A Nigerian Olympic gold medalist who fell on hard times has found sympathy among some of his successful compatriots who sent him over $5,000 to help out.
A one-time member of the Atlanta 96 Olympic Gold medal-winning Dream Team, former Super Eagles soccer player Kingsley Obiekwu, 47, said he became a commercial transport driver to support his family.
His promising career was cut short at the age of 30 due to a heart-related ailment. Currently, he manages Ingas FC – a team featured in Nigeria’s Nationwide League One.
Social media went into meltdown after learning the national icon now works as a transport driver in Enugu to earn a living.
“The story is absolutely true, there is no lie about it. I had to open up on my situation to people because I needed help,” Obiekwu told the sports website GOAL.
“It was not an easy thing to do, but I had to summon very great courage because things are very tough.
“After I retired from soccer in 2004 and finished my coaching course in the UK , I returned to Nigeria in 2008, but no Premier League Club accepted me. They said I was not widely known as a coach.”
African coaches face racial and ethnic discrimination from African leagues which prefer to hire white coaches from Europe – even those with a spotty record of wins in the game.
Despite earning gold for Nigeria at the Olympics, Obiekwu was only able to find a coaching job through a friend at a grassroots soccer academy in the eastern city of Enugu.
“I earn 50,000 naira [$120] in my current job at the amateur soccer club, [but] I have a family with four of my children in the university, the pay is not enough.
“Instead of folding my hands and complaining, I decided to become a transport driver to get small money to support my family.”
He thanked Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa who sent two million naira after hearing Obiekwu’s story. “This means a big deal to me, and I am very thankful for his show of love,” added Obiekwu. “I am honored that Captain Musa and other Nigerians home and abroad came to support me – they remembered their heroes.”
“This is a pointer that there are good Nigerians everywhere who are willing to help.”
