Oboabona: The new defence leader

There are a few players in the Glo Nigeria Premier League nowadays who are regarded as a one-club man or cult hero. Godfrey Oboabona (pictured) is one of such having spent all of his professional club career at Sunshine Stars.

 

Oboabona, whose parents are from Edo State but have spent about 30 years of their lives in Ondo as their place of abode, started from the ranks as a football apprentice at the Ondo State Football Development Agency (OSFDA) and later graduated to play for Rising Stars before making his first appearance in the Glo Premier League with Sunshine Stars in 2010.

 

No wonder he's not just captain of the club but also face of the Akure Gunners, as Sunshine Stars are called.

 

The centre-back has attracted interest from some of the world's top clubs since winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles in South Africa.

 

Arsenal, Newcastle United and French outfit, Lille Metropole are among clubs linked with interest in him.

 

The Nigeria international is a modest fellow but he has been sighted in Akure on occasions in a 2010 Camry and also owns a bungalow in Akure given to him by the Ondo State government for his Afcon heroics.

 

In case your path crosses with that of Godfrey, he is a man of few words but he has a familiar line for everything he does and that goes "in You I trust Almighty God."

Oboabona is now a main fixture of the Nigeria's Super Eagles and has made 26 appearances. He made his international debut for Nigeria in 2012.

Profile

Full name: Godfrey Itama Oboabona

Date of birth: August 16, 1990

Place of birth: Akure, Nigeria

Height: 1.86 metres

Playing position: Defender

Club: Sunshine Stars (since 2010)