Tell us how you became a goalkeeper?
I can say it runs in my family; my great uncle was a goalkeeper and another one was a player. When I was young, I use to go and watch him play and from there I developed interest in football; so you could say I was involved in the game from an early stage of my life.
There was also some element of chance to: I was playing for my primary school, Ibem primary school, there was a day the goalkeeper got injured and the coach asked me to go in as the goalkeeper.
I went in and a shot was taken, I followed the direction the ball was going, but somebody deflected it and I was still able to catch the ball.
The coach was impressed and said to me; ‘from today, you are going to be playing in the goal.’ From that point, the whole of my career changed. I continued in my secondary school, to higher institution and then the national teams, starting with the Flying Eagles.
Who can you say turned your career around professionally?
Almighty God, He has always been my inspiration and I owe Him everything. But when you are talking about people that have given me inspiration, there are a lot of them like coach Tunde Disu, Paul Hamilton and Peter Fregene. When the White men came they also saw my talents; I am talking about Westerhof and Jo Bonfere.
They all encouraged me and of course the late MKO Abiola did a lot for my career despite the fact of not playing for Abiola Babes.
In what way did Abiola help your career?
Abiola did everything to get me to play for Abiola Babes, but I decided to join NEPA of Lagos from where I got the call up to the Flying Eagles.
There was a time Nigeria played against Cameroun in Yaounde, a World Cup qualifier, I was in goal that day and we lost 1-0. I made a lot of saves in that game.
After the game, five teams in Cameroon wanted to sign me, I went to Chief Abiola and told him about the interest from these clubs, he told me not to sign for any of them, that I should go back to Nigeria and he gave me some money. Of course I listened to him and came back to Nigeria. That advice helped my career.
Tell us the type of relationship you had with Westerhof?
I had a very good working relationship with Westerhof. His influence in my career cannot be quantified and I will forever be grateful to him. God really used him to promote my career.
The beginning of the relationship was when I got a contract in Benin Republic but Westerhof advised against it, within that year I got a contract in Holland courtesy of Westerhof.
MVV Holland had been relegated at that time, and they contacted Westerhof who had coached the club in the past, he told them that he had somebody who could help them out of relegation.
He called me and said it was time for me to go to Holland. When I got to Holland, I was given the nod in my first training. It was not even a full side, it was a seven a side game but fortunately the press was there at the training, and they saw what I could offer.
They asked me what the difference was between a goalkeeper and the outfield players and I told them that the players have to kick the ball and I have to prevent it from entering the net, because I cannot kick the ball and catch it at the same time, the coach was impressed.
The coach, SefVergoossen was able to confirm what Westerhot told him about me. Everything was settled immediately after the training. But I couldn’t start playing because I didn’t have European passport and I was not married to a white woman.
I couldn’t play because I had no working permit. How did you now resolve the issue?
My club went to court, because it was difficult for an African to play in Holland then. The plea of MVV was that they needed this player because of his qualities. They failed the first time so they had to appeal and eventually the club won the appeal and I was cleared to play for the club even without a work permit.
I got the clearance and three days later I played my first game for the club against JC Roda. I was the first African to play in Holland without a work permit or having any of the European passports or being married to a white woman.
All this was possible due to the influence of Westerhof who believed in me and what I could do. At the end of the season, MVV finished 10th on the table.
Can we confirm the talk then that you were Westerhof’s boy?
I am just Westerhof’s player and not his boy. He saw something good in me and he made me not only national team number one, but also the captain.
You don’t just give someone that you don’t trust such responsibilities. He had confidence in me which subsists till today. I loved him because he always got my back, was always interested in my progress.
He saw an opening in Holland and called me, that is why people keep calling him my father. I can recall a time when he brought a newspaper report calling him my father to my hotel room in Sheraton; he was laughing as he showed me the report.
‘These people are calling me your father, but I have met with your father,’ we laughed. Westerhof and I had a wonderful working relationship, the same with all the people I have worked with in the past.
Westerhof is a father but not my biological father; I know his family just the way he knows mine. I was Westerhof’s wonderful player he cannot forget that. What was the experience like 20 years ago when Nigeria participated in their first World Cup? Awesome, it is a feat that you cannot forget.
The record is there. Generations coming will continue to look at it and celebrate us. There is nothing more than to give glory to God for being part of that generation. We qualified Nigeria for their first World Cup and our generation took Nigeria to the fifth position in the whole World.
It was an opportunity given by God, not that our predecessors were not good, they did everything to qualify Nigeria, but God said it was time for Nigeria during our time.
Can you rate the goalkeeping department of the Super Eagles especially the final slot between ChigozieAgbim and Daniel Akpeyi?
That department to me is very solid. All Nigeria will also agree with me taking into consideration the performance of Vincent Enyeama for his club in France, the performance of Austin Ejide in Israel; I think we are very covered.
For the final slot, I will say Agbim is doing well in the league currently. No matter how good you are as a player, if you are not playing every week, there will be consequences. But today, the young man is playing weekly and his game has improved significantly. I will say the goalkeeping department is in good hands with those three. I also have confidence in the goalkeeper coach, Ike Shorunmu, who is doing a wonderful job.
Describe your second coming to Nasarawa United?
I can say my performance during my first time in the club was my bargaining power.
They love what we did the first time and they wanted us back. The truth is if we have not done well the first time, they wouldn’t have called us back. I have several offers before opting for Nasarawa United because I love it here.
We are hoping to make the state proud.
Any improvement noticed in the league?
So many improvements really; you can see teams going out to pick away points unlike in the past. The officiating has been so wonderful.
That is a good sign. Also, fans are gradually coming out to watch matches.
You are a Bishop of a church…
The best business in life is to be a minister of God, where you can speak the mind of God to people, show people love. One day I am going to end up fully in the ministry.
I can just come out once in a while to help people in goalkeeping, but my major focus then will be the ministry. But for now, I am combining the two.
The post My next stop is the pulpit appeared first on New Telegraph.