Super Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama, has revealed that the former governor of Akwa Ibom state Godswill Akpabio made him rescind his decision to quit the national team.
After Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, the Eagles goaltender thought it was time to quit the scene but for Akpabio who changed his mind.
“I actually wanted to stop, it wasn’t a rumour. Nigeria is blessed with great goalkeepers, it’s just that we need to give them confidence,” he told NAN.
“What changed my mind was the passion of Nigerians. I had a lot of calls, my governor, Akpabio. A lot of people talked with me. These things, you don’t just ignore, and my wife also talked with me.
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“My wife didn’t want me to leave yet. I talked with my pastor and he said if everybody said stay, why not. So, I decided to continue, but then, there is going to be a time to call it quits.”
The time now is tentatively fixed for 2017 after the AFCON.
“I can’t keep doing the same thing forever; there is going to be a time I have to stop and give it up to some other persons,” he said.
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“It is actually 13 years and a month since I began serving Nigeria and I don’t think any other player except maybe Austin Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo and a few others had stayed that long, so I think I have done my bit.”
Enyeama made his debut for Nigeria against Kenya in May 2002 and has gone on to be capped 100 times for the team, making him the highest capped player in the team’s history with former captain, Joseph Yobo.
But he recalls his humble beginning.
“Nobody gave me a chance when I started, I was a rookie also; I belted up, I worked hard for it and became the big person that nobody wants to lose,” he said.
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The Lille of France first-choice made his debut at the FIFA World Cup against England where he kept a clean sheet.
He has gone on to feature at the 2010 and the 2014 World Cups.
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