Subomi Ogundele: UNILAG Student Who Won  Remo Star Ladies Young Player of The Year

By Oluwatoyin Adewale

For many young people, success follows a single, carefully chosen path. For Subomi Ogundele, however, success has meant mastering different demanding worlds at once. 

From pursuing a career in football to earning a degree at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and running a footwear business, her journey is proof that versatility and excellence are attainable.

Ogundele plays for the UNILAG Angels, the school’s female football team, and for Remo Stars Ladies, a professional Nigerian women’s football club based in Ikenne, Ogun State.

After emerging as Remo Stars Ladies’ Young Player of the Year, she went on to clinch both the Sportswoman of the Year and Student-Athlete of the Year awards.

Ogundele’s growing list of accolades reflects years of sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering belief. “Football taught me what I call the three D’s, discipline, determination, and dedication,” she says, a philosophy that has guided every stage of her journey.

Like many football legends, her story began humbly. As a young girl, she spent her free time kicking anything that resembled a ball on the streets, driven purely by passion. Her raw talent did not go unnoticed for long. In Milton, her first coach spotted her potential and helped her take her first major step into organised football with the Jamido Blue Queens.

But talent alone was not enough. From the onset, Ogundele faced resistance rooted in deeply ingrained societal beliefs.

Many around her believed football was a sport strictly reserved for men. At home, her father initially opposed her playing, worried about her safety and convinced that football was not a “proper” path for a young woman. Financial limitations further complicated her early career, restricting access to opportunities and resources.

The turning point came during her secondary school years. As Subomi continued to excel both on the field and in the classroom, her father’s concern slowly transformed into pride. From being a voice of caution, he became one of her strongest supporters, a shift that strengthened her resolve to keep pushing forward.

Balancing academics, business, and competitive football required more than natural ability. It demanded a disciplined lifestyle governed by what she calls her “Triple D” philosophy.

Discipline meant structure: waking up by 6:00 a.m. for gym sessions, managing her diet carefully, attending lectures consistently, and maintaining a strict 10:00 p.m. bedtime, even during demanding academic periods.

Determination carried her through moments of burnout. At different points, Ogundele juggled being a full-time student, a sports secretary, and a Nigerian University Games (NUGA) ambassador, roles that tested her mental and physical endurance.

Dedication kept her grounded when the journey became painful. Injuries, losses, exhaustion, and the pressure of a final year project never stopped her pursuit. Instead, they reinforced her commitment to her dream.

That commitment paid off. In a historic milestone, she signed her first professional football contract while still a student, and went on to win a university football tournament, an experience she described as a “dream come true.” 

Away from the stadium lights, she is deeply conscious of her influence as a role model. She is intentional about her image and her impact, determined to open doors for others coming behind her.

This passion gave birth to an initiative aimed at providing scholarships and support for students who excel in both academics and sports. Through this project, Oyedele hopes to dismantle the long-standing belief that young people must choose between education and athletics.

“To me, it means our dreams are valid,” she said. 

“As long as you keep working hard and pushing, you should achieve your dreams.”

Reflecting on her journey, Oyedele advises young people, especially girls who dream of following a similar path, to trust their abilities, adding that excellence in academics and sports is possible with focus and consistency. 

She encouraged them to define their own paths, refusing to be boxed in by societal expectations. She urged them to build a support system, and above all, to keep God first, describing faith as her ultimate anchor.