By Olamide Awoyinfa
A little child from a modest home in the Northern part of Ekiti State, Nigeria, discovered purpose at an early age: he aspired to be a professional footballer. He was certain of his dream despite coming from a system with no clear path to support it. He had numerous challenges, the first of which was criticism from his mother, the most important person in his life. He never gave up.
All he had to do was beat the odds, which he did. Now playing for the Egyptian top-flight team Pyramids FC, he cited belief in his abilities, strong will, focus, hard effort, dedication, and faith in God as some of the keys to his success.
Do you also know the attacker pursued a career in rap music? He chatted with me about his journey.
A young Tolulope Ojo discovered his passion for football at the tender age of 10. Despite initial disapproval from his mother, who wanted him to pursue a more traditional career path, Tolulope's determination and natural talent eventually won her over.
"I started playing football when I was in Primary 4. I started playing for my school when I was in Primary 4, and even when I was in Primary 5, people in the secondary schools in my town would ask me to come play for their school team."
Tolulope Ojo hails from Ire Ekiti, a town in Ekiti State, southwest Nigeria, where football was not widely encouraged. In fact, he faced discouragement from elderly individuals who believed that their town was not conducive to producing successful footballers. However, Tolulope's passion for the sport only intensified despite these obstacles.
Interestingly, Tolulope's academic pursuits were also of value, likely due to his mother's influence as a teacher and sportmistress. Nevertheless, she initially disapproved of his football aspirations, preferring him to pursue a more traditional career path, such as becoming a teacher or doctor.
“Though she didn't support me, she believed that, you know, as a teacher, all teachers want their sons and daughters to be doctors, lawyers and everything. But I told her that this is what I want to be playing, this is what I choose. And it got to a point, she said, go to school. When you go to school, then you can be playing your football.” He says.
He wrote the JAMB exam four times, scoring 230, 219, 201, and 217, but eventually decided to pursue his football career instead of attending university.
“Then I said, mom, I'm not going to school. That was when she gave up on me that, okay, since you have chosen football then, I will be praying for you, I'll be supporting you.”
"I was a stubborn kid, but I didn't fight. I just knew what I wanted, and I went for it."
Tolulope's professional career began with Fountain Youth (now Phoenix ASC) in Ado Ekiti, followed by stints with Lobi Stars, Remo Stars, Ekiti United, Bendel Insurance, and presently, Pyramid FC in Egypt.
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| Tolulope in Lobi Stars |
Growing up in a rural area, Tolulope was surrounded by various animals, including cats, dogs, and chickens, which might have led one to assume he would develop a fondness for pets and want one of his own. However, he never considered having a pet. As he explained in the interview,
"I don't have any pets, but I love all. I love all because I grew up doing all. Dogs, everything, cats, everything. You know, I'm from the rural area, so I do everything. I see everything."
Tolulope's football career took off at Fountain Youth, now Phoenix ASC, in Ado Ekiti, where he refined his skills and developed as a player. He then moved to Lobi Stars and later Remo Stars, facing challenges along the way, including limited playing opportunities due to a coaching change. As he recalled, "I moved to Remo Stars, but I didn't have a lot of opportunities to play there because the coach who signed me got sacked, so I didn't have the chance to play."
After his two moves didn't yield the desired success, Tolulope returned to Ekiti State and joined the state team Ekiti United in the Nigeria National League, the second division of Nigeria Football, where he scored an impressive 9 goals in 9 games. He acknowledged that he had to "go back to the drawing board" and start again, joining Ekiti United, a Division 2 team. This achievement ultimately earned him a transfer back to the top division, the Nigeria Premier Football League, with Bendel Insurance and later Remo Stars for his second stint.
Tolulope Ojo's time at Bendel Insurance was marked by a sluggish start, with limited playing opportunities in his first season, which was also disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he demonstrated remarkable doggedness and proved himself in the second season, scoring crucial goals that earned him the moniker "OT9," which became a popular chant among fans in Benin City. As he reminisced, "When I started scoring goals in the second season, even the streets of Benin City couldn't forget the name OT9. They loved me at Bendel Insurance, and I'm still cherished in Benin City."
