Home | Columnist | A Kidnap Victim’s Turnaround Tale

A Kidnap Victim’s Turnaround Tale

By
Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font

Choice Aisien, now a successful man in Germany, attributes his accomplishments to a  shift in focus from soccer to business

He left Nigeria for Germany as a promising young footballer in 2001, with high hopes of making a name for himself in the round leather game. But things didn’t quite work out for Choice Aisien, as he neither lasted long in the game nor achieve global fame like some of  his contemporaries.

Aisien, however, didn’t allow such  disappointment to overwhelm him. He simply chose to hang his  boots and opt for another source of  livelihood. He chose to become a businessman, indulging in import and export business, and also acting as a soccer scout. Two years after, Aisien is feeling happy for the decision he took, as it proves that there’s life after football. Looking relaxed that evening at a social gathering in Frankfurt, Germany, Aisien took Newswatch down memory lane on how he landed in Germany  10 years ago to begin life as a professional footballer.

His love for soccer manifested in Benin City, where, like many boys, the youngster was to be found on the streets playing football. He later graduated to playing  for some youth clubs in the ancient town before finally travelling to Germany to join the youth club of Eintracht Frankfurt in 2001. As a youth player for Eintracht Frankfurt, Aisien participated in a youth tournament where, according to him, he gave a good account of himself. “There was a game we played against Celtic Glasgow of Scotland. I won the man of the match award and scored a goal against Celtic, so, I got invitation to go to Celtic,” he said.

But his move to Celtic only happened after the player had joined Offenbach Kickers in the second division in 2004. He played for Offenbach for one year and only decided to move to Celtic when it dawned on him that Offenbach Kickers’ management were not keen to keep him.

His contract at Celtic Glasgow, he said, was one of the best  he ever had in his soccer career. “It was good and perfect and was a really big time club and I enjoyed it.” Although he never represented Nigeria at any international competition, Aisien said he was initially a member of the national U-20 team that later participated in the World Youth Championship  in Holland, in 2005. But he didn’t make the final list that travelled  for the tournament.

Having returned to Germany, from Scotland, Aisien did some trials with some teams in the first and second divisions but “didn’t make the teams.” He then ended up with a third division club but was unable to get regular playtime. Looking back at that period, Aisien admits that he “was not in form.” That informed his decision  to return to Nigeria to team up with a club in the country. Enyimba appealed to him more, and so Aisien headed for Aba, to join Enyimba. This was after he had spoken to Austin Eguavoen,  the then Enyimba coach, who agreed to have him in the team.

But what the young man thought would be a pleasurable time in Nigeria was rubbished by a kidnapping incident involving him. This was in the 2008/2009 season and at the height of the kidnapping saga in that commercial nerve centre of Abia State.

“I was kidnapped and taken away. They took me to a place called Isiala Ngwa. They said I should bring N100 million. I told them I didn’t  have money to give. They also asked me about my car and I denied I was not the owner of the car.” The player was in danger of losing his life but luck was on his side. “I thank God for everything, I didn’t have to pay anything to secure my freedom,” beamed Aisien. “They left me there, and in the morning, I found my way out of the place.”

The footballer was rattled  though and so decided to return back to Germany. But rather than bother about where next to pitch his tent in football, he decided to become a soccer agent and a businessman.

He said it was easy for him to make the switch from player to businessman because of the investments he had. One of  them was the education he acquired, even as a footballer in Germany. While playing in Germany, Aisien said he went back to school, and one of the things he learnt was the German language. He said he also paid his taxes as a Germany-based footballer and that explains why he now gets some support from the German government now that he no longer plays football. Drawing from his own experience, Aisien wants young footballers to look beyond football even when they are active in the sport:  “If you didn’t have the opportunity to go to school, try and learn some other skill. A time will come when you will no longer be in the same form you used to be and it will be difficult for you to get a contract.”

 

  • Email to a friend Email to a friend
  • Print version Print version
  • Plain text Plain text

Tagged as:

No tags for this article

Rate this article

0

Breaking News

Indicted Companies, Their Owners

Many highly placed Nigerians who own some of the companies indicted for fuel subsidy offences are likely to be arraigned in court this week The stage ...

Still a Killing Field

Fear and grief take the centre stage again in Jos after another round of crisis leading to the death of more than140 persons including two ...

Battle to Save LGs

A presidential committee headed by retired Justice Alfa Belgore suggests ways to salvage the nation’s local governments from the over bearing influence of state governors The ...

Twist in the Akpabio’s Murder Case

The family of the murdered Akpabio brothers rejects the setting up of a security committee to investigate the multiple murder incident and demands explanation for ...

Akwa Ibom Triumphs

Cross River State loses its bid to reclaim 76 oil wells which it lost through its declassification as a littoral state For Godswill Akpabio, governor of ...

Danger at the Door

Fear of religious war looms as Boko Haram sect targets churches and Christians for attacks T he   ordination   ceremony of Matthew Hassan Kukah as the Catholic ...

Danger at the Door

Fear of religious war looms as Boko Haram sect targets churches and Christians for attacks T he   ordination   ceremony of Matthew Hassan Kukah as the Catholic ...

Christians Have a Right to Defend Themselves

Gabriel Osu, monsignor and director of communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, speaks to Anthony Akaeze, assistant editor, on a number of issues relating to the ...

It’s Not a War Against Christians

Lateef Adegbite, secretary general, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, speaks to Dike Onwuamaeze, principal staff writer, and Ishaya Ibrahim, staff writer, on Boko Haram. Excerpts: Newswatch: ...

On the Rise Again

Cases of kidnapping are again on the increase in Imo State There is an upsurge in kidnapping in Imo State. The cases are much more than ...