Highly rated Nigerian striker Obinna Obiefule is enjoying a new lease of life in the Maltese Premier League after his proposed switch to Norwegian side Sandnes Ulf fell through.
His frequent goal bursts have installed him as the undisputed goal king in Malta and hopes to attract big offers that will make him compete with top strikers in Europe next season.
Obinna is delighted with his blistering start to the season. The younger brother of Paul Obiefule signed a year’s deal with Mosta from another Maltese club Marsaxlokk during this January transfer window and has been dubbed the new king of goals in Malta, currently the top scorer in the Maltese championship with 15 goals in 14 matches as of February 4, 2012.
Obinna, this is actually one of the best in your career so far scoring goals. How does the feeling?
Firstly, I give God the glory for what am doing right now, I have said this long ago that my ability always gives me the confidence that I can excel in this game, this is actually not my best, it just a stepping stone but when a bigger challenges come, I can conquer them. Scoring goals is not just my problem but the opportunity at the highest level to prove myself has always been my dream.
And it seems your current performance has open big offer for you in the Maltese league for joining another club Mosta FC in the January transfer window…
Yes, joining Mosta is another challenge for me because they signed me purposely to score goals for them. Mosta is another big club in Malta but that is not the case for now than to score goals for them. They told me that my goals is very important to them and I believe I can lift the team. It did not take me so long to show them what am up to in scoring two goals on my debut. I was happy that I started on a bright note with Mosta. I always love to score against my former teams and when I scored against Hamrun, I was excited, and the confidence increased more.
Presently, you have scored 15 goals in 14 matches in the Maltese league, what exactly is your target personally and for the club?
This is the beginning for Mosta. I will do my best to score many goals. I want to help the team remain in top flight and fight for a slot to play in Europe next season. Personally, I have not set a goal target for myself because Samuel Eto’o, and Didier Drogba does not set target so early. My main focus is to keep scoring goals. I think 15 goals is not that much compare to the league am playing now but it is a pleasure for me to have picked a good form on my return to the league and that has show what I can offer a biggr club in Europe. But by the time, I score 20 goals, I can set a target of 30 goals for myself but for now, I want to keep scoring to keep the world busy on my games.
It seems coming back to the league has brought something special to you again…
You know at times, God knows how he does things in a favourable way for we human beings. And I think there is a big plan for me from God that is why he made impossible to play in Norway after I had good talked and trained with the club. I must confess. In less than six months, I have won five man of the matches, player of the month on three occasions and the fans keep giving me the support that I can excel. So my coming back is to finish the unfinished business in the league.
But what about the fact that most Nigerians don’t keep watching monitoring a low standard league like Malta…
You see, that is the mistake we normally make at time, remember Cristiano Ronaldo was from nowhere before Ferguson turned him to super star, right now is the most expensive player in the history of football. All these am saying is just a matter of chance and time of God. It is true that Nigerians are not watching any other league than English Premier League and La Liga and majority of Nigerian coaches did not know any player in other leagues than Premiership and Spain, and I think that is why our national team looks boring because we always celebrate the big names we keep watching every week whereas there are lots of far better players who just need a chance to prove their career right. Football has gone beyond big names, I believe if I am playing in England, Russia, Spain or Germany by now I will be call for national team but because our coaches does not have time in monitoring players any longer that is why we fail to make impact at international level.
Are you saying you are better than some Super Eagles striker in the national team?
With dues respect, if I have my chance I will prove my statement that I am better than some players in the team but it is not about telling you but showing it on the pitch.
With the fact that most of them are playing in big clubs in England, Spain, Germany, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine?
That is what am saying, who knows what God has for me in the summer, establishment is all about chance and ability to stick with it. Yes, I am in Malta still I am proud of my success today even though I have not make it big but I know the future is bright.
Can you really make a statement with the big boys in the ‘boring’ Super Eagles team that failed to qualify for 2012 Nations Cup?
I am not trying to canvass a call for myself because if Keshi did not invites me that does not mean I will not mean I will not be there. It just about God’s time. I know what I can do, though if I am call, I will deliver and make myself proud for the country but it is not a do or dies affair.
I could remember when you were quoted as saying in the press that you wanted Dream Team shirt during the All African Games and Olympic qualifiers and it seems nobody looks at your side? Are you disappointed?
I am not disappointed that I was ignored but I was because the team failed even with all the invited players. I keep asking the criteria in inviting players to the national team. If they can be inviting somebody playing in Vietnam, Albania, Nigeria league and other low standard leagues, why can’t they give players in Malta and other league the same chance to prove themselves in the team. I think national team is for everybody to come and prove ourselves. I am highly disappointed that the team failed with the star studded squad.
Did you think you could have made a difference?
I am not saying that I will make the difference but that could have give the coach many options. I am not a messiah but a determined footballer and a goal scoring striker. I may not have been playing in Spain or England but I believe I am better some current Eagles striker but I don’t need to rush, because my time will come. It just that it annoying when you are doing well and your country coaches ignored you at the peak of your form.
Was that the reason why you wanted to dump Nigeria for Benin Republic sometime last year?
It was not that I wanted to dump Nigeria for Benin. The Benin FA contacted me to switch national allegiance because of my consistent performance but I told them to hold on till I consulted my family before will further on the discussion, and that was the time I made it clear that Nigerian coaches should give me a chance but nobody is looking into my side and the talk is still withheld for now.
