Samuel Olatunji Okuku’s vision for grassroots football excellence

In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of grassroots football in Nigeria, Samuel Olatunji Okuku has emerged as a trailblazer and a beacon of hope. At just 34 years old, he is one of the youngest football club presidents in the country, reshaping the narrative of grassroots football development. From humble beginnings, Samuel’s story is one of resilience, determination, and an unwavering passion for football. He is the founder of Tripple 44 Academy, a platform that not only nurtures aspiring footballers but also prioritises character development alongside athletic excellence. Beyond football, Samuel is a philanthropist, committed to creating opportunities for young talents and inspiring the next generation. In this exclusive interview, he shares his journey, the success of Tripple 44 Academy, and the remarkable achievement of one of its standout players, Ozor Victor Okeke, who recently signed with Sweden’s IF Elfsborg. Samuel’s vision and dedication solidify his role as a game-changer in grassroots sports.

Q: For the benefit of those who may not know you, could you provide a detailed introduction of yourself and share how you became involved in the football business?

A: My name is Samuel Olatunji Okuku, and I was born on October 10, 1990, in Erinmope Ekiti, a serene village in Ekiti State, Nigeria. I come from a polygamous family and am the youngest child of my mother, Mrs. Alice Tinuola. Growing up, I faced the unique challenge of not having a father figure in my life. Despite this, I found strength in the love and support of my mother and my passion for football. In the small community of Erinmope Ekiti, football became my solace and my escape, bringing joy to otherwise difficult days. Those who knew me can attest to my unwavering dedication—I often chose to play street football with my friends even at the expense of my last meal.

This passion for football has been the driving force behind my journey, leading to the creation of Tripple 44 Academy—a platform to inspire others and prove that challenges can be transformed into opportunities.

I began my education at L.A. Primary School in Erinmope Ekiti and later attended Adventist Comprehensive High School in Otun Ekiti. There, I demonstrated exceptional talent in football, becoming the first and only student to serve as sports prefect while still in Junior Secondary School 2—a record that, to the best of my knowledge, remains unbroken after 18 years. This recognition fueled my dream of becoming a professional footballer. However, in a state where education was highly prioritized, my mother insisted I focus on school, which she unfortunately couldn’t afford to support fully at the time. I had to work on our family farm and help sustain the household. Our routine was rigorous: we worked on the farm from morning until early afternoon and played football in the evenings. Despite these challenges, my passion for football never wavered.

In 2008, I moved to Port Harcourt to work as a domestic help. Two years later, I relocated to Ibadan, where I joined the public transportation sector. Over the years, I moved between cities like Abeokuta and Ibadan, holding onto my dream of building a football academy. In 2012, I returned to Ibadan and began laying the foundation for that dream. It was a long and arduous journey—one that can’t be summarised in just one interview—but in 2017, I officially founded Tripple 44 Academy. Before its establishment, I had already been supporting several players, driven by the hope of helping them fulfill their potential. Founding the academy was the realisation of my lifelong dream.

Today, Tripple 44 Academy stands as a platform for young talents to achieve their dreams through football. The academy has grown to include two additional board members: Eniola Mubarak and Afolabi Samson. For me, the academy is more than a personal accomplishment—it’s a vehicle for change, offering young talents the opportunity to thrive both on and off the pitch. My journey has been defined by resilience and determination. Spending my first 17 years in a village taught me invaluable lessons of patience and perseverance. Farming was my first teacher: whether it was maize, which takes months to harvest, or cocoa, which requires years of nurturing, I learned that success demands consistent effort and time. These lessons have kept me focused despite life’s many obstacles. I hope that my story will inspire the younger generation to pursue their dreams relentlessly, no matter the challenges. Football remains my passion, and through Tripple 44 Academy, I aim to continue making a meaningful impact on the lives of aspiring footballers.

IF Elfsborg, an Allsvenskan club in the Swedish football league, recently announced that they have secured the signature of one of your prized assets, Ozor Victor Okeke. How do you feel, and what do you have to say about the deal and the player?

I feel incredibly proud and emotional about Ozor’s move to IF Elfsborg. It’s a huge milestone for him and a testament to his hard work, resilience, and the vision we had for him from the beginning. He’s earned this opportunity, and I believe he’ll thrive in Sweden. This deal is also a reflection of the system we’ve built at Tripple 44, where we’re not just developing footballers but shaping individuals who can perform on the global stage. Ozor is the embodiment of what our academy stands for—talent, perseverance, and adaptability. Maybe you also didn’t know that this is our first transfer to a top league club as all previous transfers of Tripple 44 had been to Lower division teams, This is a testament that the system we are trying to build is working.

