This is a tale of two Ivorian footballers —
Emmanuelle Eboue and Didier Drogba.
PLS. TAKE TIME TO READ..

Both played for two huge London football clubs in the exact same period – from the mid oh-ohs to the early part of this decade — which meant each Ivorian earned tens of thousands of Sterling pounds, weekly, for an average eight years.

It means they should both have been shilling billionaires by the end of their respective tenures in Arsenal and Chelsea FC, right?

But while Didier Drogba is now not just the second largest investor in mines in the Ivory Coast (not to mention being the part owner of two MLS soccer teams in North America) and so worth about USD100 million (Sh10 billion), Eboue’s story is one of ‘woiye’ (pity).

Eboue, after an acrimonious divorce from his white wife where the judge awarded her even his mansion in Enfield, is now bitter and bankrupt. He hides in the empty mansion with the electricity off, scared of bailiffs coming to evict him.
He washes his clothes by hand because he can no longer afford a washing machine (and thanks to his late grandmother for teaching him domestic chores when he grew up in the village).

He used to roll around in fancy expensive cars for years, but now uses public transport.

And he blames it all on his conniving ex-wife.

“Emmanuelle you were very naïve,” Eboue now laments. “Every document your wife tells you to sign, you sign (even for property)!” He revealed that of the 8 million Euros (almost a billion bob) he earned playing with Galatasary in Turkey, seven million was sent to his (ex) wife Aurelie “because she was living behind with our three kids in London.”

Now the woman has even cut off contact of the children from their Ivorian father.

There are lessons to be learnt from the tragic story of Eboue here (more than sad, because the once pound millionaire has recently considered suicide, because of heartbreak, shame, depression and near penury).

First of all, it is almost always better to try and marry from within your own culture.
Oh, I know, there are a few stories out there of loving and successful interracial and inter-cultural marriages, but these are in the minority.

It is easier, if not better, to be in close proximity when it comes to matters of marriage — in colour, religion, class and education. ‘Opposites attract’ is fine – but an Eskimo man from Greenland marrying a Khoisan woman from the Kalahari desert, to use an extreme example — does that sound like a sound foundation for long and happy union?

By all means, marry across tribes, because divided Kenya doesn’t need more ethnic insularity. If you can, even marry across a national border. Didier Drogba, an Ivorian, married a lady from Mali — which is like marrying a nice Tanzanian. But don’t stray too far from East(ern) Africa if you can.

Build back home, or even in the city — but invest in real estate, if able to, close to your roots.

If Eboue had apartment buildings in Abidjan, greedy Aurelie wouldn’t have an English racist judge able to award her these properties — and he’d just have fled back to Africa a rich man.

True, Drogba has invested in real estate in Marseilles, but these are rental properties, not home — and by investing in Ivory Coast mines during their civil war at low prices, Drogba showed a patriotism and confidence in his country that has now paid off, pardon the pun, in spades.
Drogba is also a great philanthropist. He established a free hospital for poor Ivorians in Abidjan, in partnership with wealthy global contacts like Abramovich.

“Those who give shall receive,” and by using his networks so wisely, Drogba is now so popular in the Cote d’Ivoire, it is quite possible that — (like former footballer Weah of Liberia) — if he ran, he would easily win the presidency.

Eboue’s ‘investments,’ other than in his sly white fox of a wife, were in false friends and fast cars. He didn’t even bother to invest in himself, by going to school, even after he got money.

While Drogba is a professional accountant (university level), Eboue had street talent, but is still semi-literate — which is how he could sign everything over to his Caucasian gold-digger.

There are lots of ‘hustler’ millionaire stories these days in Kenya, but as kids go back to school, remember education is the best investment you’ll ever make for your children.

Hmmm this is deep. But then, I won't judge or make my decision based on a one off story/experience

I almost shed tears after reading Eboue's sad story

All he ever worked for ended up in the hands of a white witch all in the name of marriage .

A lesson to every African living abroad .

ah heard he killed himself today is it true someone help me confirm

My condolences, really feel bad about it, but can we say woman killed him

Now you guys are appreciating a black woman,because she'll most likely be naive, clueless and leave with just a ghana-must-go bag on head?

No more team foreign wives?


Marry a good woman, you can find them in every 'culture'.
Then treat her well.

I don't blame his wife oh, dude is the cause of his problem.


You don't hand power over to a woman, not even your wife.

Not all white women are evil, scheming bitches. But I can’t help but feel Eboue deserved what he got, only just that his comeuppance was a little too severe.
That’s the problem with most black guys. Once they get the chance to get out of poverty and make some money, they always go for the white women, thinking that they have arrived. Well he went for the wrong pasty bitch this time. Lesson learned.

Maxi112:
I don't blame his wife oh, dude is the cause of his problem.


You don't hand power over to a woman, not even your wife.

You are joking.

Eboue was just naive and dumb(sorry to say). he earned so much money and he didn't invest any of it in his Country (Ivory Coast)
Just look at what Drogba did in the same Country.

So the wife saw how foolish her husband was and took full advantage of his foolishness

I pity him sha
I hope he gets back everything he lost

Eboue too go f*ck up. Imagine ordinary white mumu woman was able to defraud Eboue chai that guy no be African. Mumu woman wey one naija real guy go pack all her money through blind date sef

pocohantas:
Now you guys are appreciating a black woman,because she'll most likely be naive, clueless and leave with just a ghana-must-go bag on head?

