The name Isiaka Oluyemi may not quickly come to mind but at the mention of Oludamola Bolanle (“Damola”) Osayomi, Odelusi Ayo, Ajayi Bamidele, Adetutu Funmilayo Aladeloye, Adekalu Nicholas Fakorede and the likes, it is easy to know these are top Nigerian Athletes who have done the country proud on the world stage.
But Isiaka Oluyemi, fondly called ‘Coach Easy’ is an Athletic coach with the Ekiti State Sports Commission who has been the mask behind the discovery of these great athletes.
As the Director of Coaching in the Sports Commission, Oluyemi himself an athlete before the creation of Ekiti State in the old Ondo State in 1996.
Oluyemi, employed by Teaching Service Commission as a classroom teacher at Ado Grammar School before been seconded to Sports Council in the year 2002 and later got a permanent transfer in 2016.
He has represented the State on several occasions winning medals as an athlete. The soft spoken coach has been into discovering of athletes since 1998.
It may interest you to know that Oluyemi discovered and trained Damola Osayomi to the world stage. Osayomi who specializes in the 100 metres and 200 metres was a four-time goal medalist at the African Championship in Athletics and won an Olympic silver medal with Nigeria in the 4×400 metres relay at the Beijing Olympics.
Her personal best for the 100m is 10.99 second, set at Sao Paulo in 2011. Osayomi studied business Administration at the university of Texas at El Paso.
Few months ago, the duo of Ajayi Bamidele and Adetutu Funmilayo Aladeloye moved to the United States of America, USA to further their career and studies.
Bamidele Ajayi, the Isan-Ekiti born athlete made history by clinching gold for Nigeria in the inaugural 4×400m Mixed Relay event at the World U-20 Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya in 2021.
Ajayi achieved this with Opeyemi Oke, Johnson Nnamani, and Imaobong Nse Uko in a record time of 3:19.70.
Bamidele Ajayi is ranked in the top 8 at World U20 Championships.
For Adetutu, the lanky athlete has done her self proud by winning medals for the for Ekiti State and Nigeria.
Few weeks ago, the duo of Bamidele Ajayi and Adetutu Funmilayo Aladeloye made their present felt at the South Atlantic Conference, SAC Men’s Indoor Track and Field event as Ajayi clinched gold and bronze in the 400m and 200m respectively.
For Aladeloye, she came second with a time of 24.57 second in the 200m to win silver in the women’s event.
Oluyemi track records can not be swept under the carpet with his man management skill and eyes to identify grassroot talents is adjudged as one of the best athletic coach to have come out of Ekiti and Nigeria.
It is safe to say, Oluyemi Isiaka has paid his dues and need to be celebrated home and abroad.