Can you take us through the evolution of Ozor Victor Okeke? How did his journey begin, and what made him stand out?

Oh, Ozor’s story is one for the books! I remember when my scout first mentioned him to me, and shortly after, his father brought him to Ibadan. Ozor was just a secondary school student in SS2 then—chubby, good-looking, and a proper daddy’s boy! His father, a coach at Nnewi United at the time and an academy owner himself, was initially reluctant to leave him with us. But Ozor insisted; he’d heard great things about Tripple 44 and wanted to experience it himself. When I first saw him train, I immediately noticed his incredible left foot and some natural skills. However, we were unsure of his best position at the time. Interestingly, his father thought he was a left-back, but I had a different vision. I told his father, “With all due respect, I might try your son in midfield. He has qualities that will shine there.”

Moving him to midfield must have been a big decision. Were there challenges along the way?

Absolutely, there were challenges. At first, his final passes weren’t the best. Anyone who follows me on X (formerly Twitter) would see when I compared his performances in the U15 to the U19, so playing him close to the striker wasn’t an option at the time. When we tried him deeper, he’d occasionally dribble at the edge of the box and lose the ball, which often cost us. But what is an academy if not a place for players to make mistakes and grow from them? We learned this quickly at Tripple 44 so we kept working with him, and to his credit, Ozor is a fast learner. Over time, he adapted his game and became a more complete midfielder. Today, his final passes are exceptional, his ball recovery and retention are incredible and his acceleration in the first 20 meters makes him a nightmare for opponents. His evolution has been nothing short of phenomenal.

What do you think makes Ozor a special player today?

It’s his willingness to learn and adapt. Instead of trying to change the way he plays, we worked together to refine and improve his style. His ability to take feedback and evolve is rare, and that’s what sets him apart. Ozor now possesses one of the most incredible final passes I’ve ever seen. On top of that, it’s almost impossible to dispossess him. His combination of technical ability, intelligence, and physicality makes him perfectly suited for any midfield role. He’s a proper beast in the middle of the park now, and seeing him grow into this incredible player has been a privilege.

Tripple 44 has produced standout players like Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku, the youngest in last year’s AFCON U-17 squad, Jibola Owoyemi, a key player throughout the tournament, and Abel Ogwuche, who grew into a regular at the U-20 AFCON and led Nigeria’s Flying Eagles to a third-place finish. What’s the secret behind Tripple 44’s success in talent development and management?

Our approach is both intentional and holistic, beginning with our Talent Identification System, which we continuously refine and improve. What sets us apart is that we clearly define what we are looking for before we even start tracking any player. However, identifying talent is just the first step. One of our core practices is separating a player’s talent from their personality. For us, talent alone isn’t enough. The players we develop and send to Europe are ambassadors of Tripple 44. A talented player with character flaws can damage relationships with our partners, and we’ve learned this the hard way. For example, we once invested heavily in a very talented player. Despite noticing his behavioral issues early on, we thought we could manage him. We transferred him to Europe, but instead of progressing, his career stalled due to his own actions. That experience taught us valuable lessons, and it changed how we recruit and nurture players. Even though we are still looking at better ways to do it more effectively as many of the players sometime arrive when they’re already 13 or 14 years old, Which is why we are working with the parents as well in order to help them not just in football but to be better persons now and in the future. Most players at Tripple 44 embodies the right talent and mentality as this is the core value of the club, A good person first before a good footballer and discovering them early gives us a little bit of an advantage to detect or mitigate against bad behaviors. We have had to let go of highly skilled players whose character wasn’t aligned with our values. Today, we emphasise talent development, character building, and continuous performance evaluation. Our system includes periodic performance analysis and leveraging media and data analysis to monitor growth. All our matches are covered, allowing us to track and improve players’ performances over time. This comprehensive approach ensures that our players excel not just on the field but also as individuals.

Which player or players will you consider your greatest asset in Tripple44?

To be honest, every single player at Tripple 44 today is considered an asset and in football you never can rule anything out , Sometimes you think this is your biggest asset but football isn’t a straight forward line, it’s a journey and many people will not make it to the end. For example, Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku started in our U13 with 25 others many years ago, But today he’s the only one left from that set. Which brings me back to the fact that I cannot tell you if this or that player is our biggest asset. I believe we have an incredible pool of players at Tripple 44 but time will surely tell who’s going to be our biggest asset.

What are your future plans at Tripple44?

Well, our plan is stick to our beliefs and continue to evolve . Expand the scouting network and continue to build on our good network, and to also send our players to the right clubs and not just to any clubs as money plays little or no role in wherever we send our players. Our plan is also to build our own facility next year,Something I believe we will be able to afford after the second quarter of 2025.