Exclusive : Maduka Okoye: Career On Course, Lessons on Board – I Love Nigeria

Oma Akatugba

When the Super Eagles threw away a 4-0 lead against Sierra Leone in the AFCON qualifying game in November, hell was let loose.

Rightfully, the sticks came from all angles and the man in goal had his to take, in good measures.

Criticisms were placed before his feet and he would have felt pain and disappointment stick to his gloves but in the second leg in Freetown, Gernot Rohr stuck to the young goalkeeper.

Everything has changed ever since.

Maduka Okoye has since become the number one goalkeeper at his club, Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie. With good number of games under his belt, he has grown in one of Europe’s finest talent factories. It may just be the perfect place for the former Fortuna Dusseldorf man to rise to the desired level in football.

I hung out with him again at home in Rotterdam and we spoke about the Super Eagles, his club career, his expectations, Nigerian music his father and an exquisite Mercedes Benz.

“Time has passed since the last match we had, time is passing by really really quickly. I’ve been playing a lot of games recently. We had some good time with the team, now we’re in a bit of a struggling time and it’s part of football, it’s not always the best but I’m in a good mood and I can’t wait to be back in Nigeria this month, ” he said.

Okoye talked about the beauty of having a progressive career and everything he hopes to become.

“I’m very thankful for this (the stadium). It’s an opportunity for me in life and God gave me this chance and I’m really thankful for this, for everything, for this apartment, for this club. I feel great here and of course I have to put in work but it’s great.”
 
“As you said, in a short time all these came but I think I was prepared very well because I always worked hard. I came here as a second goalkeeper but in my head I knew I’m gonna work hard and take the number one spot and Nigeria was with Uzoho’s injury so it came even more out of nowhere, then I had some good friendlies and I’m looking forward to the next games.”

As Nigeria relinquished a comfortable lead over the Leone stars, Okoye was getting kicks and sticks on social media. Nigerians love football and can descend on players when the going is rough.

Okoye credited the coach, Rohr for sticking with him despite the criticisms that were directed his way.
 
“First of all, it’s good to have a coach like Rohr who’s always behind your back, not just me but even with other players. It feels good that he gives me confidence. I think I handled the situation good. I know as a goalie when I do right and when I do wrong so I let them talk, I talk with the person who really knows about goalkeeping, where I can do better, what went wrong, what went right, even in these games you have moments where you do something right. Every match you learn something new, and I think for myself to have these experiences as a young goalkeeper was good.”

Okoye has since put the abysmal showing of the Super Eagles behind him and is ready to represent Nigeria again.

“It’s my country, it’s my fatherland, I look forward to it always even if they hate or whatever, I don’t care, it’s my country, it’s our country, I love the country and I’m looking forward to it, ” he said.
 
On Nigerian music, Okoye said; “It’s the love for the country. This music just gives power and energy, a lot of energy, even when I’m listening to Nigerian music with white people, they get the vibe like there’s no other way than to get the vibe (it’s contagious) it’s a lot of energy you know, even before a match I just have a good feeling, these music make people smile even in hard times. It’s pure joy.”
 
Okoye owes everything to his father. He speaks glowingly about his impact on his life at every opportunity and he has a handsome reward for him. In his words, he owes his father everything – the first of which is a Mercedes Benz.
 
“It’s a very beautiful car and I’m grateful I can drive something like this. I actually bought it to give it to my papa. I’ll give it to him this summer or at the end of the year, this is my plan and he knows it. For me he always says no but I say I owe him everything.”