Former BCC Lions captain, Bolaji Douglas, talks on his glorious days as a player, life as an engineer and how he met his wife in this interview with ‘TANA AIYEJINA

 What are you doing at the moment?

I am currently working as a software engineer in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the profession that has helped me get over football.

 Was your transition from footballer to engineer easy?

Retiring was not easy, especially when forced upon you by injury. Mine came at a time when everything I dreamt about the game came to fruition. Finally I made it to the top, invited to the Super Eagles with numerous offers to play abroad on the table. Then I copped the injury that put paid to all my dreams. I was so angry and bitter. I simply walked away completely from the game. The option of becoming a coach was there because my club BCC Lions offered me the opportunity to train as a coach, but my mind was not right at the time. The last thing I wanted to be was a bitter and frustrated coach. So I decided to try other things and find peace. I simply packed my bags and off I went to the UK, I did a coaching course nevertheless but it was just for guarantee in case the journey turned sour. I tried my hands on a number of things before I eventually went back to school to retrain as a software developer. I was a graduate of Agriculture from the University of Ilorin but football did not allow me practice as a farmer.

 You were not part of BBC when they won the FA Cup in 1989 but you joined the team in 1990 and helped them win the CAF Cup Winners Cup…

I was one of the players brought in to help prosecute the Cup Winners Cup in 1990 and I was with the team till 1997. I was captain from 1993 to 1997. Winning the Cup Winners Cup was great. No one gave us a chance, especially when we struggled with our first match against a Togolese side. Coach Shuaibu Amodu’s ability was questioned and the then Nigeria Football Association even wanted Super Eagles coach, Clemens Westerhof, to take over, but Amodu refused and in the end he won the cup. It was rewarding; one of the moments in life that one must never forget to appreciate the goodness of God. Meeting with then military leader Ibrahim Babangida and being invited to Abuja to dinner was a privilege. I was sitting in the same hall with the big names I used to hear and read about; it was awesome.

 What was the secret behind BCC’s success then?

We had a good management, a parent company that loved the game. We had a fantastic town, Gboko, and the people loved the team. We had a good coaching crew led by Amodu, a young coach trying to make a name for himself. And finally we had a bunch of talented players; players who made playing together such a wonderful experience. You cannot attribute the success to one person, it would be an unfair assessment.

 How did you become captain of such a star-studded team?

In 1992, Amodu left for El-Kanemi and we were struggling. The then general manager of the club, Mr. Iornem Ortese, called me aside one day and told me he was looking for a new captain, having identified leadership as part of the problem. I was scared because here was a team that paraded stars I had been watching while in school: the likes of Moses Kpakor who was like a god in the town, Toyin Ayinla and the late Alum Aule,who was the captain. Although I had captained teams before, I was not ready for this one. Three times I was approached with the offer and three times I rejected it. But on the fourth occasion, I prayed about it and looked at myself in the mirror. I told myself, “I am not a coward and I do not run from challenges.” So, I accepted. But it was a strange relationship between me and Ortese. Because I was not a household name when i joined the team, I had credibility issue with him. I was recruited from Shooting Stars and I came to Gboko nursing an injury and it was in the dry season. I was missing home; my plan was to play for Julius Berger but was lured to Gboko because of the opportunity to play the Cup Winners Cup. So I struggled and Ortese almost removed my registration. After about a month, I settled down and I became a regular; my transformation surprised him. He called me one day and apologised for doubting me and we became friends.

 Was being the club’s captain an easy task?

The first thing I did as captain was to have a talk with Alum, I told him my position, he was open and accepted me. I needed to clear the air with him, being a friend. The next person I spoke to was Moses, who was the captain before Alum, I needed his support and I got it. Then I went round each of the stars in the team. To my surprise, they were all willing to work with me. We had captains of the various national teams David Ngodigha, Christopher Edem and Patrick Mancha in the team. There was Friday Christopher, who just captained Shooting to win the CAF Cup. It was an intimidating atmosphere but glory be to God for His wisdom, I never had a moment of dissent.

 In 1991, the club reached the final of the Cup Winners Cup again but lost. What happened?

We lost to a better Zambian team. The team paraded seven of the national team players that died in the famed plane crash of 1993. There is no reason to give any excuse; we knew so little about the team at the time.

 How would you describe playing under a young and emerging coach Amodu then?

It was interesting. No disrespect to all the coaches I played under, but it was a whole new ball game with Amodu. His approach to players, his knowledge of the game and the way he passed it across was so refreshing at the time . And his training was different from all I had known in the game. It was no coincidence that my game reached its peak playing under him; it was an honour which I still cherish. A couple of years before joining BCC, I had the privilege of being in the Nigerian university team to the FISU Games in Zagreb. There, my eyes were opened to football tactics which I never knew about. It was only when I joined BCC that my education along that line continued.

 What were your best and worst moments in the game?

My best moment was lifting the FA cup in 1993; it was the year I became the captain and the pressure to deliver was huge. The previous captains Moses and Aule lifted the ‘89 FA Cup and the Mandela Cup respectively, so you can imagine the pressure. The following year, the team did the double, winning the league for the first time. My worst moment was when I had my injury in a 1995 FA Cup match against Katsina United in Owerri. I went for a tackle and I tried to steal the ball, I succeeded but as I moved away from the attacker, his leg hit mine from the back. As I went down, I felt a sharp pain on my knee. It was not serious but it ended my career. I just knew something was wrong. I was weeping when I was being taken off and the nurse asked if it was the pain but I just could not explain why. It destroyed my dreams about the game and changed the course of my life.

 What transpired after the injury?

For two years I struggled with the injury, hoping it would go away, but it got worse. By 1997, it was so bad I realised I had to call it quits with my career. It was a tough decision at the time. As a sportsman, you always feel you can control when to leave the game. But one morning, I realised all the painkillers I was taking was doing me more harm than good, so I decided I had to face up to the inevitable. I sent in my resignation letter as the captain of the team. After consulting with my wife, we decided that it was best I travel out. I left Nigeria on March 27, 1997. I left not knowing where I was going or what I was going to do. I just left and wanted to be as far away as possible from the game. When injury forces you to retire, you are confronted by fear. I left in order to confront that fear and fill the emptiness. I only did a coaching course just to have something to fall back on.

 Who was the toughest player you played against?

I think the toughest was Gabriel Okolosi. He did not play for too long on the local scene but I remember he was one tough player to handle. When you dish out all the rough tactics in the book on a player and he keeps coming, telling you, “I will score,” and then goes on to do so, then you are in trouble. I remember he was bleeding and I told him to go and sit down, but he said, “No way, I must score.” And he scored!

 They say footballers are known for the big life. What sort of life did you live as a footballer?

You have to find a balance. My weakness as a star was the opposite sex until I met my wife, who retired me from philandering. We did not make the kind of money to buy big cars and build big houses then but I managed what came my way. Becoming the captain of my club helped also to keep me in check as I had to lead by example. But we loved the fun; you train hard, stay in camp for weeks and prepare for matches. So, it is only right to have a way of letting out steam, but we did it well.

 How did you meet your wife?

I won’t call it love at first sight but I was willing to sacrifice a lot to get her. The only hell was her dad who was dreaded in the town, he was a retired soldier.

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Foremost Nigerian women’s triple jumper and 2006 Commonwealth Games silver medalist, Otonye Iworima, tells ’TANA AIYEJINA about her career, plight of the Nigerian athlete and more

You didn’t make Nigeria’s team for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow…

The trials have been concluded and unfortunately I didn’t make the standard; I started training late and I hadn’t reached my peak before the trials for the games but I am training ahead for the African Championships later in the year.

How do you view Nigeria’s preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games?

We have potential but we are not organised in this country; we are not time-conscious when it comes to training. Athletics is mathematical, that is why IAAF have programmes for about five years, so that people can prepare but we are not organsied. We tend to mess up a lot of the athletes’ programme. Athletes don’t have proper information before events; they keep waiting for the minister to bring money and such things. Then you want to go to the Commonwealth Games and expect fantastic results. Every athlete wants to go there and win but it’s unrealistic to have expectations when there was no planning. A lot of the athletes are in good shape, especially the women, but we should stop putting them under pressure. Let the athletes be relaxed.

Nigeria’s female athletes now perform better than their male counterparts in global events. What do you think is responsible for this?

They have frustrated the men. Men are different from women; they fend for their families. If you frustrate them, they tend to leave the sport quickly, but women can stay. So, they frustrated the men and most of them left or slowed down their training. It’s not that the women athletes are better, its just that they tend to react differently to the situation than the women. The psychology of a man is different from that of a woman but we don’t work on that part in our athletics.

American Mark Jelks, inclusion in Nigeria’s team to the Commonwealth Games has generated so much controversy. What is your own opinion about the situation?

I am not opposed to bringing in people, but there has to be a balance. If you bring in people, motivate them but the problem is we are not motivating the home-based athletes. Don’t bring in people from abroad and neglect those at home. It’s unfair because they are going to compete at the same level with the well-motivated athletes you are bringing from abroad. It pains me so much that people will train here, make the standard and they still have to cry to be treated the right way. It shouldn’t be so. Bring in people from outside, I like the challenge; there was a point where foreign-based athletes were afraid of the home-based ones. During the last Mobil athletics event staged in Lagos, we were on equal footing. Most of the foreign-based athletes used to hide the fact that they were foreign-based. That is how it should be. If you are paying training grants, it should be same amount for everybody. The scale is not balanced and it’s against the home-based athletes, which shouldn’t be. Bring the foreign-based athletes but treat the home-based ones better.

Maurice Green is also in charge of Nigeria’s relay team. What is your view on his appointment?

I can’t comment on that because I really haven’t been around and don’t know the situation on ground. I met him, he is a nice guy. But if you bring in foreign coaches, carry the Nigerian coaches along; there has to be a balance or else the local coaches will suffer.

What are your expectations at the 2014 African Championships?

I started training and I am watching my progress; it’s still sometime away, so with time, I will know where my level is. I don’t have expectations right now, since I haven’t peaked.

You came to limelight in 2006, when you won a silver medal in the women’s triple jump at the Commonwealth Games. With the preparation you had before that event, were you expecting to win a medal?

Before then, training was hectic. Right now they have locked the athletes from the National Stadium, Lagos. Before, foreign-based athletes used to train there. I miss the place even though people trained then without rhyme and reason. Your fellow athletes were there to encourage you; there were people who would insult you too. We miss that time when the stadium was packed with people who wanted to do athletics. These days, they keep chasing people away. In those days, it was athletes that came to look for coaches but now, coaches have to go out and search for talents. Before the 2006 Commonwealth Games, I trained very hard, up to the extent that I could hardly walk. It was like I wanted to stop sports; I was so tired, my training was very rugged and then I just jumped and it clicked.

You have been so attached to athletics, has it affected your social lifestyle?

I love athletics. I am a sportsperson; if I stop athletics, I will still do something that will be sports-based. But you need life outside athletics; you need a backup plan because athletics is addictive. Coming out of it is like going for rehab and if you don’t do it well, you could crash. Some people don’t know where to go after athletics. So, you need to be educated so that you can fall back on something after athletics. I studied Fine Arts and I can paint and make money from it. I haven’t really started painting because athletics is time consuming but I want to go back to school. I want to learn photography as well. So, you need something to rely on after you have left the sport.

What was it like winning the Commonwealth Games silver in 2006?

I won’t say I was expecting anything because on the day, I was sick and I came from the medical centre to compete. It was a high for me but funny enough, the recognition is more now than it was at that time. I am more noticed now and I’m benefitting from that feat.

After that feat, you were expected to dazzle the world but you never seemed to meet expectations

I fractured my leg in a Mobil event and it took me out for about a year and half; I came back in 2010 at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. There was a lot of drama there and we really didn’t know what happened. A lot of us that were supposed to win medals just couldn’t. But I hope the lessons have been learnt. We must give the athletes a breathing space. No matter how many times you go for competitions, there is always that nervousness when you go for major events. That’s why people need exposure.

There is a general belief that Nigerian sports thrive under drama. Is it true?

There will always be drama but don’t aggravate the situation when you can help it.

You were out of the scene for a while but sprung back to limelight in Maputo at the 2011 All Africa Games…

It was with another drama. The officials didn’t know what they were doing. Naturally I would have gotten silver but they said I stepped over the board. But the rule says you have to show me where; I need to see but there was no mark. They measured it and that should have put me in second place. The first one, they measured it and wrote what I did not jump. So, they had to redo the whole event again. During the second one, they came up with something else and everybody got upset and said, “Give us what you want and let us go.” That was how I got bronze.

What do you think controversies like this portend for sports in Africa?

We need education in Africa; the athletes need to know their rights so that they don’t go for competitions and get robbed. The officials need to be trained. There are IAAF courses for them, don’t politicise them. Groom athletes, don’t frustrate them. They tend to politicise things and this tends to upset the natural flow of sports. Don’t use politics to disturb an athlete’s rhythm.

What is the typical challenge of a Nigerian athlete?

It’s finance. If you have money, you can source for the best coach and the best place to train. You don’t have to stay in Nigeria and train. You can train abroad and still come back to compete in Nigeria. We have good coaches in Nigeria but if you have the money, you can get proper medical attention abroad, Education is important. You need to know your body, what you should do when you notice anything in your body. I went to Europe and they lectured the athletes on all these. It’s not all about training and not having the knowledge of what you are doing. Athletes, coaches and technical people in Africa need to start knowing the nitty-gritty of athletics. In the US, they are technical about it. I’m not comparing because the situation is not the same but we have to start from somewhere. Knowledge is power and everybody needs it. I ask questions from medical people, technical people and so on because I don’t know everything.

What has been your driving force?

I do sports because I love it. I spend more money than I make from athletics; I basically put in everything I have into athletics. I’m single and I am not supporting anybody, which is not the case for most people. There are a lot of factors that make these athletes not to reach their full potential. We need a change of mindset. The home-based athletes have to be much appreciated for the effort they make to stay in this country, train and make the national team. It’s not an easy feat. Some people make statements like, “Because you stay in Nigeria, we will not give you training grants.” Do they think government pay my rent? I have medical, light and other bills to pay. If a home-based athlete comes fourth, he is better than the second-placed foreign-based athlete because of the harsh conditions he is facing. If the foreign-based athlete was in that condition, he won’t perform like the home-based athlete.

Was it easy combining sports and education?

It wasn’t. I told to stay away from one Mobil event in 1998 because I had to sit for my exams but I left the exams and when to compete. My school is sports friendly, what about those that are not? Schools like Yaba College of the Technology and University of Lagos are a little fair; if all schools were like that, then athletes can come back from events and write their exams.

Has athletics affected your relationship with the opposite sex?

I am more of a guys’ girl; in fact the only problem I have is that most of my friends are guys. My best friends are girls but I am at ease with the guys because they are less petty; women hold grudges too long. I have a balance; if I am feeling emotional, I hang out with the women.

What is the highlight of your career?

I won’t pick a particular event but I love a gathering of sports people and this is why I am pained I didn’t make the Commonwealth team. It’s lovely to be part of it. If you know how to manage yourself in that atmosphere, it actually beats winning medals. When one competition passes, the next thing is to go and suffer the pain all over again. But when you enter a global event with other athletes that made it, it’s a nice feeling.

Do you have any bad moments?

There are lots and lots of them. I remember the 2008 African Championships in Ethiopia, I jumped 13.08 during Mobil trials but I got there and didn’t enter the medal table and in the middle of the crowd, I started crying. I am the type that doesn’t cry until my cup is full; apparently my cup was full in Addis Ababa. It happens; nobody likes to lose. But I try to take things in my stride.

What is your advice to up-and-coming Nigerian athletes?

They have to first decide they want to be athletes. If you want to do something, do it well.

Are you thinking of coaching after quitting athletics?

No, I am the typical Margaret Thatcher kind of person, so I don’t think I can be a coach. I think I will be in the administrative aspect of it. I want to study Sports Administration.

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Ex-Super Eagles striker and top scorer in the Nigerian league in 1993, Tony Nwaigwe, now a football pundit in the United Kingdom, tells ’TANA AIYEJINA about the state of Nigerian football and how he survived a plane crash involving Iwuanyanwu Nationale 20 years ago

What have you been doing since you retired from football?

I am fine and I am into sports management. I am also a pundit for Ben TV; I have a UEFA B License. I do a lot of coaching here (England).

Are you thinking of becoming a coach in the future?

Yes I am trying to come into coaching back home but there is too much bureaucracy there.

Are you looking at coaching any of the national teams or clubs?

The problem is the administrative style of (Nigerian) football, which is very frustrating. That is why it’s difficult for a lot of us who have coaching badges and qualifications to come back home because of the way things are being administered. You are looking at a situation where it’s seems like its going to be a waste of time; they mess you around and at the end of the day, you won’t be able to achieve anything. It’s really pathetic.

How negatively do you think administrative ineptitude has cost Nigerian football?

When you look at what is happening, it’s telling on the administration of the game. You see people, who have played the game and have the qualifications but they can’t get into the running of the game. If you look at other countries’ FA boards, majority of them are all ex-players. If you talk of Germany you have the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and the rest of them. In England and Spain, it’s the same thing. If you go to other European countries, it’s the same thing. Why is Africa not following the same process so that we can move the sport forward? They give sports administration to people who don’t understand the game; people who don’t know how the game is being run. How would they be able to effect any change or have an insight into how to make a change? That’s the big question.

As a pundit who covered the World Cup, how would you rate the Super Eagles performance in Brazil?

We played averagely well as a team; individual players that we expected to rise to the occasion were not able to do that, so it affected us. When you have the likes of Mikel (Obi), who is expected to step up on such a big stage but couldn’t do that, it would affect the team. A lot relied on him but I think he had a very poor World Cup.

Bonus crisis rocked Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon at the World Cup. What is your opinion about this trend in Africa?

To be honest with you, it’s a big shame that Africa in the 21st century is still going back to the way it was in the 1970s. The bonus structure or any incentive for the players should have been arranged months before the World Cup. If you look at the bonus issue, it means the officials were not expecting the team to get to the second round. All these things were not pre-arranged because they were not expecting the team to reach a certain stage. So, it was difficult for them to start rearranging things in Brazil. The present generation of players know their rights; they know that there is an appearance fee when you play at the World Cup; they know that whatever stage you get to, you must have an appearance fee because FIFA pays for it. They give the money to the country and the country in turn gives the money to the players. They know all that but our officials didn’t even plan for that. FIFA would have given them the guidelines to do that, which they would have in turn told the players, ‘okay, if you get to the semi-final, this is how much we are going to pay you; if you get to the second round, this is what you get.’ If you specify everything out, the players going to the World Cup know how much they will get at every stage. But when things are not in place, the players ask for their money and the officials turn around and start giving stories. I look at all these things as bad administration and greed of the officials, who are not going there to do the job that they are supposed to do. They are more interested in the money that will go into their pockets. This kills the morale of the players. Two days to a very crucial game, you cannot be talking about money. The officials cannot allow that to happen. So, that is very bad on the part of Nigeria and Africa. We had this problem even when I was playing, so by now , we should have been able to go beyond this and move into the new phase, which is running football the way it should be.

