He is a man of few words, but Super Eagles’ assistant captain, Austin Ejide, was as expressive as the ridge of a cat’s back when he spoke glowingly about his ‘jewel of inestimable value.”
It is just like yesterday that Austin and former Miss Chitto Anidebe walked down the aisle and speaking with The Nation Sport & Style while on a recent international duty, the Super Eagles’ goalkeeper at Brazil 2014 World Cup said his wife is indeed the bone of his bone.
”I have a very loving wife and I really thank God for being able to meet her,” Ejide said matter-of-factly.“She is the best thing to have happened to me.
“We have been together for about six years now and I really thank God for her life. She is the woman of my dream and I actually believe in what the scripture says that you are renewed every day when you marry the woman of your dream.”
Ejide also waxed philosophical while speaking about his first love: music.
“I love music especially cultural music,” he disclosed. “Without culture, there is no life and that is why I love cultural music from any part of the world.”
Ejide is indeed a renaissance man and a testament to American musician, Billy Joe’s assertion that ‘music in itself is healing; an explosive expression of humanity and no matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.’
Hear Ejide: “My idea about life is to be able to know things from the culture of other people. If I can summarise it, it is that I’m living not just existing. So I love music from the Arabs, Jews, Americans, English and all kinds of music; be it Nigerian, Igbo or even Yoruba music.
“But in Nigeria, I listen to a lot of Celestine Ogwu and I love Oliver De Coque and Olisadebe because there songs have deeper meanings which I can relate with. These are the sort of music I like because they would make you grow and wise,” he noted.
Incidentally, Ejide is of the Igbo stock as his favourite, the late Sunday Akanite, whose stage name, Oliver De Coque, is well entrenched in Nigeria’s entertainment folklore.
Born in Onitsha, Anambra State, Ejide has played for Gabros International and SC Bastia in Corsica, which competes in Ligue 2 of the French Football League and currently plays for Israeli Premier Side Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
Ejide started his career with Gabros International before joining Etoile du Sahel. With the Tunisian club, he reached two CAF Champions League finals, losing both. In 2006, Ejide joined SC Bastia of the French Ligue 2, where he spent three years before moving to Israeli team Hapoel Petah Tikva. After the club’s relegation, Ejide moved to Hapoel Be’er Sheva in 2012.
He made his debut for Nigeria against Namibia on 16 June, 2001.He has been named in three FIFA World Cup squads: 2002 in Japan and South Korea, 2010 in South Africa, and 2014 in Brazil. He has also been a member of the Super Eagles’ squad at five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments: 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013, winning the competition in the latter. In 2013, he was selected for Nigeria’s squad at the FIFA Confederations Cup.
In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations hosted in Ghana, Nigeria’s coach, Berti Vogts, selected Ejide as first choice goalkeeper, ahead of Vincent Enyeama, in all of Super Eagles’ four matches. On 21 January, 2008, he played his first AFCON game as Nigeria lost 12 to Côte d’Ivoire in the first match of Group B. However, he kept clean sheets in Nigeria’s 00 draw with Mali and 20 win over Benin.
Recently at home on an international duty with the Super Eagles, Ejide speaks briefly about some of the things that he likes outside the career that has given him fame and fortune. Excerpts…
Being fashionable
Fashion is all about the way you dress and how you often put on your cloth. Fashion says so much about you and, personally, I love to be smart and simple. That is my style of fashion. You asked about my tattoos? Of course, I like tattoos and I can’t really say why I like them.
My family
I have a small family consisting of my wife, and we have a boy and a girl now. They are doing great and my priority now is to give them maximum attention. To train them in the way they should go and to really shape their lives. I want to be a good role model for my son especially and I’m the kind of person who wants to lead others by example. My action must be in line with what I’m telling you and that is the kind of things I want to teach my son. My son is about two years old; he loves playing football and playing piano. So far, I don’t know what he wants to do but I think he loves music a great deal. I would be there watching what he wants to do and I would be there to encourage him.
Music & me
I love music, especially cultural music. Without culture, there is no life and that is why I love cultural music from any part of the world. My idea about life is to be able to know things from the culture of other people. If I can summarise it, it is that I’m living not just existing. So I like music from the Arabs, Jews, Americans, English and all kinds of music; be it Nigerian; Igbo or even Yoruba music. But in Nigeria, I listen to a lot of Celestine Ogwu and I love Oliver de Coque and Olisadebe because their songs have deeper meanings which I can relate with. These are the sort of music I like because they would make you grow.
My ideal goalkeepers
There is no doubt that one goalkeeper I really admired when growing up in the game was Peter Schmeichel; the former Manchester United star. I equally admired David James of England; these are the two I really liked because of their outstanding good qualities. Two players are not the same; it’s like asking if Messi is the same thing as Ronaldo. I think different players have their different styles and it is the same thing with goalkeepers. You could like one for his elegant displays; you could like others for their sharp reflexes or how they handle the ball.
Being Eagles captain
Having the opportunity to captain the Super Eagles is not a big deal, really, because this is a team with players who have good leadership qualities. But as for me, it is just an opportunity to be able to show what I can do and to also continue to remind the players what are the objectives of the team.
