At the just concluded CAF Kick and Learn event held on Wednesday, former Nigerian football legend Daniel Amokachi gave an inspiring speech to young athletes, advising them to put education ahead of their sporting aspirations.
Amokachi emphasised the value of having a backup plan after the few years of playing professional football by drawing on his personal experience.
“I kicked my last professional ball at 27, and it wasn’t planned. If I hadn’t had some education, I would have been doomed,” he declared.
He highlighted the diverse career opportunities education opened for him, stating, “With my education, I can work with FIFA and CAF, do media and broadcasting – that shows the value education offers.”
Amokachi's speech aligns with an increasing trend of African football stars prioritizing education. The program, which took place at Abidjan's Lycée Classique de Cocody, included outstanding individuals like Salomon Kalou, highlighting this shift in priority even more.
This comes at a time when the issue of athletes being exploited by agents due to a lack of education comes to an end. A few recent instances are the honorary doctorate awarded to former goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and many other players currently pursuing educational degrees.
