Ex-Falcon footballer Chified shares very inspiring piece

In this inspiring piece which she shared on her instagram page, former Falcon’s player Chichi Igbo talks about how she overcame all obstacles, including her father who didn’t believe in her dreams of being a footballer, and becoming the only Nigerian girl to go pro internationally at the age of 16. Find the piece below… 

Give away jersey signed by myself and my teammates. This is a special piece, won championships and scored a lot of goals in this jersey, I cld’ve decided to save it as a souvenir but I want to inspire someone, touch some’s life, give hope or just put a smile on someone’s face. Let me tell y’all something you don’t know about me, something to remember whenever it seems to hard to keep pushing, when you feel the world is on your shoulders. I was that girl that was told by her Dad that she’d never amount to nothing if soccer is what I wanted to waste my time with.

 

Got my ass whooped everyday by him, but next day I’m out there with the boys doing what I burn for. Villagers started talking cos hanging around boys was not normal but all that was on deaf ears. I was that girl on the street, kicking my orange, tied bags, basically any round object I cld find, barefooted. I was that girl that walked miles to and from school barefooted on the hot sand and burning sun, patched up uniforms, come home to no food. Worked at the farm everyday so we could eat, walked miles from the stream with water on my head so we could have water. I was that girl that was used as a slave by the so called “bigger players” running errands, shopping, washing their cloths while they were napping, getting their rest before the next training session.

But I’am the only Nigerian girl to go pro overseas at 16. my struggle didn’t end there but life got a lot better. What I’m trying to say is dreams do come true, you may start all the way from the bottom, the road may not be smooth, you have people try to discourage you from following your dream but don’t let anything or anyone stop you, stay focused and follow your heart. Stand firm and stay pushing, let them be your motivation. I’m glad my Dad was alive to see me become what he never imagined. I shaded tears the day he told me he was proud of me. I thank him for being my motivation cos I worked my ass off just to prove him wrong. DON’T EVER STOP BELIEVING IN YOURSELVES!!