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5 Former Super Eagles Players Who Became Pastors[PHOTOS]

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Many players plan their post-retirement lives, often staying within the football world as managers or pundits. Others explore business ventures or transition to different sports, such as golf.

In the Super Eagles, former players like Samson Siasia, Finidi George, and Augustine Eguavoen transitioned into coaching after retirement. Meanwhile, players such as John Obi Mikel, Nwankwo Kanu, and Jay-Jay Okocha have chosen different paths.

However, a few former players take a surprising turn and become pastors, dedicating their lives to preaching the gospel of Christ.

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Taribo West

Renowned for his weird hairstyle throughout his playing career, Taribo West significantly impacted the football world over 17 years. Now 50, West enjoyed notable stints with top European clubs including Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Auxerre.

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The tough-tackling defender featured 42 times for the Super Eagles. He was part of the team that won gold at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics and also represented Nigeria at two World Cups and AFCON tournaments.

West, who in 2014 founded his church, Shelter in the Storm Miracle Ministries of All Nation,” in Lagos, revealed in a 2021 interview that he “met God one on one” before his switch into ministry. He once confessed of being involved in occultic practices during his playing days.

It partly reads, “Why would I switch from being a footballer to becoming a pastor? I saw God one on one. That’s where my transition started—from the field to the pulpit,” West told the BBC.

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“In the twinkle of an eye, I just heard an audible voice. And it came like a slap. It said: ‘Switch, turn.’ I turned. It said: ‘Look at the woman. Look for her now and call that woman and apologise to her. I said that to you.’ That can only be a voice from God.

“So I switched, like a Robocop, I start searching for the woman, and when this sister came all the way from America, she told me a lot of prophecies. And she told me in the next one or two years; I would open a church. All the prophecies she gave me came to pass.”

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Alloy Agu

Alloy Agu was a key player for Nigeria from 1988 to 1994, helping them win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and being part of their first-ever World Cup squad that same year.

At the club level, Alloy Agu played for local teams NEPA and ACB Lagos before moving to Dutch side MVV Maastricht, then RFC Liège in Belgium, Kayserispor in Turkey, and made 28 appearances for the Super Eagles.

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In a 2021 interview, Agu revealed that he retired early from football due to the covenant he made with God.

He’s currently a pastor at Christ Divine Church of God.

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Peterside Idah

5 Former Super Eagles players who became pastors
The former Nigerian goalkeeper and current TV pundit played for Nigerian clubs like Enyimba, Heartland, and BCC Lions before moving to South Africa, where he joined Temba Classic and Moroka Swallows.

Peterside revealed in an interview that he gave his life to Christ in 1996 while playing for Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland FC) and also attended a bible school (Word of Faith Bible College), where he graduated with a diploma the same year.

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He also stated he knew he would be a pastor upon retirement. “I knew it from a very tender age. My parents are pastors of Assemblies of God Church, and they influenced me a whole lot. So, as a young person, I was ministering in the youth church, I became a youth leader in the church, and I was ministering as a young lad at age 11. At a point, I used to lead the youth choir as well, and somehow I knew this was going to be my life, beyond every reasonable doubt.”

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He is currently the pastor at Christ Ambassadors Church in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

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Chidi Nwanu

5 Former Super Eagles players who became pastors
Chidi Nwanu, whose club career spanned over 15 years, represented several teams, including the defunct ACB Football Club of Lagos, Westerlo, Beveren, and Anderlecht, all in Belgium.

He is best remembered for his outstanding performances with the Super Eagles during the USA ’94 World Cup and was also part of the 1988 Olympic squad. Nwanu earned 20 caps for Nigeria throughout his international career.

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He is currently a pastor in the Prophetic and Deliverance Ministry in the United States.

Ikpe Ekong

Former Nigeria midfielder, Ikpe Ekong, is another player who transitioned to a new path after retiring from football. The Lagos-born ex-footballer began his career in 1995 with Julius Berger and retired in 2016 after playing for 12 different clubs across Europe and Africa.

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In an interview, Ekong revealed he mounted the pulpit, following an encounter with God.

“I was privileged to have seen Jesus three times and the fourth time; he appeared to me at my villa in Sweden. It was an experience that no word can chronicle. So the next thing I did was to study and acquire more knowledge for the credentials given to me by God through His son, Jesus.

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“He (Jesus) characteristically told me to bring his people together. I have been involved in the ministry for years; I travel around the world to visit helpless (people), prisoners and I have testified in churches to sportsmen and women.”

He is currently serving as a pastor at The Centre International Church City Church in Sweden.

