Al-Arabi of Kuwait winger, Anayo Iwuala has cast his mind back to the early days of his career and recalled a day when his dad almost set him ablaze for daring to play football, sports247.ng reports.
The 25-year-old fair skinned dazzler, who was born in Lagos but started his professional career with Kada City FC of Kaduna, recalled that his father was so angry on that day, to the extent he put tyres around his own son and almost set him on fire.
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Anayo recalled how scary it was for him on that fateful day, and it could have been the end of his football dream if his siblings had not intervened to prevent what would have been a major family disaster.
The incident could have also truncated what has turned out to be a glorious career for Anayo, who debutted for the Super Eagles in 2021, the same year he signed for Esperance of Tunisia, then continued waxing stronger.
Before then, he starred for Delta Force of Asaba and Enyimba of Aba, from where he moved to Tunis, then had a stint on loan at Belouizdad of Algeria before ascending to his present base in the Middle East.
Anayo Iwuala admitted it has been a journey loaded with lots of intrigue, and he added: “My parents were very strict when it comes to football. My dad wanted me to go to school.
My mum also had this belief that she didn’t want her children to be seen moving around. It gave her a harsh feeling whenever she found out that I was outside playing football with ‘those boys,’ as she used to call them. There would then be lots of beating for me.”
The velvety winger continued, “There was a time my parents had been complaining, and they said, ‘Don’t go out and play football,’ but I refused to obey them. I always found myself going to play football. I had a routine to go and play until it’s dark, then I would come back home late. I was always scared, because I knew I would be beaten; but that didn’t stop me from going.”
He then picked a particular day that remains most memorable to him, due to the alarming reaction his father gave to his son’s continued defiance of the ‘No Football Order’ that was handed to the young boy on several occasions.
“One day, my dad said, ‘Enough is enough.’ He got some tyres, put them over my head and said he was going to burn me. He appeared to be very serious about it, but my siblings started begging him.
“My sisters said, ‘Daddy, please. Daddy, please.’ That’s how I managed to escape and ran. That was the biggest scare I got because of football. A lot of things used to happen in those days, but I am happy with where I am today,” Anayo concluded.
