Sport is full of tales of triumph over hardship, but few can match the unusual level of adversity faced by Efe Obada.
And as he begins life in the NFL, he is determined to become more than just an incredible story. Born in Nigeria and trafficked to England via Holland aged 10, Obada and his older sister were homeless on the streets of London before bouncing around foster homes.
He was almost swallowed up by the capital’s gang culture, but chose to change direction. While working in a warehouse unpacking boxes, he took up American football as a way of channeling his anger.
Just four years later the 26-year-old finds himself on the Carolina Panthers 53-man roster. Obada, a matter-of-fact man of few words, is understandably guarded about his past and struggles with trust to this day.
‘I was born in Nigeria. Then I moved over to Holland to be with my mum and my sister. She wanted us to have a better life, so we somehow found ourselves going to London. It didn’t work out the way we wanted it to. We found ourselves being homeless and in foster care. I went to school. Got into some trouble, but found football,’ he says.
He is reluctant to go into the finer details of his journey into the UK.
‘These things happen. They are still happening around the world. I’m not the only person whose childhood was affected by some of these situations. It’s only because I’m in the position that I’m in that it has shed some light on it.
‘I’m just focused on the future, not looking backwards. Obviously the past has made me into the person I am, there’s some traits, but I’m always looking forward.’
Obada is more willing to discuss his second journey: that from novice to professional sportsman. Few have gone from never having seen — let alone played — the game to an NFL team in such a short space of time.
At an imposing 6ft 6in, a friend suggested Obada tried American football. He joined the London Warriors and after five games was recommended to the Dallas Cowboys by British coach Aden Durde. Durde, who remains close with Obada, was the Warriors’ defensive co-ordinator and spent an internship with the Cowboys.
