Drogba made me a Chelsea fan, Tolu Obanro

Award-winning music producer Tolu Obanro is famous for his work on the soundtracks of popular films like Gangs of Lagos and Jagun Jagun. He talks to ABIODUN ADEWALE about his love for football, how he became a Chelsea supporter, and more.

My Saturdays are usually free, and I take my Saturday morning football seriously. Sometimes I travel out of Lagos to play matches because I am part of a football team. I train regularly with ECWA football club, which was originally owned by the church. We have organized friendly matches against teams like First Bank, and we also join some competitions. My club understands my job, so they accept me as a part-time member and let me play. Thanks to football, I have managed to stay fit.

I wanted to be a footballer when I was younger. I played very well around the ages of 16 and 17. At one point, I almost joined the U-17 team because they were holding trials near my school. The coach noticed me, but my school changed after I told my parents I wanted to give it a shot. My family values education highly. They wanted me to have a regular 9-5 job in an oil company since I studied Petroleum Engineering. But these days, they are starting to understand my current path.

I played football a lot as a child. When I was very young, I broke my leg while chasing a ball. They said the ball went into a drainage, and I jumped in after it and got hurt. I had surgery and spent months in the hospital. But I returned to playing football after I healed. I didn’t let that stop me. I played for my primary school, Anthony Nursery and Primary School in Lokoja, Kogi State. I also played for my secondary school and my department at the Federal University of Science and Technology, Minna. During my NYSC, I remember playing against Bayelsa United in Yenagoa. I was actually posted to the capital city because of football.

I had many favorite clubs back then, but when Chelsea signed Drogba, I started supporting them. There were many black players on the team too. Players like Hernan Crespo, Arjen Robben, Joe Cole, and others made me like them more. These days, Chelsea is breaking hearts. The last time I felt proud of my club was during Eden Hazard’s time. Now, I just watch football because there was a time Chelsea could really stress me out. But now, I have accepted whatever they do.

I don’t think Chelsea will achieve anything big unless they become consistent and change their current mindset. They need to win games in a row and shake off their complacency.

The theme will combine sad and happy sounds from the two stanzas of the national anthem. It will be emotional and inspiring.

That will be quite funny because it will reflect the harshness of life, like aiye le oo ibosi ooo (meaning the theme will be that of a cruel world).