The opera, for all its glamour and flurry, is not a generational epicenter due to theatrics or audience, but for the timelessness and agelessness of its stage, the home where all the action is situated. Several dancers with so much elegance and grace come and go, but the stage remains; this, however, doesn’t mean that all dancers who have dazzled the stage and aroused, bemused, and captivated the audience in a plethora of ways unfathomable by the human mind aren’t worthy of adulation. It is that time of the year again, when the opera of UIMSA sports gives honor to all the dancers who have graced its different stages—dancers who have endeared themselves to their audience.
This piece spotlights finalists in UIMSA who will bid the College of Medicine goodbye soon. From the sports side of things, we say goodbye to them by reminiscing about the wonderful moments they gifted UIMSAites. In this article, we will be going over some of the exceptional athletes in the Insignis class who showed nothing but sheer excellence in different sporting areas.
We begin with the imperial Okpara Charles, who is nothing but an absolute legend of the game of table tennis. His awards bear witness to that fact. I mean, we are speaking about a: Gold medalist at the NIMSA GAMES 2024, table tennis male singles category; a 2x gold medalist, ULYMPICS table tennis male singles category, Gold medalist, USA games table tennis male category, Silver Medalist, UI Inter-faculty games male singles category, Bronze medalist, UI Inter-hall games, male singles category; and a 2X Bronze medalist UI Inter-faculty/Inter-hall games, male doubles category.
Upon interaction, we found out that he has always played table tennis since his secondary school days, but he started major training in 2022. According to him, he had tried other sports (particularly football and basketball), but the lack of willingness to commit to them is a testament to the fact that they didn’t pique his interest and were deal breakers for him. On his opinion as regards the future of UIMSA table tennis, as well as the pieces of advice he had for the future generation. He first acknowledged that he has seen a lot of interested males and females, which has reassured him that the future of UIMSA is indeed in safe hands, but he went ahead to categorically state that hunger and desire are not enough; something extra is needed—consistency. In his words, this consistency has to do with relentlessly showing up to train and play both friendly games and competitions. His parting words were, “I really hope for better UI table tennis training opportunities that take into account the peculiarities of the student lives of UIMSAites.”
Next up is the goddess of UIMSA sports, Ofumwengbe-Evba Eseosa. When speaking of individuals who have achieved so much, it could be quite a headache to have a definite starting point, but we’d begin with her general achievements. She has held two leadership positions throughout her time: Captain, UIMSA female football team and Head of the ABH FA Media. From the first bounce of the ball to the deafening cheers of the crowd, her journey through the world of sports has been nothing short of phenomenal. Her dexterity and finesse exhibited in different fields echo one who is born to compete, not one who just makes up the numbers.
Crowned in gold, she ended the Ulympics ‘25 by leading her team to triumph in basketball, a testament to her versatility beyond the football pitch, which she is mainly known for. That same golden thread undoubtedly wove through her performances in her primary sport at the Super Cup and COG USA Cup in 2024. The year also saw her emerge victorious at the Infinix Game On with Hot 40, where she displayed her precision and poise yet again. Earlier, she had claimed the football crown at the Ulympics ‘23, and long before that, she stunned the arena with a gold-medal win in table tennis at the Ulympics 2021, which is proof that her dominance knows no bounds.
What sets legends apart is their ability to steal the stage despite not winning it all. Despite claiming silver in the 2025 Ulympics female football, 2025 Ulympics female volleyball, female category of the 2024 NIMSA games, 2024 SEALS Cup female category, 2023 Provost Cup, 2023 COG (USA Games) female table tennis category, and 2024 UI interfaculty games female volleyball category, her presence was indeed felt, and all who managed to edge her certainly felt the heat. The same can be said for the bronze medals won at the 2024 NIMSA games, female table tennis category; the 2023 UI interhall games, female table tennis category, and the 2023 COG (USA Games) female table tennis category.