No more team foreign wives?


Marry a good woman, you can find them in every 'culture'.
Then treat her well.

When it comes to Alimony and cases like such it has nothing to do with race and more to do with the law and the country, if a Nigerian couple were in the states and divorce the suit would follow, I believe people should study who they want to end up with regardless of race. I can give you a list of black woman who are receiving mad alimony in the states so not a white woman thing. Alimony on YouTube is scary lol

that's the act of loshoing, she had one thing in mind from the beginning

Marriage doesn't have a particular formulae what works for Mr A might not work for B so stop this trash

the way girls treat broke guys in this part of the world makes them opt for their white counterparts when they are finally loaded. I won't tell you not to marry a white lady, I'll only advice you to be like Kanye west "if he ends his marriage with Kim K today, she ain't talking a dime from his money"

pocohantas:
Now you guys are appreciating a black woman,because she'll most likely be naive, clueless and leave with just a ghana-must-go bag on head?

No more team foreign wives?


Marry a good woman, you can find them in every 'culture'.
Then treat her well.

d way u go bashing naija guys tho...re u sure u gettin married?

Neimar:


d way u go bashing naija guys tho...re u sure u gettin married?

Ahbeg, swerve one side.
I wonder where Naija guys was mentioned in that post. Is Eboue a Nigerian, or guilty conscience is disturbing you?

pcguru1:


When it comes to Alimony and cases like such it has nothing to do with race and more to do with the law and the country, if a Nigerian couple were in the states and divorce the suit would follow, I believe people should study who they want to end up with regardless of race. I can give you a list of black woman who are receiving mad alimony in the states so not a white woman thing. Alimony on YouTube is scary lol

That's the same point I was trying to make. We don't have such laws here. So, the whole idea is to marry from your culture, by your culture and leave the woman/investments in your culture.

I think I stated it's not a white woman thing, she was only backed by the law. If we have such laws here, Lord knows where they'll run to.

pocohantas:


Ahbeg, swerve one side.
I wonder where Naija guys was mentioned in that post. Is Eboue a Nigerian, or guilty conscience is disturbing you?

I neva said it was bout dix post na...shuu

Neimar:


I neva said it was bout dix post na...shuu

Then wait for the right post. Thanks.

pocohantas:


Then wait for the right post. Thanks.

lol uv got no chill lady

sodiqapril:
the way girls treat broke guys in this part of the world makes them opt for their white counterparts when they are finally loaded. I won't tell you not to marry a white lady, I'll only advice you to be like Kanye west "if he ends his marriage with Kim K today, she ain't talking a dime from his money"

It's actually a few never take nairaland as a yardstick if not you will think there are no reasonable out there, ave been broke so many times and it's never a problem for anyone esp the fact that i don't hide it, maybe because they know am the type that has a plan about it. Broke or no broke it has never be a factor for me, however me sha get insecurities when it comes to car sha na different case be that.

There are alot of reasonable girls bro.

sodiqapril:
the way girls treat broke guys in this part of the world makes them opt for their white counterparts when they are finally loaded. I won't tell you not to marry a white lady, I'll only advice you to be like Kanye west "if he ends his marriage with Kim K today, she ain't talking a dime from his money"

Keep quiet. Which girls treat broke guys bad here. It's everywhere. That's why black guys like you have to be rich first before white models look your way. Why not go date them when you are broke and let's see how it plays out.

Inferiority complex awon white worshipper

Airforce1:
I almost shed tears after reading Eboue's sad story

All he ever worked for ended up in the hands of a white witch all in the name of marriage .

A lesson to every African living abroad .

A lesson indeed. It pains me deeply when I read it.

kingem:
Eboue was just naive and dumb(sorry to say). he earned so much money and he didn't invest any of it in his Country (Ivory Coast)
Just look at what Drogba did in the same Country.

So the wife saw how foolish her husband was and took full advantage of his foolishness

I pity him sha
I hope he gets back everything he lost

I hope so dear. But it will be difficult. It Will Only take the grace of God. Oh!!!! Eboue was unwise unlike Drogba.

lilbest4:
Eboue too go f*ck up. Imagine ordinary white mumu woman was able to defraud Eboue chai that guy no be African. Mumu woman wey one naija real guy go pack all her money through blind date sef

Eboue didn't try at all.

SolexxBarry:
Marriage doesn't have a particular formulae what works for Mr A might not work for B so stop this trash

Really? u called this a trash? pls re-read.

pocohantas:


Ahbeg, swerve one side.
I wonder where Naija guys was mentioned in that post. Is Eboue a Nigerian, or guilty conscience is disturbing you?



That's the same point I was trying to make. We don't have such laws here. So, the whole idea is to marry from your culture, by your culture and leave the woman/investments in your culture.

I think I stated it's not a white woman thing, she was only backed by the law. If we have such laws here, Lord knows where they'll run to.

not a white woman thing, she was only backed by the law. Correct. this is also what I was trying to pass across. We don't have such laws here in Africa. Eboue was unwise to not have invested in his country. Unlike Drogba.
Good comment there.