Tajudeen Ajide has revealed that not having the privilege to play for the senior national team, the Super Eagles, during this playing career still haunts him.
“I started playing football when I was at Elizabeth Fowler Memorial Primary School, and the spirit led me to St. Timothy’s College and Igbobi College where I had my Higher School Certificate (HSC) education.
Tajudeen Ajide
“I did my best at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where I had a brief stay before I travelled to England to further my education at Belford University where I did my first degree, and Westminster University for Human Resources Management.
“At all these places, I exhibited my skills in the game of football and I am happy today that I contributed my quota to the game,” he told TheNiche.
Ajide, whose junior brother, Ganiyu, had a stint with the Super Eagles before he fell out of favour in the team, said football has really contributed to his success on earth.
The former defence ace of defunct First Bank FC of Lagos and the junior national team, the Flying Eagles, urged football administrators to invest in sports, especially football, to curb crime rate in the country.
He said: “My first contact with international football was when I left First Bank Football Club of Lagos after a brief stint with the Flying Eagles and joined Colchester United FC of England in the early 80s.
“I left there and joined Wimbledon with John Fashanu, Derry Young among others. But in those days, we were doing our best and enjoying what we were doing. I thank God; without football, I don’t think I would have left the shores of Nigeria.
“I would have loved to play for the Super Eagles in those days, but I was not opportuned and I felt bad.”
Ajide, who is now the chairman of the Surulere Local Government in Lagos State under the All Progressives Congress (APC), urged government and public-spirited individuals to invest in sporting activities.
A Master’s degree holder in Business Administration from University of Liverpool, London, Ajide said apart from playing the game of football in his youthful days, he is also involved in football sponsorship for over two decades.
“Apart from my youthful activities, since 1987, I have been consistently sponsoring football in my area, Surulere Local Government.
“Former Super Eagles player, Obafemi Martins, once played for Orile-Iganmu youth when I organised a sporting activity in year 2000.
“The junior league in the local government has not been left behind. For the passion I have for sports, I spent my personal money for sports development in the local government.
“If one fails to invest in sporting activities, one is inviting criminality. Investing in sports reduces crime rate, as it creates employment opportunities for idle youths.
“Sports are my priority. I’m into politics because of sports. I have also invested into other sporting activities. In the last 14 months, I have funded over 15 games,” he said.
Ajide called on fellow ex-internationals such as Friday Ekpo, Lati Danmola, Godson Uti, Raham Alarape, Muyiwa Olaofe, Bremner Alada, Mike Dominic, Taiwo Oloyede, Ekpeyong Ene Ita, Nicolas Nwadike and a host of others to join hands and help development the game of football in the country.
He said: “We’ve passed our time in the game and we’ve paid our dues but we should come together and join hands to help develop the game in the country. We should continue to encourage the young ones and guide them through their playing period, for the growth of the game.
“We have abundant talents in the country, and if we fail to groom them well, we will not have good hands to replace the ageing ones presently in the national teams.”
On Super Eagles World Cup performance at the just-concluded World Cup in Brazil, Ajide advised stakeholders to forget the past and forge ahead.
His words: “The team actually tried at the Mundial, but perhaps failed to the expectation of millions of Nigerians.
“That notwithstanding, we should praise the team for the efforts put up at the Mundial and can only look for a way out.
“Agreed, some of the players failed to live up to expectations; but there were some of the players that performed excellently such as goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama. So, we should build from what we achieved at Brazil 2014.
“Those ones that are weak and not performing can be dropped, while the technical crew should build a new team round the players that are still willing to perform and do the nation proud.”