Edema Peter made history by becoming the first player of Nationwide League One outfit, Gbagada FC to ever play outside the shores of Nigeria when he joined Benin Republic side, ASVO F.C on loan last transfer window.
The former Ekiti United man had an impressive campaign in the West African country, netting 14 times and assisted twice in 24 appearances for ASVO and helping them finish 5th in the just concluded 2021/2022 season of the Benin Republic Pro League.
In an exclusive interview with Sports247 Nigeria, Edema Peter discusses with us his background, how his footballing career began, and the impressive season in Benin.
Can you briefly explain how your footballing journey started?
My name is Peter Edema, a Yoruba boy from Ondo state. I started playing football when I was a kid, I started playing football on the streets of Lagos.
In my first professional contract, I signed for Ekiti United. I signed for two seasons but actually played one season with them. I had a knee injury that lasted for like seven months. It took me out of the game and I was at home for 7 months. So healing up from the injury my next club was Gbagada FC, I signed for 3 years so during my second season in Gbagada FC I scored 14goals.
The club I am playing for currently on loan in the Benin Republic is ASVO FC. I saw the 14 goals video I scored in Gbagada FC last season. the 2021 season and they actually love it. I came here, did some trials and I could remember the president of the club was like can you score goals? I was like I can score goals. I passed the trial and signed for the team on a year loan deal.
Getting into this place I scored 14 goals again, at the moment taking you through my football career that’s how it is.
You had a great season in the Benin Republic, how were you able to cope with the change of environment?
Having a great season in the Benin Republic is based on the hard work I put in, I was very focused, I was persistent, consistent, and I was acting goals upon goals after matches so I was consistent in everything I do then most importantly I pray. I pray a lot like every day.
You made history by becoming the first player of Gbagada F.C to play outside the shores of Nigeria, what did that mean to you??
It is a great privilege to represent such a great club outside the country. And being the first player that is doing so I feel happy about it, and I think this feeling will last forever. My reason for being happy is that I have created an opportunity for my football mates in Gbagada FC to come here to explore their talents too. I am happy about that.
You netted 14 times and assisted two twice in 24 appearances for ASVO F.C. What is the secret behind your successful campaign in the Benin Republic Pro League?
Yes, there is always a phrase that rings in my head anytime I get to a new place. That I must be the best irrespective of the situation, regardless of anything happening around my environment I must be the best. So this phrase helps me a lot, I know as a striker you need to score goals for people to know about you. If I am. not scoring goals you won’t come for the interview. So I know I need to score goals and my focus was just to score goals. I think that’s my secret, just trying to be the best I can be so people can actually hear about my name Edema Peter.
How standard is the Benin Republic Pro League compared to what we have in Nigeria?
Yea, comparing Benin Republic Pro League to the Nigerian Premier League, I will say the Nigerian premier League has a lot of quality players than the Benin Republic super League. So taking it to the National team, you will still rate the Nigerian National team more than the Benin Republic National team.
But talking about Stadiums, I think the Benin Republic Super League Pro, the clubs here have a lot of clean, very good pitches, good Stadiums, and better tufts to play on than the Nigerian premier league. Officiating is not bad, officiating is always good, and officiating is always fair. ASVO was the team that won more away games, we won most of our games away so their officiating here is very fair.
What factors have helped you toward your current goals as a player?
On the factors that have helped me in achieving my current goals as a player, I will talk about consistency. I try to be consistent in everything I do. I think this is the first time in my career I have scored in 5 consecutive matches in a role. So consistency is one thing that has kept me going, talking about last season in Gbagada FC. Last season I scored 14 goals, this season I scored another 14 goals. So definitely I am looking towards next season to score another 14 goals or more. So consistency is one thing that has helped me a whole lot, consistency and hard work.
Can you talk to us about your general experience in Benin both the good and bad ones?
Talking about my general experience in the Benin Republic, talking about the good part, Benin Republic is very peaceful, I love the people they are welcoming. The bad part for me is that I don’t really like their food, just the food alone. I don’t like their food. That’s the bad part for me.
What are the most important factors that you’re concentrating on in each training session/ game?
The most important factor I train during the training sessions is how to score goals because if you are not scoring goals as a striker you won’t be having any playing time. so obviously number one for me is to score more goals. Number two for me is how to use the ball more not to lose the ball, and walk on my first touch so as a striker I work on all these things. So as a striker you need to work on your first touch, how to use the ball, and scoring goals.
What are the goals you wish to achieve as a Professional Footballer?
“What I want to achieve as a professional footballer is to play at the top level of my career, talking about the Champions League, representing Nigeria in the world cup in the nation’s cup. And after my playing career, I have to give back to the community where I started playing by giving it back to the streets, so these are the goals I would like to achieve in my professional footballing career.”
Edema, who named Cristiano Ronaldo and Leicester City’s Jarmie Vardy as his role models, disclosed that there is nothing certain about his future with Gbagada F.C stating that no decision has been made yet.
Talk to us about your future with Gbagada F.C? Are you planning to stay with ASVO F.C or you will be returning to your parent club for the new season??
“For this, I can’t say, for now, there are a lot of things going on but we’ll let the public know but no decision has been made yet,” he concluded.
Some of his incredible achievements in the Benin Republic include the March Player Of Month in the Benin Republic Super League Pro, second Highest Goal Scorer in the league, and Highest Goal Scorer for ASVO F.C in the 2022 season
