Posted by BY CAJETAN NKWOPARA on
Eight Nigerian youths who got stranded in Europe with a refugee status hanging over their necks are about to find succour, following the little connection they had with Inter Milan of Italy striker, Obafemi Martins.
Eight Nigerian youths who got stranded in Europe with a refugee status hanging over their necks are about to find succour, following the little connection they had with Inter Milan of Italy striker, Obafemi Martins.
The youth whose names are not yet given, were Obafemi's former team-mates back in Nigeria before the player hit fame in Italy.
The report posted on Inter Website said the Nigerians whose ages range between 16 and 18 were picked up at a railway station in Padua, Italy, all looking hopeless and penniless.
Seven of the players are victims of fake football agents who had promised to get them clubs in Europe but later abandoned them while one was believed to have wandered into Italy after playing a competition in Austria.
They were picked up by three charity organizations - Amicizia, Pinocchio and Mimosa who later handed them over to the local governments of Padua and Treviso for adoption.
But according to the report, the youths remained restless, insisting on intention to locate their former team-mate, Obafemi, whom they had spent a lot of time with in Lagos.
The authorities, therefore, decided to take them to the Angelo Moratti Centre where they watched Inter train and afterwards met Obafemi, coach Roberto Mancini and other players.
Obafemi, it was revealed, did not hesitate in recognising his old pals as he spent time chatting with them and later dashed each of them the Inter's No. 30 T-shirts.
The Super Eagles star also assured his compatriots of his readiness to help them to stay and work in Italy.
But he cautioned them to be responsible and focused towards their football career in order to succeed as professionals in Europe.