While some Nigerians will be fine with the decision of Tosin Adarabioyo to commit his international future to Nigeria, the same can’t be said about former captain of the team John Obi Mikel.
Tosin persistently snubbed the chance to represent Nigeria starting from 2018 when he was first approached by former coach Gernot Rohr.
In 2022 he reiterated his desire to progress through the youth ranks of England to the main team, shortly after leading Fulham to promotion to the English Premier League.
Now at Chelsea, where is struggling to get regular run of games and approaching 29 in September this year, he has for the first time openly requested to be a part of the Super Eagles.
Not even in the summer, when he visited Nigeria after winning the club world cup, and was interviewed on national television did he openly admitted like now.
“I have been through the English youth national teams. I was born in London, but I also feel very connected to my Nigerian roots. Last summer I spent my vacation in Nigeria, it’s a wonderful country with a fascinating culture. I followed the Nigerian national team intensively at the last Africa Cup of Nations, they have a fantastic team. It would be a great honour for me to wear the green jersey, but currently my focus is entirely on my goals with Chelsea FC”, he was quoted as saying by Tribuna.
It’s this type of behaviour from players born abroad that Mikel spoke about in an interview last year , where he called out players who have hoped on a call up to another country but later switched to Nigeria at an age, where they know they can’t get into the national team of their choice.
Mikel was speaking in relation to Shola Ameobi, and the case is not that different from that of Tosin. Mikel said such players are not welcome and they should stick and die with their earlier choice.
“Shola had the opportunity to come play for Nigeria. Nigeria were chasing him, the Nigerian FA kept asking Shola to come play for us, and he refused.
“He said, ‘No, I wanna play for England. I am waiting for England, waiting for a call-up from England.’
“Shola gave us a call when he was 29, almost 30, to come and play for us, and then he came and only played one year. That was when the Nigerian FA didn’t have an option because we were going to the World Cup, so, okay, let’s just give him the chance.
“But he waited till he was past his best… then he decided, ‘I wanna come play for Nigeria.’ Those are the things I am talking about. We are not a second option. I didn’t know what the situation was with his family back then, but just an example for me. Players shouldn’t wait, you can’t wait.
While acknowledging that Ameobi is a “lovely fella”, Mikel Obi was forthright in his criticism of the former striker’s decision-making.
“If you make a decision when you’re 17, or 16, stick to it. Don’t give us a call when you are 30 and say, ‘Now, I wanna represent my African roots”.
