A Nigerian footballer, Babatunde Joseph, has revealed the unpleasant experiences he faced in his bid to play professional football in Europe. In this interview with Trust Sports, the attacking midfielder said after being duped by agents, he was detained in Lithuania for 18 months for illegally entering the country following his escape from Belarus.
When did you start your football career?
I started playing in the streets of Lagos when I was very young. In fact, I was five years old when I started. I also grew up watching my elder uncles who were professional footballers and that was how my love for football started. I played in Oshodi, Isolo, Mushin streets.
Did your parents support your decision to play football?
My parents opposed me. I grew up with my grandparents and that was where I watched my uncles playing football. They opposed me because those uncles didn’t finish school and they didn’t want me to follow that path. They didn’t entertain that idea until I gained admission into the Lagos Polytechnic. I joined the school team, even played in the NUGA games but dropped out in 2018 when I got an opportunity to travel to Europe.
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Share with us your experiences with Nigerian football agents and your trips abroad…
It was a horrible experience. I met an agent who promised to take me to Georgia which is in Eastern Europe. I went there in 2018 but came back after three months. I jumped ignorantly at the offer and it became my first failure. The visa I used to enter was a tourist visa instead of a work (sports) visa. The agent showed me an invitation from a club interested in me but it turned out to be a fake invitation letter. We got into the country, and he was attempting to use his connection to get me a club but no club was willing to take me because I didn’t have the legal permit to work.
I returned to Nigeria in shame after about three months with nothing to show. I didn’t go home knowing how much they invested in my trip. I was squatting with friends but one of my cousins suspected I was not in Georgia. She reached out to me and I opened up to her. She took me in and was living with her and her husband. She gave me options that she would support me but if after one year nothing happened, I must return to school or find another career path. Luckily for me I was playing in Ikeja Junior League when I met another agent who said there was another offer for me in Belarus. That was another mistake from me. I was told I wasn’t going to pay for the visa until it was out. Truly, within one week the visa was out. I got confirmation from the embassy and it was real.
I approached my cousin who sourced for money for me to pay and travel believing I was going to sign a deal. On getting to Belarus, I saw lots of Africans and that was when it dawned on me that it was all fishy arrangements. I was there throughout 2020 before I got the opportunity to run away. I crossed the border to Lithuania illegally. All my documents were seized in the camp called Malorita affiliated with FC Brest. We crossed with the help of smugglers who we paid. It was a life and death experience as we were detained in Lithuania for 1 year 6 months without communication. We were tagged criminals.
I was later released through a court order and from there I was able to play football once again with four different clubs without contract. I was not paid although one of the coaches wanted to get the paperwork for me but the government was keen to have us leave the country. I was one of the most popular migrants in that country as I was always in their newspapers with very good stories. I worked with an apple farm to make some money. I got back to Nigeria last year.
What do you intend to do about the agent you called fake?
I have not seen the agent till now. When I was in Europe, I asked my brother to look for him but he was nowhere to be found. At the time, he was asking my brother for the balance of the money.
What have you been doing since you returned?
I have not been able to do anything in Nigeria. Football is very spiritual and once it’s in you, it’s very difficult to do other things. I train with a grassroots team here in Abuja called Alpha United and hustle by the side to survive. I have not done anything meaningful. I am training with the hope to get a concrete deal.
How much support have you gotten from your parents since you returned to Nigeria?
My parents are aware I am back in Nigeria but it is shameful. I have not seen my parents till now. My mum is in Lagos, my dad is in Ogun State. I know how I left home and I can’t go back to that. I had planned to go to Europe and make money and send to them as well as pay off debts that they incurred for me. They borrowed about $1000 which I used to pay smugglers and other things to get out. I struggled with mental health.
Despite all these, do you still dream of playing football?
I still dream of playing professional football. I am not dreaming of playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona. If that comes, all well and good but I just want to play professional football.
What is your advice to young footballers who are eager to travel to Europe for professional football?
I am now advocating for young players to avoid Eastern European football. The countries there won’t accept grassroot footballers except well-established players. A foreigner coming into their league must either come through affiliate agency or a national talent who they will want to export to boost their leagues.
