Why the slums in the city of Nigeria can print a footballer reliably?

in #sprtshub6 years ago

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Taribo West, a player who has defended Inter Milan and AC Milan, is one of many footballers from Ajegunle.
Ajegunle is one of the slums in the Nigerian city of Lagos, which is notoriously dangerous. However, the region also holds a reputation as a producer of a number of footballers reliably. What's the secret?
Since the early 1990s, Ajegunle or AJ City as well known locals, continues to score footballers reliably. Taribo West, Odion Ighalo, Brown Ideye, Samson Siasia, Obafemi Martins, and Jonathan Akpoborie are all from the region.
In fact, living for the slum population is not very easy.
Every day they have to face high crime rates, lack of clean water, electricity, and health care.
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So what are the factors that drive Ajegunle into a producer-capable footballer region? One is diversity.
"The community here is made up of many ethnically diverse people," said Bennedict Ehenemba, a native of Ajegunle who monitors talent for German clubs.
"In Ajegunle there are people from the tribes of Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Itsekiri and all the other tribes in Nigeria.This is where the talent gathering in Nigeria," he added.
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Ajegunle's youngsters can play football in a safe place.
Many success stories can be traced from two local institutions, the St. Mary's Catholic Church and Naval barrack camps.
Both places become a safe location for young people to kick the skin round.
Another open area, called 'Area Boys', is difficult to play because it is often occupied by local thugs. They will charge the people who want to play there.
The former spearhead of Nigeria's national team, Jonathan Akpoborie, honed his skills at Ajegunle before he took part in the Bundesliga in the 1990s.
"This is really a place for football in Nigeria," Akpoborie said.
Football, he argues, is not just a game for young people but a way to gain a better life.
"I do not want to undermine the area by linking footballers to poverty success, but there is nothing that young people can do, they spend most of their time playing football here while developing themselves to become talented footballers."
As influential as Ajegunle, according to Akpoborie there is always one player on the national team coming from the slums.
"That way I started, the first adults played, we watched them, and finally we played in the field, they inspired us," Akpoborie said.
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Former Nigeria national team striker, Jonathan Akpobori, played in the Bundesliga in the 1990s.
Ajegunle has a grassroots football system, which encourages talented youngsters to play competitively in local clubs early on.
That opportunity gives them the advantages that graduate soccer players do not have.
Alfred Emuejeraye, who took part in the Swiss soccer competition, grew up in Ajegunle.
He believes the secrets of slum-dwelling success are a deep love for soccer.
"People here, the community is very passionate about football, very passionate about everything and are eager to succeed in everything they do, from musicians to taxi drivers. The community here is so complete," Emuejeraye said.
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