John Obi Mikel, The Star You Thought You Knew

Nigeria’s international football star, John Michael Nchekwube Obinna, popularly known as John Obi Mikel, finally said bye to the game that brought him fame and global recognition in far away Egypt on Thursday as a fall-out from the AFCON 2019 where he led the country to its eight bronze medal.

After spending six months at Middlesbrough last season, the defensive midfielder Mikel moved to Trabzonspor in Turkey and he has been the captain of the Super Eagles after Joseph Yobo retired.

Mikel started his football career at the age of 12 when was picked as a talented footballer from over 3,000 young talents to play in Pepsi Football Academy, a team that, at the time, was well known for travelling across Nigeria scouting young footballers with the potential to play professional football.

Obi gave scouts beautiful sensations with his mastery of the game, young as he was. It was, therefore no surprise when he was later picked to play for top Nigerian club, Plateau United.

Plateau United, at the time, had a penchant for developing stars. The club had previously gifted the world with stars like Celestine Babayaro, Victor Obinna and Christian Obodo, among others.

After his stint with the local side, and having made appreciable contributions locally, he, like others before him,  went to pursue excellence, success and recognition in European leagues.

Born as Michael Nchekwube Obinna, on April 22, 1987, in the tin city of Jos, capital of the twelveth largest state in Nigeria, Plateau,  the son of Michael Obi, founder and chief executive of an inter-state transport company in Jos, Mikel  made headlines for his country at the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Finland.

After announcing his presence on the global at that tournament, he was invited for a trial by the South African club, Ajax Cape Town. He ultimately joined Oslo-based club Lyn Football in Norway

During preparations for the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championships in Finland, the then Nigeria Football Association, NFA, mistakenly submitted “Michael” as “Mikel” for the tournament. He decided to keep the new name, saying that it had a “special ring to it.” On 31 July, 2006, he stated that he prefers to be called Mikel John Obi instead of John Obi Mikel, as he had most commonly been called

In the summer of 2005, Mikel played for Nigeria at the FIFA World Youth Championships held in the Netherlands. He had an excellent tournament until Nigeria reached the final, where they lost 2–1 to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.. Obi won the Silver Ball after being voted the tournament’s second-best player.

Mikel’s Premiership stormy start 

An unimaginable controversy, however, ensued  few days after Mikel turned 18 as Manchester United announced that it had struck a deal with Lyn to sign the player. United’s website also claimed that they had done a deal directly with the teenager and that he had signed a contract to join them. Mikel’s agents were bypassed as the club persuaded the youngster to sign a four-year contract without representation. Lyn allegedly sent a fax to his agents abroad, claiming their services were no longer required by Mikel. Reports said the deal was initially worth £4 million and would see the player arrive at Old Trafford in January 2006.

Manchester United’s rival Premier League club,Chelsea, later issued a counter-claim suggesting that they already had an agreement with Mikel and his agents, but Lyn denied this claim. However, subsequent reports indicated that Chelsea claimed to have been involved in arranging the player’s original move to Europe with a view to signing him at a later date. Further substance was added to this claim after it was revealed that the player had impressed Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho while training with the club’s first-team squad during the summer of 2004.

Mikel expressed his delight at joining United in a hastily arranged press conference, where he was pictured holding up a Manchester United shirt bearing the squad number 21. Following his signing of the contract to join United, there were claims from Norway that he had received a number of threatening phone calls from unknown sources. Mikel was assigned a security guard and moved to a safe hotel.

On 11 May 2005, however, the midfielder went missing during a Norwegian Cup game against Klemetsrud; he had not been selected for the match but had been watching from the stands. Whilst the player was believed to have left with one of his agents, John Shittu, who had by now flown in to meet Mikel, his disappearance sparked massive media coverage in Norway and also provoked a police enquiry after Lyn Director Morgan Anderson made claims in the Norwegian media that Mikel had been kidnapped.

It subsequently emerged that Mikel had travelled to London with his agent John Shittu’.

A controversy resolved

On 2 June 2006, Chelsea, Manchester United and Lyn reached a settlement to resolve the future of the player. Mikel’s registration was to be transferred from Lyn to Chelsea; Manchester United agreed to terminate their option agreement with Mikel. Under the terms of this agreement, Chelsea agreed to pay United £12 million, half paid upon the finalization of the contract and the other half in June 2007, and Lyn £4 million, half payable immediately and half in June 2007. As a result of this settlement, all claims in this matter were withdrawn. On 19 July 2006, Chelsea were granted a work permit for the midfielder after they completed the £16 million signing in June 2006.

On 12 September 2006, Mikel made his first start for Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League against Bulgarian club Levski Sofia.

He remained with Chelsea till 2017 when it was announced that the club would not be renewing his contract when it expired at the end of the season.

On 6 January 2017, Chinese club Tianjin TEDA signed Mikel by free transfer. After two years in China Mikel joined English Championship team Middlesbrough on a short-term deal in the 2019 winter transfer window. The 31-year-old was a free agent after leaving Chinese side  He was released by Middlesbrough at the end of the 2018–19 season.

In the summer of 2019, Mikel joined Trabzonspor on a two-year contract with the option of a further year

In 2007, Mikel was suspended from all Nigerian national teams after manager Berti Vogts dropped Mikel from the team’s squad for failing to attend their previous match against Uganda.  Mikel cited an injury, but because he did not attend an independent check by Nigerian officials, he was dropped.

In July 2019 he said that the 2019 African Cup of Nations would be his last tournament for Nigeria.

On 12 August 2011, Mikel’s father, Michael Obi, was the victim of a suspected kidnapping in Nigeria. Mikel was informed before Chelsea’s match against Stoke City two days later but opted to play despite his concerns for his father’s well-being. On 15 August 2011, Mikel made an impassioned plea for his father’s safe return. He told Sky Sports News, “I’ve always tried to help the country, this is the time for the country to help me, whoever knows where my dad is should please contact me.”  Michael Obi was found alive on 22 August 2011, in the Nigerian city of Kano.

On 26 June 2018, a few hours before a FIFA World Cup match, Mikel was informed of another kidnapping of Michael Obi, but did not tell any of his team members. The Enugu State Police stated that they rescued Michael Obi on 2 July after a gunfight.

Nigeria will sorely miss Mikel who will be recorded as one of the football greats to have dorn the White and Green jersey of the country.