 

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Flying Eagles Arrive Chile’s Talca For FIFA U20 World Cup Campaign

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The Flying Eagles arrived in the Chilean city of Talca on Thursday afternoon ahead of their participation in the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Nigeria is placed in Group F alongside Norway, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia, with all group matches scheduled to be played in Talca.

Upon arrival, the two-time U20 World Cup finalists were warmly received by officials from FIFA, the Local Organising Committee, and hotel staff.

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The team later held its first training session in the evening to begin final preparations for the tournament.

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According to The PUNCH, the Head coach of Nigeria’s U-20 national team, Ali Zubair, said the Flying Eagles have corrected the mistakes that cost them at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and are now better prepared for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

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The Flying Eagles are lodged at Hotel Diego de Almagro in Talca. The team wrapped up a 12-day training camp in Santiago, where they played host nation Chile and Australia as part of the build-up to the FIFA U20 World Cup.

Nigeria opens its campaign for honours in this year’s edition with a game against Norway on Monday, 29th September at Estadio Fiscal de Talca, before other games against Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

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Nigeria’s national under-20 men’s football team is one of the most successful youth teams in Africa. The team has a rich history in the FIFA U20 World Cup, having participated in multiple editions since its debut in 1983.

Notably, the Flying Eagles have been runners-up twice — in 1989 (losing to Portugal) and 2005 (losing to Argentina, led by Lionel Messi).

They have also reached the semifinals on several occasions and are known for producing future Super Eagles stars such as Mikel Obi, Taye Taiwo, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Victor Osimhen.

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FULL LIST: Nigerian Boxer Efe Ajagba Breaks Into World’s Top 10 Heavyweights

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Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba has been ranked among the top 10 fighters in the world by The Ring magazine.

In its latest rankings updated on Thursday, Ajagba secured the No. 10 spot in the prestigious list, widely regarded as the sport’s most respected independent ratings.

The 30-year-old, who holds a professional record of 20 wins, one loss, and one draw with 14 knockouts, joins an elite lineup.

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The heavyweight division is currently led by Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the champion’s position, with Britain’s Tyson Fury ranked first among contenders.

New Zealand’s Joseph Parker and Germany’s Agit Kabayel occupy the top three positions.

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Ajagba’s inclusion comes after a string of impressive performances that have reignited his world title ambitions.

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His most recent victory solidified his status as one of the leading contenders from Africa in the heavyweight division.

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The Ring magazine, founded in 1922, updates its ratings monthly based on results, performance, and track record, with input from boxing journalists and historians worldwide.

The development makes Ajagba the only Nigerian currently ranked in the heavyweight top 10.

Below is the full updated heavyweight ranking by The Ring:

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SWAN Orders Nationwide Boycott Of NFF Activities

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The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, has announced a nationwide boycott of all activities related to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, including the Federation’s upcoming Annual General Assembly, AGA, scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The directive, issued on Wednesday by the leadership of the association, follows what SWAN described as the NFF’s “deliberate and persistent exclusion” of the Association from the Congress, the Federation’s highest decision-making body.

In a statement jointly signed by the SWAN President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, and the Secretary-General, Ambassador Ikenna Okonkwo, the Association condemned the NFF’s actions as “unacceptable, retrogressive, and an affront to the sporting media’s role in national football development.”

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The media is a critical tripod in the growth of sports globally. SWAN, as the professional body coordinating sports journalism in Nigeria, has consistently engaged with the NFF on the need to restore our rightful place in its Congress. Yet, while the Federation claims to be expanding its Congress, it continues to sideline us—a move that is both short-sighted and detrimental to Nigerian football,” the statement read.

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SWAN accused the NFF leadership of adopting a divisive approach to football administration, warning that the continued decline in the nation’s football fortunes is a reflection of ongoing maladministration.

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“Despite enormous financial and institutional support from the Federal Government, state governments, and private sponsors, Nigeria’s football continues to nosedive.

“It is time to put a decisive end to this dangerous trend. Nigeria cannot afford to watch its most cherished sport deteriorate under avoidable circumstances,” the statement read.

Effective immediately, all SWAN members across the country are instructed to cease coverage and promotion of any NFF-related activity.

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A task force will be set up to ensure strict enforcement of this directive. Simultaneously, the Association will begin a thorough investigation and public exposure of the maladministration and backward practices now synonymous with the Federation’s operations practices that have contributed to Nigeria’s repeated World Cup qualification failures,” the statement added.

SWAN reaffirmed its position as a critical stakeholder in Nigerian football and vowed to resist any attempt to marginalize the sporting media.

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The exclusion of SWAN from the NFF Congress is no longer acceptable and will not be tolerated. We stand resolute in defending the integrity and rightful role of the sporting media in the Nigerian football ecosystem,” the statement concluded.

 

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