Comparing your era as a footballer in the 1980s/1990s and now, do you think Nigerian football has improved?

No, there is no improvement. The improvement is not in terms of the players. The administration of the game has even gone bad and that is causing a lot of problems for the development of our football. Before, we used to have a very good league; every weekend you see people coming out to watch games. The fans knew the players but now, they don’t even know the players playing for the likes of Enyimba, Enugu Rangers and others. They know players in Chelsea that they have never seen before but they don’t know the ones on their doorsteps. They walk past them on the streets and don’t even recognise them. Your foundation in football has to be your league because the league helps your football to grow. You get your home-grown players from the league. If you watch clearly, in Nigeria, every little boy who can manage to kick a ball around doesn’t even want to play in the Nigerian league; he is running away to play abroad. He gets there, gets frustrated and ends up doing something else. But if we have a good foundation that will help them to play and they know the league is good and they can grow from there, a lot of players will still stay back to make sure the league is very good. Let me give you an example, last season in Europe, we (Nigeria) only had one regular team player in every club around Europe and that was (Vincent) Enyeama. Every other of our players that played in the World Cup, were sitting on the bench. Some played just three or four games throughout the season. And these are the people going to the World Cup for us. We will play with what we have. (Stephen) Keshi tried because it’s what he had that he played with. Because sometimes, some players are half-baked, they take the opportunity to come to Europe, they sign them and that’s it. But before, we used to have a lot of players and once you sign them, they still play in the first team; you see them playing week-in-week-out, the coaches can watch them and be able to rate them. So, our football has really dropped. If you watch our game, we are an entertaining side; we have the hunger and drive to succeed even when we are losing, but that mentality is not there anymore. So, we need to bring back all these things. How do we do this? Bring in the right people to administer football. In time, they will see these problems and try to correct them.

Let’s go back to your playing days. You were one of the best strikers in the Nigerian league playing for Iwuanyanwu Nationale but you found it difficult to make Dutchman Clemens Westerhof first team…

Then we had a lot of good players playing in Europe. That was when we had the golden generation of Nigerian players. Most of the strikers we had were abroad and we as home-based players were also struggling to be part of the team. You stood more chance if you played abroad and Westerhof helped our football by ensuring that a lot of our players went abroad to get experience. We had the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Samson Siasia, Daniel Amokachi and others. They were all playing very well in Europe. So, it was difficult for us (strikers). Then a defender had a better chance to make the team than a striker. It’s not because of our own design but because we had very good players who had established themselves outside.

Is it true there was a mafia in the Eagles?

Yes, it happens anyway. Some players became too powerful in the national team; they had their own click of players and because they were doing well in the team, the coach tends to listen to projections that they made. Sometimes, it was for the best.

You were inside the Oriental Airline plane, which crashed in 1994, while conveying Iwuanyanwu National back home after a continental game in Tunis. Two players: defender Aimola Omale and goalkeeper Uche Ikeogu died in the crash. Can you recall that incident?

It’s a sad moment. We went for a game in Tunis and on our way back for some reasons, we still don’t know, up till today it hasn’t really been established what caused the crash, the plane crashed. We lost some members of the team. It happened in the early hours of the morning because we finished the game in the evening and then we went to the hotel, had our dinner and we drove straight to the airport, it was a chartered flight. On our way back, it crashed in Tamanrasset in Algeria. It was a bad experience for us but thank God the country was behind us and we were able to live through it.

What was going through your mind when the crash was about to happen?

It happened so quickly. A lot of us were tired because we just finished a game before moving. So a lot of us were asleep when it happened. I wouldn’t say I knew it was going to crash, but I woke up and realised that something wrong was happening. And it happened in seconds. There was no time because if there was, the panic, the tension would kill you even before the plane crashed.

How were you able to come out of the rumble?    

We were lucky that when it crashed, the plane broke into three different pieces: the cockpit, the middle and the tail. The chair I was sitting on was turned upside down, my head was buried inside the chair but I managed to take out my seatbelt , luckily I stood up and I saw where the rays of the light was coming from. With that fear and panic, I headed towards that direction and I jumped from that side of the plane and down and started running away from the plane. We were there, thinking of our mates, shouting at the officials to see who was out and who was not. It was a horrific story.

You didn’t attend the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup. Do you have any regrets?

Yes. When you growing up as a footballer, you dream and when you get to that stage, just one step to the door and you are not able to get in, then its regretful. But in terms of football, I had no regret.

When was the highlight of your career?

It was winning the league in Nigeria (1993) and going abroad to play in other countries to show that you can also play professionally outside your own country.

Who was the toughest defender you played against?

There is one player, anytime we played together, there was always a fight. He used to play for Sharks; we are best of friends now.

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Former Poland international, Emmanuel Olisadebe, tells ’TANA AIYEJINA about how he overcame racist attacks to play for Poland and more in this interview

What have you been doing since you retired from football?

Actually I have been in Nigeria for the past two years. I am just trying to see what exactly I’ll be motivated to do. Maybe it’s to go back to school or get my coaching degree. At this point, I am trying to see that out, but I’ve not made up my mind yet.

If you eventually choose coaching, will it be in Nigeria or in Poland, your adopted country?

I have to be logical in situations like this. You don’t have too many black coaches in Europe, so I think it should be in Nigeria, my birthplace.

Reports in the media said you quit football due to frustration at your last club, Veria …

There’s a little bit of truth in that. If I am not motivated, I can’t play; I play if I really want to play. I got to a stage in my career, where I played in a team for five months and they didn’t pay; it was really frustrating and I just decided to quit. I played three years in China, which was the best time I’ve ever had. I tried to come back to Europe but it was very difficult; once you play in China, it’s always very difficult to return to Europe and I wasn’t getting younger. It was very difficult, so I decided to stop.

What made China the best place you played football?

Firstly, the money was good and it was a new experience for me. Before I went to China, I was in England with Portsmouth and I had a bad time there. I went back to Greece and I also had problems in my team. Then I had to go to Cyprus and from there I went to China and I don’t regret it.

What actually happened to you at Portsmouth?

I don’t know. It’s a long story because there is a lot of politics involved. The way I came to the club was different from the way some other players came in. (Harry) Redknapp was the coach then and he came after I made the transfer to Portsmouth. The team wasn’t doing well and when he came, he tried to bring in his own players. He pushed the guys that were there before, including the Senegalese (Papa Bouba) Diop, aside. I only spent six months there; I decided to go back to Greece and stay one year before moving to Cyprus and then China.

You left for Polish side Legia Warszawa from Nigeria in 1997. What was the initial experience like in your first sojourn in Europe?

When I got to Poland, what I got wasn’t what I expected. Many of my friends told me not to go there. But it was my destiny and I told myself, ‘I will go there and if doesn’t work, I will come back.’ It wasn’t the best experience because the football then in Poland was low-class but for me as a young boy, I enjoyed the experience being in Europe.

How did you feel when you first encountered racists in Poland?

I experienced a lot. At that time, their football was very low and they were not so used to foreign players, not to talk of black players. Initially I didn’t understand it. I was harassed by the fans; they threw bananas and beer at me and even spat at me. But I just took it like an experience in life because I knew what I went there to do.

When the then Poland national team coach, Jerzy Engel, wanted to bring you into the team, was there a resistance from the fans, players and officials?

Yes, there was from some players who thought I was a mediocre player. They said, ‘No, we don’t need a foreigner to play for Poland.’ But in the last 16 years Poland hadn’t qualified for the World Cup and I helped them qualify. I was top scorer with eight goals in qualifying and the team qualified for the World Cup after 16 years. But they resisted a little bit. Some of the coaches didn’t want me in the team too. But like I said, it was my destiny and nobody could stop it.

How did you feel about the rejection?

What I did was to read less of the newspapers. That was my only way of not getting demoralised. I didn’t listen to the news; I just knew what I wanted and that was it.

Why did you choose Poland ahead of Nigeria?

Many people ask me that question. It’s a matter of choice, I always tell them. I just chose that option. If I wanted to play for Nigeria, maybe there would have been a few things I needed to do to play for Nigeria and I would have done that. But when the Poland option came, I didn’t have time, I had to make that decision there and then. I didn’t have six months to think, I had a few days. So, I took the decision to play for Poland. I could have decided to play for Nigeria but you know that at that time, it would be difficult because I was playing in Poland. As at then, they didn’t call up people playing in Poland. Probably, when I went to Panathinaikos, I would have stood a chance. Nigerian national team prefers players playing in France, Germany and those countries. So, I thought the clever thing to do was to play for those people who needed me most.

You scored on your debut for Poland in a friendly game against Romania in Bucharest. What was the reaction of the fans and players who didn’t want you in the team?

I remember that first game clearly. We didn’t have too many fans from Poland there; the Romanian fans were everywhere and there were monkey chants from them. And then something happened; before half time, I pulled my shoulder, so I went back to the dressing room and the team doctor said, ‘You’re off.’ And I said to myself, ‘It’s impossible. My first game injured? No way.’ I wanted to prove something to the Romanian fans, so they gave me this big injection and all the pain went away and I came back into the game. It was still the same monkey chants from the stands and in the 79th minute, I scored. It was my first goal and the game ended 1-1. Because of the sacrifice I made despite my shoulder injury, they (Polish people) were happy and I was just scoring afterwards.

You scored Poland’s first goal at the World Cup in 2002 in a 3-1 defeat of the US. What was it like scoring at that level?

The World Cup is the highest stage in football. It was the third game in our group and we were already out. We had a lot of controversies in the team; there was accommodation and other problems. We didn’t go there as a team; that’s why we didn’t perform well. In the last game against the US, the whole team changed. I think I was the only player who played the first two games left in the team and I scored in the second minute. It was a corner, a header, a rebound and I shot the ball into the net. It was a very exciting moment. After the goal, I ran to my coach to say, ‘At least I scored a goal in the World Cup.’ It’s a goal I will never forget.

Nigeria was at the same World Cup too. Did you feel you should have been in the Nigerian camp and not with the Polish?

We were far apart. Really, I didn’t have emotions because I had made up my mind. If Nigeria and Poland were playing and I wasn’t playing, I would say Nigeria should win but if I was playing, I will help my team to win. I still have sentiments for my place of birth. It’s like you nationalising for another country but you are still a Nigerian. It’s my job. Some people say, ‘Why didn’t you play for Nigeria?’ And I say, ‘Maybe I wasn’t good enough.’ But I made the choice I needed for my career and I think it wasn’t a bad one.

Did you face any discrimination in Nigeria after opting to play for Poland?

Just a little bit; Nigerians are a special kind of people and I think they understood that I had to play for Poland. We have a culture of Nigerian athletes nationalising and running for the US and England. So, it wasn’t such a big deal and I think it was normal for them.

Is Emmanuel Olisadebe Polish or Nigerian?

I am a Nigerian; I still like Nigerian food, Nigerian music and I stay here. You cannot spend 15 years in Poland and don’t assimilate some of their culture and the way they do things. Here (Nigeria) is my home and I feel Nigerian. I love being here.

Are you hoping to give back to the Nigerian society?

I would try my best; every footballer would like to give but you have to choose exactly what path you want to follow. It could be to help young players travel abroad or maybe set up an academy. Coaching too is like giving back.

If you had a second chance, would you still choose Poland ahead of Nigeria again?

It’s a very difficult question but based on the ride I had playing for Poland, I think I will do it again.

How do you think racism can be curbed?

It will never stop. I think somewhere along the line, they are being taught to be racists. It’s a personal statement. If you look at it closely, you will find out that most people who are racists are males. I think it’s the testosterone thing. It’s complex and I don’t know what it is. It’s like saying fear will end. It can’t. In my opinion, racism will never end, it’s been there. Racism evolves; we’ve passed the stage where you see someone on the street and you point fingers at him and say, ‘You are black.’ That stage is long gone. Now it has reached an extent where because you are black, you will not be given a job, where your value as a football player is reduced because you are black, where you cannot be captain of certain teams because you are black. There are so many things like that. You can reduce it in the stadiums but deep down inside the system, it’s still there. You see great black players but they never have the chance to coach. It just happened in the US, with a racist basketball club owner. It’s there but they try to hide it. The whites want to stamp themselves as the superiors; it’s a system and its always been there and it will never change. For us as Africans and black people, we should also find a way to make ourselves proud and it’s simple. The leaders should help. If our country is good and we have the basic things we need and there is security, we will be proud people too as blacks. I find it difficult to fight against racism because I feel like a hypocrite. It’s like I will go there, fight but deep down within me, I know it’s not going to end. So, what is the point fighting. As black people, we have to be proud of ourselves because on their side, it will not stop.

Who was the toughest defender you played against?

I think it was the big Arsenal defender Sol Campbell. We always played in the UEFA Champions League and I played four games against him. He was so big, fast and tough.

Which is your best goal?

It would be the first goal I scored for Poland in the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup against Ukraine in Kiev. Before the game, it was Olisadebe versus Andrei Shevchenko. I scored two goals in that goal and we beat Ukraine 3-1 in their home and the my first goal was my best. It was a cross and I got my head to it.

What’s the favourite city you have visited?

I like Athens, I have a place there and I like going back there. After the crisis, it’s not so good but I love Athens and London.

What attracts you to women?

The first attraction is the eyes, before we start talking about her intelligence.

Do you live the flashy lifestyle, with big cars and expensive jewelry?

I used to like cars but at the moment, I just drive a CL 55 AMG. I am not crazy about cars any more because when you stop (playing) you have other things in your mind you want to do.

What are your best and worst moments?

I had some very good moments; winning the Polish Championship for Legia Warszawa after 40 years, qualifying to play in the World Cup and helping Panathinaikos to win the Greek league after 10 years. The bad moment was when I had a terrible injury in China. I helped my team qualify for the Asian Champions League and we had five games left before I had the injury. It took me eight months to come back. I felt bad because I was really at my peak then.

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Former U-20, U-23 and Super Eagles defender Chikelue Iloenyosi tells ‘TANA AIYEJINA about his aim to give Nigerian football a new direction, his relationship with late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his career in this interview

How is life in retirement?

Things are okay and I am enjoying life after playing football.

Any regrets after injury forced your premature retirement from the game?

I don’t have any regrets because I believe God has a hand in anything that happens to mankind. In any situation you find yourself, you need to be happy.

What were the best times you had playing football in several European countries, Australia and Libya?

My best football was in Turkey. Again, the little time I played for the Super Eagles, I gave my best; I was always exceptional playing for the national team.

In 1999, Nigerians were hoping that the Flying Eagles would win the U-20 World Cup on home soil but the team crashed out in the quarterfinals, after some epileptic displays. As a member of that squad, what do you think was the problem?

Nigeria ‘99 U-20 World Cup was a very big experience for me because we had a very good preparation before the team was finally selected for the World Cup. Unfortunately, we got to the World Cup and there was a problem between the football body and the coach, Tunde Disu. Eventually, they sacked the coach during the competition and the team became divided. The white man that they brought (to replace Disu) didn’t know anything about Nigerian football; he was not a good coach. He came and started insulting us (players). He said we were stupid and used all sorts of words on us. I and (Joseph) Yobo challenged him. We reported the issue to Sani Toro, that he should tell the coach not to insult us. From there, the team became divided. He brought an idea for the FA to keep our match bonuses for us but we refused. We have banks we can keep our money we have family members who can help us keep our money. The match bonuses they were paying didn’t have anything to do with football. How can a coach tell us that they want to keep money for us? Everybody was saying if the money was given to the FA to keep for us, we won’t see our money again once we were out of the competition. So, we deliberated on that issue before we played our second round match against the Republic of Ireland in Kano. The Irish lost 5-3 on penalties after full and extra time ended 1-1. Half of the team believed in Disu, he is an African coach. All the allegations that the man was collecting money were false. We didn’t experience that. The man never asked anybody about money but he was very close to us and we were thrilled with his American English. But Nigerians don’t understand why a coach should be very close to his players. The problem at that U-20 World Cup was that the football body didn’t allow the coach to do his work. There were so much expectations from us; the pressure was very high. Obinna Okpala left camp without anyone noticing. The Lagos supporters were hostile to us. They wanted us to win and the best way for them to do it was to harass us.

Can you recall an instance that the players came under the hammer of the Lagos fans?

Nigerians don’t have patience for failure. Nigerians fans love teams playing well. If you are not playing well, they don’t want to see you. After the World Cup, they selected the players that did well to the Olympic team in 2000. We were just three; me, Julius Aghahowa and Pius Ikedia. So, once you are playing well, the fans will support you. It’s not because they hate you as a player. They are passionate about winning but sometimes, they don’t know how to control their emotions to help the team get the best result. They believe that by harassing you, the team will play better.

We were the defending champions in the football event at the 2000 Olympics but again, we went out in the quarterfinals…

The Sydney Olympics was a big disaster. If you didn’t have a contract with the coach, Bonfrere Jo, and two other people, a Nigerian and Belgian, you were not fielded for games but Nigerians didn’t understand. I was already playing for the Super Eagles before I was invited to the Olympic team but they benched me. I didn’t say anything. The (sports) minister asked them why they kept me on the bench and they said I had an injury. The minister came to me and I told him I was not injured. Because Bonfrere was very successful at Atlanta ‘96, nobody could question him; they believed that he was the best. So, when I was left out, (Celestine) Babayaro, the captain, complained because we were both playing for the senior national team. If a Super Eagles player is benched in the U-23 team, then there is a problem. Incidentally, the same man was our coach in the senior national team. When I didn’t sign the contract with him, they said I was stubborn. I made the team, but he kept me on the bench. When we were out of the competition, they found out that something was wrong but it was too late. I opened up, and brought out the paper Bonfrere gave me to sign. That is why I am not happy with Chris Eseka, because as a Nigerian like me, he should have protected me. When Bonfrere came to Libya along with Phillipe Troussier to coach Muammar Gaddafi’s team, Al Ittihad, I and Victor Ikpeba were in the team. I brought Ikpeba and Cameroonian Patrick Mboma to the team because Gaddafi told me to help him bring African players to the team. I told Gaddafi what Bonfrere did to me and he said, ‘Chikelue, can you say this in front of him (Bonfrere)?’ I said, ‘yes’ and he called for Bonfrere. His son Saadi was there. ‘The Nigerian players in the team say they don’t want you,’ Gaddafi told him. I was there. So, he lost the job.

In 2002, you were dropped from the Eagles team to the African Cup of Nations in Mali…

If Shuaibu Amodu comes to Abuja today, I will be among the first people he will call on phone but he was the person that dropped me from the team to the Nations Cup. He gave me his reasons for dropping me. He told me, ‘Chike, I want to play my boy, Eric Ejiofor.’ He said after the Nations Cup, I will make the World Cup team. But I told him that he and (Stephen) Keshi won’t go to the World Cup because they were not God. But if I am in Lagos now, I must go and see him and his family because there is life after football. When he was made Eagles coach again, he used to call me to talk to the players in camp because he wanted the best for the team.

