Experiencing tough times in life, is the last thing any sane human being will wish for himself. One of the most worst experience in life is for someone who have been living big suddenly started living like a slave. It pains alot. The pain is undescribable.
The case of one of the former Nigeria football star, Femi Opabunmi, is one who seems to have falling from grace to grass. Femi Opabunmi, was once named as the Nigeria youngest brightest player. He got fame, money and Popularity at his early days, but they all escaped him, when he needed it the most.
Femi Opabunmi started his career as footballer, in his secondary School days at Methodist High School, Ibadan. After gaining the attention of Nigerians with his superb performance in football matches. He was signed by the Nigeria football club, Shooting Stars of Ibadan.
At age 16, Femi Opabunmi, was called up by the coach of the Nigeria U_17 national team. This was possible due to his outstanding performance , he exhibited at Shooting Stars of Ibadan. He will forever be remembered for the fantastic role he played, in assisting the U_17 national got a deserved victory over Australia. Femi Opabunmi, was the one, who triggered Nigeria victory over Australia by scoring an hat_trick.
Femi Opabunmi, was a great treasure for Nigeria, at the 2001 UEFA championship . His outstanding performance earned him a silver shoe and also a Bronze Ball as the second highest goal scorer and the third best player in the tournament respectively.
In 2002, He was called up by the coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. He was featured in the game between Nigeria and England. Playing in the competition as a young Star made him the third(3rd) youngest player to have ever played in the history of the world cup, after Norman Whiteside and Samuel Eto's.
The brilliant young star was still making great and outstanding feat all over the world. Until, 2006, when the unfortunate happened. Tragedy surfaced, hope got lost and career put to a halt after he reportedly got blind in his right eye due to complications arisen from glaucoma. Though, no one see this coming. This sad occurrence put an end to the football career of this great star.
In 2018, he had an interview with BBC pidgin English channel. In the interview, Femi Opabunmi, narrated how he got blind, how the blindness stopped him from playing, how he had tried everything within his reach to solve the problem, how he ended bankrupt due to the fact that he spent all the money he had gotten through football on the eye .
In the interview he said: " I just woke up one day and I just saw the cloud, I was not seeing well. I went to the specialist and checked the eye, we went from one place to another before my career went
I can't play professional football again, because of my eyes, but i have to keep fit because it is the I love very much with all my life
When I went to Grasshopper, I signed a four_year contract. After my stint at Grasshopper. I went to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Isreal. I played just six months; then I crossed to France, a club known as Niort FC for like one season, when my eye problem started
I saw a doctor in France for medical attention as regard to my eye challenges. The doctor said it was an issue of glaucoma. They told me that my case was complicated and they don't actually understand everything
I came down to Nigeria and started going from one place to another. Native doctor, anybody atall, I went there
The eye took me to different places. In most cases, people don't expect to see me there. The eye problem got worse and worse"
These were the words of Femi Opabunmi. It's sad that the young star lost everything he got through football, with the exception of his bungalow in Ibadan, where he lives to the eye problem. This rendered him broke and without a signficant job.
The 35 year old former Super Eagle Midfielder, Femi Opabunmi, in a separate interview talked about how he met and had a private talk as regard his eye challenges with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, pastor E. A Adeboye . He made it known during the interview, that he became a changed person after, Adeboye told him to continaully praise God for his life. The response from the man of God, he said, was surprisen as he expected him to have prayed for him instead asking him to praise God . He admitted his fate and since then things have been getting better for him. He claimed in the interview.
Though, Femi Opabunmi, is still very hopeful that one day he will go back to the pitch. This time, not as a player rather as a coach. He said during an interview.
Doccypher
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