After consulting your family here Nigeria, what did they advised you to do?
Of course no family will like to agree on such offer. They convince to ignore them and wait for Nigeria chances in the future that I am still young and they will not like seeing me in another country’s colour when my brother had played for the country.
What about Paul’s advise?
Paul always gives me the confidence that I will get my call in Nigeria that I should wait and concentrate on my career that Nigeria call is still wide open for me and I believe him.
Did he shared his own experience with you?
He does not need to share it because I knew it already. He was one of the younger players in the Super Eagles team that won bronze in 2006 and he has then improve a lot at club level but I don’t know why he was shut of the team but he never bothered. He always tell me national team is soldier go soldier come, even at times the old soldier can still come if he’s fit but the best way is to keep focus.
Why did you think he has not been invited to the Eagles after 2006?
Paul is a cool headed guy forget whether is my brother or not. He does not care about those things, instead he will advise you not to give up. And I am sure he’s not giving up and I believe Keshi may give him a chance this time around. I don’t know why he has not been giving call up, and that is Nigeria for you.
We have two brothers in the current Super Eagles team and they are doing well. Is it what you dream of?
The Uche brothers are fantastic. They really prove their selves when giving the chance, and I believe we can do better even if Paul has the chance again.
You are a striker, Paul is a Midfielder while your elder brother is also a football agent, does it mean that football runs in your family?
Football runs in our family but it was not an easy task to choose it as career. But Paul and my agent have really help me a lot and he has makes name for himself both at home and abroad. He has played at the highest level in the national team, and that alone is giving me the zeal to be a better player than Paul. We shared things together.
You were at Norway for some months late last year in a bid to secure a deal with Sandnes Ulf but everything went down as a matter of work permit. How does the feeling then?
Yes, I was there to secure a deal with Sandnes Ulf but I could not due to document delay. Infact, I have been training and doing things with the club before I got to know that no deal will be sealed. I felt bad because I have already prepared myself for the league and with the help of my brother Paul in the country, I settle down quickly but I think that is the way God want it.
Was that the reason why you went back to Malta where you are once a hero?
When I discovered that I will not be playing in Norway, my brother Paul Obiefule and my agent then advised me to return back to Malta where some clubs are already offering me deal but I turned it down because I want to play in Norway but once I notice that Norway deal is not yet, then I took the advice to go back to Malta.
Is it a difficult decision for you to return after Paul advised you?
It was not a difficult one because Paul know the best thing for me and he knows my talent, his advise for me is to keep my fitness for match purpose instead of staying without club in Norway till January that is why I return and I did well.
At the moment, you are at a peak of your career. What exactly is the secret?
My brothers, Paul and God are the secret, Paul have a big plan for me, and my agent who is also my elder brother knows what I can do and that is why Sandnes Ulf still want me back in January but I think that could be difficult because I have used my goals to call so many attentions, but I will still wait to hear from my advisors to know my next move at the end of summer. Scoring a hat-trick in my first game, and scoring in the second game as well. Obviously, this has given me confidence to score a lot of goals in the league and win the top scorer award at the end of the season.
Are you saying there are clubs wanted to sign you in January before you joined Mosta?
I have several offers on my table but I am not going to reveal anyone yet except Sandnes that is already known. I have clubs in France, Germany, Norway and Portugal but I am still waiting to hear from my agents to know the situation things.
But where will you like to play if you are to choose?
Anywhere I will be playing consistently like my brother. I love playing every week and that has been my dream to any club I will move to.
In an interview with Paul, he said choosing football was difficult one for him because your parent want him to finish his University programme then. Is it the same thing to you as well?
(Ahaaaaa, bros e no easy ooo) It was a battle, though Paul battled opens way for me becaue he started before but It was a total war in our family. Then, nobody taught we have a dream in this game because most people see footballer as roughens and we came from a unique family that everybody is educated and God bless us with his grace, so money was never a problem to further our education but the passion of the game kills the dream of going to school.
If not for the passion of football, and you further your education. What would you have become?
I would have become a politician because I would have read Political Science. I like politics a lot and maybe I could have been contesting for a local government in my state.
But Politics has been described as a dirty game…
People make it dirty. It is not that it is a dirty game. Is football not dirty? And people still make the best of it, so what are we saying?
Did you still have the dream to go into Politics?
After football, I have to further my education, and I will join a Political party in my State, then I can start dreaming of the next aspect of my career. I have a big dream for Politics.
What will your first dream position in the Political office?
I will start from somewhere, but I have the dream to Rule my state Governorship election.
As a Malta based player, did you think Joining Nigeria Politics after football will add anything to your profile?
I understand what you mean but it is not the way you thought that I will run politics. Though I agree with you that Politics is not well practice in Nigeria, it suppose to be an avenue to help and promote the country and that is why some European countries are better than us in terms of economy. There is nothing bad if Nigeria can be paying local league players in Dollars like they pay Super Eagles stars as match bonus. That is another way of developing the league and the country.
What is your favourite food?
I love to eat Fufu and Egusi
Can you prepare it?
Yes of course, I can cook very well.
Favourite wheel?
Poche car
Best designer?
Gussi