Amodu helped Nigeria qualify twice for the World Cup but he was not allowed to manage the team at the Mundial. How do you feel about how he was treated?

I saw no reason why he was dropped on both occasions. They brought in Lars Lagerback to replace Amodu because they wanted to make money. They don’t have the interest of Nigeria at heart, they are selfish people. The problem of Nigerian football is rice and beans; there is so much hunger.

You were banned from all football-related activities alongside Harrison Jalla, Shuaib Gara-Gombe, Olajide Fashikun and Jarret Tenebe in 2011 by the federation after you formed a parallel football body. Has it been lifted?

Nobody banned me from football. The day they said they banned me, I was at the National Stadium, Abuja, watching a game between Nigeria and Argentina. They announced my name at the stadium. If I was banned, would they have announced my name? It was only a power tussle; we want the right thing to be done in our football. You swore an affidavit saying you are not Nigeria Football Association; that you are now Nigeria Football Federation. We said, ‘Okay, we are the new NFA.’ And people supported us but the only problem we had was that FIFA didn’t support us and we didn’t want them to ban us. We made the minister to understand that there was a vacuum. You say you are not under NFA but you collect money as NFA and go to spend it in the NFF. And you are telling Nigerians not to prosecute you; that only FIFA can prosecute you. It’s not FIFA that gives you the money, it’s the Nigerian government. They set up a committee to look into the matter and we won but they did not implement the report of the committee. They didn’t ban anybody. The same people you claim you ban, are the same people the ministry is holding series of meetings with, to rectify the problem. Mike Umeh is not fit to run our football. There are younger people who can get this job done. (Aminu) Maigari is out, Umeh should be out too because he is not better than Maigari. He has no business there. They gave me, Austin Okocha and Ikpeba positions in a committee but I turned it down because I am not fighting for what will come into my pocket. I am fighting for the progress of Nigerian football. If I had taken the job, I won’t be able to talk. They are not paying my bills. If you are an ex-international, you have to carry yourself very well. You bring to the system what you have learnt in the past. Now they want to lift the ban on Taiwo Ogunjobi. Where are we going? You want the same people that embezzled money to come back and run our football? These days when I go to watch Enugu Rangers matches, I cry but in my days, the stadium will be filled up when Rangers were playing Udoji United. We need young people to take charge of our football. Look at what Anthony Baffour and Kalusha Bwalya are doing in Ghana and Zambia respectively. After the 2010 World Cup, South Africa gave account of their profit and loss but has that ever happened in Nigeria before? Here we believe that football money is take-away.

Do you have any regrets not representing Nigeria at a major senior tournament?

I don’t. I was the best. Taribo West still calls me The General. Watch my tapes when I played for Nigeria, I gave my best. Ifeanyi Onyedika nicknamed me ‘Confusion’ because of my work rate.

How did you get in touch with Gaddafi?

There was one man called Karim, who scouted for players for Gaddafi. He came to watch a friendly game between Nigeria and Ireland. They had wanted to buy Taribo but they saw me in training and they told Saadi Gaddafi that they have seen someone better than Taribo. They started negotiations with me and they invited me to Libya. I flew in to Tripoli and Saadi gave me money, saying, ‘Please I want you, I like you.’ When I signed for him, he took me to his father. When I met Gaddafi, he asked me about certain people in Nigeria and I said I didn’t know them. But I know these people. The man told me that they wanted Libya to be number one in sports and they were ready to spend money. So, I told them I will get the best African players for the team. I brought Mboma, Ikpeba and Lacina from Ivory Coast but Mboma left after the Libyans discovered his wife is Jewish. They terminated his contract immediately. Saadi came to me and said, ‘Mboma’s family are Jewish people; my father will kill me if he finds out about it because we are not in good terms with them. Don’t tell him Chike, I will tell him we don’t want him again.’ That was how Mboma left.

What was your relationship with Gaddafi?

When Gaddafi told Saadi to bring me, I had a one-on-one chat with him for two hours. The man told me so many things; that he was mad with Saadi when he gave some huge money to Juventus. That was why he brought back Saadi to Libya. He said if Saadi had given the money to an African country, he would call him and give him more money. Gaddafi was a proud man that believed in Africa. If he asked me about politics, I always told him I didn’t know anything about it. He would say, “Chike, if you want to succeed in life, take a stand and die with it. If you try to change, you will still die, but you will die in a way that you don’t like.’ So, I told people that Gaddafi would never give up; he would die in Libya. He was very nice to me. He touched my life positively.

What do you think was responsible for our second round ouster at the 2014 World Cup?

Nigeria didn’t have a team; we only had individual players. What pattern are we playing in the Eagles? Our strikers were falling back. Going to the World Cup was through the grace of God. Not that we didn’t have a good technical crew, but we didn’t have the time to blend before the World Cup proper. But it was a good platform for the coaches to work on the mistakes of the team. However, will the FA allow them to correct these mistakes? I have never seen a country that sacks their coaches after winning major tournaments except Nigeria. We won the Nations Cup and they sacked Keshi’s assistant, Sylvanus Okpalla.

Do you think Keshi should be retained?

We don’t need constant sacking of coaches; we need a long-term coach, so Keshi should remain with the team. The problem of Nigerian football is not Keshi, it’s the administration behind the preparation for the World Cup. So many things happened in Brazil, that I wouldn’t want to talk about.

Who were your best friends in the national team?

It’s Julius Aghahowa, he is exceptional. He is someone that has the fear of God. Yakubu Aiyegbeni was my best friend in the national team, we stayed in the same room. We are best friends but we fought every day. Bonfrere will come to us and say, ‘I won’t change both of you from this room, keep fighting.’ After training when they would ask the players if they had anything to say, Yakubu will say, ‘Please I want you to change Chikelue from my room.’ But he is a great guy to be with!

Which striker gave you the toughest time?

In the national team, if I was not pairing Taribo, I would be pairing Godwin Okpara and we complemented ourselves, so it was difficult to cause problems for me. But Sierra Leonean Mohammed Kallon was a thorn in the flesh.

What is your advice to young Nigerian footballers?

My advice to youngsters is to train hard and play club football here before moving abroad. They shouldn’t listen to the problems of the FA because that will weigh them down.

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Super Falcons and Rivers Angels forward, Stella Mbachu, talks about her career, the challenges of women football in Nigeria and more in this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA

What are you doing at the moment?

I am still with my club in Port Harcourt, but I hope to embark on a coaching course in the near future. I hope to go into coaching when I retire from the game.

Can you tell us how your football journey started?

I won’t say I went into football by accident. Anything you want to do in life, somebody must put you through. You can’t just jump into what you don’t know; it will be difficult to have a breakthrough. I believe my involvement in football was ordained by God. I never knew I will get this far though. There was a man, a boxing coach, in my village, who saw me when I was playing football with my brothers. He identified the talent in me, approached me and told me to come to the stadium to train with a new club that they just formed. I thought about it but I didn’t want to go because I was always busy whenever I returned from school, helping my mother with the household chores. But one day, I decided to go and see what they were doing at the stadium; I didn’t go there to train. But the coach saw me and said, ‘No, you must train with us, even though you don’t have kits to train with us. You can use the skirt you have on to train.’ So, I trained with my skirt on that day, all the coaches saw me and they approached my principal, so that I would be allowed to join them. That was how I started.

Can you recall your first major game as a footballer?

It was an FA Cup match. They wrote to my school for release to play the game. I didn’t know much about football then; all I was doing was just go out, play and enjoy myself. I was in school and my principal called me and said, ‘Look at what God has done for you. They have asked for your release to join the Imo State team that will play the FA Cup.’ My God, I didn’t know what was FA Cup! I was looking at the floor. The man gave me the release letter to show to my parents. I showed my mother the letter, because my father was not around. She didn’t know what football was all about. So, my mother showed the letter to my uncle and he was very happy. He said, ‘She (Stella) needs to go.’ He came to me and encouraged me, saying football was part of education, because it would afford me the opportunity to travel all over the country to play and learn new things. So, I joined the team in the sports council in Owerri. We were there for one week and we did well in my zone, which was under Port Harcourt. That was how it all started.

Did your parents support you as a girl to play football?

When I started, my mother didn’t disturb me but a month after I sustained an injury, she said I won’t play football anymore. My father was in Lagos then, but my uncles encouraged her to let me play. My father didn’t stop me either; he just prayed for me. Later, my mother decided to allow me to play the game.

When did you get the breakthrough into Super Falcons?

The breakthrough came in 1998, when I played my first African Women Championship, hosted by Nigeria. We beat Ghana 2-0 in Abeokuta and I scored the second goal.

How did you feel, being called up for the first time into the national team?

I love to play football; I wasn’t thinking about anything. I was still in secondary school. All that was in my head was how to play well, so that people would come and watch me. The first time I got to camp, I made the team and I started playing immediately. The coach then, Ismaila Mabo, was always introducing me in the second half and I would go in and do my best.

Your first Women’s World Cup was in 1999, which is the Falcons best performance ever at the competition. But you lost a game to hosts USA 7-1 in the group stage…

Yes, that was my first outing at the event. We were leading 1-0 before they came back and scored those goals. We had three points before that game, because we had beaten North Korea 2-1 in our first game. So I was sure we would qualify from our group. When we played the US, we played against the home crowd and the referee. So, when we lost, I wasn’t discouraged. I knew Denmark, our last group opponents, won’t be a problem for us. We needed to beat them to qualify in our final group game and we did, winning 2-0.

It was the first and only time that the Falcons qualified for the quarterfinals of the event. Against Brazil, the team was 3-0 down but fought back and drew 3-3 at a point before the Brazilians scored a Golden Goal winner in extra time…

We fell back and levelled up; taking the game to extra time but the Golden Goal rule was in existence then and the Brazilians scored and the game came to an end. Nobody gave us a chance of a comeback. You know, people say Falcons always go to the World Cup to concede many goals but that World Cup was different. We proved our critics wrong and reached the quarterfinals. That was the first time the team will advance from their group to the knockout stage of the competition. I was happy because that was my first appearance; we were the new players introduced into the team. I am still happy that it was my own time that the Flacons reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Was women football developed when you started playing for the Falcons?

The game was developed then because Ghana and Cameroon gave us tough times then; they were very powerful in Africa. Anytime we played them, it was like playing against European opposition. Some countries like Congo were also coming up but they were not consistent. What helped us was consistency, even though players welfare was not at its best. We kept on going despite the lapses.

The last time Nigeria won the AWC was in 2010 and you emerged the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Was it the highlight of your career?

I was actually determined to play my heart out in that tournament because we lost the title we won in 2006 to Equatorial Guinea in 2008, though I didn’t attend that competition. So, a lot of us were determined to get the cup back. We trained a lot, our preparation was fantastic and even though there were some problems in the Nigeria Football Federation then, before we left, we were resolute in making the country proud. So, I was not surprised that I was named the tournament’s MVP.

But female football in Nigeria has been on the decline with the likes of Equatorial Guinea and South Africa giving the Falcons a run for their money…

I don’t think it’s the fault of the players. I think it has to do with the people saddled with the responsibility of taking care of women’s football in the country. Women’s football is not growing; look at the league, there are no sponsors. Then when we were doing well, there were lots of sponsors for the Falcons. When we wanted to go for competitions, we didn’t just gather and train, like you have now. Our welfare was fantastic, the sponsors put us in good hotels and we trained for months before we went back home. That is why it’s very difficult to identify new talents these days. These days, its fire brigade approach to competitions. Even the NFF is not doing enough to make sure the league is thriving. If sponsors stay away, the game will continue to go down. They call the women’s league here professional but when you see teams play, it looks amateurish. It shouldn’t be so. Other African countries have their own challenges but they are challenging us. We need something to be done; they should take care of the players and bring in sponsors, so that preparations for competitions will be easy.

There have been several stories about lesbianism in the Super Falcons. How true are these stories?

The stories are rubbish; I don’t know why we celebrate negative things. The stories are not true. I have heard such stories. Lesbianism is common among females all over the world; it’s not just footballers alone. Because people have this ideology, when they see two players together in camp, they say they are lesbians. That is a bad idea. I know it exists, I won’t deny it but I haven’t come across it. It doesn’t happen in the Falcons camp; maybe after camping those involved may carry their actions out. After camp, everybody can go and live their lives but not in the camp.

Who would you prefer, a male or female coach, to manage the women national teams?

Both are good because some of the men have managed women club sides and they know the attitude of women, how we behave. But when I will disagree is when you bring in a man who doesn’t know anything about female football. It will not be easy for the person to perform. For the women, coaching the national teams will be a very good encouragement for them as well.

What is your advice to up-and-coming young women footballers?

They need to dedicate themselves to the game, be disciplined and be committed. They must drop their pride; they shouldn’t assume they have arrived. They should work hard as well; they shouldn’t rely on general training. They should develop themselves on their own. If you play very well, people will commend you. If they do all these, the sky will be their limit.

People say sportswomen don’t make good wives…

It’s not true. Anybody who says that, hasn’t seen a woman footballer that he loves. At least three of my club players got married in the last one year. One has been delivered of a baby and the other two are pregnant. They have changed; they no longer look like footballers. If you leave football for three months as a woman, your physique will change. Footballers make good wives. I thank God that most men have started knowing that such insinuations are not true and are attracted to women footballers. A lot of girls in my club are engaged. Between now and December, a lot of them will get married. Things have changed. Are they marrying beauty or character? Is it not good behavior that people look out for in a woman? Anyway, no woman is ugly.

What are your best and worst moments as a footballer?

My best are when I am on the pitch and winning games, while my worst is losing. I don’t like losing.

Compare and contrast men and women’s football in Nigeria.

Both are not on level terms, men have the upper hand both in the national team and club sides.

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The Netherlands 2005 U-20 World Cup silver medalist, Daniel Akpeyi, in this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA talks on why he has played second fiddle as a goalkeeper from the junior to senior national teams and more

You moved to Warri Wolves from Heartland in the Nigerian topflight league this season. Are you enjoying your time at the club?

Sure I am. It wasn’t an easy decision to take but so far it has been good. I have been able to pick up the challenge and somehow the ground has been level for me.

At Heartland, you were first choice but you have found it difficult making the first team at Wolves despite being a keeper with the national team…

I played second fiddle during the first round of the league. You have good goalkeepers in the club, so you have to fight for a place in the team. So far so good, I have been playing in the second round. Though it has not been easy, I have been in the post for games in the second round. Let’s see how it goes from there.

Warri fans are very passionate and vociferous. Have you been under pressure from the fans since you started playing?

It’s a normal thing in Nigeria for fans to jeer you and sometimes cheer you up. It’s just the mentality of Nigerians; I don’t know what they are thinking about. Maybe if the players are about losing a game or not playing well, that’s when the pressure is high. It’s a normal thing in Nigeria for fans to sometimes bite you where it hurts. I think it’s part of their own way to try to make you get a result. It’s been everywhere and I have been facing it like that. The Warri fans are not different.

Goalkeeping is usually seen as a very difficult position in football. Was it the role you actually wanted to play?

Somehow, I would say it was by accident I found myself in goal because I never intended to be a goalkeeper initially. But somehow, I found myself being a goalkeeper today. I think it’s the right position for me. In the days when we used to play street football, people would say, ‘You are better in this area because of your height.’ You know as a tall person, they said I will be good in goal. Somehow, it became a tradition. If we gathered to play, they always pushed me to the post and I found out that I started picking up from there. Somehow, I fell in love with it and that is what I want to keep doing.

Your first international tournament was at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in The Netherlands. How was the experience like even though the coaches preferred Ambrose Vanzekin as first choice in goal?

It was awesome. Then, they made us believe that we, who didn’t have people in the board (of the NFF), would not make the national team. But it was a great experience for me because I happened to meet foreign counterparts in the game and I learnt a lot from them. I gained a lot of experience; some things we lacked in Nigeria, I found them there. I think that has made me a better goalkeeper today, though I am still growing.

You lost the final of that U-20 World Cup to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentine side. What was the mood in camp?

It was disappointing; we felt bad because having reached the final, we were actually looking at winning the trophy but we played with a more experienced side. We had to learn from that.

You were in coach Samson Siasia’s initial 22-man squad for the U-23 team for the Olympic Games in Beijing three years later but again you didn’t play any game. Do you think the first choice, Vanzekin, was better?

The keeper in goal was doing well and there is a rule in football that says only one keeper can be in the post for a particular game. And once the keeper there is doing well, it’s always difficult to make a change, just like it’s happening in the Super Eagles at the moment. You can’t just pull out (Vincent) Enyeama and put him on the bench. That can happen in a friendly game but not in a major tournament. Except probably if he is injured or something else happens. In Beijing, someone was there and was doing well, but it didn’t mean that he was better than those of us on the bench. But he had the chance to be in the post and he was doing well. So, he had to remain there. It happens in club sides too sometimes.

Argentina beat Nigeria again in the football final of the Olympics in Bejing, with Messi inspiring the Argentines to a gold medal finish. Would you say the team, made up mostly of players from the 2005 U-20 World Cup, didn’t learn from their mistakes?

It’s not because we didn’t learn enough. Mistakes lead to goals in a game. One or two mistakes led to that goal and they capitalised on it to score. It was another sad moment for us again at the Olympics.

The likes of Mikel Obi, Taye Taiwo, Chinedu Obasi and some of your other teammates in 2005 have moved on to play for big clubs in Europe but you are still playing in the local league…

There is an adage that says 20 friends cannot be together for 20 years. Our destinies are different and we are running different races. They are field players and it’s usually easy for field players to make it abroad than goalkeepers. I am not saying that is an excuse for me to still be playing in the domestic league but I think they had their opportunities and they are using them well. Sometimes you feel bad, because everyone aspires to play abroad, especially those of us in the domestic league but we can’t force it, we can only wait for the chance to come. We are still hoping and praying that the chance will still come. Though they have been ahead, I believe that we can still catch up when that right time comes.

At the 2014 CHAN in South Africa, you were second choice to a not too fit Chigozie Agbim despite calls in the media to make you first choice. How did you feel having to sit on the bench again in an international tournament, without playing a single match?

I didn’t go there to become second choice; I wanted to play. But I am not the coach, who decides who plays or not. Whatever happened that I wasn’t in the post was due to technical reasons, which is the responsibility of the coach. All the players really wanted to play but I will keep fighting. That is why I am still there.

How did you feel when Coach Stephen Keshi mentioned you in his 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 World Cup?

It’s every Nigerian footballer’s dream to wear the green and white jersey and play for his country. It was a thing of joy when my name was mentioned because there was a lot of criticism, that I was only playing second fiddle anytime I was invited. But the coach believes in me, he believes that I can compete with the people there because he has watched me play. I really appreciate it; he has given me this chance so far to be part of his squad. I was short of words when my name was mentioned. Though I dreamt of being at the World Cup as well but for some reasons, I didn’t make the final list. But I think I learnt a lot from the camp.

