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My Dream Is To Play On The Biggest Stages Of Football – Leke James

Published

4 years ago

October 26, 2020

Nigerian professional footballer, Leke James, who plays as a forward for Norway’s Molde FK in this interview with Olawale Ayeni, states that he has what it takes to lead the Super Eagles attack if given the opportunity by the national team handlers amongst other.

How did you start your football career?

I started playing football when I was around 5-6years old in Kaduna State where I was born, then started playing with my childhood team (NITR stars Academy) in the same city.

Later played for Fc Hearts in Ghana, from there I was invited to the Nigeria U-17 team in 2008 where I played the AYC qualifiers against the Benin Republic but didn’t make it to the Tournament.

In 2010, I moved to First bank FC Lagos, there I went for trials with a club in Sweden which later didn’t work out that same year.

In 2011, I signed for Bridge boys Fc Lagos (former Julius Berger FC) then went to try with another club in Norway (Aalesunds Fk) towards the end of that year which was successful where I signed my first professional contract in Europe from January 2012, which is where another chapter of my life started to where I am today and the journey continues.

Tell us about your best and down moment in your career so far?

The best moment in my career was last year (2019) where I won the league with my team (Molde FK) the first in my career so far and also qualify for the group stage of the Europa League competition this year.

And the down moment was when I was hit by a career threatening injury in 2017 where I had surgery and was out of action for almost a year.

Who is your football mentor?

Dalima Ronaldo is my mentor, I grew up watching him, and I love his style of play.

What is your biggest dream you seek to achieve in your career?

My dream is to play on the biggest stages of football before my retirement.

Do you have what it takes to lead the Super Eagles attack?

Yes, I have what it takes to lead the Super Eagles attack if I am called with the trust and confidence of the coach. I have a lot to offer in the Eagles attack and am hopeful that my time will come.

How best can we develop the Nigerian league to meet the international best standards?

We need to put in place the right facilities, also restructuring the clubs, and improved management of the league. I think these are some key points among others that we can do to improve the Nigerian Professional football league (NPFL).

What are your plans after retirement?

The plan is to work in the football sector.

Do you still have the plans of hosting your yearly youth competition this year amidst the coronavirus outbreak?

Unfortunately, the tournament won’t hold this year because of the pandemic. We hope things get better next year. The last edition was impressive because a lot of talents were discovered and we hope to keep it that way in the next edition.

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Featured

NAPTIP Restates Commitment To Fighting Human Trafficking

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2024

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

… decries corruption in law enforcement, weak legislation

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, has pledged the agency’s commitment to fight human trafficking.

Waziri-Azi gave the assurance during an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, in Abuja.

The commitment by NAPTIP follows an investigative report by Human Angle Media exposing how many Nigerians trafficked to Egypt are inhumanely treated and exploited by their sponsors.

Represented by the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe, decried the rising number of Nigerians who are victims of trafficking, pledging that “NAPTIP is fighting on all sides to curb human trafficking.”

Akomolafe disclosed that the agency is aware of the report of Nigerians trafficked to Egypt and has already commenced interventions to rescue them while warning citizens to be wary of “offers that are too good to be true.”

She identified weak legislation, lengthy judicial processes, and corrupt law enforcement officials as factors aiding and abetting trafficking in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world.

“Corruption is endemic and cuts across other countries of the world, and that’s why trafficking is easily perpetrated in Nigeria and around the globe. You find law enforcement officials aiding and abetting traffickers. Some of them know these traffickers from their operations either at the entry or exit point. They give them something or become too familiar with them.

“Apart from the bribery aspect, we also have officials turning a blind eye to trafficking activities, and that’s why for us at the agency (NAPTIP), we are not resting.”

According to her, the agency, from inception, secured 672 convictions, 67 in 2023, and 35 persons so far this year (2024). She added that “NAPTIP is winning the war against trafficking but still wants stiffer punishment for traffickers and the support of the judiciary in hastening cases.

“weak legislation is aiding trafficking. That’s why the agency continues pushing for amendments. Currently, NAPTIP is pushing for stiffer punishment against traffickers that will lead to confiscation of their monies and property.

“NAPTIP Director-General (Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi) is fighting on all sides against human trafficking.

“Where law enforcement officials are found complicit, NAPTIP Director-General does not take it lightly; she doesn’t compromise her anti-corruption stance even when a staff is involved,” Akomolafe stated.

According to the Editor of Southern Operations, Human Angle Media, Kabir Adejumo, many Nigerians trafficked to Egypt engage in forced labour. They are also living in fear as authorities go after illegal immigrants.

Adejumo said victims interviewed during the investigation are willing and interested in returning home, but their sponsors refuse to release their travel passports and threaten to implicate them.

He also revealed that the NAPTIP and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) are aware of the plight of Nigerians trafficked in Egypt and have currently rescued one person.

On her part, the Programme Manager of the Human Angle Foundation, Angela Umoro-David, expressed satisfaction at NAPTIP’s response to trafficking cases while urging the agency to stay on course with their mandate.

Umoro-David called on Nigerians to use a Freedom of Information platform (foi.humananglemedia.com) to help citizens navigate requests for public records from different government parastatals and agencies.

She stressed that the platform “is a website where people can submit their FOI requests to us (Human Angle), and we’ll submit it on their behalf to the particular agency. So we act as middlemen, connecting these government parastatals to the citizens”.

Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation

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