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How do you relax when you are not on set, creating content or acting?
Most of the time, when I am not working, I love to go to a very quiet place or the beach. Those are the two places I love to go to relax.
How do you spend your weekends?
My weekends are usually spent in my studio because the contents are usually done during the week and I edit myself. So, I practically spend most of my weekends working in the studio.
Your case is different compared to most other people who relax on weekends and spend time watching their favourite football clubs.
(Cut in) Years ago, I used to watch football every weekend before I gained admission, but after I gained admission, I lost interest because of the headache and all. For now, I am still a Chelsea fan, but I just don’t spend all the time watching their games.
As much as you don’t spend much time watching games on weekends, how does it feel to see Chelsea going through difficult times in recent seasons?
One thing I have come to realise about football is the fact that nobody has it all. There are times you do well and win titles, and there are periods that you are having a bad season. Recently, Chelsea are beginning to win their matches under the new manager, and I believe things are getting better for them. On Thursday, I still watched their match against Gent in the UEFA Conference League, which they won 4-2, and we can all see that Enzo Maresca is doing a good job.
Many Nigerians became Chelsea supporters because of the Mikel Obi and Didier Drogba factors. Do you belong in this category?
Yes. I love these two guys and Ramires, Oscar, Anelka, and the like. They influenced my decision to start supporting Chelsea, and I am proud of them.
How do you feel about the Super Eagles going through rough patches in recent time?
When you have a country where things are not working, most of these things are bound to happen. We need to know that some things have to be in place for other things to work the way they should. We have some of the best talents in this country, and I can say we have the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but those people that are supposed to ensure selection of the right players are not there. If some things are not working, others will never work, and that is why we keep struggling in Nigeria. I think our football sector is even better than the others because we have the likes of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, and a couple of other world-class players, as well as young talents.
I believe we are getting there, and we are setting our priorities right in that aspect. At least, at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, we finished second and we could have won. That goes to show that things are getting better.
Osimhen is currently African Player of the Year, and Lookman looks poised to succeed him. What does this say about our football?
Like I said earlier, Nigeria could have won the AFCON in Ivory Coast, but the Elephants had the home advantage, and it worked for them. The crowd was massive, all chanting their names and supporting them, and you could barely see our supporters. That alone can kill your morale if you don’t have a large number of supporters behind you. I see Nigeria winning the AFCON very soon because we have the talents and the players to do that, and there is no doubt that the Eagles can deliver the trophy once again.
Recently, in a video, Austin Okocha said he was the best dribbler in the history of football. Do you agree with his claim?
If Okocha says he is the best dribbler ever, then he is. In my own opinion, I don’t think he would want to pick anybody over himself. But aside from that, I personally feel that Okocha is the best dribbler we have seen. It is true that we have seen great dribblers past and present, but if he says he is the best then he is the best.
Were you involved in any sport growing up?
Of course, I was involved in sports. In fact, as a kid, they used to call me Eto’o, and that is after the legendary Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o Fils because I was a great striker back then.
How good were you then on a scale of 1-10?
If I were to rate myself, I guess I would say seven.
Why didn’t you consider taking football as a career?
I love football, but it is not something I want to do for a living. I have always known what I wanted, and I decided to pursue that. Football was just like a hobby for me because I love the game, but it is not what I am destined to do.
Were you involved in civil disobedience playing football?
I think that was a normal thing for most male children, especially when you consider the kind of background that you grow up in. Even when you know what awaits you when you return from the field, you just don’t care because you want to join your friends and play football. Though things are changing now because the world itself is evolving, it was really fun back then.
Any regrets not choosing that path considering the kind of money athletes make these days?
There is no regret because even if I had chosen football, I wouldn’t have made it, so there was no point. Honestly speaking, there was no regret at all.
Would you encourage your children to pursue a career in sports?
If any of them wants to, why not? But the important thing is that I won’t force them to do what they don’t want to.
Finally, where do you see Chelsea finishing in the EPL table this season?
I think a top-four finish is realistic, and I believe that will be a big upgrade compared to where they finished last season.
