When you watch Echefu Jecinta guard the goalposts for Ibom Angels with confidence and composure, it’s easy to assume she’s always been a goalkeeper.
But for Jecinta, the journey began at the opposite end of the pitch — as a striker.
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“I was once a striker,” she says with a smile. “But something inside me just clicked — I found myself drawn to goalkeeping. I wanted to stop goals more than score them.”
Her transition from goal poacher to goal protector wasn’t the only challenge she faced. Jecinta’s football dream was never part of the plan her parents had for her. “My dad and mum wanted me to become a doctor,” she shares. “They didn’t support my football ambition.”
Determined to chase her dream regardless, Jecinta made the difficult decision to leave home. “I left for survival — to support myself just to play football. I worked at a car wash. Sometimes I helped with construction work, just so I could earn something.”
Her hard work and perseverance paid off. In the National Youth Games held in Kwara, she helped her team to a silver medal. In 2021, she went a step further — winning gold at the National Sports Festival in Delta State. Her performance caught the eye of Ibom Angels, who quickly signed her during their championship campaign.
“I got promoted with the team. That was a big moment for me.”
Though her parents were once skeptical, Jecinta says their stance has softened — slightly. “Now they support me small-small. At least, they call to check on me sometimes.”
Every success story needs a foundation of hard work, and Jecinta knows this better than most. “Hard work got me to the NWFL Premiership. I’ve always taken time to train, to practice all day, even when no one was watching.”
Her dream is far from over. Eyes firmly set on wearing the green and white, she hopes to earn a place with the Nigeria U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, and eventually play abroad.
“My goal is to represent Nigeria, to start with the Flamingos in the 2025 FIFA World Cup and take my game to the world.”
Echefu Jecinta is more than a goalkeeper — she’s a symbol of resilience, grit, and the unyielding belief that with hard work, anything is possible.
