In Africa, People Expect You To Bear All Your Family Responsibilities When You are Rich — Obi Mikel

Former Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi has shared his views on how African families exploit successful members of their family.

Obi who was the African footballer of the year 2013 said this during an interview on ‘Vibes With Five’ organised by Rio Ferdinand.

John Mikel Obi said, “You get threatened by your own blood, your own. When you come from Africa, and this is something I don’t think we speak a lot about, when you make money, it’s not your money.

“You have all these relatives, cousins, whatever you call it. Yeah. You know, and your sisters, they go off and they get married to some guy who just wants to get married to John Obi Mikel’s family, because my life is sorted. And then you start looking after this guy.

“Before you know it, you’re looking at them. They keep having so many kids and so many kids, and you look at it, okay, you’re having this many kids, who’s going to look after them? It’s you.

“For them, you owe them that. So, sometimes you have to be strong and say, you know what, guys, enough is enough, I don’t care. They give you this thing whereby, if you don’t do it, we’re going to go to the press. Oh, wow. After all, I’ve done for you guys. But this happens a lot.

“In Africa, I’m telling you, not everybody comes out and speaks about it, because we’re thinking, how are we going to talk about this?”

Mikel began his career with Plateau United, before joining Norwegian club Lyn at the age of 17 in 2004 and made a transfer to Chelsea after Manchester United claimed they had already signed him.

Obi joined Chelsea for £16 million and his weekly pay was around £80,000. Obi’s contract was renewed in 2008 and he was offered £120,000 which placed him among the club’s top earners.

The Nigerian retired on 27 September 2022.