San Jose, California — In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Nigerian football star Asisat Oshoala reveals her journey of overcoming parental opposition to achieve greatness in sports. The 30-year-old forward, who has played for prestigious teams like Liverpool and Barcelona, is now with Bay FC and focused on uplifting others through her foundation and ambassadorial role with GSMA.
“This is a different world,” Oshoala explains, pointing out the technology-rich environment of Silicon Valley. Despite her success, she remains grounded in her mission to assist others back home in Nigeria, where she aims to break the digital divide affecting over three billion people lacking internet access.
“It is limiting the strength of Africa right now and I think this is a huge, huge problem,” she states, addressing the issues of connectivity and its impact on innovation. “Governments think it is just the internet, but it is much more than that. It is vital for progress.”
Asisat stresses the importance of the internet in changing her life. After emerging as the top scorer at the 2014 U20 World Cup, she connected with her agent through social media. “It could easily not have happened for me. One contact on one platform changed my life,” she shares.
Oshoala’s journey begins in Nigeria, where she faced significant obstacles, particularly from her parents. “My parents were my biggest obstacle,” she recalls. “They did not want me to play. I had to hide and play football with boys on the streets.” Her first encounter with a women’s team changed everything. “I saw girls playing and was shocked. I thought, ‘Are you joking? Women playing football?”
It wasn’t until after the U20 World Cup that her father, once the barrier in her pursuit, allowed her to pursue football professionally. “From that moment, everything else was secondary,” she reflects.
Globally, 3.45 billion people lack mobile internet, and closing the usage gap could contribute an estimated $3.5 trillion to the global economy from 2023 to 2030. Women disproportionately face these barriers, being 14% less likely than men to use mobile internet. Oshoala is committed to ensuring that young girls in Nigeria are not discouraged as she was.
“I cannot promise them much, but I can tell them my story,” she states. Through her foundation, she meets with parents to advocate for girls’ involvement in football, emphasizing the importance of education alongside sports. “All the girls in my academy must go to school, because leaving education just for sports is not my message,” she explains.
Oshoala’s commitment to her role as a role model is clear. “I believe I am built differently. I am built to help generations to come,” she asserts. She is resolute in her values, refusing to sign contracts with betting companies, knowing the influence she holds over young fans.
“If you can teach one kid, they can teach their parents and their whole family. Incredible things are going to happen in Africa when they have these opportunities,” she predicts, imagining a future where talent thrives due to increased access, referencing the conveniences she sees in the Bay Area.
Oshoala concludes, “It is just about access. Crazy things will happen when people connect to the world.”
