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Olubayo ‘Bayo’ Adefemi was a rare breed. Although rightfully a superstar in
the Nigerian context, he preferred a lifestyle that was much different from
those of the average Nigerian superstar.

For instance, the defender whose role model was Inter Milan’s Brazilian
wingback Douglas Maicon, wasn’t the type to “waste much time dressing up” as he
just simply goes to his wardrobe and “grabs anything” that catches his
attention.

He was also in love with his mother’s cooking and regarded her as the “best
cook in the world.” He was probably looking forward to eating a meal prepared
by his mother upon his return to Nigeria before the cruel hands of death
snatched him away much to the anguish of his loved ones, and fans across the
world.

During the national team’s last international engagement in Abuja at the
tail end of March, he spoke with NEXT at the team’s Transcorp Hilton Hotel
camp, in what turned out to be arguably his last interview on Nigerian soil. He
died in an automobile accident in Greece on April 18, 2011.

Below are excerpts:

On his football sojourn

First of all, I must give God all the glory for where I am now. Then my
family, my friends and all my colleagues out there. I’ve played football for a
lot of clubs starting with teams in Myhoung Barracks, Lagos where I had my
upbringing. I also played for a lot of teams outside the barracks but mostly in
grassroots tournaments before joining Insurance of Benin in 2001. The following
year I joined Delta Force before leaving for Israel in 2004 where I joined
Hapoel Jerusalem. They were playing in the second division, but after one year
with them I joined Hapoel Tel Aviv, who were playing in the first division.

But after a year with them I joined Hakoah Ramat Gan, still in Israel.

After one season at Hakoah Ramat Gan, I moved to Hapoel Bnei Lod. And from
Hapoel Bnei Lod, I went to Rapid Bucharest in Romania.

I joined Rapid Bucharest in 2008 but by 2009 I moved to Austria to play for
Rheindorf Altach. Midway through the season I moved to France to join Boulogne
and by 2010 I moved to Greece to play for Skoda Xanthi.

On Greek football and lifestyle

It might not be the biggest in Europe but the Greek league is developing
rapidly and is attracting a lot of good footballers, most notably Djibril Cisse
of Panathinaikos and Albert Riera of Olympiakos. Even my Super Eagles teammate,
Sani Kaita (who plays for Iraklis).

If I have to rate all the other leagues I have featured in descending order,
then I will rate the French league first, followed by the Romanian league then
the Greek league.

It’s been a tough nine months for me since arriving in Greece at the start
of the season. I live alone and, thank God, I have gotten used to the food but
the weather is a bit different from what I’m used to. Even the language remains
a problem but on the pitch football has a universal language. I am making an
effort to understand the language but I have teammates who speak English and we
all get along. That’s the kind of person I am. I’m a very friendly and I try to
love everyone I come across.

On his most memorable game

Every match I have played has been a challenge but I go into all of them
with the same level of passion and determination. That is the sort of person I
am; I always give my best at all times.

But one game that readily comes to mind was the quarterfinal match at the
2005 (FIFA) Under 20 World Cup against Holland. The stadium was a sea of
orange. Everyone was in orange and the noise level was very high, so high that
even your teammate who’s only two metres away would be unable to hear any
instructions you pass to him.

I had the task of marking Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, who is one of the fastest
wingers in the world. I chased him all over the pitch and didn’t give him a
single moment of respite. Anywhere he went on the pitch, I was less than a step
behind me. Even when they decided to substitute him with another player, I
still followed him to the sideline, probably just to make sure that he was
actually been taken off. It was only after then that I realized that I had
succeeded in carrying out the instruction handed to me by the coach.

On his key career decision

Sometime in 2007, I sustained what I felt was a slight knee injury while
playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv but I was scared of undergoing surgery. After I
left Hapoel Tel Aviv to join Hakoah Ramat Gan, they noticed it and traced it
back to my former club. As a result of this, they withheld my contract, telling
me to go and treat myself before returning to the club; that they weren’t going
to bear the expenses for my treatment.

Of course I refused the offer and dumped the club to return to Nigeria. That
to me was the biggest decision of my life because nobody would be there and
choose the option of returning to Nigeria.

I raised some money and got the rest of it from my insurance policy and
underwent surgery before returning to Nigeria for my rehabilitation. I was in
Nigeria for eight months trying to get better but a lot of nasty things were
being said about me by a lot of people who didn’t actually know why I was back
home.

After this period I never lost hope. I just kept praying and working hard. I
knew my chances of playing again for the national team were slim but I was
confident that once I got a club, it would only be a matter of time before I get
to return to the national team. I was only worried about getting a club.

The philanthropist

There was an incident that happened back in my time in Israel. I went to a
store to get something to eat and this guy came into this same store to do
likewise. But after picking what he wanted and was on the verge of paying for
it, he discovered that if he did that, he wouldn’t have enough left to get a
ticket for our match. So he had to return what he had got from the store.

Now, he didn’t recognise me and had no idea I was playing for his favourite
club, but I was deeply touched for here was a boy who was ready to sacrifice
his food just to watch me and my teammates.

At that point I made up my mind to help those in need; those who would
sacrifice their food to watch me play; those that stayed awake just to watch me
play at the Olympics.

So, when Yomi Kuku (of Search and Groom), approached me about the Nigerian
Homeless World Cup team, I seized the opportunity to support them, and I thank
my God for giving me a chance to give back to the needy. I don’t make as much
as so many of my fellow footballers but I am grateful for the opportunity.

The Super Eagles and the future

We are all one big happy family in the national team. Everyone has respect
for the other, from the senior players right down to the newer players. The
older players are always ready to pass down their knowledge to the younger
ones, but one other thing we have going for us is the fact that so many of us
have been together for many years.

That continuity is what I believe will soon make us a force to be reckoned
with in the world.

So many of us have been together since 2005 and have been through so many
trying moments together.

Personally, I don’t focus too much attention on the future because I don’t
want to get disappointed. I take my present seriously while I leave the future
in the hands of God.

Dress sense

I am quite simple when it comes to my style of clothes. I don’t waste much
time dressing up. I just go to my wardrobe and pick anything that catches my
attention.

Automobiles

I love comfortable cars but it must also be sleek. I don’t have any
particular preference but so long as it is comfortable, I love it.

Favourite food

Anything prepared by my mother. She’s the best cook in the world and
anything she prepares is good for me.

Marital status

I’m still single for now. Hopefully not for long as plans are in the
pipeline to change all that. But God’s time is the best.

This interview was conducted in Abuja after the Africa Cup of Nations
qualifying match between Nigeria and Ethiopia on March 27, 2011.