The Eagles lost to France in the second round in Brazil. Do you think the team could have done better?

I think we gave our best but probably it wasn’t good enough. They (French) took the advantage and used it judiciously. I think we learn from every game and I am sure we have learnt lessons after that match. We just have to move on from there. If a mistake didn’t occur, I don’t think we would lose. I know the Big Boss (Keshi) would be working on plans to come up with a better Super Eagles.

In the national team, there is Enyeama, Austin Ejide and Agbim before you. Do you think you can still get the chance to become first choice keeper in the national team?

Vincent (Enyeama) was not the first choice keeper at a point. As a matter of fact, he was someone like me; sometimes they called him, sometimes they dropped him. Sometimes he was even third or fourth choice but he is the number one today. All it takes is hard work, consistency and focus. I think that is what I am doing. So, I am not giving up yet.

What are the challenges of a typical Nigerian goalkeeper?

Consistency is one of our challenges. From my experience in the various clubs I have played, I can tell that when a goalkeeper does well in four or five straight games and makes a little mistake in the next game, they take him off. Before he gets his chance again, he has to go back and fight. We know that the other keepers are not bad but if you are not consistent in the post, it’s a big challenge because no matter how bad you are, you become better with the more games you play, except you are someone that is not focused. So, that is one of our challenges as keepers. I usually use myself as an example. The fact that I have been laid off the post to be on the bench doesn’t make me a bad keeper because I keep working better than the person in there. I keep working for the time that I will return to the posts.

Have you had any trying times as a keeper?

Yes. There have been a lot of such times but that has made me a better keeper today. Every trying time that comes, I learn from it and it makes me better. I am the kind of person that doesn’t give up. I would say because the coach is not using me, I lose my head, because I believe that there is somewhere I am going to. The trying time is the time I need to work harder and it makes me a better keeper.

Is it true that clubs use juju and spiritual means in Nigeria and in Africa during matches?

I have seen a lot of clubs do that. In our domestic league, they do it too because that is what they believe in. But I have also seen them fail woefully because juju or whatever don’t play football. Even for us that pray a lot, God doesn’t stand in the post for you; He doesn’t play the football for you. You have to do that yourself. If you don’t work, prayers don’t score goals. We all need a little bit of luck. In everything, you still have to commit God to it, because He is the master of all. So, those things never work. I have seen a lot of clubs do it but they never won the continental trophies. Some of them were even relegated. One thing these clubs should get their mind on is how to work on the players they have to be able to get results.

What do you do before going into the pitch on match days?

I meditate on the game. It’s a normal thing that you have to rest more on that day. Basically I meditate on the game more and always assume victory for myself.

Which striker will you say have given you the toughest time?

We have great strikers in Nigeria. The major thing is trying to convert the chances and this is the difference between the strikers. On most occasions, people like Gbolahan Salami, Kabiru Umar, Abubakar Babale and Ufon Udoh are strikers you need to dread in the domestic league. They think fast on the ball and they are very intelligent with the ball. But they have their flaws too because sometimes, they lose glaring chances. So, the difference is how you convert your chances but these names I have mentioned are fantastic strikers.

Why do you think our keepers find it difficult to play in Europe?

I don’t think it’s because we don’t have the keepers to do the job over there. The goalkeeping positions always have about three keepers fighting for places. Most of the countries in Europe tend to play their local keepers in that position unlike the field players, where there are about 25 positions with four or five foreign players allowed. It’s easier for them to look for players in those positions and manage what they have. It’s only clubs that feel they need a high-quality goalkeeper that go for foreigners. It’s not because we are not technically sound in the goalkeeping department but because most of the clubs want to use their local keepers.

What are your best and worst moments?

My best time is having to keep a clean sheet in away games while my worst is conceding a cheap goal that will eventually make my team to lose.

What is your advice to young Nigerian goalkeepers?

They need to be focused, know their dreams and follow them. They shouldn’t lose concentration; they must keep working hard. Everybody believes that there is one godfather somewhere that can take you up there. There can be godfathers, but if you are not focused and hardworking, the godfathers will even get frustrated and lay you aside. They shouldn’t always expect that godfathers can get them there; their hard work can also get them there.

If you were not a footballer what would you have been?

I would have been a musician. I would have been into gospel music because I am a born again Christian.

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Super Eagles striker, Gbolahan Salami, is largely seen as a controversial player. The Warri Wolves star, who scored a goal in the Eagles 3-2 defeat to Congo recently, says he is only being given a bad name for fighting for his rights in this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA

You are one of the best players in the domestic league. Why have you found it difficult playing professionally in Europe?

I don’t think I should be in a hurry to play abroad. I still believe everything will surely come with time. I will definitely have my own time to play in Europe and when that time comes, I will make a move. I take things one after the other. I am not the kind of person that believes in rushing. That is why I am working hard and scoring goals in the local league. Maybe with my performance this season, European clubs may invite me for trials. Playing in Europe is not easy, so I just need to prove myself in the league before European clubs can come for me. That is why I am still working hard, so that I can keep on scoring more goals for my club in the league.

You have scored quite a lot of goals this season for Warri Wolves. Aside personal glory, do you think your goals can win the league for Wolves?

Yes, I believe so. We have quality players in the team. The league is still open and we still have the chance to win the league and play in Africa next season. We are highly motivated and the players are professionals. The club is doing well and the only way to pay them back is to keep giving our best during home and away games. If we get this done, we are sure to celebrate at the end of the season.

What is your assessment of the Nigerian league? Do you think it’s among the best in Africa?

I can’t say our league is the best in Africa. But we need to put in more effort because it is our game. Most of us play here before thinking of playing in Europe but it’s not easy for the players in the domestic league. The fact is that if you don’t play well here at home, nobody will invite you to Europe. That is why I am appealing to the people in charge of our football to allow us to continue playing games. We want the league to start again. The suspension of the league will disturb our careers. It’s not helping us as players. Very soon, the European transfer window will be open again but if we are not playing, how will anybody invite us for trials? That is why I am appealing to them to call off the suspension of matches. It’s not good to sit down idle doing nothing. We are paid to play football, so we should play.

In what ways do you think the suspension of the league due to the crisis in the football federation have affected you and other Nigerian players?

If you don’t play matches, how can you assess yourself as a footballer? How can you improve? A match situation is different from training. If you are playing matches consistently, you will be fit. Only training cannot help you. As a player, you need to play some matches to be in good shape. The suspension of the league can make players do some other things to make money before matches resume. But when they return, they won’t be in the best shape. So, it’s not good for our football. A football loving country like Nigeria should not be in this situation.

You signed for South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in 2011 for R2.5m but you didn’t get to play for them officially before the club terminated your contract for undisclosed reasons. What happened?

Only God knows what happened. The irony of it all is that people don’t believe my own version of what happened in South Africa. They believe I fought the management of the club, but that is not true. The issue I had in South Africa was that of a work permit. That is all. I never had problems with Sundowns management, coaches, players and the fans. Everything went on well but I couldn’t get a work permit, which I needed before I could play in the South African league. I took everything in good fate because I believe things will be okay. That was why I came back to play in the domestic league once again, to prove myself as a good player and score goals.

People see you as a controversial player…

People say that quite often but it is only when you come close to me that you can know my true person. They feel I am hotly-tempered but I just believe that if you want to talk to a player, know how to talk to such a player. If you want a player to sign for your club, meet the terms of the contract you have with the player. If you tell a player this is how much you can pay and he signs for you, pay him. If you don’t pay him, he will be rude to you. Footballers have families and friends who look up to them. We have responsibilities too. I think that is the only area I have problems with in the Nigerian league. They don’t want you to talk when they are not meeting the terms of the contract you signed with them. When you talk, they say, ‘This boy is a very stubborn player, he is rude.’ But before you signed for them, they told you they will pay you certain amount and they have failed to meet their own side of the deal. I don’t have any problem with my coaches and fellow players wherever I have played. I am in Warri Wolves presently and I like the way the management of the club is going about the administration of the club. The players are highly encouraged. The coaches have been giving me lots of advice, we have a father and son relationship and I am so happy about it. Pinnick Amaju and Davidson Owumi have been doing a great job at the club.

It’s rare to see clubs adhering to contractual terms in Nigeria. Are you saying Wolves have met the terms of your contract to the letter?

Have you seen me fighting in Warri Wolves? They told me they will pay me a certain amount and they paid. They told me that at a certain time of the month, I will get my salary and they have not defaulted. They don’t owe me salaries and bonuses. Why won’t I score goals for them? Why won’t I give my best?

You are nicknamed Nigeria’s Mario Balotelli. Do you share any similarities with the Italian superstar?

I don’t know how the nickname came about but I believe the way I play on the field may have prompted the nickname. But he (Balotelli) is a player I love so much. I love his style of play and character.

Was it easy growing up?

I wouldn’t say my parents were rich or poor but things were okay in my family as a kid growing up. I enjoyed my family and that is why I am trying to make them happy by working hard to get to the top. My parents gave me the desired support to play football, because they knew that was what I was destined to become.

What would you have been if you were not a footballer?

(Laughs) That is a very difficult question to answer. I just believe I was meant to play football. I need to work hard to be there and I believe I will be there soon.

Who is your role model footballer?

He is someone I liked when I was growing up. I used to look up to him and I loved him so much. He is the late Rashidi Yekini. I like the way he used to shoot.

Did you have the opportunity of meeting him personally?

We used to play together in the All Stars team of Ibadan. He was a nice man.

As a player who once played for 3SC, was it easy coping with Ibadan fans, who are known for their vociferousness?

If you play well in Ibadan, people will support you. If you are a good player and give your best, you won’t have any problem in Ibadan. I enjoyed playing in Ibadan, I enjoyed playing for 3SC. The club has a big name, good fans and a good city to play football.

How do you feel seeing them playing in the second division of the domestic league?

I played for 3SC last season and I was not happy with the club going on relegation. Something happened somewhere and things got bad. But I am happy that they are doing well at the moment and hopefully they will get promoted again to the Premier League.

You were in the Flying Eagles squad for the 2009 U-20 World Cup in Egypt but you were not in coach Samson Siasia’s first team at the tournament. Did you have any problem with the coach?

Siasia was a nice coach to me. He gave me lots of encouragement. Everyone have their own time to play. I don’t think it was because I was not good either because if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have been selected for the U-20 World Cup in the first place. Only 11 players can play at a time. What you should do as a player is to wait for your own time.

You were one of the best performers at the 2014 African Nations Championship, as the home-based Super Eagles finished in third place in their first outing at the tournament…

That was the first tournament I played for the Super Eagles and I was so happy that the tournament was hosted by South Africa. I had a contract there that was terminated, so I wanted to prove myself. It was not because I didn’t know how to play football. I was also happy because the club (Sundowns) officials saw my performance and they came to congratulate me. But I felt sad when we lost to Ghana in the semi-finals. However, I am happy to still be a part of the national team.

We lost to bitter rivals Ghana in the semi-finals. Do you think they were better?

We played very well; we gave our best but we lost through penalties. I was not too happy about that defeat. When African countries are playing against Nigeria, they are ready to die on the pitch, they are ready to fight just because its Nigeria they are playing. The game against Ghana was very tough. But they burnt their energy against us and couldn’t cope in the final against Libya.

Before the Ghana game, the Eagles came back from 3-0 down to beat Morocco 4-3 in the quarter-final. How did you guys do it?

We all felt bad when we were losing 3-0 in the first half. In the dressing room, the coach said, ‘Guys, do you believe you can’t lose this game?’ We all said, ‘Yes.’ You needed to see the mood afterwards. We had no option but to play for the coach.

How do you feel when you see the CHAN bronze medal, your first major medal for Nigeria at senior level?

I am always happy when I see it. To have such a medal is not easy. There are thousands of Nigerians who want to play for the national team. Being called up among this multitude is an honour indeed for me. Anytime I wear the Nigerian jersey, I am always very happy.

As a striker, who is the toughest defender you have played against?

There is this guy in the Nigerian league. Anytime I see him, it’s not always easy for me. He is Enyimba defender, Chinedu Udoji. He is a very strong and hard player. If you are playing against him, you must be prepared.

Coach Stephen Keshi did not include you in his team to the 2014 World Cup despite taking three home-based players to the World Cup…

I didn’t feel bad because my time will come. I’m young and there are more World Cups to play. I am happy for others who made the team. I am not the type of person who will cry over being dropped from the team. I just believe my time will come. Instead of going to the media to cry about being left out, I will use the time to work hard and that time has come.

What sort of coach do you think Keshi is?

He is like a father to me. He likes young players. Before our third game (versus South Africa) at the 2014 CHAN, he gave us so much encouragement in the dressing room. We were losing 3-0 to Morocco in the quarter-final but the coach still believed we could do it. He said, ‘Guys I believe you can win this game. Go and do it.’ And we went out and we won. That’s the kind of person he is.

Do you have any message for football administrators in Nigeria?

(Laughs) I don’t know anything. My job is to go out and play. That is not an area I should bother myself with.

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Dalkurd FF midfielder Omoh Michael has been on fire in Sweden, scoring goals week-in-week-out. In this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA, he talks on his form and challenges in Europe, why he models his game after Ronaldinho, growing up in Warri and lots more

How are you finding the season?

Things are better than last season. I made up my mind to leave this season because I know I should be playing in a higher division. I almost moved in the first round of the season but something happened and I had to stay back. I have been doing well in every game, scoring goals as well.

Have you had any offers from the top clubs in Sweden?

Within Sweden, there are speculations everywhere but no concrete offers. Djurgardens and Sundsvall have tried to contact my agent but the others are just speculations.

You have scored so many goals this season as a midfielder. How have you been able to make it?

My mentors in football, I mean the likes of Frank Lampard and Ronaldinho, are midfielders who believe in themselves. You just have to make sure you can score goals at the top level. Some players are scared of trying because they don’t want to be jeered by their teammates or coaches. But I am not that kind of a player. I always try to score goals; I am a goal scorer. I always try to be in front of the box or inside the box. But most of my goals come from outside the box. I know how to shoot. If Lampard and Ronaldinho can score goals, why can’t I? I believe in trying and it’s been working so far.

What is your relationship with other Nigerian players in Sweden?

The city I am is small but in the big cities like Stockholm, there are lots of Nigerian footballers. But I have Nigerian friends I hang out where I am and we eat Nigeria food like eba sometimes. But they are not football players. We just got to know ourselves and we became friends. We do a lot of social activities together.

What were the challenges you faced as a young African boy in Sweden?

I needed my family but I told myself that since I chose football, I must make something out of it. I saw so many good footballers while I was growing up but they didn’t have the zeal and drive to get something out of the game. So, I told myself I must make it no matter how young I am. But the major challenge I faced was missing my family and the weather. The weather is not so friendly here, especially when you come directly from Nigeria. I came at a wrong time, the winter period, when there was snow everywhere. It was -8 degrees. It was really cold. But I said to myself, ‘You are not going back (to Nigeria).’ I needed to start football from somewhere, so I pushed myself. My fingers, toes and ears were all very cold but I coped. There were some players who didn’t want to go back because of the cold but the weather didn’t make them play to their full potential. But my case was different.

Did you encounter racism?

It (racism) really brings down the morale of some people but I am different. It’s quite disgusting. They call you names sometimes during games. They say ‘Black monkey go back to your country.’ It’s crazy. Recently, we slept in a hotel for an away game. I was walking to the hotel and this man, who probably is in his early 50s hit me in my stomach and started walking away. I walked up to him and asked him, ‘Why did you do that?’ And he said, ‘Go back to your country; we don’t need you people here.’ I started laughing because it’s one of those things. Some other Africans might want to slap him but I won’t do that. I have seen it several times. I don’t think racism is going to stop.

You have been doing well since you moved to Sweden but you have not been able to attract the attention of national team coaches. What do you think is responsible for this?

I think the coaches want players from mainstream Europe: Spain, England, Germany and France. You know Sweden is not as big as these countries when it comes to football. Another thing is the contact. I was in Nigeria in December, and I trained in FHA inside FESTAC and people were just asking about me. I trained with Super Eagles forward Nnamdi Oduamadi and I saw the respect he had for me. He asked me, ‘Where do you play?’ And I told him Sweden. People ran onto the pitch to hug me. I don’t believe you have to play in England before you are invited to the national team. They will say, ‘If he is so good, why is he playing in Sweden?’ But I believe you have to start from somewhere. I know I’m a good football player. If you know how to do something, you have to be proud about it. I’m not a proud person but I know I can do my job very well.

Do you think you can displace Eagles midfielders Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi and others if you get an invite?

These are big names no doubt. I can play in front of them but it depends on what the coach wants. They are fantastic players playing for the big clubs in Europe. So, it’s not going to be easy to displace them. It will be an honour to play alongside these great players.

You were virtually unknown before you moved to Europe, as you didn’t play for any top Nigerian club…

Am sorry to say this but I never liked to play football in Nigeria. I made a move to Gateway FC of Abeokuta in 2007/08. I signed but I was not given a chance. Some officials wanted money from me before I could play. I think it didn’t work out because of my desire. I’ve always desired to play in Europe. If I don’t have the talent, I won’t still be here. Even though Sweden is not a big footballing country, their level is still higher than that of Nigeria.

Did your parents support your choice of football?

We are so many in our house. My parents have eight children. Two of them were football players. Yes at point they wanted me to stop football when I started having injuries but I never listened to them.

You were born in Warri. How was growing up in the city like?

I would say God favoured me; He made me unique. I am not easily influenced by people around me. The nature of the city affects a little bit: the way I talk and react to people. My family isn’t rich. I knew if I got involved with bad gangs, the end may be either getting arrested or even being killed. So I never wanted to be violent or hang out with bad people. I was living with my elder sister and her family and they helped shape my life. They sort of caged me: they gave me time to be home and time to go out. Then I felt I was being treated like a slave, I didn’t know they were making me a better person. When I came to Sweden and started living alone, I saw the effect of what they did in my life.

Warri is known for producing top sports stars. Did it help you as well?

It’s a sports-loving city, blessed with very good football players. I was born there and I saw a lot of very good players in the city. Some very good ones didn’t make it to the top but they were really talents to behold.

With a large family of eight kids, would you say poverty pushed you into playing football?

To an extent, I would say yes. My siblings were going to school and I know what it took to pay school fees and survive in school. So many of us wanted to go to school but how would our parents cope with the fees? I discovered my talent at a very young age while in primary school. When I got to secondary school, I was in JSS 3 playing Principal Cup for Dore Numa College, Warri. It had never happened in the history of the school. I was the only pupil who was wearing shorts and playing football for the school. The others were in the senior classes, so they wore trousers to school. The Games Master used to give me transport fare to come for training. That’s when I felt I had football in me and that is why I keep pushing. So, when I got to SSS1, I told myself I will face football after my SSCE exams. That was what I did.

