For the Month of December 2025, the Fortebet Real Stars lifetime achievement award went Lawn Tennis Legend John Oduke who joined as a boy and continue with devotion to the game combining a 32-year playing career and nearly 25 years as a coach.
On Thursday January 8 at Molecule Restaurant in Kololo, Oduke, a legend both as a player and a coach, was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Fortebet Real Stars Sports Monthly opening awarding ceremony which opened the year 2026.
The 67-year-old spoke of his journey that led to the big recognition. “This day is not normal as usual; it is a remarkable for my career which I started as a 10-year-old boy. I played my first game in 1970, won my first tournament in 1975, rose to the international scene by playing in the Davis Cup and I managed to play semi-professional in Germany. After my retirement, I joined coaching and now I am sitting on the board representing coaches because I am a coach too.”
About the award, Oduke joyously stated, “Unexpectedly, I received a call three years back from Isaac that they have something for me and now it is a Real Stars Lifetime Achievement Award indeed. My long-time commitment has been recognized in this special way.”
On his long-time career, Oduke noted, “It wasn’t just a career but a big sacrifice, staying single until late age, waking up at 5 am every day of my career and no fancy life.”
At the same event, two standout players in the month of December from the game of Netball and Chess were recognized in
Shadia Nassanga, known as Mima and young genius Shana Omprakash.
For her top performance as a shooter for both the Uganda Netball National team which she guided to the Celtic Cup win and a second-place finish at the Africa Netball Championship she also helped her professional club KCCA Netball Club as a captain to a Uganda Netball League triumph.
Netting in the most goals she through the month of December she earned her second Real Stars sports award while Chess Real Star player for December Omprakash her gold medal win at Africa Chess Championship couldn’t go unnoticed.
The event was graced by Patrick Ojok the Uganda Chess Federation General Secretary, sponsors in Rasty Mbatidde Namugema for Fortebet and Erone Nandawula for Jude Colour Solutions alongside Isaac Mukasa the CEO Real Stars Sports Agency.
