It is either that playing rugby had helped to enhance his physique or that he got into the game in the first place because of his size. Either way, Tiwa Obisesan is not your regular 20-year-old.

Conducting this interview just before the Nigeria national team, made up mostly of players based in the United Kingdom with Nigerian parentage, some of whom were actually coming to the country for the first time, one had to continually strain to look upward at Tiwa as he towered above.

The Nigeria Rugby Federation hitherto mired in crisis has been striving to reinvent itself and by extension the game in the country by scouring the UK for Nigerians to make up the team. Tiwa is one of such young men and the African Championship in Botswana earlier in the year, provided the second contact with Nigeria since he left as a kid many years ago.

Tiwa’s involvement in sports was not by accident as he’s always been an active person, but taking to rugby was somehow more fortuitous. “I went to a Rugby playing school that was how I got into the game. I am a very active person, I love my sports and that is basically it,” begins the fast talking Tiwa in his English accent.

“The school gave me my first exposure to the game and I guess that is what Nigeria needs here to really get the sports off the ground- taking the game to the schools where young people can get introduced to it at an early.”

Tiwa like some of his team mates in the National team was born in Nigeria but had to leave for the UK at a very early age.

“I was born in Ibadan, in Nigeria. My parents left Nigeria when I was about five, because my dad had the opportunity to work in London and he took it. He was happy with his work in Nigeria but he saw the relocation to UK as a chance to move to the next level. So I’ve been in England from the age of five,” confides the final year student of the University of Kent.

A large number of sportsmen of Nigerian background who were either born abroad or have lived there for the most part of their lives, have been caught in the dilemma of making a choice between playing for the land of their parents or represent their adopted country.

Football accentuates this dilemma more forcefully for obvious reasons. Victor Moses recently switched allegiance to Nigeria after representing England at youth level; Shola Ameobi’s case is not fully sorted out as yet. Players like Nedum Onuoha, Sidney Sam have still not made up their minds where to pitch their tents, while others like Gabriel Agbonlahor has made it clear they want nothing to do with Nigeria.

But Tiwa did not have a problem with deciding to play for Nigeria.

“When the opportunity came to play for Nigeria it was a no brainer. There was no question where my loyalty lied. I guess I could have played for England if I went through the age grades, but again in England there is a large pool, there are a lot of players who could easily get into the team, so in that sense it would have been difficult making it there,” notes Tiwa in his forthright manner.

“But for me there was no long period of thinking about it, I just felt it would be better and a more enriching experience if came to play for the country of my birth and help build the sport.”

Parents have been known to frown at their children getting involved in sports, although it has to be said that attitude has changed drastically over the years, but Tiwa seems to have been a bit lucky although his mother always had doubts.

“My parents who live in England are very proud of me. My mum however, has a love hate relationship with rugby, she thinks it is violent and she does worry for my safety. But I’ve played rugby for about 12 years and I’ve only had only one minor injury, so it is not as bad as people think.”

Having reconnected with the country of his birth, Tiwa, who’s struggling with Yoruba language, is hopeful of having the opportunity for more visits in the future.

“It’s been nice coming back and I am still learning the ropes. I was home last year for a few weeks and so it is nice to be around again. It’s a bit more familiar now having been around last year. I can’t really speak Yoruba, I am just learning. But I can understand more than I can speak it.” He says with a smile.


http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/sport-reel/47568-tiwa-obisesan-helping-to-grow-rugby

~Royal~:
Go To Sleep Yo.

While your lazy bum is lounging in your bed with spit spilling out of those crusty lips, someone is actually doing something active.

Pat your potbelly and go to sleep jor.