How corruption in Nigeria made me abandoned my football career – Crayon

Charles Chibuezechukwu, popularly known as Crayon, a Nigerian musician, has shared the story of his aspirations to become a professional footballer thwarted by corruption in Nigeria.

In an interview with Cool FM Nigeria in Lagos, the artist behind ‘Trench to Triumph’ disclosed how his dreams of pursuing a career in football were shattered by an unfair system. He recounted how he had the opportunity to potentially be selected after participating in a screening at the National Stadium. However, due to his lack of connections and financial resources, he was eventually dropped in favor of an individual from a wealthier background.

This incident had a significant impact on Crayon’s life, leading to a period of depression in 2015. Reflecting on those times, he shared, “I became depressed in 2015 because I couldn’t get into the university. All my friends were in school… I was just me in the hood.”

Crayon revealed that his pursuit of a football career wasn’t initially successful, even though he had a genuine passion for the sport. He explained, “I used to play football. I used to be a proper footballer. They called me ‘Coutinho’ in my hood, you know, prime Coutinho who played for Liverpool?” He went on to highlight the challenges within the Nigerian football system, noting that corruption hindered his progress.

The artist expressed his disappointment, saying, “At a time I went for one screening in Surulere, they picked me and they had to like swindle me and pick someone else because the person had money and connections… I went home depressed.”