Top Nigerian Singers That Were Once Footballers
From playing on the pitch to making a hit in the studio, Nigerians tend to be a jack of many trades. Some of the leading Nigerian artists today have tried out diverse career paths in the past. For some of them, it worked out pretty well, while others had to quit on the spot to focus on music. In this article, we are going to take a look at some Nigerian singers that were once big footballers in Europe, especially during the late 20th century and early 2000s.
Emmanuel Babayaro
Emmanuel Babayaro may not be as well-known as his younger brother, Celestine, who played for Chelsea, Newcastle, and Galaxy F.C., but he made a name for himself as a talented goalkeeper. While he initially preferred to play as a midfielder, his younger brother convinced him to play as a goalie, and it ended up being a wise choice. Emmanuel found success on the pitch, particularly at the 1996 Olympics, where he and the Nigerian national team took home the gold medal.
Despite his accomplishments, Emmanuel struggled to achieve the same level of fame as his brother and eventually grew frustrated with his football career. Rather than giving up on his passion for sports entirely, he decided to switch things up and pursue a career in music. Emmanuel has been able to find moderate success in the music industry, collaborating with notable Nigerian artists such as Cobhams and Brank. He even started his own record label, Rectitude Music.
While he may have left the football pitch behind, Emmanuel’s love for music has always been a part of him. In an interview with Hiptv News, he explained that he never truly left football behind and that music has always been a part of his life. Some of his most popular tracks include “My Party,” which features Brank. Whether he’s on the pitch or in the studio, Emmanuel Babayaro continues to excel and pursue his passions.
Jonathan Akpoborie
Jonathan Akpoborie is a former Nigerian footballer who played as a striker for several clubs in Germany throughout his career. He is most known for his time at Wolfsburg, where he was the team’s top scorer. However, his success on the pitch was overshadowed by a controversial incident that occurred in 2001.
During the peak of his career, Akpoborie was accused of being involved in a human trafficking scandal involving children being sold into slavery. The allegations arose when a boat owned by his family was reportedly found to contain children who were being smuggled for the purpose of slavery. As a result, Akpoborie was suspended from the Wolfsburg squad and eventually released to Saarbrücken.
Despite the severity of the accusations, Akpoborie has maintained his innocence and has claimed that the story was fabricated by UNICEF in order to push an agenda. In an interview with Supersport, he stated that no one was ever prosecuted for the alleged crime and that UNICEF should be held responsible for the damage done to his career, reputation, and family.
After retiring from football, Akpoborie tried his hand at music and released the single “We Will Win” in 1998. However, he never reached the same level of fame that he had achieved in his football career, partly due to the controversy surrounding the slave ship incident.
Summary
So there you have it, the top Nigerian artists that were ones big on the football pitch. If you’d like to bet on ongoing tournaments in the local and international football space, register at sportingbet and input your sportingbet login details to get started. Good luck!
