In what is a shocking revelation by John Obi Mikel, the Nigerian ace has opened up about the recent kidnapping of his father. The Super Eagles captain, who had kept this incident a secret from the public until now, discussed this scary moment in his life during the World Cup.
Speaking to KweseESPN, the African midfielder admitted that his father’s kidnapping coincided with his nation’s most crucial game in Russia: the clash with Argentina. The 31-year-old received the dreadful phone call from the abductors four hours before kick-off but did not inform anyone.
The Perpetrators threatened to shoot Pa Michael Obi “instantly” if the authorities were informed, as they demanded a $28,000 ransom for his return. The former Chelsea midfielder’s dad had been abducted in his home country as he made his way to a funeral.
The Nigeria skipper opted against seeking emotional support from the FA or manager Gernot Rohr. It was a stressful time for the footballer, but he did not want his family trouble to distract the national side from the all-important tie.
"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," Mikel said.
"I had to shut it out of my head and go and represent my country first. I was told that they would shoot my dad instantly if I reported to the authorities or told anybody.
"And I did not want to discuss it with the coach because I did not want my issue to become a distraction to the coach or the rest of the team on the day of such an important game. So as much as I wanted to discuss it with the coach, I could not do it."
Fortunately, Mikel’s father was rescued by police a week after his abduction, albeit by a “gun duel”. He was rushed to the hospital by the authorities after reportedly being tortured.
As for Nigeria, their campaign ended courtesy of a 2-1 loss to Argentina. While their run in Russia ended abruptly, the strength shown by their captain is not one that can be forgotten quickly.
