By Abigail Philip David
Nigerian footballer Babatunde Ogundiran has cried out for help after being stranded in Qatar for over a year. The wing-back, who moved to the Middle Eastern country in hopes of advancing his football career, now finds himself struggling to survive and unable to return home.
Ogundiran recounted his ordeal, revealing how his agent, Yusuf Garuba Inuwa of YG Football Agency, failed to fulfill promises made to him. Speaking in distress, he explained that his journey began in 2021 when he was supposed to move to Belarus after securing a visa and an invitation letter from a club. However, despite having all the necessary documents, the move fell through due to unexplained reasons from his agent.
In 2022, Ogundiran applied for a Portuguese visa, with Inuwa handling the paperwork. After waiting five months without results, his agent shifted plans to Bahrain. However, despite showing Ogundiran an application screen display and booking flight tickets twice with Egypt Air, the move never materialized.
By March 2023, Ogundiran was sent a one-year Qatari visa but had to pay an emergency fee of ₦273,000. His agent then cited high flight costs, leading Ogundiran and his family to raise more money for the trip. Despite multiple flight bookings, the agent failed to pay for them, leaving Ogundiran to rely on support from his family and friends to finally travel to Qatar. Unfortunately, his visa has since expired, leaving him stranded.
The former Young Boys player, who last featured for Crownstar FC of Lagos, described his current situation as unbearable, as he now depends on his parents and friends in Nigeria for daily survival. He is calling on the Nigerian government, football authorities, and well-meaning individuals to assist him in returning home and resuming his career.
