Mikel Obi: I couldn’t let 180 million Nigerians down – ex-star recalls horrible moments before World Cup match

Former Nigerian international Mikel Obi has recalled the incidents prior to Nigeria’s final group match against Argentina in Russia. With qualifications to the next round still open, the two sides were up for a crucial fixture that Tuesday night in Saint Petersburg. But Mikel was dealing with something bigger as his father had been kidnapped by bandits while on his way to a funeral.

However, even before the ball was kicked, one of Nigeria’s star men was already positioned to be left out but for resilience and patriotism. The former Chelsea midfielder said he was informed hours to kick off about the kidnap of his father, Michael Obi.

He told Dubai Eye 103.8 Sport, “I was confused. I did not know what to do but in the end, I knew that I could not let 180 million Nigerians down. I had to shut it out of my head and go and represent my country first.”

“They [kidnappers] said listen, we know, it is Mikel he would pay. If he doesn’t, we are going to shoot his dad. They said they had nothing to lose. They would shoot my dad and dump him somewhere,” he recalled.

Speaking to David Hytner of The Guardian in 2018, he said, “I played while my father was in the hands of bandits. I had to suppress the trauma. I took a call four hours before kick-off to tell me what had happened. I was emotionally distraught and I had to make the decision about whether I was mentally ready to play. I was confused. I did not know what to do but, in the end, I knew that I could not let 180 million Nigerians down. I had to shut it out of my head and go and represent my country first. I could not even inform the coaches or NFF staff and only a very tight circle of my friends knew.

“I was told that they would shoot my dad instantly if I reported to the authorities or told anybody. I also did not want to discuss it with the coach [Gernot Rohr] because I did not want my issue to become a distraction to him or the rest of the team on the day of such an important game. As much as I wanted to discuss it with the coach, I could not.

“Thankfully, my father was safely released on Monday afternoon. I thank the police authorities for their rescue efforts and the support I’ve received from friends and family members. Unfortunately, my dad is now in hospital receiving emergency treatment as a result of the torture he received during his capture.”

Nigeria eventually exited the competition following a 2-1 defeat courtesy of Marcos Rojo’s 86th-minute winner. Meanwhile, Mikel played the entire 90 minutes.

However, the African Cup of Nations winner paid 10 million Naira (approximately $28,000) according to AFPAfrica to have his father released a week after his kidnap.