- Ex-International, JULIUS AGHAHOWA
One of Nigeria’s most influential retired international footballers at present is Julius Aghahowa. The former Nigerian striker who played for different top clubs in Europe will always be remembered for his undying commitment to the course of the national team and his legendary fighting spirit. Julius was renowned for his fighting spirit whenever he dons on the green and white jersey of the Nigerian national team. Back then, it was always a mission impossible for teams to play the Super Eagles and get victory against them on a platter of gold. They would never go down without a fight. The Super Eagles back then were known for a lot of last gasp victories, a testament of their never say die attitude on the field of play. Julius Aghahowa himself scored some pretty crucial goals for Nigeria that saved the team from shock defeats or elimination from tournaments.
Julius Aghahowa was at the 60th birthday ceremony of Archbishop Designate Isaac Idahosa, held at the Sheraton Hotels in Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday 8th, February, 2025. Julius and the celebrant have been friends for a while now. He is Archbishop Idahosa’s trainer, the one that helps him keep fit, trim and healthy. City People Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) had a chat with him just before he left the event. He talked about his relationship with the birthday boy and explained why it is difficult for the present crop of Super Eagles players to display the sort of fighting spirit that they often showed during their time with the national team. Enjoy excerpts of the conversation.
How do you feel being part of this very special event to celebrate this very special man?
Well, Bishop Isaac Idahosa is a very humble man and I’m happy to be his training partner. So, when you see him looking this young, you know that he’s putting a lot into his fitness, his way of eating, and the way he looks after himself. And so, if you look at him, you won’t even know he’s 60, you will think maybe he’s 40 or below that. So, he’s a very humble man, like I said, and he’s dedicated to doing the work of God and he’s a very generous man as well. I have hardly seen him angry, he’s always very cheerful. If you are close to him, you will not have anything to hate about him. And so, I was drawn to that. You know, when I met him at first, I just immediately clicked with him. So, I’m very happy to be his friend and we live in the same estate and he’s also my brother from the same state. So, I’m very happy to associate with him.
How long have you known him?
Well, I can say more than five years and all through those times, I’ve never seen him getting angry. Anytime you see him, he’s always laughing. We’re always sharing jokes together, you know. So, I feel that he has a lot inside, a lot of good things inside to give. I say this because, some people, when you meet them at first, things might be a bit okay, but after some time, you start noticing those things they might probably be hiding from you. But with him, what it is that you saw, is what you get. There is nothing he hides, he is like an open book. So, I just feel like he has been part of me for a long time because for you to have such a person, and he’s just a phone call away? You are just happy that you have such a human being.
What do you love the most and respect the most about Archbishop Idahosa?
Wow, you know, spiritually, he’s dedicated to the work of God, that, for me, is unmatched. You know, in this world we are living now, you can be easily deceived. You can easily be confused about what is happening around you. And more so, he’s also gone into politics now. You can imagine the kind of people you will see in politics, but he’s not going to change who he is. And so, because of that, I love that about him. Some politicians, when you see them, they say one thing and do another thing, I usually observe that, when they say one thing, when you actually look closely at that thing, it’s not true. Maybe they mean something else. But, he will tell you how it is. He will tell you the in and out of it. And when you go back and check, you will see that that thing is really true. So, that’s one thing that I love about him and he’s very direct. His integrity is very special to me. You know, when somebody tells you something is color black and you check, and it’s actually color black. It’s not white.
The minute I saw you in the hall, the first thing that came to my mind was, I said, see, wow, this guy has not changed. The same way you were back then, in your prime, at your peak, is the same way you’re looking ight now, you could still be on the field of play, playing at the very top, how have you kept looking young and fit?
Thank you, thank you.
How have you been able to do that? Of course, you are a sportsman. Yes, I know that a lot of sportsmen, shortly after they retire, you see them blow up, so, how have you been able to remain slim and athletic?
Yeah, you know, because they’ve pressurized the body for so many years and so, when they stop, they tend to want to relax. They tend to want to enjoy all they have been missing in life. Because, you know, when you are playing as a professional player, you don’t have the pleasure to enjoy your life. You know, you cannot eat what you want to eat. So, a lot of things are restricted. So, when you finish the game, you want to do everything that you couldn’t do then. So, that explains why immediately you see the changes in their body. But I have to make sure that I stick to what I was doing while I was playing. But it mustn’t be that rigorous, but at least I keep to some training routine and also what I put in my body, what I eat, that’s very important. So, you can see, Bishop Idahosa, how young he is at 60. So, I also want to look like that when I get to 60 or above that. So, it’s very, very important for me as well to keep fit and I try my best.
How do you feel when you watch our national team play and you feel like that fighting spirit that you guys had back then is obviously lacking in the team? How do you feel? You will always be remembered for a lot of crucial goals that you scored to save Nigeria from elimination. I still remember all of them. How do you feel watching this low level of commitment from the present crop of footballers?
Oh, thank you for the accolades. I think that you’ve said it all, that’s one of the things we are missing in this present crop of players. It’s not that they are not talented. It’s not like they don’t have the skills or they don’t have the desire to deliver for Nigeria. The only thing we are missing is that fighting spirit and you can’t buy that. You can’t train to acquire that. It’s what is built inside you as you are growing up because of the environment you find yourself when you are growing up. Most of these players now, if you check, they were either born abroad or they were raised abroad. You know, the system there is very easy. Things have been set and structured for them over there. You have the training ground, you have the facility, everything’s set. You just have to come in, do your training and go back home. But back in Nigeria, you know how we grew up, we played on the streets, barefooted, no boots, nothing. And so we trek to the training ground, we finish training, we trek back.
When you get home, you don’t even have water to take your bath, you have to take the jerrycan again to long distance to go and fetch water. All those things build the resilience in that generation of players. And because I said you can’t buy it, when you are telling some players now that you don’t have the fighting spirit, they will tell you, but I’m fighting on the pitch. They don’t understand that what it means is that when things are not going well, you can stick your neck out, you can put your leg, seeing clearly that it could earn you a serious injury, you can put your head when somebody raises their boot and all you’re thinking is, you want to deliver! But these players hold back because they think of their club, they think, oh, they have to go back and play and all that. So, that kind of thing, you can’t buy it.
Again, some say maybe because a lot of them are making so much money so they have lost the hunger and desire to fight for the national team. But then, again, one can also argue that you guys also made some big money back then in your time as well and it never got into your head…so, what happened? What has changed?
Of course, we made good money during our own time as well, but it never changed or reduced oiur desire to play for the national team because we were just dedicated to finding ways to deliver for the nation. And it was not about us, it was about the country at that time. We wanted to make sure we win every game. Of course, it’s not possible in sport. But we made sure we want to push and push to make sure we win. Even at that time, if we play 0-0, it’s a big problem. If you went to play 0-0 at National Stadium or back home, they will stone you. So, the passion was there for the fans. Now, we are losing back to back at home. In our days, I don’t think I’ve ever lost any game at home. Losing back to back, and we are still celebrating and we don’t see anything wrong in it? I see a lot wrong with it because, during our time, you can’t lose at home.
Let me put it this way. You can lose a game because it’s sport, right? But you don’t lose with so much laziness. Its like they just relax and let the opponent win. If you want to lose, you have to lose gallantly. You put in everything. Even the fans would know that you put in everything but it didn’t work out. People will see that you fought for this game but just that luck was against you, So, that was the difference. I think if we are able to put this in the minds of these young players, maybe by including some of the ex-players to join the team and talk to them, probably there will be some changes because these players are coming from abroad. They don’t have that kind of mentality. I think that’s where the issue is. But, hopefully, we’ll get there.