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Young Falkirk midfielder, Olumide Durojaiye, is one of Nigeria’s most promising up-and-coming footballer. The 21-year-old talks about comparison with Lionel Messi, why he is proud to follow in the footpath of Sir Alex Ferguson and his dream to play for Nigeria despite being born in England in this interview with ‘TANA AIYEJINA

How are you finding the new challenge in Scotland, having previously played for big English sides Tottenham Hotspurs and Norwich City?

It’s been difficult because I have been away from friends and family but ultimately I know I have to do my best. It’s an opportunity I have been given to showcase what I can do. So, I’ve really enjoyed it and the fans have taken to me as well. Everything’s been very good so far.

How would you compare playing for English Premier League sides and playing in the Championship in Scotland?

I don’t think it’s any different. Although Tottenham and Norwich are big clubs, but so is Falkirk. They’ve equally got a rich history and status. There are some big players like Alex Ferguson that have played for Falkirk. He left (Glasgow) Rangers and came to Falkirk. And that’s where ultimately his career started to take shape. It’s been a feeder club for years for Scottish players primarily. So, being a young footballer in Falkirk is probably the best thing for my career right now. Clubs come and watch, scouts want to come and snap players up, I’ve had interests and other players have been bought and sold. Right now for my career, being in a club that highlights young players, propels and pushes them is the best thing for where any young footballer wants to be; where they know they can play football on the big stage, in front of a big crowd and the opportunity to express yourself. This season, we’ve got Rangers, Hearts and Hibs. These three are ultimately the biggest Scottish clubs. So, it’s been a very good experience playing in front of thousands of people, die-hard fans, the flares, the smoke, they give everything. The fans give everything, which means the players want to give even more.

How long are you hoping to stay at Falkirk?

It’s my last year but who knows? Players get snapped up with time. If I can play the way I have been playing, who knows what can happen? I don’t want to worry about anything. Right now, I’m just trusting in God.

There is a general impression that Scottish football is all about Rangers and Celtic. Do you agree?

I don’t agree because there has been so much out there. This season, Celtic have been poor. Rangers haven’t been the Rangers of old. So, right now it’s not all about both teams. We caused an upset against Rangers a couple of weeks ago. It was on TV and they didn’t like it. Their fans didn’t like. Both teams are not the teams of old. There are loads of other clubs but there is a big derby between Rangers and Celtic. Aberdeen have done well, they were in the Champions League qualifiers. Dundee have done so well too, so you can’t just say it’s all about Rangers and Celtic. There are other clubs doing better than them at the moment.

You were born in England and raised there. Do you see yourself as English or Nigerian?

I am 100 per cent Nigerian. I even tell the players, ‘I’m not English, don’t call me English because I’m not English.’ My mum and dad are both Nigerians and they brought me up as a Nigerian to be respectful and hardworking. Although I was born and raised here (United Kingdom), my mum and dad’s home is my home. They taught me Yoruba and they’ve done that right from when I was born. So, the whole of my life, I’ve grown up as a Nigerian. I’ve embraced the English culture because I have to live in it. But I am a Nigerian first and foremost.

As a black boy growing up in England, did you encounter racism?

I would say not directly because they wouldn’t do it openly. But they would be smart about it. If we keep highlighting it, it means it’s never going to go away. We keep saying racism; the subject will never go away because it’s always been inflicted on poor people. Personally, I’ve never dealt with it directly. Sometimes my mum says to me that I have to work 10 times harder than the white man because they get things easier. And I’ve seen that growing up. But I don’t want to say I have been hard done by. I am going to keep trusting in God because whatever He wants to happen, happens. At the end of the day, it’s life and you have to move on. If you stop, you are going to miss the opportunity. So, it’s all about me striving and pushing before my breakthrough comes.

You were once invited to the Nigerian U-23 team some years back but didn’t get to play. How did you feel about that?

I am still hopeful that my time will come. I train every day and I play every game, hoping that Nigeria see me. That is my dream, to play for Nigeria. From when I was young, I knew Nigerian players like Austin Okocha, (Nwankwo) Kanu and (Daniel) Amokachi. The way Nigerians play football is the way I see myself, I want to be a part of that. I want to be a part of something great; I want to be part of these legends. But it’s hard because I’ve rarely been given the opportunity. I know a lot of players who want to be given the opportunity to represent Nigeria but have no connection, no link and no one coming to watch. We’ve got boys here hungry, as hungry as the boys back home to represent the country but they’ve not been given the opportunity. If I get the opportunity, I will relish it, I will not let it go.

When you were first invited to the U-23 team, the Nigerian media nicknamed you New Messi. Do you share any similarity with the Argentine superstar?

I heard people tell me that. But if I was to compare myself, it will be between Yaya Toure and the old (Michael) Essien; very direct, love to shoot, love to go forward. That’s my game; midfield and when I do get the opportunity, I play up front as well. When I heard about the New Messi tag, it was a shock to me. I can be very direct but I don’t think we share the same style of play.

Who was the player that inspired you while growing up?

It’s Okocha. He is the main one. As a young boy growing up in England, I used to go to Nigeria every Christmas and summer from the age of two. Every opportunity I had, I went to Nigeria. I was even in Nigeria in May. So, watching him in the Premier League doing what he did was amazing. Ask anyone, I mean any Nigerian born in England, watching Jay Jay Okocha play, they will all tell you he is the reason behind why the English people want to know someone from Nigeria. For him to come and do what he did in the EPL, that for me did it. If there was a footballer I had to emulate, it would be Jay Jay Okocha; the way he played, his freeness when he played, the way he dribbled, the skills and the way he took charge. He was a leader. I like to believe myself as one as well. He was so inspiring.

You used to have a liking for Hull City’s Tom Huddlestone as well…

He is a very good footballer. I played with him at Spurs. With due respect, he controls the game but I’ve got a lot more in my game. I like to get behind the striker, get forward as well as coming back. I am a more box-to-box footballer. Tom Huddlestone, if you ever had the chance of watching him in training, the beauty of how he played was unbelievable. He is so fast and inch perfect.

Have players like Sone Aluko and Shola Ameobi, who played for Nigeria at senior level, convinced you to also play for Nigeria?

I haven’t met Sone but I know people that know him. I live in London but Sone is from Newcastle and that’s six hours apart. I don’t know him like that. I made up my mind to play for my country. I didn’t need anybody to convince me.

What is your assessment of African teams at the 2014 World Cup? Do you think we are up there with the big football nations?

We were there 100 per cent. We were always there but it’s just ourselves; we stop ourselves. Like the game between Nigeria and Argentina in the group stage, nobody expected anything from Nigeria. Everybody felt it was going to be a Messi show. We just have to believe in ourselves because that’s what it takes. We just have to keep pushing; we are there 100 per cent.

Do you think defending champions Super Eagles can still qualify for next year’s African Cup of Nations after beginning their title defence on a faltering note?

If there is still a chance for us to qualify, I don’t see why not. There is no reason why we can’t qualify. As defending champions, everybody is going to come out against Nigeria. So, it’s going to be tough but we will still make it. All we need to do is to take charge in our next games. I think we can still make it.

If you were not a footballer, what would you have been?

I probably would have gone to school. I would have gone to the university and probably go into business with my dad. He is a man I look up to. He plays a big role in my career, so I would be attracted to go along that line.

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Born normally but mysteriously paralysed at age seven, Hannah Babalola has weathered the storms life has thrown at her. The para-athlete tells ’TANA AIYEJINA about her sojourn in sports and challenges in this interview

Were you born with your disability?

I was born as a normal child but when I was seven, I wanted to ease myself at night and I discovered that I could not move any longer. So I started shouting. My father was not at home but my step-mother was. I was the only daughter then and I had a personal room. So everybody ran out and came to meet me. I told them my story and my brother tried to help me stand up. He tried three times but I couldn’t stand up. That was how I had the disability.

What did doctors say was responsible for the disability?

Initially they said they didn’t see anything wrong with my legs but some said it was a spiritual attack while some others said it was polio. There were different stories but I believe it was spiritual because when I was little, I normally had bad dreams, which I told my dad about. Later on, I couldn’t tell anyone and I started keeping the dreams to myself. But the dreams started affecting me spiritually before I had this (disability).

Were you able to cope initially?

Because I was very young, I couldn’t go to school for some years because of my condition but my dad was a very caring man. I was always indoors and I started to have my hair cut because I couldn’t walk to salon any longer to plait my hair. When I go out, people keep asking, ‘What happened to you?’ Even when I gained admission back to school, I found it very difficult to cope because a lot of people didn’t want to come near me. They thought my paralysed legs might transfer to them. So, I faced issues of self-esteem. I could not associate with my play group but later, I got used to it as I grew up and it stopped bothering me. When you have a disability, the more you are exposed, the better you become. For example, my legs were initially paralysed. I couldn’t carry them, someone had to carry me to the toilet, hold me on the closet before I could do whatever I wanted to do. I couldn’t sit. Everything I did was with my hands. I couldn’t stand to bath. But later on, I was taken to hospitals and churches and my condition started improving and I was able to manage to move the legs gradually till I started doing sports. Sports really helped me a lot. When I started doing exercises, I began to do a lot of things I couldn’t do before. Before, I couldn’t trek 100m; by the time I managed to walk 50m, my legs will be shaking and I will fall. But when I started doing exercises like sit-ups, I became strong; I could walk, I could move. But I just saw sports as fun initially, a sort of an avenue for me to go out because I was always indoors.

How has life been as a sportswoman?

It was not easy initially when I turned to sports in 2004. After my secondary school education, I opened a shop where I sold phone accessories in Ibadan. A man owed me some money and I decided to go to his house and collet my money, so I could buy more goods. On my way, I met a man, coach Pius, and he asked if I was into sports. I thought he was talking about exercises because I didn’t know that there was anything like sports for people with disabilities. My dad used to tell me that when he would be financially okay, he would send me abroad for my legs to be operated and I would walk again. It was just to make me happy. So, I told the coach I was not interested in sports because my dad had promised to take me out of the country and I would walk again. He tried to convince me but I didn’t know he traced me to where I was going. He collected my contact and he started calling. One day, I decided to go to Liberty Stadium, Ibadan. When I got there, I was shocked to see people with disabilities training. I was touched. I fell in love wheelchair race but the man that introduced me to sports was involved in powerlifting. Oyo State didn’t have the wheelchairs for the race because it was not everywhere in Nigeria. That’s how I got encouraged and started doing sports.

What were the challenges you faced when you started sports?

My mum didnt support me but my father did. My elder brother said sports people will use and dump me. He advised me to do something that will help me in future. I almost ruined my business because I I started using my business money for sports but there was no profit forthcoming. My shop was almost down. I was doing well in powerlifting but I didn’t like the game. People said I was doing well but I was not satisfied. The game after my heart was wheelchair race. After a while, Plateau, Abuja, Abia and Delta came for me to compete for them.

When did your breakthrough come?

It was in 2011 after I had trained for more than six years. When I was employed by Abia State, my coach used to tell me that if you are a sportaman and you haven’t put on Nigeria’s colours, you are not doing sports. So, I told myself I needed to do extra training to get to the top. I went to Ogun State with the hope of representing Nigeria at the 2011 All Africa Games in the powerlifting event. But after much training, my coach told me powerlifting had been removed from the events for the games. So, all the efforts and resources I put in came to nothing. Then I was lifting 105kg. I came to Lagos to stay with my aunty, Mrs. Udeme Nfomobong and her husband. While there, a friend took me to a coach popularly called Black Moses. He said I could do wheelchair race. There was a race in Ibadan and I came second because I didn’t have experience. In April (2011), I went for AAG trials and I came third. Because I have so much strength in my hands, I was angry with myself because I knew I could have done better. They invited the best four and I was among. At the National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt, I won gold and silver in the 200m and 100m respectively. That was how I went to the AAG in Maputo and I started beating the girls ahead of me. People ask me how I rose so fast and I tell them that I do extraordinary work apart from what the coaches teach me. If there are no tournaments, I don’t sleep. I do light exercises to keep fit. If I stay out of training, I feel sick. So, sports is now a part of me.

How did you feel wearing Nigeria’s colours at the AAG in Maputo?

When we did the trials in Ibadan, a lot of people were very happy to make the team but I was not. It was only when we got to Abuja and they started distributing our kits and they gave me mine, that I became happy. I remembered what my coach told me. So, I carried my kits and started shouting, ‘Team Nigeria.’ Everyone was looking at me. And I told them what my coach told me. That was a very happy day for me. I had always wanted to represent my country internationally.

You had planned to make the Commonwealth Games team but you didn’t …

It was very painful. After the AAG, everybody said I did well even though I came fourth. The racing chair the previous Nigerian champion was using was the latest and that was what she used in winning a silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. But it became faulty and she could no longer use it. She used to have an edge over us because our chairs were outdated. So, we were now on the same level because we were using the same chairs. We told them to get us better racing chairs but they didn’t. I went for Paralympic trials in Dubai and we made Standard B. They said our ranking was so low. I was ranked 35 but I should have been in top 10 to be sure of a medal because you need to run different heats before you can reach the final. They also promised us chairs for the Glasgow games but we didn’t see anything. I am a sprinter but I started training for 1500m, a very difficult race. It’s not 100m where you run and relax. In Dubai, I was number four among Commonwealth countries, even with my bad racing chair. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get us the racing chairs and they dropped us and went to the Commonwealth Games. I spoke to a man, Mr. Biodun Balogun, who is involved in freight services. He gave me $1000 to help buy the racing chair and The Christ Ministry gave me a link to the MTN Foundation and they promised me but I haven’t heard from them yet. The Christ Ministry pay me an allowance monthly that they don’t want me to disclose. I am grateful to them for their support because it has been so helpful. Mr. Tochukwu, has also been very supportive, so is Mr. Emeka. They all wanted to help me but the racing chair is very expensive. It’s about $4500 for the best while the lowest you can get is about $3500.

What is your message to people with disabilities begging on the streets?

It’s not easy to live with disabilities. Some parents don’t even know what to do. I became what I am today because my dad was educated and he spoke to me, he encouraged me to do things that I knew I could not do but he kept encouraging me. I know those begging won’t be happy to beg but it is their background. No educated father or mother would want their child to beg on the streets. These people too didn’t think of how to help themselves. Your parents can’t do everything for you. My advice to them is that they should not give up, they should believe in themselves; that in disability, there is ability.

Would you say Nigeria is a country that has been fair to people with disabilities?

Nigeria has not been fair to people with people living with disabilities. There is a lot of discrimination. I am an Economics undergraduate of the University of Lagos. I am in 200 level but if I had my way, I wouldn’t have studied Economics. I would have loved to study Physical and Health Education. But the only course I can do under the distant learning programme is Economics. They don’t have PHE in their programme. They have only five courses and you must pick from these five. So, there is no consideration for people with disabilities. When I drive around, some people are not happy seeing a lady without legs driving. They are envious that they that are complete cannot drive while I am driving. So their mentality is wrong about people living with disabilities. They don’t wish people with disabilities well. It is Nigerians that want people with disabilities to beg. They push them to beg. If things are done right, people with disabilities will be happy. For example, if I have a scholarship to study, I will be encouraged and I will be strong mentally and physically. But now, the people with disabilities have been rejected by their parents and their society and the next option is to beg. I don’t blame the beggars, it’s because of our orientation and mentality in Nigeria that they are begging.

Would you also say people with disabilities have been treated unfairly in relationships with the opposite sex?

Men with disabilities don’t have problems. They don’t have issues in marriage; it’s easy for them to marry the ladies of their choice. But for the ladies, it’s difficult. Our money cannot give us the right guy we want. What I observed is that normal people that go for ladies with disabilities are usually not the ones these ladies want to marry. The educated ones see people with disabilities as irritating while the illiterates see women with disabilities as people they can marry. But it’s not supposed to be so. Maybe they will have to organise a seminar to educate them. Some guys will say, ‘If I marry you, how will you wash clothes?’ But these are sentimental reasons. A lot of guys feel when they marry someone with disability, the person is going to be a liability to them. It’s a wrong impression. I don’t think anybody living with a disability enjoys true love in Nigeria.

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Joe Lasisi is African light heavyweight champion, WABU champion and the undefeated Nigerian champion but one major regret in his life is not winning a world title. He tells KAZEEM BUSARI how his dream almost came to reality

At what age did you get into boxing?

I started boxing at the age of 18 in Alakoro, Lagos. Many of my mates were going into football and table tennis at the time but my interest was in boxing because my elder brother, Ayoola, was a boxer and I tagged along whenever he was going to training. He was my role model. I would hide in a corner, watching him and his friends train, but later I started joining them to train properly.

Were you not seen as a bully among your classmates when you started?

I didn’t let anyone at school know I was boxing. It was not part of school’s sports; by then there were only athletics, football and table tennis. My parents mustn’t know I was into boxing, they wanted us to focus on education. Besides, the school I attended was Catholic and they frowned at any form of aggressive sport. My father didn’t know I was boxing until he heard my name on the radio and watched me on television. When I was still courting my wife, she didn’t also know I was a boxer. I was afraid she would see me as a violent man and leave me. Whenever she was coming to visit me, I would conceal my boxing kits under the bed until she left. She only got to know after we married.

Do you ever look back and wished you had another life?

I thank God for what He has done for me. If not for boxing I would not be known by anyone. The sport brought fame to me and my family. I tried not to disappoint my country whenever I was at international events. I had a wonderful life as an active boxer, and I’m still enjoying the benefits even when I retired. Why would I desire a different life? I’m not saying things wouldn’t have been different if I chose a different career but it has been rewarding for me.

But many boxers still complain that professional boxing is not lucrative in Nigeria. Does it mean there was money in the sport in your time?

There was no money; what we had was interest in the sport. What motivated us was the desire to win and be seen as champions. It was not only in boxing; the footballers also played with passion to win. Things are very different nowadays. There’s no longer passion in sports because they all want to earn big money. I’m not saying it is wrong, I just don’t think it should be the basis for going into sports. This is why we have mediocrity in Nigerian sport. Everybody is looking for what they can get from the country not what they can win for her.

The 1981 National Sports Festival in Benin was your last amateur outing. You didn’t win any medal for Kaduna State, which you represented, yet you stood out at the competition.

I was expecting to be selected by the national coaches for the 1982 Commonwealth Games. That was why I put up my best. That was the first time I fought Jeremiah Okorodudu and knocked him out in the second round while the former Bendel State Governor (Samuel Ogbemudia) was watching. It was at that event that the famous Roland Omoruyi of Bendel State was also beaten by Sani Mohammed. But both Sani and I were not selected for the Commonwealth Games while Okorodudu and Omoruyi made the team. By that time, not many people knew me in Lagos because they thought I was Hausa. Even Okorodudu made fun of me before the fight but I did my talking in the ring.

You fought Okorodudu again in 1985 and in 1988, and there were controversies that you hypnotised him with juju to win the contest.

