Lagos, Nigeria – A Nigerian footballer has arrived back home from Mongolia correct an ordeal that realized him scammed by a unethical agent who promised the guy a glittering sports opportunity that never materialised.
Moshood Afolabi, 24, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos a prior weekend not too long ago having left Ulaanbaatar, your Mongolia capital, a day previously.
He had been trapped with regard to Mongolia for 16 seasons and was overstaying some sort of tourist visa, a situation which will made it impossible to secure exercise, get his travel court docs in order or afford another flight home.
“I’m pleased to have gained freedom leaving Mongolia, ” he promised Al Jazeera. “I decided not to believe I’d be in Nigeria on Saturday. I didn’t contemplate it. Now, I’m emotion so many things in Nigeria. Ticket, fresh food. I’m really proud. ”
Al Jazeera reported on his plight that kicks off in august and the challenges faced by many people other aspiring African footballers who are stranded in several international locations, having been duped by men or women posing as agents and after that tricking them into acquiring significant sums to travel and as well play for foreign clubs.
In Afolabi’s case, a Nigerian man who spent time close to his home uniquely spun him a tale, took his unfair savings and sent it to play for local Mongolian club Western Khovd FC, but the job did not very last beyond his tourist australian visa and he quickly fell to get into serious financial and personal trouble.
Christopher Hannah, a Scottish businessman who had lived in Mongolia for six months, read on top of that empathised with Afolabi’s facts and volunteered to help my dude.
“I had come across Moshood two weeks before I contacted him. I saw the article with Al Jazeera and at a little time I was in Scotland, type Hannah told Al Jazeera.
“I flew back to Mongolia and I saw it shared info again on a forum and that i remember someone was making, ‘Why doesn’t someone help and advice this guy? ‘”
Hannah, who has been working on setting up a cashmere corporation in the East Asian among the many, had previous experience in their football industry and a ardour for the sport.
He was former an image rights agent for sure European football clubs as footballers.
“Football is one of the good ways to break communication or country barriers. This was the main reason Moshood and I could come together, inches he said.
After the Nigerian footballer spent a week from detention in late September for your Mongolian immigration service, Hannah booked and paid for Afolabi’s $900 flight home, while Afolabi’s roomie Wael, an Egyptian immigrant, gave him the $750 he needed to pay to help you Mongolia for overstaying the size of his visa.
“I felt seasonal affective disorder because I hadn’t dealt with it in my life to be in a major detention room for 7 days, ” said Afolabi. “For the first three days on detention, I was drinking water, weight loss plans and praying to Shaping Allah to save me. lunch break
Hannah claimed that his/her life in Mongolia brought a turn for the more serious problems after he helped Afolabi, saying he was treated with hatred by locals and must have been eventually denied a business visa for australia extension.
He has now go back to his native Wales and is in the process of interest a new football agency concentrating on regions such as Africa.
Up to thousands of scammed Black footballers
It is not away exactly how many hopeful Camera players are stranded throughout the world but according to some bids, the number is in the thousands.
In 2017, there was an influx of more than 100 African talents to Nepal , every south Asian country considered least for football.
British media reported that an guessed 15, 000 players unquestionably are trafficked to Europe every year.
In Russia, several are dozens of cases.
Beverley Agbakoba Onyejianya, a Nigerian actions lawyer, said being deported can seriously impact a person’s state of mind.
“Being deported perhaps leave a footballer turning out to be stigmatised and even anxious of their total future opportunities and capability earn a good income, ” she said. “The player’s career may or may not be affected reckoning on how they work to find more opportunities. ”
Backside at home and reflecting on his journey, Afolabi says he will also continue to play his much-loved sport.
“F ootball is each passion, ” he claimed. “I want to use football to my family and other people that shouldn’t have the means. I believe Items make it in football and I want to continue. ”
