Mohammed Oladimeji Lawal, the current General Manager of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), was a popular footballer during his youth years. In this interview with Julius Olobia, he speaks on his footballing career, especially after being signed by Real Madrid Football Club in Spain. Excerpts:
You were popularly known during your active football years as Dimeji Lawal. Can you share with us how you started your career.
I go by the name Oladimeji Mohammed Lawal. I am a native of Ibadan, I had all my basic education in Ibadan, and I started my football career within this region. I started my football career from my primary school days at Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria Idi-Ayunre Ibadan Staff Quarters. To God be the glory, I can mention those who graduated from that school and later became superstars in football, I can mention Femi Opabunmi, Michelle Adepoju, Muyiwa Lawal, and so on.
You are one of the most prolific midfielders Nigeria has ever produced. How do you feel about that?
I’ll say I am honoured and privileged. I can’t judge myself when I hear people say that about me. It marvels me and makes me proud, and I give all the glory to God because without God, I don’t think all that can be possible.
Reports have it that you started your football career with Femo Scorpions Football Club Eruwa with the likes of Mutiu Adepoju, It was said that you moved to Spain at the age of 18 and signed for European giant, Real Madrid Segunda División, where you spent two seasons and was never promoted to the Premier division. How do you feel about this? Can one describe your football career in Spain as a successful one?
Let me make that correction first, I did not start my football career with Femo Scorpions Football Club; I started with Adegoke Football Club in Ibadan. It was from there that I moved to Femo Scorpions Club in Eruwa, and the likes of Mutiu later joined me after I had played a season there, and from there, I moved to Julius Berger in Lagos and talking about the Real Madrid, I was signed before going to the junior world cup in Saudi and I signed my contract with Real Madrid in 1988, I was there for two seasons hoping to get promoted to the first team, but unfortunately this was an era where they have this quota system of how many foreigners that can play in the team, myself and my colleagues were very unfortunate at that particular time because they had also many great players from other countries, so it became difficult for us to be among the number that can be allowed to play. At the same time, I’ll say it was a successful one because at that age, having the opportunity to sign a contract with the biggest club in the world that was the first success and it was a very big achievement, it doesn’t happen to people regularly and ever since me and Mutiu left Real Madrid, no one has signed in again for the team from Nigeria, and so that was a big plus, but not having been able to play to the highest level, I am not saying I am happy about that but you see, man proposes, and then God disposes; like I said, that was the era of the quota system where they have limited number of foreigners who can play on the team, and also I have to be honest, the other foreigners in the team were better than us at that particular time and they had bigger chances than us because as at that time, some of them had played in the World Cup properly while we just represented Nigeria in the Under-20ss so that was the big difference.
You were a popular face in various Nigeria national teams, starting from the Under-16 youth team to the senior national team. During your days at the national team with the Super Eagles, it was alleged that the competition for shirt/position was very high and that some players resorted to diabolical tactics to secure their position in the team, how true is this assertion?
You see, when you’re doing a public job, people tend to say many things, but it is unconfirmed, but I can only be able to talk about myself, and I remember the time I was the first Nigerian to play from the Eaglets to Flying Eagles and from Flying Eagles to Super Eagles. I played at two world cups, and I can tell what the national team was like, and yes, what people call diabolical, I really don’t understand, but I do know that we have different religions in Nigeria, but let me ask you a question, as a Moslem, if someone recites the Quran inside the water for you to drink, is that diabolical? Also, as a Christian, a verse in the Psalm is written down in a paper, and they ask you to put it in your hose, and you believe in that, is it diabolical? I know people who do that, but personally, I don’t believe in things like that, and I can not say that it has never happened or that it is not happening. It is a very difficult and hypothetical question to answer.
In what ways can you personally describe your football career?
Well, I would say glory be to God because when I look around me and I see how many people that we started together, I can say I am fulfilled even though I have my shortcomings, my dream of getting to the highest level was cut short by a very serious injury that took me out of football in Belgium for like 12 months, from there I was not really able to get to my peak, that is, what I really aspire to be in terms of everything, but I think I am fulfilled.
Some of your colleagues at the national teams have tried their luck as coaches of the national teams, including the Super Eagles. Were you ever considered for such a role?
Well, I have never really had the urge to become a coach because I encountered a lot while playing football, and I don’t want to sit on the side line and become a coach, it can be very difficult and having said that, our ex internationals who want to be coaches should not be selected based on having played for Nigeria before; that you are a very good player doesn’t mean you are going to be a very good coach. For instance, presently, I am the General Manager of Shooting Stars at the administrative level, and all of us can not become coaches, and I don’t think that should be a yardstick for anyone to become a coach, yet it is a plus because you have gathered lots of experiences along the line, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is going to transform you into a good coach.
You are now a FIFA confirmed and accredited player agent. How tasking and lucrative is this aspect of football business?
Yes, I was among the foremost accredited FIFA licensed agents, but unfortunately, I am not working with it presently because the rules that guide the football organisation is that you can not be an administrator and at the same time engage in selling players; it is not allowed.
As a successful footballer who is now probably enjoying his retirement, what advice can you offer aspiring footballers?
It is very simple. First is that you have to be very disciplined, you need commitment, and it takes a lot of sacrifices because it is a very thin line between success and failure in football, you can be here for 15 years without crossing the line to be a successful player; it doesn’t mean because you know how to play you become successful, but when you put all these things I make mention of together, I think that can help to go a long way in football.
Finally, many footballers of Nigerian descent, those born abroad to Nigerian parents, prefer not to play for Nigeria because of certain issues. In what ways do you think the national team can be made attractive to such players?
I don’t buy into the idea that there are some certain issues that are not allowing Nigerians who are born abroad not to play for Nigeria, I think it is not right for anybody to think I am coming to help the nation by playing, the nation will always help everyone, for instance as a foreign base, think about your commitment, what you intend to contribute should be the first thing on your mind, not what you are going to get from Nigeria. When we were playing for the country, we hardly took money, we were just happy to wear the green white green jersey and we just played because we wanted to represent the country.