Beyond her heroics on the podium, she has also won several awards. They include the 2022 UIMSA Sportswoman of the year, 2025 Sportswoman of the year, 2025 Playmaker of the year, 2024 female footballer of the year, 2024 best female playmaker, 2024 best female volleyball player, ABH Sportswoman of the year 2025, ABH most outstanding member of the FA 2023, and ABH Sportswoman of the year. This is indeed the stuff of champions.
In our conversation with her, we started off by asking her to rank her sports in order of her preference, since she played so many. In response to that, she said football, athletics, volleyball, table tennis, and basketball. She hinted that her participation in a wide range of games came down to her desire to try new games.
In order to get a POV, we could not help but find out what her highest and lowest moments were across different sporting areas. In football, her lowest moment was the 2024 NIMSA games football final. The game turned out to be a third straight final that was lost on penalties. Her highest moment was when she finally got to lift the 2024 Super Cup trophy, one that the team had worked so hard for. In volleyball, her lowest moment was losing the third-place match of the 2024 NIMSA games, volleyball category, and her highest moment, quite interestingly, was every competition she got to play in, as she enjoyed getting to know her teammates. In table tennis, her lowest moment was when she blew a 2-0 lead in the semis. Her highest moment was clinching the gold medal in the 2021 Ulympics and putting a smile on her coach’s face. In basketball, she really didn’t pinpoint any lowest moment, but with a very broad smile, her debut was her highest moment.
To wrap it up on her end, we asked her to advise the upcoming generation of females and individuals in general who aspire to be like her, and this is what she had to say: “Don’t be afraid to explore; you don’t know what you will find. Do what you’re passionate about and enjoy the journey while at it.”
Moving on, we bring to you 1x Gold medalist in the 2024 interfaculty games volleyball category, 1x Silver medalist in the 2024 interhall games volleyball category, 3x Silver medalist in the Ulympics volleyball category, and 1x Bronze medalist in the 2024 NIMSA games volleyball category, the captain fantastic of the UIMSA volleyball team, none other than the magical Franklin.
The conversation kicked off with an inquiry about when he started playing volleyball and if he had indeed ever considered playing any other sport aside from it. He responded by stating that his volleyball journey started in 2021 when he crossed to UCH, and ever since then, he hasn’t considered devoting his time and attention to playing any other sport. This, however, didn’t deter him from engaging in a lot of indoor games such as Ayo, Ludo, Chess, and Checkers. He even mentioned that he represented UIMSA in the male category of the Ayo Games at the 2024 NIMSA Games.
The best view of the game is definitely from the eye of the volleymaestro himself, so we had to ask him what he thought of the current state and future of the sports in UIMSA, and this was his response: “UIMSA volleyball has been improving steadily since I started playing, and I feel it will only get better. Members of the 2k24 class are taking it very seriously, and I feel they will do great things in volleyball. Hopefully, we get the gold medal at the next NIMSA Games.”
His lowest moment came when he was part of the team that lost to LASU in the 2024 NIMSA games, and his highest moment, relished with a radiant smile, was the triumph in the interfaculty games.
The conversation ended with this piece of advice from him: “We all should make time for at least one sport; it really helps.”
“A game of football is either won or lost in the midfield.” No one could have said it better than the legendary ex-Barcelona star, Gary Lineker. We were privileged to have a conversation with a midfield magician, the metronome setter, Ramoni, whom I personally prefer to call El Ramonico for his flair and elegance on the pitch. Due to his skillset and absolute calmness on the field of play, we couldn’t help but start with finding out what inspired his role on the pitch and what it felt like playing in that midfield role in every game. He began by sharing a brief backstory of his footballing journey, which started during his secondary school years. The level of commitment was such that he was the Games Prefect (male) and was selected alongside 8 others for Ondo State u15 screening from a training group he joined. His initial position, as with a lot of other greats of the game out there, was not in the midfield; it was on the flanks, the right wing. to be specific. It all changed when he was asked to play as a makeshift midfielder, and he has been playing that position ever since. On how it felt to be playing in that role, he said it was one that consistently came with the feeling of pure joy and satisfaction because of how hardworking his teammates are, which helps build confidence within him.
