A first class honours degree in law, playing for Chelsea ladies and England, the trainee solicitor at a leading law firm is on a roll…
Born in Lagos on February 21, 1987, Eniola Aluko has sadly for Nigeria opted to play for England. This is a terrible loss for Nigeria. England got there first. She entered the England set-up at the age of 14. She is somewhat unapologetic about this: “the main thing for me is for people to understand that choosing to play for England doesn’t mean that I don’t support Nigeria. I am as much Nigerian as I am British. Of course, Nigeria means a lot to me, it is part of me, but I have been brought up by English coaches.”
Her incursion into the England set-up has bee positive. Having represented England at under-17 level, she scored on her under-19 level debut. Although, she is not representing Nigeria, she still presents a positive face of a Nigeria that is often felt to be in need of rebranding. Her tenacity in everything she does is admirable.
A good example is that despite a clash with her A-level studies she still played in the UEFA women’s euro 2005. In that tournament she sat her history exam on the morning of England’s 2-1 defeat to Denmark.
She sailed through her A-levels nevertheless at Cadbury College, Birmingham. The high octane energy showed again when she went to study law at Brunel University. She took a first there in 2008 and has studied for the New York bar exam.
While busy with England and Chelsea, she is equally immersed as a trainee solicitor with the Avant Garde Onside law legal practice. She joined Onside law as a trainee solicitor in March 2014. She had previously, according to the firm’s website, worked at a leading entertainment law firm. At Onside law she assists the firm across all commercial and contentious matters.
The practice is obviously made to match for her talent. The environment is obviously stimulating. For the practice combines “…senior in house experience from within the sports and entertainment industry with first class city law backgrounds.” In their own words, the synergy here is that, “this ensures clients receive the practical, flexible and informed legal advice that the increasingly complex and sophisticated sector needs.” Commentators have noted that the practice has a “faultless knowledge of the sports sector.”
In her it is edifying to see something delightful coming out of rambunctious Lagos. If the PR people really need a face to rebrand Nigeria, they will find a positive one in Eniola Aluko. Her motto in life also attests to why she will make Nigeria so proud as a brand ambassador. “Never let success get to your head or failure are part of life, what is important is how you deal with both.”
A very worthy Nigerian.