Posted by By Tunde Adekeye With Agency Report on
Nigeria and its array of stars on the international scene continue to dazzle the rest of the world.
Nigeria and its array of stars on the international scene continue to dazzle the rest of the world. A combination of brains and football skill, Eniola Aluko, graduated with a First Class degree in Law from Brunnel University last Friday.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, on February 21, 1987, she is a footballer, currently playing for Chelsea Ladies.
The England striker, daughter of Senator Gbenga Aluko, who once represented Ekiti East in the Upper Chambers of the National Assembly in Nigeria, started her career at Birmingham City Ladies alongside future England team-mate, Karen Carney. She scored on her Birmingham team debut against Leeds United, aged just 14.
Eniola was named Young Player of the Year at the Women's FA Awards in 2003 and since then, has grown into a young striker of huge promise.
Having come up through the ranks of the U-19s and U-21s, Eniola is now impressing at senior level. Her first appearance for the Senior team came at the age of 17 against Holland in 2004 with England winning 2-1.
Her pace has been utilised mainly from the bench in the last year and this attribute was at the fore when she sprinted onto a through ball from Emma Coss to score the winning goal in the 2005 FA Women's Cup Final at Upton Park.
One of the most exciting young players in the women's game, Eniola has great pace and technical ability and has grown in stature, bringing an increased confidence and maturity to her game. She added to this her first England goal against the Czech Republic at Walsall in May 2005, and added two more in the 13-0 away win against Hungary in October.
Eniola, a niece of Professor Bolaji Aluko of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Howard University, Washington D.C, added to her growing reputation by scoring twice in Charlton's 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the 2006 FA Nationwide Women's Premier League Cup Final. She also played for England during the Women's Euro 2005. Eni, the grandchild of famous economist, Professor Sam Aluko, took her A levels at St. Mary's College, Blackburn, Lancashire, and then went to study Law at Brunnel University. Due to the dissolution of the Charlton ladies team, Aluko joined Chelsea ladies in July 2007.
Her younger brother, Sone, is also an England U-19 international, and is signed with Birmingham City FC, having gone out on loan in August to Aberdeen FC in Scotland.
At last year's Female World Cup, Aluko was described as 'England's top striker at the moment. Aluko is very quick, a real poacher and electric inside the box."