Fidelis Ebu
13 July 2008
interview
After starring for the Flying Eagles at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, AMBROSE EFE, was promoted to the Olympic team under coach Samson Siasia and he looked forawrd to joining the Beijing Olympic train to China next month.
And suddenly last week, Efe, the third in a family of seven was reported to be suffering from a heart problem after a medical examination and now his Olympic dream looks bleak. Undaunted, he went for another test which has now refuted the earlier result.. He bared his mind almost in tears with Sunday Vanguard. Excerpts:
Just a few days ago it was in the news that you have heart problem, what is happening presently?
Presently by the grace of God everything have turned around. With God everything is possible. Even after the first test the doctor didn't say I would not play, because I was there when the doctor confirmed it that I can play but I can't last 90 minutes. Later, I was told to start treatment maybe that I won't be able to play until after I must have received some treatment. I was even counselled that the problem was not going to be a threat to my career.
After all these, I looked back and said to myself that this is something (football). I have been playing. Even when I went to Blackburn I never had this problem. I was with the team in Portugal, I played in the Under-20; so I have played so many games since 2002 when I started playing professional football l I have never had anything like this. Never in my life have I had this type of thing before.
Have you undergone any medical test before?
Yes I have done that even in Rennes when I went on trial.
When you went to Rennes in France and went through medical test, what were you told about your medicals?
Well before I went to Rennes I know I had a knee problem which I was nursing in Canada.
So I know my knee was not fit enough to start playing active football then. So, I still tried to go since they needed me there. So I went there to give my best. So after my medical check-up, I was told that my knee was not yet healed and I wasn't not too fit to play but every other thing was okay. That was the report given to my agent.
I then told them yes, I don't have any complain about that, because I knew my knee was not well. So I came back to treat it. After that I joined the Under-23 again for the game against Ghana. Since then I have been playing 90 minutes in all games I featured till we got to Portugal.
In Portugal that was when the doctor checked my pulse and found out that my breadth some times beats and stops. He even told me that there was no problem that it was just something that happens, but that he wants to know the cause. So when we came back to the country, he asked me to follow him for a check-up.
I have been doing everything normally till the day we went to do the test where the doctor confirmed that this is the problem. He said that there is ceasing, which comes and goes. He then said the heartbeat was 48, because I could remember vividly he was communicating with us. And after passing too many test and other things I said since this has never happened to me, let me go and re-check myself.
So the coach (Samson Siasia) let me go and do another test and see what the result was going to be like again. So I went to Kaduna to tell my mother, brothers and sisters. And with prayers and every thing because this world is some how you can't see what is really the picture. It's only God that gives the picture to every man to see.
So after lots of prayers and everything, fasting and some other things they did for me, I later went to re-do the test on Monday (July7, 2008) evening about 7.30pm. On getting to the clinic, I filled the form as required of me and while waiting for the doctor, and luckily it was the same doctor that did the same test at Echo Scan in Abuja that was around to conduct the same test in Kaduna. So, when he saw me, he looked at me and said you have done this test before then what is it? I then told him that I want to re-check myself, because nothing is impossible with God.
I also said I have the believe that there is nothing wrong with me. I know myself and know how I feel and nobody else can tell me how my body is like to me. So, I know that everything is normal, because I have never complained of breathing problem. At that juncture, he said there was no point doing another test. To perhaps re-confirm, after the first test, he looked at me and asked if I have taken any drug.
I replied him no and that it was God's doing. I was with my club's chairman, Alhaji Sabo Babayaro. This was not something I went alone to do, and another doctor was also there. And we were four of us in the doctor's consulting room where the test was conducted.
After a little while, he (the doctor) looked at me and asked whether I took drugs, I replied no and I only prayed and committed everything to the hands of God. He then responded that the God I serve is a leaving God, because he was shocked over what he saw previously and what he is seeing now. He said what he is seeing now was completely different from what he saw in the previous test.
He said that everything now was okay and that I can even play full 90 minutes and that nothing would top me from play active football and that I can do anything I have in mind. Following what he observed, he gave me a clean bill of health, which I took to the coach (Siasia).
I did not end there as I took the report to another doctor, Dr Buhari, who is a personal doctor, to Makurfi and Namodi Sambo. He studied the report and based on the report and his examinations said no medical doctor could refuse me playing. His words further gave me courage that I was medically fit to return to football, because that's the only thing I know and can do.
After the final test and report, I called coach Siasia to inform him about the report, and he was very happy on phone over the good news. Everybody in camp was happy because we are like a family. Later, the doctor and Coach Siasia spoke on phone to discuss the good news I have earlier passed on to him (Siasia). Not done at that I still brought the hard copy of the medical reports ascertaining my fitness to the coach.
If you are eventually selected to be part of the team to embark on training tour to Korea, would you submit yourself for further medical screening?
Well, I'm not going to shy away from any medical test. But for me I know that I am okay, that's what I believe and there is no any medical test that can change my mind set. I feel and know that I'm okay.
What was your immediate reaction when the doctor said you have heart problem?
Well, it's not that the doctor said the heart problem could prevent me from further playing football, because I was there when he was saying it that this thing would not allow me to play for 90 minutes and not that I will not play again. But the cardiologist said if it's type three block, it means it's at the worst stage.
Since the result was released, I have been training with the team and have not experienced anything strange. My first training with the team after the test, l spent one hour 30 minutes and I did not get tired.
I was able to chase the ball and do the normal things I used to do during training. After the first training with the team everybody was surprised at my performance, and that has even given me the courage and urge to go for further test to convince those still doubting my fitness. When I was first informed about the result of my test, I was asking myself questions such as why should it be me? Why should this kind of thing happen to me?
After the result of the first test, how did you feel?