Why was Okorodudu the only one that complained I used juju against him? He was a bad loser and didn’t want to admit he was no match for me. I was way better, I trained better, and I was discipline. He should have focussed on what made him fail in our first professional fight before he challenged me again in the USA for the second fight. Some people, including my manager, didn’t want me to fight Okorodudu because I was preparing for a world title, but he insisted he wanted to beat me. I knew I was going to beat him and I was determined to put an end to the stories he was peddling about, so I accepted to fight him. Nobody told him to surrender when the punches became too much for him to bear. I think I earned his respect from that day.

Your victory against Okorodudu also earned you a nickname ‘Smoking Joe.’

Yes. My fans coined the nickname from my first name Joseph. They actually said I was smoking hot with my punches; it wasn’t that I smoked cigars. During my fights, I usually didn’t smile or show any form of familiarity with my opponents or anyone around. My fans recognised my tough mien.

You won the African Boxing Union light heavyweight title in 1986 but it didn’t appear anyone had defeated you to claim it back.

I won the title after beating Lottie Mwale of Zambia in Lusaka in what I still consider the toughest fight of my career. It was the toughest because Mwale was better and I fought with raw talent. He almost won the bout but I took him out in the eighth round to claim the title. For some funny reasons, I didn’t get the belt until 10 years later when I successfully defended it against Onebo Maxime in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. I still have the belt with me.

You eventually had your chance to win the WBA world title in 1989 but you lost to Virgil Hill.

I lost that fight due to politics of the sport. I was planning on fighting for the IBF or WBC title but I later got to know it was the WBA title. Nigerians regarded the WBA title as apartheid belt and inferior to the first two. I didn’t have any support from Nigeria as I headed for the fight. We were only four Nigerians at the venue of the fight and, even then, I put up a good show. The referee, however, had a different plan because he counted me out on technical grounds. It was later reported that the ref stopped the fight because I was bleeding, that was not the truth. In fact, I was on the verge of winning as my opponent was showing signs of exhaustion. The funny thing was Virgil was like a brother to me. We were sparring partners and also family friends. Before the fight, I sought support from the Nigerian embassy in New York but nothing came from them. I had to buy pieces of cloths to sew the Nigeria flag on the day of the fight. If I had died during the fight, the Nigerian government would have asked who sent me to go and fight. They would have denied me. But if I had won, they would have celebrated me, even when they refused to support me.

Boxing doesn’t get as much support as it had in the past. What do you think is the problem?

The government officials don’t really support sport in Nigeria; the support you see in football exists because of what they would gain from it. They don’t support other sports because they don’t get as much money from them. Let me tell you one secret. When I won the African title in 1986, the promoter game Mwale $10,000 but I got N10,000 from the contest. People were just cheering me as champion but they knew little of what we earned in Nigeria. Out of that money, the boxing board got 10 per cent, the coaches got theirs, and I paid some other monies here and there. At the end of the day, I had just N200 in pocket when I got home in Kaduna. Even with that, I was extremely proud; what I wanted was to be famous with the fight and I got it. But when I relocated to the USA, I had the best experience in boxing. My first fight earned me $50,000. By that time, that was big money. But that money was not lucrative enough for me to relocate permanently to the USA. I thought of the tax I had to pay, how I was going to fend for my family and every other thing.

Many of us waited endlessly to see Joe Lasisi versus Bash Ali before you retired.

That fight would not have happened. It’s like telling Bash Ali to come and commit suicide. Bash himself tactically dodged the challenge. I wanted to fight him, we had almost concluded the arrangement but some thugs didn’t want the fight to hold.

You were planning a boxing programme for the youths recently. How has it gone?

I’ve not been able to conclude the groundwork for the programme. I’m actually setting it up because I don’t want the young generation of boxers to go through similar things I went through in my career. They need to be guided and nurtured so that they can reach their peak at the right time.

Do you see Nigeria winning gold at the next Olympics?

It will be difficult; I think that will be impossible. If we must win any medal at the Games, then we should have at least five of our boxers among the best in the world. Winning bronze at the Commonwealth Games does not mean we can repeat such feat at the Olympics; we’re going to have more contestants there than at Glasgow. The other boxers are training with the best coaches around the world and using the best facility. What do we have in Nigeria to prepare our boxers? The coaches don’t know anything, the facilities are terrible, and the boxing associations are underfunded. I went around the stadium recently and I was almost shedding tears when I saw the deplorable state of the boxing gymnasium. It’s terrible.

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Call Tunji Fasimoye the Nigerian rugby apostle and you won’t be wrong. The Vice President and Technical Director of the Nigerian Rugby Federation talks on his passion for rugby and his battle for the emancipation of the sport in Nigeria, in this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA

What should fans expect at the Independence Sevens tournament as the tournament director of the event?

It’s been done on a yearly basis and we are hopeful that this year’s event will be better than that of last year because four teams are coming from abroad. We have the Buffalo team from Ghana, Alexandria Rugby Football Club from Egypt, Botswana national team and the Nigerian Exiles, made up of Nigerian players based abroad. We have upgraded the tournament from what we had last year and we want to use the 2014 edition as a platform for the home-based players to gain more experience playing against the foreign-based players.

What are the incentives for the home-based players?

It’s just exposure. Most of them have been playing at home and haven’t had the opportunity to play in tournaments outside Nigeria. So, what we are trying to do is to bring the foreign teas to Nigeria, so that our players can learn from them.

What is the level of competitiveness you are expecting at the Independence Sevens since it’s an all-African affair?

We have clubs that have participated in a lot of tournaments outside Nigeria and have done well. Cowrie have done well at the Dubai Sevens. It shows the standard is good. Last year, we also had foreign teams participate in the tournament but the cup remained at home. Police Machine team played against Cowrie in the final and they won. So, it shows that the players here are good, which means the standard is okay. That is exactly what we want to do this year; to bring as many teams as possible that can compete with the local boys. It will help them encourage themselves and make them know that they can play with the big players.

What is your impression about the future of rugby in Nigeria?

There is a lot of potential here. We have over 160 million people and that’s a large pool for us to pick players from. We are big and strong, which is good for rugby. Once these people can come out, we will train them. In Africa, we are rated 7th but I think we should be among the top four teams in the continent. Just like football, even though our team is not doing well, we are still rated high. So, it shows we have potential to excel. We have the talents, all we not to do is to administer them and with the support of government and the private sector, we can go places in rugby.

What is the federation doing to ensure that more talents are discovered?

The present administration will be one year in office next month but we have taken rugby to schools now because if you want the best out of sports, you have to pick from the schools. Apart from the natural potential, you also need intelligence. We have taken it to the universities as well. We have a progaramme, Get Into Rugby and it has been endorsed by IRB and CAR. What we do is bring coaches from CAR to train our coaches, who in turn go to schools to discover kids. Though we have hitches in terms of sponsorship but the little we can do, we have done. If we take the game to rural areas where people don’t know the game, we can also discover talents and that is what we are trying to do now.

We have a lot of very good Nigerian rugby players resident abroad. Are there plans to integrate them into the Nigerian game?

Because of the kinbd of people we have on the rugby board, we have been using the social media to quickly reach these players. The response we have received is high. A lot of them have written saying they want to play for their country (Nigeria). But if you know you want to play for your country, you have to come back home, play for a club or feature in a tournament so that we can see your potential. They need to come back home to contribute their quota to the development of the game. Their presence will be beneficial to up-and-coming players. We are not saying they should come back home and stay. Few have come and we assessed them. They played for Nigeria in Botswana in June.

Nigerians have an impression that rugby is a very dangerous sport…

To be honest, there is no sport that is not dangerous. Even playing Ayo Olopon has its risk because of your wrist. In football, injuries take players out for a year and even more. It’s just a matter of you being fit and playing to the rules. That way, you will hardly get injured in rugby. Though there are hard tackles but you can play safe. People see it as dangerous because of the contact but Nigerians who have decided to play the game are keen and eager to play more because of their passion for it. It’s a contact sport but not rough. We have a saying, ‘rugby is a rough game played by gentlemen while football is a gentleman’s game played by rough guys.’ The reason why the game is not popular here is because of the administration and publicity and before you can get to the top, you need the support of the private sector. They need to pump in money to project the sport. And this administration is doing that. For instance, if the Independence Sevens, which is a platform for people to come and watch and see that the game actually exists in Nigeria. We have started the regional league and its everywhere: in the north, south-south, west and east. It’s running concurrently. So, there is always a platform for people to see the sport. This helps in building followership, which will help the sport get to the next level. It’s not something that will happen overnight but we don’t need to relent. We have the potential to become the best in the world.

South Africa are the leading rugby nation in Africa. If we get our acts right, do you think we can be better than them?

South Africa just didn’t start working today. They started consciously building their rugby when Nelson Mandela got out of jail and so far, they’ve won three World Cups. It’s not easy to do that as an African team but the South Africans did that because they concentrated on the sport, their administration was perfect and they did everything to project the sport. For now, the South Africans are not just best in Africa but second best in the world. They know their strength and they pumped in money to ensure the sport continues to grow. It’s one of their biggest achievements; they’ve used rugby to project themselves worldwide. If Nigeria can take a cue from that, by administering not just rugby but sports generally, we will be among the best in the world. We have what it takes.

With our progress so far, how long do you think it will take us to become like the South Africans?

Nigeria is rated 79th in the world right now. We dropped about two weeks ago because we didn’t participate in any international tournament but there is another coming up and we can use it to project ourselves higher. The South Africans are always there, they play every international competition, just like the Kenyans. The Kenyans are about 31 in the world. For us to get to that stage, we need the support of the government and the private sector. The support we have now is limited but if we continue, we can get there someday. But if we consciously plan to move the game forward, in the next 15 years, Nigeria could be ranked 20 in the world.

What is the federation doing about the women rugby in Nigeria?

The previous administration didn’t do anything about female rugby but the Friends of Rugby, which I am part have been giving the desired support. We even sent them to Ghana to participate in an African championship in 2009 and they came second. But the administration then didn’t support the sport because they were not giving them what they needed in terms of facilities and technical assistance. But we have sent coaches to train the girls. During the Independence Sevens, there is going to be a game between the South South girls and the South West girls. We want the girls to know that there is also a platform for them to play. By next year, we will be organising regional competitions for them. One of the major problems we had was because we were not featuring in the National Sports Festival. But we featured in 2006 and 2009 and we had girls from over 12 starts participating. It was a good boost. If we had such platform, we could always bring back our girls.

Most Nigerian kids either wanted to play football or the better known sports. Why did you choose rugby?

I used to watch rugby on TV and I never knew I would play it one day. But a friend invited me out one day and I actually saw rugby being played in Nigeria. What I saw that day was that there is a kind of organisation that rugby has; football don’t have it. But we don’t have funds. Rugby is a very disciplined game. Apart from playing on the field, we are more united off it. What I saw on that first day, on and off the pitch; the friendliness, caught my attention and I told myself, ‘This is where I want to be.’ That was how I started playing the game.

How did your parents feel about it?

I lost my parents when I was very young. I have been an orphan since I was 15. My siblings were not initially in support but after playing for a year, I capped for Nigeria and I started participating in international tournaments. They felt that it was something that could propel me and they gave me their full support. I am sure it’s something they won’t regret now. I started 15 years ago and now I am the vice president and technical director of the federation.

How did you feel representing Nigeria for the first time?

My first cap was in 2004, when we played the qualifiers against Cameroon inside the mainbowl of the National Stadium, Lagos. The pressure that day was very high because we were playing at home and we needed to win that game to move to the next level of the qualifiers. We know that Cameroonians are very physical; we watched their clips and we’ve met them in some tournaments outside the country. But playing at home, the pressure was very high on that day. There was so much expectation. I had to thoughts: we had to win the game and I wanted to show my people that I know the sport. Although we lost that game, it was a good show.

What were the major challenges you faced as a rugby player?

The first was the fear of unforeseen injury made me scared when I started but later on, I discovered that the game was a way of life and it didn’t bother me any longer. it was not easy explaining to my boss to let me leave office and go out to play rugby, a sport they didn’t really know. It was tough but the people around me encouraged me because they saw my passion for the game. That was a motivation for me to actually play rugby.

Most retired Nigerian athletes complain of neglect. Would you encourage your kids to play for Nigeria, if they were rugby players?

Americans have a saying, ‘Don’t think about what your country can do for you. Instead, think of what you can for the country.’ I know I have sacrificed a lot for rugby because it’s my passion. I want to see the sport grow to a level where I can include it in my biography as one of my success stories. I was one of the people that promoted the sport to where it is now. It is a wrong notion to say your country didn’t do anything for you. If you don’t give back to the society, it’s very difficult for the society to give back to you. But in Nigeria, everybody is asking for what the society can do for them. That is why a lot of people are not ready to do anything. They don’t have a mindset of what they can achieve for themselves and their country. I am motivated by challenges and I told myself I want to be part of the success stories of this sport. That is what has triggered me to become vice president and technical director of the federation. Right now, I am giving my all to make sure the sport grows. I am seeing positive changes in the game even though we have limited support. I don’t think about what the sport can do for me. I think of what I can do for the sport. If everybody thinks this way, we would have been ahead even in football.

What were your best and worst moments as a rugby player?

One of my worst moments was when we lost to Cameroon on our home soil. It was terrifying because we prepared very well for that match. But we lost because they were better than us. My best time was when having started playing the game for the first six months, I was selected for Dubai Rugby Sevens. It was a great moment for me because it actually motivated me to do more. Playing in front of over 30, 000 people after only six months in the game was a motivating factor for me. Capping for Nigeria was also one of my great moments as a rugby player.

The sport has been reportedly enmeshed in crisis before this present came in…

Let me clear the air. There was no crisis in the past put it was painted s if there was crisis. If you are not doing what you are supposed do at home as a father, your children will not respect you because they feel you are not taking responsibility. And if you don’t give them reason why you are not taking responsibility, they will rebel against you. That was what happened to rugby. As the administrator of rugby, we expected so much from them because it’s a sport we wanted to see grow. But if you abandon the grassroots to focus on foreign players, then there was no rugby being played in Nigeria. The stakeholders came together and formed Friends of Rugby. These were the people hosting all the tournaments in Nigeria, they were the ones that the game was alive in Nigeria. They were the ones doing the job and all they were crying for was an enabling environment for the sport to thrive. Before then Nigeria was very popular in Africa but everything went down because the last administration killed the sport at the grassroots level. Now, we are going back to the status quo to revive what we had already built then. So, there was no crisis then; the federation then was not doing its job and the stakeholders were crying because they didn’t want to see the sport die. But the federation always made it seem there was a faction. There was no faction. There was a democratic election last year and people voted for those they wanted to run the federation. There are no complaints anymore. The sport had one voice now.

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South Africa-based striker, George Akpabio, almost became the highest goal scorer in the Nigerian league before leaving for Ajax Cape Town. He tells KAZEEM BUSARI the secret behind his prowess

How did you start?

I started playing from the primary school level and continued at my secondary school. My impressive academic results and my football skill earned me a scholarship when I was in SS1 at St. Lumumba’s College in Jos. At that point, I had an ambition to study Law at the University of Jos but that plan had to wait when Plateau United drafted me. I sat for the JAMB exams but the admission didn’t come as I expected, so instead of waiting around doing nothing, I trained with the Plateau United youth team during the interval. Within eight months, I was promoted to the senior team, and it was then I had to discuss with my father on how I could go about education and football.He wanted me to study but I wanted football. Both of us agreed that I would still continue with my education during and after football. He didn’t want me to play football and dump education.

That means you’re still going back to school.

Definitely. But Law is out of the picture as it is. I’ve decided to go for Arts and Communication or Sports Management.

Nigerians expected you would be part of the Flying Eagles, considering your success at Plateau United.

I was a member of the team during the preparation for the Africa Youth Championship in 2011 when John Obuh was the coach. I only just applied for my passport but it wasn’t ready on time for me to join the team for the AYC. I think missing out on the AYC also cost me the chance to join the team for the U-20 World Cup; I had everything ready for the World Cup but the coach didn’t call on me. I don’t blame him (Obuh) for what happened; he did what he must do to get the team ready on time. I just thought it wasn’t my time, even though I was looking forward to the tournament. Immediately after the disappointment, I got an invite from Viking FK in Norway for a three-week trial. I believe I had what it takes to be in the national team at that time and I know it’s just a matter of time before I get another chance.

Why didn’t you stay with Vikings FK?

I really don’t know what went wrong. Everything went well at the club and the coaches rated me highly but something went wrong between the club and Plateau United. I don’t know exactly what it was and I was not really disturbed as to start probing the clubs.

It was believed Plateau United didn’t release you because they needed you to help them survive relegation troubles.

The club was facing relegation at the time and they needed everybody to be on ground, but I also learnt Vikings were not willing to pay the amount Plateau United demanded. As I said, I was not sure what went wrong; I was new in club football, I was younger and just wanted to play.

Can you recall your experience of your early encounters in South Africa?

It was difficult for the first six months, especially when I had to live without my family around me. Throughout the period I was with Plateau United, I was living with my parents. But moving to South Africa meant I had to do everything myself – I do the cooking and the laundry all by myself. It was the first time I would live alone. But it’s not difficult to make friends over here. People in the neighbourhood recognise me easily as a footballer so it is easy to make friends.

Ajax Cape Town were quick to loan you out in 2012 despite knowing your ability to score. How come you didn’t meet their expectations?

I had just played about 10 games in six months before getting injured. I went for treatment but couldn’t recover quickly before the start of the 2012/13 season. By the time I returned, I had missed out on the pre-season, but I wanted to play. I couldn’t just sit around doing nothing. So the coach thought it would be wise for me to play on loan at another club in order to keep me active. That was how I joined Vasco da Gama.

You were on loan at Vasco da Gama for one season and in 17 appearances you had as much as 14 goals.

Scoring goals is a gift from God. I can’t say I find it easier than others to score goals but as a striker, I have to fight and score goals. Sometimes I get the job done, and at other times things may not go my way. It happens to all top strikers all over the world. Scoring goals is something you get used to especially when you play in a team that understand you. The whole process is team work.

You’ve not had your chance of playing in the Super Eagles. Does this not bother you?

Everybody wants to play for his national team; it is the ultimate goal of many players. I’m a Nigerian and I’d love to be in the Super Eagles. I’m always available for the coaches. It doesn’t bother me to the level of making me depressed but I’m always thinking of playing. The best thing I can do for myself now is to play as best as I can for my club so that when the national call comes I’ll be ready.

After the Norway trial, have you made another attempt to play in Europe?

Before leaving Plateau United, I had interest from Norway, Denmark, Turkey, Sweden and South Africa. The European teams were the first on the list but I considered that it would take a longer time to process their visas than that of South Africa. Besides, it was Ajax Cape Town that wanted me in South Africa, and I thought their affiliation to Ajax of Amsterdam would further increase my chances of improving my game. If I had gone for the other clubs, it could have cost me staying back in Nigeria for another six months before getting visa; that would mean not playing for about a season. I’m having a good time in South Africa at the moment, but I’m always looking forward to improving my game and playing at bigger clubs.