When we proceeded to ask who his role model was, he had this to say: “Well, I don’t actually have a role model, but I always admire people who play good football, and I learn from them, whether they are professionals or my teammates. I watch football matches too, and most times I do love the way they control the ball and make passes, and then I try to replicate it while playing set. I have also learnt from my teammates. The way Gerald makes tackles, the way Karbon controls the ball amongst 3 defenders, the flexibility of Teslim, the run of Habeeb, the clearance of Istanbul, the doggedness and ball-retaining ability of Prestige, and the confidence of Ola. I learnt from everyone.”
About his lowest and highest moments, the former came when the team lost on penalties to Philosophy in the Super Cup semis despite being on top for the entirety of the game, but failed to convert chances that went begging. The latter was when he lifted the Ulympics, winning back-to-back Seals Cup, and when his class got the better of the 2k18 side on two consecutive occasions.
The interaction ended with asking him to drop some pieces of advice to UIMSAites who intend to maintain the status quo, and his words were indeed very deep and inspiring: “It is not always easy to maintain the kind of standard we have set. Presently, we are the best team in UI, and every other department now holds us to a high standard. As medical students, we all know it is not easy going to UI to play like 2-3 matches in a week. You have got to make a lot of sacrifices in terms of money and time. So, it is not something you are forced to do. It is something you volunteer for and do with pleasure. So, the first thing is seriousness and obedience to whatever the coach says. Though we have the number, the number alone is not enough. It is important that lower classes show interest too and that they are integrated into the team as early as possible, and I believe the current coaching crew, under the leadership of Tunde, will do justice to this. So, the second is continuous training at intervals and integration of lower-class players into the team. Lastly, it is important that while one is playing, one should remember that the main purpose of being in school is to study. So, a balance between sports and one’s academic pursuit should be maintained.”
I can’t think of a better way to cap off the story of this incredible talent than to run through his achievements: 1x Ulympics Gold Medalist, 1x Gold Medalist ABH FA Cup, 2x Gold Medalist USA (UCH Students’ Association), 2x Seals Cup Gold Medalist, 1x Silver Medalist UI Silver Cup, 1x Silver Medalist NIMSA Games, and 1x Seals Cup Bronze Medalist.
The boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, was a joy to watch in the 80s due to the fun factor he brought while being an absolute beast, monster, and legend of the game. We at UIMSA have been very lucky to witness a footballer version of the great boxing legend. This man moves like the wind and strikes like lightning. He’s practically unstoppable as he can play any position across the forward line. We speak of no one but the handful, Adekunle Benjamin, aka Karbon.
We’d kick off by going over his exhaustive list of achievements: 3x Gold Medalist ABH League, 1x Gold Medalist ABH FA Cup, 2x Gold Medalist Seals Cup, 2024 Ulympics Gold Medalist in the football category, 2024 Hoyas Pumping 5-aside Gold Medalist, 2023 ABH Interblock Gold Medalist, 2024 JCI FOSC Gold Medalist, 1x Silver Medalist UI Super Cup, 1x Silver Medalist 2023 Provost Cup, 1x Silver Medalist 2023 CMD Cup, 1x Bronze Medalist 2023 Seals Cup, and 1x Bronze Medalist 2019 CBN Cup.
In our conversation with him, we asked him what inspired his current position on the pitch, and this is what he had to say: “Football is a game that you can only win with goals, and even with a great defense, if you don’t score, you can’t win.
I like the joy that came with scoring goals. The one who scores is the best player on the pitch most times, so I guess that’s my inspiration.”
A moment to never forget for him came from the back-to-back Seals Cup triumph. To him, it was quite surreal and awesome to emerge from ward rounds, clinics, and busy schedules to face opponents with less busy schedules and still dominate them at their supposed home turf. Conversely, a moment to forget was when he sustained an ankle sprain in 2023 while at the absolute peak of his powers. Second to that was losing the 2024 Super Cup final.