Since Thursday when I heard the news that I would not be part of the team, I felt bad, because I know that this is what I have worked hard to achieve. I felt somehow depressed, but I took it in good faith, because in life it is often said that when there is life, there is hope. There was indeed pain all over me when the news came and it showed on my face that there was something wrong somewhere.
But after a while, I was able to control it because that would not be the end of the world for me. When I got back to the room in the camp, my colleagues counselled me that I should not give up that sometimes medical reports are not correct owing to some mistakes. Even my roommate encouraged me to go for another test and if the result of the second test confirms the first then there could be iota of truth in the tests and not a mistake any longer. He encouraged me that in football one passes through so many things.
So, after that counselling I set off on Friday to see my chairman, Honourable Sabo Babayaro as I don't know how to explain it that I would not be in the team to the Olympics. Still doubting the situation I summed up courage to travel to Kaduna to inform my mother and brothers and sisters about the new development from my medical test, and that was why I came to Kaduna for another test. There and then my mother and brothers and sisters encouraged me that the problem be committed to God.
So we put everything to prayers and everything went that way till Monday (July 7, 2008). No one even slept, as all of us in the house were busy praying. Since prayer is the key to everything, I believe that it is God that changed everything in my favour. I believe that it's God that put me in this position and He knows why and nobody can take it away from me. If God promises that certain things would be, nobody can change it. After the prayers with my mother, brothers and sisters on Sunday, we continued in the church.
The way the preaching went was as if it was being directed at me. I went to ECWA Goodnews that Sunday even though I attend Baptist. So the Pastor's preaching was as if he was directing it to me. Later I went to the Pastor, who prayed for me and told me that I should commit everything to God, that He is in control.
With such encouraging words from the Pastor, I went back to do the second test. So, on Monday when the result came out the doctor said it's God, because what he is seeing was not what he saw in the previous test conducted in Abuja and that everything was now different. The heart beat that was reported to be at 48 is now a normal beat, the tissue that was ceasing was no longer ceasing and everything have started working normally. So, I give God the glory.
Now that all these are happening a few days to the Olympics, are you suspecting a kind of sabotage to jeopardise your participation at the Olympics?
Well, this is something I cannot answer but God knows what He is going to do in my life. Before now I have committed everything to His hands. I cannot right now point-accusing fingers at any one in particular because I can't see what is really going on around me. It's only God that sees everything; it's the prayers of every Nigerian that is turning the whole thing around.
Since this incident, what has been the reaction of the Nigeria Football Association? Has any of the top shots called you?
Well, some people, not from the NFA, have called to ask me what was the news they were hearing bout me. It was precisely the Nigeria Football League Vice Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gusau and some members of the NFL that called me. I was also shocked to hear the story in the news. I even received a call from London someone, that he read the report on the Internet that I have a heart problem.
I replied him that I was not having any heart problem. I refused to accept it that I have heart problem, because it's when you accept a particular problem that it affects you. So, I never admitted that I have heart problem. When I eventually read the story in a local tabloid, I said to myself that God has taken control of the situation. And since then I have rejected the test result.
So, since then no NFA member has called to ask after your well-being?
Well, the only person is my coach (Siasia) and my team mates. So, as you can see I thank God for what is going on in my life. As you can see, I was at the training this morning (last Wednesday), did I look like someone that is sick? Or did I look like someone that is not running well and or is going to fall? Even I believe in me, because if not so I won't have been given another chance to be here in the camp.
If you have to go to the Olympics as a non-playing member of the team, how would you feel?
Well, that's something I will feel bad about, but at the same time I feel God knows why everything is like this. For me I would be very hard up, because I really want to play in the team. But if eventually I am ruled out, I believe there are other capable players that can fill the vacuum.
So, I won't say I'm the best in the role I play in the team or without me they can't win the gold medal. I still believe in the team, because we are like a family and I trust in the coach. In a situation like this, I still give him (coach) thanks for what he has been doing for me. Including me among the players for the training tour shows even though I am not going to make it is something I am grateful for.
Would you accept the offer to accompany the team as a non-playing member?
Well, for now that is not the issue. It's a different thing as the picture is indicating. For now I believe I still have the chance to play.
What does the Olympics mean to you?
Before now I was with the team before going to the Canada championship. So, when we lost out in the All African Games qualifiers to Ghana, the coach drummed it loud to us that the Olympics ticket is the ultimate and that the All African Games ticket was important to him but not like the Olympics. Since then he has been putting the challenge that as we have lost the All African Games ticket to Ghana that we should do everything we can to bring back smile to Nigerians again and fight for the Olympics ticket, that the Olympics ticket is the ultimate where we can make our career. So since then we have put that at the back of our minds.
That's why every time we play, we play with our hearts to win to make sure we have the Olympics ticket. So when Ghana was in our group, we made sure we paid them back in their own coin. Since we won the games against Ghana, it's been my dream to be part of the team to the Olympics. Even when I went to Canada, I still had it in my mind that the Olympics ticket is a sure bet as the Olympics is the ultimate for every athlete. And I have been praying that I would be part of the team to the Olympics.
If at the training tour to Korea you are asked to submit yourself for further medical screening to ascertain your medical fitness, would you accept it?
You see, in every situation one finds himself, take it. If that is what is going to prove to them that I am okay, I will go, because I believe that there is nothing wrong with me. It's only when you doubt in yourself that you say no. For me I don't have any fear, because God can still change the result over there in Korea.
If the result in Korea turns out to be negative, how are you going to tackle the matches at the Games?
I have been with the team for some time and it's going to be a team work. It's not going to be only me playing the games, it's going to be a team work. I believe in the calibre of players in the team and the coaches. With Nigerians praying for us, I believe we are going to do well at the Olympics. We will do the ultimate we can to bring back the gold medal.
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