It’s not every day you see a player scoring 18 for his club in his first season. What exactly was the factor that helped you at Plateau United in the 2011/12 season?

Determination and the grace of God. I was a bit raw at the time so all I wanted to do was score. I was eager to always get in front of the keeper with the ball and do the damage. I also have very good teammates that made sure I got the ball at the right time. I still have that attitude, but I’m a bit more refined now. The outcome is that some fans call me Goal Machine and all sorts of fancy names. I remember when Chippa United was on the verge of getting promotion to the Premier Soccer League, some fans started calling me The Beast, Bulldozer or something like that. It was an interesting season for everyone because I scored 13 goals in 21 appearances, and it really got everyone excited. The names don’t bother me, really. On the contrary, I try to get inspiration from them because I wouldn’t want to disappoint the fans the next time we play. These nicknames show that you’re always noticed no matter what you do.

How would you rate the Nigerian league beside the PSL?

The Nigerian league was highly rated in the past, but the PSL seems to have everything that is aiding a fast growth. The PSL can be compared with some of the big leagues in Europe. The Nigerian league, on the other hand, is lacking a lot in terms of infrastructure, financing and the administration. The PSL has attracted a lot of foreign players and coaches but the Nigerian league can’t compare with these. Another thing is that the PSL has emphasis on developmental football where every club has an academy for youth. In Nigeria, many players rely on raw talent to play football; with the talent, the player gets straight into the team. The PSL clubs respect contracts better than Nigerian clubs.

What do you do when you’re not playing?

I relax and play with teammates. We often engage in video games and discuss how best approach our next games. I watch movies too, and I don’t joke with my Bible-reading time.

You deliberately left out spending time with girlfriends.

Ha! I don’t have girlfriends in South Africa. Some people say it’s impossible not to have girlfriends in South Africa but I don’t agree with them. It depends on what plan you have for life and your career. I take my career seriously and girlfriends could be a distraction. I have female friends but I don’t create the feeling I want something more. The pressure will definitely come, especially when they see you as a football star, but you have to know how to manage your friends and plan for your life.

Which goalkeeper or defender would you rather not want to face in the PSL?

I don’t really look at anyone trying to stop me, they are the ones watching out for me. I always have at the back of my mind that our opponents are coming out with their best, so I have to be at my best. Nobody wants to play second fiddle to another so we’re all out to outdo one another. The PSL has a number of wonderful goalkeepers and defenders but if strikers keep looking at this, nobody would score any goal.

Do you always have goal targets at the beginning of the season?

I try to give myself targets, but it’s a personal thing. The first target is: I want to do well for my club. The second is: I want to do well for myself, I want to shine. I always want to surpass what I’ve done the previous season. I keep the number of goal target to myself; it’s something I strive to achieve without having to give room to external pressure.

Nigeria was thinking about going for a foreign coach after removing Stephen Keshi. Would you have seen it as a good move?

The Nigeria Football Federation should be able to make the best decision on this, they should do what they feel is right. But largely, Keshi has done well with the team. Nobody gave Keshi a chance at the Africa Cup of Nations we won last year but he later got praises for a job well done. If Nigeria hires a foreign coach today and he loses, nobody will talk about him or remember him. That was what happened at the 2010 World Cup when Lars Lagerback managed the team. It will surprise you that 90 per cent of non-football followers can’t tell you who coached Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup, they just know that Nigeria failed at the event. But the same number of non-football followers can easily tell you that Keshi coached Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup. What we should be looking for is a coach that loves Nigeria, and the players should also play with commitment.

So how did you feel when Nigeria won the AFCON in South Africa last year?

Not just me, but every Nigerian in South Africa. The victory gave us a bragging right in the neighbourhood. Nigeria had finished second or third in the past, and we had not won it for a long time so you can imagine how a footballer like me felt among my teammates. It made me stand tall. At that moment, you could wear the Nigeria team jersey and feel proud as people wanted to take pictures with you.

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Peter Anieke was once the idol in Nigeria football, he was a role model for many young players in the 1970s but today, the towering former striker is a shadow of himself as he struggles to survive a strange illness that has made him unable to walk. He speaks with KAZEEM BUSARI on how he is surviving

Not many football followers will remember you as a former Green Eagles player. Don’t you think so?

It is sad that the generation I played is gradually being forgotten. Many of us are still alive; I played as a striker even though I won jersey number 10, and I was particularly a dreadful sight to opponents both at club and national level. We were the team named the Red Devils in the 1960s before it was changed to the Green Eagles in the 70s.

Tales have it that you were so good they nicknamed you Eusebio.

(Laughs). Eusebio was the best player in the Portuguese national team at the period I was playing for Nigeria. I got that name in Accra when we were playing against Ghana, I think in 1970. After scoring a goal with a header, the commentators, including Ishola Folorunso, said I looked like Eusebio and I score with headers, just like Eusebio. Since then, the name Eusebio of Africa stuck. The name even added to my reputation because opponents quickly became aware that I could be dangerous anytime.

What was it like playing club football and international games in the 60s?

There wasn’t much about it in terms of money. We only played for patriotism and for the love of the game. None of us at that time entered into the sport with the aim of making money, unlike what we have today. Back then, it was almost certain that when you play very well with your club, you get an invite to play in the national team; there was no need to lobby and no room for lazy players. Selection was based on merit and there were always replacements should a player fall below expectations. The team was managed by European coaches so there was no need to think you could influence their decisions through lobbying.

You featured at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.

Yes. It was a great experience. We played against Spain, Japan and Brazil but we didn’t qualify to the next stage. I remember we almost beat Brazil; I scored in that game and we were leading until they equalised through an own goal. I still remember some of my teammates, but it has been a long time. Augustine Ofuokwu and Peter Fregene were there. Paul Hamilton, Sebastian Broderick-Imasuen and Anthony Igwe were also there. It’s been a long time.

Many expected to see you at the All-Africa Games hosted by Nigeria in 1973 but you did not feature. Why?

I was part of the team until the eve of the event. I had a disagreement with the coach (Jorge Penna) during training so he sent me out of the camp. I don’t remember what the quarrel was but I recall he was really mad at me and I was a bit heady. But that was not the end of my national team career; I returned to the team the following year under another coach. At that time, no coach will miss you because there were abundant talent in the team.

How did you start playing?

I started playing street football in Jos like many Nigeria children in those days. I later joined Plateau United when I decided to go professional in football in 1965. I didn’t hesitate to join the club because they were the first to come calling and they were one of the best in the land then. It was when we came to Lagos to play an Challenge Cup (FA Cup) semi-final match the following year that Adebajo Babes, later renamed Stationery Stores, indicated interest in me. Some other clubs also came calling but my friends at Stores urged me to join them, so I did. It was a good thing I did because I became more confident in the game as we went along to win the 1967 and 1968 Challenge Cup titles. After that, I joined ECN (later NEPA) and I led them to win the Challenge Cup of 1970. It was the first gold cup introduced in the tournament.

Many people would believe your glory years brought enough financial rewards.

There was none. We played for the glory, driven by patriotism and the love to play the game. The urge to go abroad to play football was not there because things were relatively okay in Nigeria. Besides, I was working with ECN while I played.

Is there any comparison football in your days and what we have now?

There are so many differences in terms of quality of players and the motives behind playing. In those days, there was nothing like the huge match bonuses players now get. We were paid peanuts after international games. I have nothing to show that I played for the national team. We were paid as little as 10 shillings sixpence (about N140) as camp allowance. That money could hardly get you anything vital at that time; it was peanuts. But things are different today as players get as much as $5,000 for playing a game. While the players now camp at big hotels to prepare for matches, we stayed at humble lodgings at Ogunlana Drive in Lagos in our time. What we had then was raw talent.

What exactly has affected your health?

I don’t know what it is, only God knows. A couple of years ago, I woke up to realise I had pains from my knees down to my ankles. It started suddenly, without prior notice. Doctors have examined me and they said I am diabetic and I don’t have high blood pressure or stroke. I’ve not been able to walk and do anything on my own without the assistance of my wife. I’ve spent all the money I had on treatment; I’ve taken all forms of drugs, even traditional, but nothing has worked. I’ll do anything to get my health back. Former international, Tajudeen Disu, and the Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Tajudeen Ajide, visited me recently with a doctor. The doctor examined me but he was not conclusive on the check-up so he asked me to come down to the hospital for further check-up and treatment. These people have been very helpful because I hardly get help from government officials. I tried reaching the National Sports Commission for help when Patrick Ekeji was Director General of the NSC. Some of my former teammates took my case to him but he didn’t do anything about it. At some point, I began to wonder what benefit is there to play for Nigeria if I can’t be helped in my time of need. Maybe it’s my destiny but I can’t say I regret serving Nigeria the way I did. Maybe I’m just unlucky (breaks down in tears). I’m not asking for money, I just want someone to take care of my health; if I get anyone like that, I can never forget such help.

So how do manage with you daily livelihood?

(Still sobbing) I’m a retiree at NEPA and my wife is a petty trader. My pension and whatever she makes from her stall are all that we have. Unfortunately, I’ve not received any pension since February. I don’t know how they expect us to survive. I’ll be 70 years by March next year but I don’t have anything I can point at as my legacy except my contributions in Nigeria football. I’m not a flamboyant man, I don’t have a car and I don’t indulge in irresponsible lifestyle. The little I could get as a worker at NEPA I spent it on training my children. I don’t want to die a bitter man, I don’t deserve it.

You didn’t make much money from football but that didn’t stop the girls from coming. Am I right?

(Laughs) No, it didn’t stop them. In fact, I was very popular in my neighbourhood and the girls loved me but I was careful not to get into trouble with anyone. Let’s just say, I played and I played well. The little money I had that time I tried to use in building a house. I know I came from a poor family and I tried my best not to continue in poverty. I was so popular in the area; I stayed at Fashoro Street, Moshalashi, near Mushin. I benefitted from the love I got from fans. There was a supporter, a butcher selling around Tejuosho Market, who insisted I should come to his stall after weekend matches to get free meat. I made sure I didn’t miss the opportunity to get there.

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AS Monaco left-back, Elderson Echiejile, talks about his football career and the agony of being dropped from the 2014 World Cup at the last minute due to an injury in this interview. He spoke to ’TANA AIYEJINA before the Super Eagles’ AFCON qualifier against South Africa in Uyo

In the past, it was virtually impossible for countries like Congo and Sudan to beat the Super Eagles but it happened during the qualifiers for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. How do you view this trend?

Football could go both ways; you win or you lose. If you lose, you go back, work hard and come back strong. Personally, I think African football has improved. You can’t just go out and pick a win anywhere any more.

You didn’t play against Congo. How do you feel about this?

Anytime I wear the national jersey, I try to do my best. I always look forward to play for Nigeria and I think what is important is what the team achieves. That’s very important. We all wait to see who gets to play because anyone called upon will always give his best.

On the eve of the World Cup in Brazil, you copped an injury and had to be dropped from the squad. How did you feel?

It was really painful because every football player wants to play in the World Cup but sometimes it happens in football. You want to go but injury stops you. So, I just had to be positive because there are future opportunities to play in football’s biggest tournament.

How would you describe the performance of Juwon Oshaniwa, who played the left-back position in Brazil?

It was good; he is a good player and he played well.

Unlike in the past, the home-based players have played major roles in the Super Eagles. How would you describe their performances?

It’s a great experience for them. I think they should just keep working hard and believe in themselves. They’ve come this far and they could do a lot. It’s not easy playing for the national team, so this is a great opportunity for them and I am happy that they have been doing very well. They need to keep working hard.

How would you describe your move from Sporting Braga to French Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco?

It’s a good club, and I am working hard to have more game time. So far, it’s not that bad. We are playing in the Champions League. Despite the fact that we started badly in the league, I think we still have time to come up the table. I also believe that with time, I will get more game time.

Your top striker Radamel Falcao left for Manchester United on a season-long loan deal. Do you think his departure has affected the fortunes of Monaco?

His presence brought a lot of positivity in the team but his move to United actually affected the team. But we have to cope with it and we have strikers who have been able to fill his gap.

Your first club, Bendel Insurance, have been struggling in the lower divisions in the domestic league in recent times. How do you feel about this?

It’s so painful that a club like Insurance are down in the league. It’s a club I always wanted to play for right from my childhood. So, when I got the opportunity, I was very happy and I gave my best for the club. But right now, things are not going too well for them. I believe they can bounce back and let’s see what happens very soon.

While at Portuguese club Braga, you helped them reach the final of the Europa Cup but lost…

Sometimes when you lose in the final, it is difficult to take but that is football for you. Someone has to win and someone has to lose. I had a great time in Portugal, playing in the Champions League and the Europa Cup. It was a great experience for me.

How would you describe your seven-year sojourn in Europe, first from French side Rennes to Braga and then back to France with Monaco?

It hasn’t been easy really. Playing abroad hasn’t been as easy as you might think, I must confess. There have been a lot of challenges but you don’t have a choice but to try and cope. I am coping and I am trying to make the best of situations that come my way.

In the past, when football was not as lucrative as it is now, parents prevented their children from playing the game. Did you have such challenges too?

Of course they (parents) did. When you look back then, every parent didn’t want their children to play football because they thought they might end up in the streets doing nothing. I wasn’t really encouraged at first but after a while, when they saw my progress, they said, ‘Maybe he could make something out of the game since it is what he choose.’ So I got the necessary support from my family afterwards and we are all happy now because I made the right decision.

Were you born with a silver spoon?

No, but I come from an average family. I wouldn’t say my parents were rich, but we were okay.

Which of the big leagues in Europe do you hope to play in when you probably leave the French Ligue 1?

Personally, I believe the French league is one of the best in Europe. It’s always a pleasure for me to play there. As a kid, I grew up watching the English Premier League, so if I play in the EPL, it will be good. I just want to play high level football. Right now, I am happy at Monaco and hoping to continue to give my best to the club anytime I play. They are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and its great playing for them.

Who is Elderson Echiejile?

I am just me. People try to look at me and try to judge me but I think you can’t assess people that way. I try to remain positive and cool. I am just myself.

Off the pitch, how do you relax?

I listen to music and try to talk with my friends. I love to relax and have time for myself.

Which kind of music appeals to you?

I enjoy Nigerian music so much and I listen to R&B. My favourite artiste is Tupac; his music is good. In Nigeria, I love Tuface and P Square. They are very good as well.

Top sports personalities live flashy lifestyles. They drive big cars and live in big houses…

If you work so hard and you earn good money, you should try and live a good life. If you work so hard and you deserve it, then go out and get your comfort.

Having played against some of the world’s best strikers, which of them would you say gave you the toughest time so far?

I played against Manchester City’s Jesus Navas and it was tough against him. Every attacker is good and you just have to give your best. Actually, the result of a game determines whether you applaud yourself for a job well done or not.

What are your best and worst moments as a football player?

My best moment was when we won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year and my worst was when I was dropped from the team to the World Cup in Brazil because of an injury.

A lot of up-and-coming Nigerian players see you as their role model. What is your advice to them?

My advice to them is that they should believe in themselves, work hard and be prayerful. With that, they stand a good chance of becoming successful football players or persons in life.

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Former Orlando Pirates trainee, Wisdom Onwusonye, is one of the top stars in the fast-rising Mauritian league. The versatile forward tells ’TANA AIYEJINA in this interview about his sojourn in the Indian Ocean Island and his plans to play in Europe soon

How are you doing in Mauritius?

I am doing good and I thank God for everything that has happened over here. I am happy my club La Cure   Sylvester have been doing well since we gained promotion to the Premier League.

How would you describe the season so far?

Last season was great for me, although there were lots of challenges along the line. But everything went well. We just started a new season and everything is going on well by God’s grace.

From the second division, you helped your team reach the Premier League. How were you able to do that?

It was a big dream for me. Firstly I give thanks to God, who made it possible. It wasn’t easy for me at the beginning when I joined the team. But I was determined and I believed in myself. With hard work and prayers, I was able to achieve that, although the team had been in the second division for over 10 years. However, the story has changed today. I and my teammates, the coaching crew and the management did our best to get the team the promotion ticket. And we were able to gain promotion to the second division in the 2012/13 season. We were again promoted to the first division championship in the 2013/14 championship. Today, we are in the Premier League by God’s grace.

You were a trainee with South African giants Orlando Pirates at a point. Why did you not continue with them?

Yes, I had a great time at Pirates but I could not continue with them because my agent was very busy at the time, trying to secure a better offer for me with other clubs and the season was almost done. So, I had to move to Mauritius to continue my football. I just had to move.

Do you still hope to play for Pirates one day?

Of course yes and I hope and believe one day, it will come to pass. Pirates are a big side in South Africa and they do well in both continental and domestic league competitions. So I believe that one day, if I get the opportunity, I will give my best to the club.

How would you compare football in Mauritius to other African countries?

Football in South Africa is more professional, and it is well equipped with good facilities. It is also more developed, with a very high standard comparable to what you have in Europe. However, Mauritius is still growing in terms of professional football. Although football here is becoming more competitive than before because more foreign players are coming from different parts of the world to add value to the league. And there are foreign investors too.

Do you have other Nigerian footballers also playing in Mauritius?

There are a few other Nigeria footballers playing in the Premier League here. They are all in my team. We have four Nigerian players and one Madagascar international in our squad.

How are the other Nigerian players in your team doing?

The other three guys are going great for themselves and also doing very well for the team. Two of them are strikers: Moses Ogbologwu and Edia Isaac. Moses recently signed for La Cure Sylvester while Isaac has been with the team right from the second division. The third one, Emmanuel Izuchukwu, is a central defender.

You have gradually risen to become one of the top stars in Mauritius. If they contact you to play for their national team, will you opt for them?

It is quite reasonable that when someone sees an opportunity like that, the person should maximise it. I will (play for them) because its a big honour to be invited to play for another country. It means they know that you can add value to their national team.

What are the challenges you have faced in Mauritius?

It takes the grace of God for you to adapt to whatever challenges one might be facing over here in Mauritius. I remember vividly when we were in the first division. The league had just started and I was looking forward to a great season but after two matches I was injured. It was an ankle problem that kept me out for two months. It was difficult for me to recover on time and there were a lot of expectations from me. Honestly, the pressure was very high for me because all I wanted was to be in good condition and return to play for the team. It was a trying time for me. But I take challenges as one of those things in life.

What is the attitude of the fans and Mauritius people towards you?

Most of the fans have been very encouraging. Doing what you know how to do best on the pitch gives them joy and reason to come to the stadium. Most of them that see me off the pitch always come around me to congratulate me and also have me and my teammates sign autographs for them.

La Cure Sylvester are new in the topflight, do you think you can gain qualify for any of the of the CAF continental competitions?

