From stadium to bomb shelter. Victor Osimhen's friend told about life, soccer and the war in Ukraine

Nigeria has always been a breeding ground for football talent. In every generation, you can find dozens of players who have become icons for Nigerian and European fans alike.

But aside from the top stars, there are those just beginning their journey in professional football, and some of them are already being touted as highly promising talents. One such player is goalkeeper Aniagboso Chijioke, who, after the 2023 U20 World Cup, made the bold decision to move to Ukraine — the country where the active phase of the big war began in 2022. Is he afraid to be there?

"It’s normal. The people of Ukraine are still here, and we all deserve to show love to each other. Ukraine is a very good place. I have many brothers from Africa who played here before. They told me about Ukraine," said Chijioke.

"Ukraine is fine. There’s a war going on, but it’s not killing themselves. I love Ukrainians, so it’s all good. We need to show love to Ukraine, and this is one way to do it."

We met in Odesa after a match between his current team, Chornomorets, and Obolon. Just a week prior, the 20-year-old goalkeeper made his debut in the Ukrainian Premier League, stepping in for injured first-choice goalkeeper Artur Rudko during a match against LNZ Cherkasy. Chijioke conceded one goal, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Despite the goal and his status as the backup goalkeeper, fans warmly praised his performance, with some fan groups even calling him the man of the match.

Rudko returned to the lineup over the weekend, but the team continues to value the efforts of the young Nigerian talent.

"He’s a foreign player, so he needs time," Chornomorets head coach Oleksandr Babych told me. "Kingsley is a physically imposing goalkeeper who leaves a good impression. For competition and the future development of our club, he’s an investment for the future. I’m 100% sure he will help us."

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Chijioke himself describes Ukrainian football as "challenging."

"It’s like Premier League football, it can help you get better. If you can play in Ukrainian football, you can play anywhere in the world," the goalkeeper noted.

Communication, of course, is essential. Beyond the "language of football," there’s also the need for verbal communication to stay connected with teammates between matches and interact with locals outside the training ground. But Chijioke isn’t discouraged and says he’s already picked up a few Ukrainian words.

"Ukrainians are wonderful people. They are kind. They love deeply. When I walk down the street, they show me love. Honestly, no one has ever done anything bad to me here.

Some of my teammates speak English. When I was at Polissya [the club he played for before joining Chornomorets], we had translators. I’ve also learned some Ukrainian words to communicate with my teammates."

It would be impossible to have a conversation with Chijioke without mentioning the Nigerian national team. In 2023, the 20-year-old goalkeeper helped Nigeria’s youth team reach the quarterfinals of the U20 World Cup, playing every match as the starting keeper. With this background, he’s naturally a candidate for consideration by the senior national team coaching staff.

"I was part of the national team. After the U20 World Cup, I was promoted to the senior squad. Now, I want to play more and earn a call-up to the Super Eagles."

The national team is also an opportunity for Chijioke to reunite with his friend, Victor Osimhen. Right now, the striker is arguably not just the biggest star in Nigerian football but in all of Nigerian sports.

"Osimhen is my friend. We have been in the same camp before the Super Eagles. He’s just a wonderful guy, and he is hardworking."

Despite his immense talent, Osimhen has had to continue his career in Turkey. While Turkish fans are passionate, the league isn’t quite at the same level as the Premier League or Serie A.

"It’s football. Sometimes, that happens. Sometimes, you need to go where people accept you. He was a wonderful player in Italy. Some challenges came up, and I think the Turkish people accepted him, so he had to go."

• Also read: Osimhen has fallen in price but remains the most expensive player in the Turkish Süper Lig

We know many Nigerian footballers who are currently playing for some of the world’s top clubs: Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho.

However, information about Nigeria’s own football league is scarce. Even on the legendary website Transfermarkt, you can find only basic information about the top division, the Nigerian Professional Football League.

"Football in Nigeria has so many talents. When I played there, it was a hard challenge for me. The league is not up to standard but there are so many talents in Nigeria."

My conversation with Aniagboso Chijioke was heartwarming and sincere. It’s easy to root for this young goalkeeper to one day become Nigeria’s number one. Especially now, as the country is experiencing a shortage of top-quality goalkeepers. The key will be for him to continue receiving opportunities in Ukraine and get more playing time.

Before we finished, Chijioke had a message for African footballers:

"First of all, I love Africans and I wish every one of the footballers in Africa would be exposed in professional football. I love Africa, and I love Nigeria."