It was a long and nightmarish
northern summer for Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo,
who has rebounded to not only top of the scoring
list in these Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but
worm his way back into the hearts of Super Eagles
fans.

After a dire World Cup campaign, where he was
roundly blamed for the defeat to Argentina that saw
the Africans crash out of the tournament, he's gone
on to score five goals in two qualifier games
against Libya.

Scoring a hat-trick, he heard his name sung from
the stands as he was subbed off after 75 minutes
of the first game on the weekend. He was then
serenaded by supporters in the second game on
Tuesday, as he scored twice and provided one
assist.

Beaming as he deflected personal praise in his first
interview since the World Cup, the trademark Ighalo
smile, which had been dimmed for months, flashed
as he pointed to team effort instead.
"The team really worked hard, it is a good team
performance and I am happy to score five goals in
two games but it is an all-round performance and I
am happy with the team performance.
"We are 99 per cent sealed the ticket to the Cup of
Nations," he told KweséESPN in an exclusive
interview in Sfax, Tunisia, where the second match
was played.

But all of this nearly did not happen. Sitting down in
the changing room of the Taieb Mhiri Stadium,
Ighalo reflected on what has been a challenging last
few months for him and his family.
For a fleeting moment, the ever-present smile
turned wry, then retreated as Ighalo opened up
about how he and his family -- including his
children -- endured vitriolic abuse, and even
received death threats on social media, after a
World Cup performance where even he admitted he
had not played up to his own high standards.

Things got so bad, Ighalo said, that he came this
close to packing it all in.
"I know the fans want me to score goals. I
understand them," the China-based striker said. "But
some of them took it to another level.
"They said a lot of things. To my innocent kids, to
my wife, even to the extent they threatened my life
and the life of my family."

Despite trying to remain above it all and not
respond to critics, he was deeply hurt by the
attacks on his family, especially his children.
"I felt very bad [when they went after my family]. I
had to talk to my wife because she could not take
it. Some words they said about my kids, about me.
Some words they said to her, threatening and all
that. That is beyond football.

"You know women and how they react when you
talk about their children. But I never said a word to
nobody and I never replied anybody."

He did not have to take any action to protect his
family, as they live in England while he plays in
China for Changchun Yatai. But with all of that
going on, it was only natural that the forward
wanted to quit, especially when his wife advised
him to.

"My wife said 'you don't have to go there [to
Nigeria] any more' and it was because of all what
they said to her and to our family."
It took national team coach Gernot Rohr's
intervention to convince Ighalo to come back and
suit up in green and white again.

Ighalo explained: "I want to thank Rohr because
after the World Cup and all those things happened,
he called me before the Seychelles game [in
September] and I told him I was contemplating
stopping because it is not easy.
"But the coach had belief in me. He said 'I know
you are a good goalscorer and I know you can do
it. Come and show them that you can score.'
"If a coach believes in me, then I will come. I told
hm 'coach, if I am in your plans hundred percent
then I will honour the invitation any time you call
me.'

"He said 'yes, you you are in my plans for the
games'. Then he said 'don't be under pressure, just
go do your thing, I know you can do it.'
"That gave me the confidence which I believed that
I needed. I want to thank him for defending me, and
giving me the words like a father, encouraging me,
talking to me. He gave me more belief and I thank
God for repaying him with these goals."

Ighalo has since disabled comments on his
Instagram account, where he is still active, and
rarely appears in front of the media. And he has no
intention of changing that decision anytime soon.
So does he feel like he has proven all those
doubters wrong?

"I am not trying to prove anybody wrong," he said.
"I am just trying to work hard for my country and I
always give hundred percent.
"Unfortunately, it didn't happen the way I wanted it
at the World Cup. But life did not end there. I went
back to my club, and I continued my game.
"Now I am back here to play for my country. I just
want to give hundred percent whenever I play, goal
or no goal. As long as the team wins, I am
satisfied."

Nigeria's next Afcon qualifier is against South Africa
on 16 November.

source: kwese.espn.com/football/nigeria/story/3671428/nigeria-hero-ighalo-nearly-quit-after-death-threats?device=featurephone

E be like na to go threaten Morata and giroud life too oh. Those two head no correct again

acenazt:
E be like na to go threaten Morata and giroud life too oh. Those two head no correct again

Dem cut ur ticket ni? Oh, so, so sorry ooo (lol)

I can remainber vividly how I insulted is wife on IG

Jesse25:
I can remainber vividly how I insulted is wife on IG

Bro u did wrong o, no be the wife dey play ball na

Jesse25:
I can remainber vividly how I insulted is wife on IG

Ha, Jesse u no try at all o, althoug i was pained too due to how he lost dat goal against arg. dats wat made me dislike him up till now, but insulting his wife, no no no

acenazt:
E be like na to go threaten Morata and giroud life too oh. Those two head no correct again

Threatening those ones won't change anything o, Chelsea just need to buy good strikers

ymstar:

Ha, Jesse u no try at all o, althoug i was pained too due to how he lost dat goal against arg. dats wat made me dislike him up till now, but insulting his wife, no no no

He wife insulted Nigerians on social media so. We attack her too

drewsman:

Bro u did wrong o, no be the wife dey play ball na

Ighalo wife disrespect Nigerians he call dem poor rat or something I can't remember na so it only fair we insulted her too ....some call her Benin witch some also call her Benin ashawo lol

Jesse25:

He wife insulted Nigerians on social media so. We attack her too

No wonder

Jesse25:

Ighalo wife disrespect Nigerians he call dem poor rat or something I can't remember na so it only fair we insulted her too ....some call her Benin witch some also call her Benin ashawo lol

Lol