Mikel Obi displays rare mental strength, knew of father’s kidnap before leading team out against Argentina
Super Eagles skipper Mikel Obi may have displayed the toughest mental strength of any football player at the ongoing World Cup, as he led Nigeria onto the pitch against Argentina while his father was kidnapped back in Nigeria.
Mikel only got wind of the heartbreaking news while on the bus as the team travelled to St. Petersburg for their final group game.
His father, Pa Mikel Obi, had been kidnapped for the second time and his abductors were demanding N10 million. He was told his father would be killed if he reported anything, and he kept the news to himself.
Pa Obi, who regained his freedom on Monday after police in Enugu trailed his abductors, was said to be on his way to a funeral when he was kidnapped with his driver.
Mikel said he had to make a tough decision to lead this teammates out in the crucial tie against the South American team.
“I played while my father was in the hands of bandits,” he told Guardian. “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.”
The Super Eagles lost the game to Argentina, crashing out of the tournament in the group stage.
