Crayon, a gifted musician whose real name is Charles Chibueze Chukwu, has disclosed how his aspirations for a football career were thwarted by corrupt officials from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The artist, known for hits like ‘Ijo,’ discussed his journey in football prior to achieving musical stardom during an interview on Cool FM. He recounted a painful incident that significantly impacted his mental and emotional well-being.
The rapidly rising artist under Mavin Records shared that he had been chosen to join a national youth team in 2015, only to be unjustly dropped from the team later on.
He recounted:
“In 2015, I went through a phase of depression because I couldn’t secure admission into university like my friends did. While they were enjoying their college experience, I was stuck in the neighborhood.”
“It was a frustrating time for me. I had no direction and nowhere to go. Additionally, my football career wasn’t progressing either. I used to play football and was quite skilled at it. In my neighborhood, they nicknamed me ‘Coutinho,’ after the talented player from Liverpool.”
“I aspired to become a professional footballer, but my dreams were shattered. Corruption has deeply penetrated football in Nigeria. While I won’t mention specific names to avoid causing harm, I can reveal that these were influential figures within the football community.”
The 22-year-old singer further shared, “During an evaluation at the Surulere National Stadium, NFF officials deceived me and replaced me with someone who had financial resources and connections. That incident left me profoundly disappointed and plunged me into depression.”
Crayon’s revelation sheds light on the challenges faced by aspiring athletes in the Nigerian sports scene due to corruption and undue influences.
Watch the video below:
