, unlike those of Cameroon, Ghana, Brazil, or South Africa.
Through interactions with European football investors and administrators, Oliseh came to understand that the most influential role in football development was that of the Club President. This position allowed for the propagation and promotion of a specific brand of football and professionalism while influencing the growth of the team, its players, and the broader society.
Currently, FC Ebedei competes in the Nationwide League One (NLO), the third-tier of Nigerian football. Oliseh's vision for the club was to serve as a feeder team for international clubs. There is no aspiration for FC Ebedei to gain promotion to Nigeria's higher leagues, such as the Nigeria National League (NNL) or the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). This approach helps keep the club's operational costs manageable.
Oliseh's primary objective is straightforward: Identify outstanding raw talents, develop those players at FC Ebedei, and then promote them to overseas clubs as opportunities arise, primarily in countries like Denmark. It now includes a state of the art secondary school the EBEDEI SPORTS COLLEGE.
FC Ebedei aims to provide hope and a future for its members, followers, and the community. No other team in Africa has matched FC Ebedei's impact on the current generation of players. Many of the academy's graduates have reached the global stage and are actively contributing to Nigeria's national teams.
Notably, FC Ebedei has established itself as the African feeder team for FC Midtjylland, a club in the Danish Superliga. This partnership has facilitated the transfer of over 200 players from Nigeria to Denmark, Norway, Austria, Belgium, and beyond. Among these players are Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, as well as Ajilore Oluwafemi, Babajide Collins, Taofeek Salami, Rilwan Hassan, Sylvester Igboun and many others.
FC Ebedei stands out for being the only football academy/club in Nigeria to have three graduates—Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika—selected for the Super Eagles silver medal-winning squad at the last AFCON held in Ivory Coast and the ongoing AFCON in Morocco. It was also the first club in sub-Saharan Africa to nominate a player for the FIFA Puskás Award, honouring outstanding individual goals.
Additionally, Obafemi Martins was transferred from FC Ebedei to AC REGGIANA rhen unto Inter Milan, while strikers Akintola Babajide David, Adeshina Lawal and Justice John Erhenede were sent to Vejle BK in Norway, and forward Akeem Agbetu transferred to Kolding FC in Denmark.
FC Ebedei also receives huge support from FC Midtjylland in the form of technical, of training equipment, kits and otherwise, significantly reducing the club’s overhead costs.
As one of Africa's most respected football academies, FC Ebedei consistently produces top-quality players and stands out as one of the best-managed football organizations in Nigeria.
Barrister Churchill Oliseh has played a pivotal role in the careers of five Members of the Order of the Niger (MON) through FC Ebedei: Sunday Oliseh, Dosu Joseph, Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika.
According to Barrister Oliseh, the vision of FC Ebedei is inspired by Jeremiah 29:11, which states, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
The club is dedicated to developing and sustaining a football culture and tradition for Nigeria and Africa. It empowers footballers with values that promote progress, success, family, and the fear of God. Today, graduates from FC Ebedei annually participate in prestigious tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and the Nigeria Premiership They have also gone on to play in various leagues across Italy, England, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Romania, Greece, Holland, and Serbia, in addition to thriving in Nigeria.
FC Ebedei has become synonymous with youth, talent, and professionalism. Even their opponents acknowledge that they promote a unique style of football. Barrister Oliseh's success stories with Nigerian players are extensive, notably with Super Eagles legends Precious Monye, Amir Angwe, James Obiorah, Dosu Joseph and Sunday Oliseh.
He facilitated Sunday Oliseh's career by signing him to his first football team, JAMB FC, and assisted Dosu in transitioning to Europe from Julius Berger. Additionally, before the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Barrister Oliseh arranged for Dosu to join the Dream Team by purchasing the flight ticket from Italy, a cost he covered, which remains unrefunded to this day.