Retired Football Icon, Mikel Obi, Lashes Out At Entitled Family Members

In an insightful discussion with former football player Rio Ferdinand, Mikel Obi courageously tackled the problem of the entitlement mentality that many African families experience when one member succeeds financially.

Through the open sharing of his personal experiences, Obi exposed the startling degree to which family members can turn financially abusive and even threaten to damage a person’s reputation in the media if financial support is not extended.

Mikel also highlighted the African cultural notion that prosperity is shared by all, which frequently leads to relatives of the extended family dumping their excessive financial needs at the feet of the most successful family member.

Mikel’s disclosure illuminated the intricacies and difficulties people, especially successful African footballers, encounter when adjusting to their newfound wealth and the weird family dynamics in most African societies. Obi said he was speaking up for his fellow colleagues going through similar strange family situations but don’t know how to talk about it.

In the same podcast interview, Mikel also spoke about why he left Chelsea. The retired star footballer blamed Antonio Conte for his departure, revealing that Conte had threatened to end his career if he went with Nigeria to the Olympics. Notwithstanding, Mikel went to the Olympics with his countrymen and returned to Conte relegating him to the reserve team and never speaking to him until Obi’s help was needed…again.

Watch the entire interview below to get the full tea: