Professor Segun developed the creation of Local incubators, using lantern, for hatching Turkey – tolo tolo in Idemili south and Anaocha.
Presently, he has taken his gospel of growth, development and strategy to Onitsha, where he established the first Business School, East of the Niger, the Onitsha Business School, OBS in 2014. As a trojan, he has added, not minding the many obstacles and the myopic nature of onye Igbo who does not like to see another grow in his clime, but wants to be “Eze ndi Igbo in other climes, many plus to the business school.
Today, OBS has birthed the Onitsha City Marathon, OCM; Onitsha City Board Games; the City Speller Bees competition – Oka Nsupe Igbo, among others.
Professor Sogbesan was the first yam exporter from Anambra State, but he lost the battle of sustainability to the State Government, who lost it to bureaucracy. He went full strength into exportation of ‘MADE IN NIGERIA’ goods to West African countries; powered it for two years before they, that must be sort after, came in and crumbled the cookies. But Segun is never one to be put down. He is endowed and endowed abundantly.
In 2019, he came up with the idea of a marathon, to lift Onitsha from that ever paradigm shift of only trading, especially now that the city is bubbling with many able-bodied youths, who have the potential of becoming world class athletes and bread winners.
The Onitsha City Marathon, OCM, got calibrated by the Association of International Marathon Racers and World Athletics, formerly IAAF, with a license to operate for five years. And history made him the very first person to attract more the 30 foreign athletes to Anambra State since 1991.
The unfortunate COVID-19 experience put on hold the 2020 and 2021 editions. But the 2022 edition was scuttled by the same bad-belle people who think that a Yoruba man cannot come to Igbo land and be a success. It must be noted that one of the topmost banks in the country approved the race and came up with an MOU to bankroll the 2022 event to the tune of N450 million, but quietly pulled out after seeking confirmation from the then government of the day, who vehemently denied knowledge of the marathon. Yet, the same government was the very first port of call by the Local Organizing Committee, LOC, of the marathon. They rather took joy in organizing their monthly road work, which even fizzled out before the administration left office.
Today, the Onitsha City Marathon, is on the athletics road map again with some innovations yet to behold in Anambra State.
Bikonu, Ndi Anambra, let us stand up and give a very resounding ovation to the king whose time has come – *Professor Olusegun Oludapo Sogbesan – the 2023 Anambra State Lifetime Achievement Awardee*, the Promoter of Onitsha City Marathon, the Director General of Onitsha Business, a treble doctorate degree holder, the Chief Executive of Strong Tower Consults International, an innovator per excellence.
Professor Sogbesan is married to an Enugwu-Ukwu lady, Mrs. Gloria Chinwe Sogbesan and they are blessed with four children.