Tolulope's move to Remo Stars was met with enthusiasm, perhaps thanks to his close bond with his mentor, Bayo Olalenge, whom he now affectionately calls "Daddy," and his personal connection with the club's owner, Kunle Soname. He fondly recalls the banter with Remo Stars fans, who playfully teased him about being a menace during his time at Bendel Insurance.
Tolulope embraced the challenge, "I fought for Bendel because it was my club then, and now that I'm with Remo Stars, I'll do everything for the jersey. I'll give my all on the field for Remo Stars”.
Tolulope's impressive performance at Remo Stars earned him a national team call-up for the Nigeria Under 20 Flying Eagles, where he played in the WAFU B Championship. He scored a brace in the final against Benin Republic, including a penalty and a thunderbolt strike, helping his team secure a 3-1 victory and earning him the Man of the Match award.
Tolulope's recent move to Pyramid FC in Egypt marks a significant career milestone and a move in the right direction. He acknowledges the challenges of playing for a big team with a rich history, stating, "It's very difficult for someone of my age to play for Pyramid. They have a collection of stars, people with history." Despite the language barrier, Tolulope believes that football transcends language, and he has already made an impact by scoring 15 goals in 16 games for the Pyramid Under 23 team.
"Football speaks the same language everywhere. It's difficult to break into the team, especially when you're playing for a big team like Pyramid, but I'm determined to make my mark."
Tolulope Ojo's transfer to Pyramid FC was a complex process. Initially, his agent didn't take him straight to Pyramid FC; instead, he tried out for two other teams, Ennpi SC and Aras. During his trial at Ennpi SC, the deal fell through due to limited space for foreign players. "They needed to release some foreign players to make room for me, but those players weren't willing to leave," Tolulope explained. As for Aras, the offer they made was unacceptable. "They offered a small amount of money, which my agent rejected, saying I deserved better," Tolulope recalled.
Feeling frustrated with the process, Tolulope told his agent, "Let's return to Nigeria." However, on the last day of the transfer window, they received four offers, and Tolulope chose Pyramid FC, his preferred club all along.
Despite facing challenges, Tolulope is now excelling at Pyramid FC, scoring 15 goals in 16 games for the Under 23 team. He acknowledges the difficulties of playing for a big team with a rich history but is determined to succeed.
Tolulope's passion for rap music is another aspect of his personality. He started rapping at a young age and credits Ice Prince as his mentor. He's a fan of Ice Prince, Olamide, and Portable and hopes to pursue a rap career in the future. "I would have loved to be a rapper... I love to rap, and I still practice," Tolulope said. Maybe one day, we'll see him on the rap scene.
When asked about the coach who influenced him the most, Tolulope credited his grassroots coach, Coach Bolarinwa Idris, who taught him to use his head as an asset. "He trained me to use my head as one of my assets, and now heading is one of my strengths as a player," Tolulope explained.
Tolulope also shared the story behind his nicknames, OT9 and ToluLopez. OT9 originated from his time at Phoenix ASC, where they wrote "O. Tolulope 9" on his shirt. He decided to keep it as OT9, and No. 9 became his iconic number, which was given to him at Bendel Insurance. As for ToluLopez, he wanted an appellation that would set him apart. Inspired by the letter "Z" from Jay-Z, he added it to his name, creating ToluLopez.
"I wanted an appellation for myself. Like, people, I don't want this Tolulope, Tolulope, Tolulope. I was like, what is the name that I want to give to myself? When I was very, very young, then I saw JZ. And I was like, okay, if I put this Z to my own name, it will be Tolulope. Yes, let me put this one. That was why I put Z to my name."
OT9 enthusiastically chose Lionel Messi, When asked about a legend he would love to play with, "Messi is an all-rounder; he's the god of football. Everything about football is Messi," he said.
Tolulope revealed his love for Indian movies, claiming they are the best. He even shared details about the movie "Eega," which he watched before the interview.
Tolulope credits his mother and Bayo Olanlege, whom he calls "Father," as the two people who have advised him to thrive in the world and football. He expressed his gratitude for their support and guidance.