It wasn’t quite a surprise that when asked about his role model, he attributed that role to his mind, as he creates an image in his head of what he wants to be or do and then goes ahead to replicate it. Incredible!
His parting words were these: “For UIMSAites, I’ll just say that there’s no pressure. There’s nothing more to prove. We’ve already shown the entire University community how great we are, so just have fun and keep winning. The opponents are perpetually scared, so just capitalize.”
Opabode Mujeeb is a beacon in UIMSA basketball. His dual-sport marvel is evident, as he is a 2x Gold medalist in the 2025 and 2024 Ulympics in basketball and football competitions, respectively, and a 2x silver medalist in the 2024 and 2023 Ulympics in basketball and football, respectively.
Without a doubt, when asked, he affirmed that his favorite sport is indeed basketball. His highest moment dates back to the last Olympics, where he graced the court with a touch of Steph Curry, as he pulled off an astonishing step-back 3 at the buzzer. This moment was of so much pride to him that in his words, he said, “I have grown so much.” Just like with every other sportsman on the planet, he had his low moments, but the rock bottom for him remains when he twisted his ankle horribly, which saw him relegated to the sidelines for a while.
According to him, the journey to greatness kick-started 3 years ago, before which he majored in football, where he prided himself in making the ABH League team of the week twice. His story with basketball can be summarized to have been love at first sight, as in his words, he said, “I won’t say I had a moment of realization that the sport was for me; I just grew to love it. It made more sense to me, allowed me to grow, and made it easy for me to train because I didn’t need a partner to train.”
When asked about his view on UIMSA basketball in the coming days, he had this to say: “UIMSA basketball has the potential to be great. We don’t have as many players as we did years ago, but we’ve built better synergy with external players from around ABH, and that has boosted our skill level. The next couple of years will depend entirely on UIMSAITES’ interest in the sport.”
When asked who he looked up to and who inspired his style of play. It’s none other than two absolute legends of the game, Luka Doncic and Kobe Bryant. The former guides his playing style, while the latter forges his character—stubborn and dogged.
Our interaction with him ended with these words of his: “If you need a sport to play, basketball could just be it because it is probably the easiest sport to pick up.”
Last but most definitely not least, we are introducing to you the not-so-quiet architect of the UIMSA football team’s glory. He is the mastermind on the sidelines in plain clothes. Calculating, plotting, and always a few moves ahead. We are speaking of none other than the man himself, Omotunde Oluwasegun Liam.
The conversation kicked off with us trying to dig deep into the secret behind his tactical brilliance. His coaching journey stemmed from his time at the UIMSA Senate, when he was given the mandate to head sporting activities in his class. This metamorphosed into him gathering his colleagues for training sessions, and when the call for who would lead the team came, he obliged.
His highest moment was when we watched his team dismantle the 2k18 class twice in a single tournament, and his lowest was his team losing in the finals at the NIMSA games.
In his words, his philosophy can be traced to the influence of the Spanish genius, Josep Guardiola, and the immediate past coach of the UIMSA football team, Mark Obeya, of whom he was an assistant during his time.
His awards are: Gold medalist, Seals Cup 2024 and 2025; Silver medalist, 2024 NIMSA Games, Ulympics 2024 basketball and volleyball silver medal; ABH interfloor gold medal; Seals Cup Coach of the year 2024 and 2025; and CMD Football competition silver medal 2022. He also won medals at the 2024 USA Games and Prof. Shittu football games.
It’s a dilemma of feelings, as we have to draw the curtain on these incredible performers because, on one hand, what they have dished out is a meal you don’t see every day, so words can’t quantify how greatly both they and their skill sets would be missed. On the other hand, as stated earlier, the stage remains, meaning that there’s still room and opportunity for the successors to take up the mantle and show what they’re made of. There are certainly other legends in the fold, but due to the generally busy schedule of the class, we could only get a grasp of the above after a great deal of effort. We are truly grateful to every one of them for giving us memories that can never be recreated; we certainly enjoyed every bit of it while it lasted, and we wish you all absolute and astounding success in all the challenges that lie ahead.