I believe that if I and my colleagues and the management work together, we can achieve that. In football, anything can happen. With determination, hard work and focus in the league, I believe we can go places. Honestly, it is definitely not going to be easy for us, gaining promotion to the top division and winning a continental ticket in our first season. But I believe we can do well even though we are new in the Premier League. Our mentality is to be focused and maintain our status in the league. What we should be looking at now is winning every game. If we can do that, then anything is possible.

Are you hoping to play in Europe very soon?

It’s the dream of every footballer to play in the leagues of Europe. I am looking forward to playing there too, by God’s grace. It is has always been one of the dreams I look forward to realising. I want to play international, not just in Africa alone. Hopefully after I make my mark in Africa, I can extend my career to Western Europe, Asia and America.

Who is your role model footballer and why?

It is the Brazilian Ronaldinho. Everything about his football gives me joy. He is my hero and a world-class player. He is a highly talented player that knows what do with the ball every minute. He is an amazing player. And it is my dream to achieve more than he has achieved in football.

What are your career aspirations?

I aspire to move higher and to become a global champion every were I go. I always want to remain on top of my career.

As a top football star in Mauritius, has it been easy handling the attention that comes the popularity, especially with women?

Sincerely, it has not been easy; people want to associate with you, especially when you are doing well. But when you are not doing well or things are not going on fine with you, they see you as nobody. But that is life for you. As for the girls here, everybody wants to associate with a star. When they see you on TV or read about you in the papers, they are happy. For me, I hardy move out. I treasure my privacy, so I don’t have any problem here.

What are your best and worst moments so far as a footballer?

My best moments are when I am on the pitch, seeing myself playing and scoring goals. I feel good watching myself play. But my worst times are when I am not playing. Another sad moment for me is when I am down with injury.

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Nigeria table tennis star Ojo Onaolapo talks about his fledging career and more in this interview with IDRIS ADESINA

How did you get into table tennis?

I started playing the game when I was little. My father really wanted me to play, so I started from the streets in Ondo State. Later in 2005 someone advised me to go to the stadium to learn more about the game and that’s how I got deeply into it.

Now that you have moved from the junior cadre to the senior level, what do you hope to achieve?

My hope is that I will become a great player in the world. I also hope to win the All African Games, Commonwealth Games and even the Olympics because there’s nothing impossible in table tennis. You just have to keep training and keep your focus. That’s it.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, you had the best moment of your career so far, how did you feel with the bronze medal win?

I was very happy though. This is because people never expected any medal from table tennis, so I was very happy.

You removed your shorts as you celebrated your victory over the Indian in Glasgow. Why did you do that?

That day remains the happiest of my life. But I was not the one who removed my shorts. People really think it was me because I and he really looked alike in that picture. It was Quadri Aruna who actually removed his shorts and I believe it was because he was happy and excited. I also celebrated in my own way too. I rolled on the floor because that day was a joyous one for us all.

You moved to Italy this year after winning the NTTF League with Sunshine Table Tennis Club. What necessitated your move to Italy?

The move to Italy was necessary because I want to improve my skills. More so I wanted to play many more matches so that I will be able to qualify to attend the Professional Tours next year. You see, playing time and exposure are the two necessary things in the life of a table tennis player.

You also recently won your first title in Italy after beating an Italian, Bisi Paolo. How will this affect your game positively in the country?

That match was another surprise to me because Paolo is a very good player and has more experience than I have. Beating him to win the Italian title also made me happy. It just gave me the needed motivation and also told me that there is nothing impossible to achieve if I set my mind on it.

How do you view the rivalry between Nigeria and Egypt on the African continent?

Nigeria used to be better than Egypt in the past but the Egyptians have been ruling Africa now for a while in all categories because they spent a lot in the development of the youth aspect of the game. This is because our country had been lagging behind in some areas. But the present administration of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation is seriously planning to better the game and I pray that God crowns their effort with success. We can see what Quadri did this year. Also, our federation president is spending his money to take the game to the next level because the government is not giving enough support to table tennis. I think we will get back to winning ways soon as a lot of young Nigerians are springing up from Ondo and Lagos states. The hard work is now in progress to regain our position back in Africa.

Quadri Aruna has been in top form recently and you are also working hard on yours. What do you think you can learn from him?

I have learnt a lot from him. I have to work hard on my skills as well because he worked on his own skills as well. What I also learnt is a lot of smart work and hard work. He is lucky to bring his wife to Italy because here, it is not easy to live alone. I also need to put God first in all I do.

The All Africa Games is next year. Do you see Nigeria winning all the medals at stake in table tennis?

I believe we can do better than we did at the last All Africa Games. With or without me in the team, Nigeria has the right players to win as many medals as possible in any competition we set our sight on. I believe next year’s AAG will be good for us.

What is your personal target for the All African Games next year?

If I make the team, my target is to win the Men Singles title and any other title I can.

You played in the NTTF pilot league before your move to Italy. How will you compare the level of the league and the Italian league?

It is very different. The difference is because the people here (Italy) are mainly professionals but the one in Nigeria allows for amateurs too. But with time and more sponsorship, I believe the Nigeria table tennis league will grow.

How can the NTTF improve more on what they have done so far?

The NTTF should keep doing what they have been doing. I believe the best way to improve is for more people to come to the aid of the federation. The president and his people have good ideas for the game but they need more people to sponsor programmes and help increase the popularity and level of the game. Money will help the NTTF do better than they have done presently.

What are your plans for next year for club and country?

My plan is to keep my head in the game. I also aim to try hard to play good matches and also to win as many titles and cups for my club as possible. If my game is also good enough, I hope to attract a bigger club here in Europe. My plan for Nigeria also is to make the country proud and to take our top position back in Africa.

In your young career so far, who will describe as your toughest opponent?

Everybody I have played against is good. I believe if u work hard you can beat anybody but because the other players too is working hard to beat you. I guess I can’t say which of them has been the toughest one because everybody is just playing fine with his own experience and determination.

The females have often said they don’t have the same opportunity as male players have…

Sorry, I believe that I am not really in the right position to answer that. But I doubt if that is the case.

If you have not been playing table tennis, what other job would you have done?

I will probably be in school studying to be able to work in big company as my wish or as God wishes.

The game is not yet fetching much money for the local players, how do you think the money can come in for them to remain in the sport?

What I can only say about that is that our president is really trying for table tennis in the country. The home-based players are now getting some money in any competition they play. It’s not like before when there was hardly any competition not to talk of money. Now there are many competitions but if they want to get more money, they have to work hard in Nigeria so that they can get clubs outside the country or make it to the national team which will also enable them to attend more international competitions where they can prove themselves like Quadri did, which we all are proud of.

You are now 20 years old, when do you think you can quit the sport?

I don’t think of quitting but as soon as I notice that I am not playing well anymore or getting old in the game, I will quit.

Where do you see yourself in seven years?

In seven years I wish to be a better player and also a richer person in all I am doing by God’s grace.

Nigeria has not been doing too well at the Olympics, So what do you think we can achieve at the next one in Rio considering your present form?

I believe that we have not been doing badly at the Olympics. Rio is just going to be great for the players that will be in the team. If I make the team then I aim to win an Olympic medal.

Your greatest match till date is against Sharath Achanta of India at the Commonwealth Games. How will you describe that match?

I will describe it as a surprise not only because it was a great match but because people didn’t believe I could beat Sharath but I did it with God, so I thank the Lord.

What are your best and worst moments in the sport?

The best moment of my career so far was making the national team. It wasn’t easy because there are many good players in the country waiting to get into that team. The worst? Let’s skip that area. Don’t let us talk about the worst.

What do you have to say to young table tennis players who want to be like you?

They should keep trying hard and praying. Hard work and prayer lead to success.

What has been your greatest pillar or driving force since you started table tennis?

Winning my first tournament has been the start of the drive for more success since I began playing table tennis. The tournament told me that I could do more and I pray to achieve more successes.

Who are the people who have stood by you since you began playing and kept encouraging you?

There are many people but my mother, coach and friends have been very supportive. Also Offhung Sports Foundation have been helping me since this last Pro Tour in Nigeria, so I have to say thanks to the Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Mr Akiode.

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Born to Nigerian parents in London, Uche Ikpeazu has not forgotten his Nigerian roots. The powerful striker, who is on loan at Crewe Alexandra from Watford, in this interview talks about his career and more with ’TANA AIYEJINA

You are currently on loan to Crewe Alexandra from Championship side Watford. How is the season so far in League One?

I have been here before and like before, I feel very welcome and accommodated and I scored immediately I arrived, which made me feel great. Life here has been okay and we are like one family with one goal. It’s a huge club and I am happy to contribute to their success.

Your loan deal ends in January. What are you hoping to achieve with Crewe before you return to Watford?

I just want to score many goals, so that we can climb up the table and prove myself to people that I am good enough to play.

Do you think you can get a first team shirt at Watford, when you return to the club?

You never know in football and I am not really looking at that aspect right now. I am just looking at myself doing well here (Crewe) and if I do well, other things will take care of themselves. Football is all about chance. If the manager gives me a chance to play, I will give my best. So I will bide my time.

We have two other Nigerian players at Watford: Danny Shittu and Odion Ighalo. Are you close to both players?

I am not really close to Ighalo but obviously Shittu is a big player in England and having him around in the same club makes me feel really good.

You were born in England to Nigerian parents. Do you see yourself as Nigerian or English?

I see myself as a Nigerian. I went to school in Nigeria for a month and I have been there thrice, so I am Nigerian.

So, do you know the meaning of your first name Uchechukwu?

Uchechukwu is an Ibo name and it means God’s will shall be done.

What were your experiences when you visited Nigeria?

My visit to Nigeria made me realise that one should never take anything for granted. It’s a great country with great people and I am proud to have parents from Nigeria

Are you hoping to represent Nigeria or England at international level?

Well, I haven’t really thought about that but to represent any of these countries would be great. However, I haven’t given it a thought yet. I’m still a young player and need to focus on my career. I know when the time comes; I will be able to take the right decision.

Recently, you were invited by Nigeria’s U-23 coach, Samson Siasia, as he tries to build the team ahead of next year’s All Africa Games and the 2016 Olympic Games. Are you willing to play for Nigeria at youth level?

Of course if I am called upon, I will play for Nigeria at that level. It’s a great honour to play for one’s country. I know Nigeria has a lot of great players doing very well all over the world, so if the U-23 manager gives me a call-up, I will honour it.

You are known for your all-action style of football. Which player do you model your style of play after?

I think I model my game after myself. I try to be myself because at the end of the day, I am my own player. But I try to play like (Didier) Drogba, he holds the ball firm, he is strong and scores loads of goals.

In your first loan spell at Crewe Alexandria, you became fans favourite after scoring a handful of goals. How will you describe that experience at the club?

My first experience at Crewe obviously was great. I think I learnt a lot from that first opportunity I got to play for the club and I am still learning. It was more positive than negative; it was a learning curve for me then. The fans were great and they still are cheering every member of the team. I wanted to score some good goals because of them and I tried to work hard because of the fans and that made me happy as a person.

You scored a hat-trick against Arsenal U18s while playing for Reading some seasons ago. How did you feel scoring thrice against a great club like Arsenal?

It was great, that was a couple of years ago. Scoring a hat-trick against a big side like Arsenal was a morale booster for me. It gave me confidence that I could become a better player if I worked hard and that has really helped me in my career so far. It was a nice experience.

Despite your high ratings in England, you have not been able to play in the English Premier League, where you have a youngster like Raheem Sterling playing for Liverpool. Do you feel bad about this?

No. I don’t feel bad at all. I am only 19 years and I think if I work hard I can get there. I am not disappointed; I had my injuries, which kind of affected me also. I have not been given the opportunity yet. Now I got the opportunity to play at Crewe, so obviously I can show people what I can do and maybe in the future, things will get better. But I’m not focused on all of that. I’m just focused on what I need to do now. The present matters because it will determine my future. So I have to do well first before talking about the future, that’s very important for me and I am happy I have the opportunity to do that at Crewe. I’m still very young and I don’t want to be in a hurry.

There is this impression that most English players find it difficult playing for clubs outside their country. Are you hoping to play professionally outside England in the near future?

I haven’t really thought about that yet. I just want to play football and the rest would be taken care of.

If you weren’t a footballer, what would you have been?

That’s a tough question but I think it would still have been something to do with sports and it probably would have been football because I love the game with all my heart.

Did your parents support your decision to play football?

They did right from the beginning and they have always been there for me with advice and encouragement. It’s great having them as parents. They have been very inspirational in my career.

What is your relationship with other players of Nigerian descent in England?

It’s very good. I know some of them. I have been to Nigeria and I have stayed there for few months, and I always want to get close to Nigerians because I love the country. We have a good rapport here in England and we know how our background is. I have a good relationship with Nigerian-born players.

You are at Crewe with ex-Manchester United trainee, Nicky Ajose. Do you both talk about playing for Nigeria?

No, I haven’t spoken with him about that.

Which Nigerian player do you admire most?

I think its Jay Jay Okocha because of how he held the ball, his dribbles and everything about his style of play. He was a very good player everywhere he played. He did some things on the ball that got me crazy.

Are you familiar with the Nigerian movie industry?

I would not say I am very familiar with the film industry in Nigeria but I watch Nollywood movies, though not too much.

Amongst the Nollywood movies you have watched, which is your favourite?

My favourite is Osuofia in London. I don’t have to think about that to tell you. The film got my ribs cracking and I can watch it over and over again.

What is your favourite Nigerian food?

It is pounded yam and ogbono soup. It’s a delicacy any day and I always want to eat it.

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Nigeria amputee football national team captain, Chimobi Micheal, was a promising footballer until an accident during a football game cut short his career and one of his legs. The versatile sportsman talks about his experiences in this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA

What is the situation of amputee football in Nigeria at the moment?

It’s nothing to write home about I must confess. For now, I don’t understand anything concerning the way amputee football is managed in Nigeria.

This is shocking, considering that you captained Nigeria’s national team to the African Amputee African Cup of Nations in Kenya last year…

Yes I captained the team in Nairobi. They promised us $200 per day for that competition and we were there for about two weeks. But when we came back, we were given N40, 000 each. Can you imagine that? The risk involved in the game is too much but nobody compensates the players. When we were injured in Kenya, we didn’t get good medical care; there were no extra crutches for those whose crutches got spoilt.

You came fourth in Nairobi, thus qualifying for the 2014 Amputee World Cup but Nigeria failed to attend the competition in Mexico. What happened?

Truly, we were supposed to be in Mexico for the World Cup in November but we didn’t make it. We didn’t know what was happening. Nobody told us anything until we learnt that the World Amputee Football Federation had suspended the Nigeria Amputee Football Federation from participating in its activities because the country did not pay its annual affiliation fee since 2013. But we were told they had paid the money but we couldn’t make the trip to Mexico because we didn’t pay.

How would you compare the standard of amputee football in Nigeria and other countries in Africa?

The standard of the game here (Nigeria) is very low compared to other African nations. But it’s not that we don’t have the talents to make us one of the best amputee football nations in the world. Kenya hosted the last Amputee African Cup of Nations and we beat them 4-2 on their home soil but they went to the World Cup in Mexico and did very well. Defending African champions Angola defeated a big amputee nation like Sierra Leone 5-1 but we held them to a 1-1 draw before Ghana beat us on penalties in the third place game. But nobody appreciated our efforts in Nairobi. When we arrived, nobody came to receive or welcome us at the airport in Lagos. Every player had to find a way to get home on their own without transport fare. It was agonising.

You are a versatile athlete as you have also made your mark in discuss and shot put, winning medals at the National Sports Festival…

I also do other sporting activities but it is the same problems we are facing in other sports. I won a shot put gold medal for Lagos State at the National Sports Festival in Kaduna in 2009. At the next festival, I won two bronze medals in shot put and discus for Rivers, the host state. But I truly want to play amputee football because of the love I have for the game. However, it is because of the way they have been managing the game that I made up my mind to return to field events in athletics.

You were a promising footballer until your leg was amputated. What happened?

Actually, my injury occurred while playing football some years back. A player stepped on my shin and it got broken. I applied traditional therapy but instead of healing, the leg got rotten and it had to be amputated.

How did you feel initially when your leg was amputated?

I felt very bad. In fact, life was hell for me. I felt somehow because people who knew me with two legs now saw me on just one leg. But I am okay now and I can do everything with one leg. I can play football with one leg, drive with one leg and also do other sporting activities with one leg. So, I have nothing to regret about.

What are the challenges that sports people with disabilities face?

Most of us face the same problems and it has to do with inconsideration for people with disabilities. For example, we stay far away from the stadium, where we train because we cannot afford to rent houses around the stadium. We need to transport ourselves to the stadium and carrying wheelchair or even crutches inside buses could be very hectic and the bus conductors don’t help matters. They want to collect extra money before they allow you to put your wheelchair inside the bus. So, we find it difficult to move around. You can’t compare someone with two legs with someone with just one. These are some of the challenges we face and we need people to help us out.

What is your advice to administrators of special sports in Nigeria?

They should do the right things for us; support us and help us. For example, in amputee football, we need crutches, boots and other equipment but we lack all these things. We are not even talking about money. They should provide the necessary things that will make the game grow before talking about money.

If the right things are done in amputee football, where do you think Nigeria will be in the world?

Nobody will challenge us in Africa because we have very young players who are also very skillful. Some other players’ disabilities were also caused by football, so a lot of us have football background before veering into amputee football. If they do what they are supposed to do, we will make Nigerians proud by becoming number one in the world.

How have you been surviving since Nigeria have been suspended from world amputee football activities and there are no local competitions for shot put and discus at the moment?

Most of our players now do different things to survive because those administering the game are not doing the right thing. Last time, I was a bus conductor but I just left the job now and I am trying to do something else. We have to do some other things since we find it difficult to feed ourselves through sports in Nigeria.

Has it been challenging keeping fit as a sportsman, even though there are no competitions at the moment?

I think everything is about being focused and working hard all the time no matter the challenges. It you relax in a country like Nigeria, you will lose focus. So, I try to give my best always and come to the stadium to train regularly because I know one day God will surely answer our prayers.

What are your best and worst moments?

My best moments are always when I go to competitions and win medals and the government or people who sponsored me compensate me the right way. My worst moments are when I don’t meet the target I set for myself during competitions because in training I always set targets for myself. However, in sports, you win some and lose some.

In Nigeria, it’s common for people with disabilities to resort to begging. How do you feel about this?

I don’t like it. It’s not good to beg but I go to them, talk to them and tell them about sports because they can earn a living through sports. I used to go to Maryland and Iyana-Oba (in Lagos) to let beggars with disabilities know that they can do a lot through sports rather than begging. Though sometimes I give them some things like crutches, I still let them know that it is not good to beg.

If you were not a sportsman, what would you have been?

I would have definitely gone into business. I would have been a businessman selling clothes because it is what I like to do.

Where do you hope to be five years from now?

I hope to be in Europe playing amputee football. All the big clubs there have amputee football clubs and I hope to play for them one day and earn a good living. That will help me live a decent life and also help people around me, especially people with disabilities.

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