With Adebayo Olodan
The media in the last 96 hours has been dominated by the rumour of suicide death of former Arsenal and Ivory Coast defender, Emmanuel Eboue.
The 43-year-old footballer, who recently had an acrimonious split from his British wife, Aurelie, according to an alleged police report, committed suicide in London at the weekend.
His body was reportedly found in his sister’s North London home without any suicide note. Eboue was said to have hanged his body on a fan hook in the room.
At first, I was confused and dejected when a friend called my attention to the news online. I was however relieved when another medium, Leofirms Sport debunked the report claiming Eboue at the weekend, attended a football tournament at the weekend. To confirm their report, Leofirms Sport published pictures of the player in Sunderland kits.
The reason for my initial disconsolate mood was due to the warm reception accorded me on the three occasions I met Eboue in Egypt and Ghana in 2006 and 2008 respectively.
Beyond being one of the most patriotic and talented footballers to come out of Africa, Eboue was humility personified and he is always ready to talk to journalists whether on or off record.
I could remember vividly how the right-back rushed up dinner during the 2006 African Nations Cup in Egypt to have him interviewed by me. We took pictures, exchanged phone numbers at the end of the session and we intermittently reached out to each other.
Two years later, we ran into each other in Ghana and I was impressed with the way he embraced me in the midst of colleagues during the African Nations Cup. At a time, the Super Eagles chance of qualifying from the group stage for the quarter finals of AFCON in Ghana 2008 was hanging in the balance, I could remember how some of us (Nigerians) stormed the camp of the Ivorians for their favour.
After losing the opening match 1-0 to Ivory Coast, the Super Eagles struggled to a goalless draw in their next match against Mali and the team needed to defeat Republic of Benin in the last match and hope that the Ivorians defeated Mali in the other final match of the group.
Eboue in particular assured us that the Ivorians will stop at nothing to ensure victory against Mali and that they did with an astonishing win, a result that helped Nigeria to progress to the quarter final of the competition.
Ever since that championship, I held Eboue in high esteem and consistently prayed for his success even though I was never a fan of Arsenal football club.
Like his other African compatriots, Eboue, during his time at Arsenal and Turkish club, Galatasaray acquired property and choice cars in the United Kingdom but I was however surprised to read that the player has fallen on extremely tough times.
His transformation from a rich and footballer to a poor man contemplating suicide happened so fast.
First, it was a marital problem with his wife, Aurelie and subsequently his failure to pay his former agent contractual agreement, a situation which led to a one year ban on him.
The mansion he bought and the house he lived in London plus expensive cars were said to have been ceded to his estranged wife following a court ruling. Aurelie was said to have taken advantage of Eboue being an illiterate.
Eboue was left with practically nothing and had to lay his head every night on a mattress on the floor of his living room. He also had to rely on public transport to commute cities in Europe.
To compound the player’s problem, he was diagnosed of a chronic health challenge which meant he can no longer play professional football.
Though the player had overtime mull over committing suicide, I pray such calamity does not happen to him and any of his household.
In all these, I believe there are many lessons inherent in ‘the Eboue episode’. For the budding African athletes and footballers, it is important they acquire education in order to be able to manage their resources and more importantly to protect them from losing their properties to swindlers posing as wives, friends and relatives.
Also, our athletes may need to jolt the practice of marrying women from other climes who never seemed to have affection for Africans but their wealth. Had Eboue married a lady from his native Ivory Coast or other African countries, he is not likely to be left a pauper even after their union might have turned sour.
On a final note, I am particularly surprised at the lack of no show of camaraderie by Eboue’s African counterparts, especially members of La Cote D’Ivoire, at his time of need. The likes of Kolo and Yaya Toure, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and others do not appear to be offering the support their sinking counterpart urgently craves.
To avert Eboue taking his own life as he has continued to threaten, it is imperative for his colleagues to rally round him. A stitch in time saves nine they say.
