Footballers uses talisman to win matches-Taribo

Formal Super Eagles player; Taribo west is reveling in his pastoral duties after a hard life while growing up. The one usually know as fearsome as his look depicts then and the glamour he use to enjoy is no more as he  is home this days in his Opebi mansion.

"Your background experience counts. We turn to God to give us direction. I’m happy how far He has taken us.

“The gospel is for the poor, rich and noble. Part of the gift God gave me is to reach out to the downtrodden. It is good if you can reach out to the downtrodden, preach the gospel to them and try to meet some of their needs through humanitarian services. I’m grateful to God for using me to spread the gospel across to these people,” he said.

With a new-found life of affluence, the big defender

paid huge sums of money for him to be supplied charms to win games, protect him from career-threatening injuries and also to be foretold the results of matches before they were played.

Taribo said, “ (I was involved). I don’t know why people decline to talk about their involvement with charms. Football has to do with a lot of powers. When there are big events, you look at the stadium, you see people, fans invoking all kinds of things; magicians are there, voodooists are there.

“In my playing days, when I was ignorant, I used to get some mallams and babalawos (traditional doctors) to make charms for us, which we took to (national) camp. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.

“In some clubs, before every game, the president or leader of the club will give you a lucky charm to play with. They will tell you to put it in your boots or socks and play. It’s their superstitious belief; that it can help them win matches.

“There are some coaches who are connected to African magicians and soothsayers from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Zaire or even Nigeria. These people are consulted to give these coaches results of games even before the matches are played.

“These people see strange things and they can tell you with their magic and charms, what the outcome of a match will be. People believe and use it. It works for those who believe in it. I saw it, I experienced it, I was with players that used it and I used it. So, why are people denying it? There are charms and rituals in football. It still exists.”

This is a reality we have to ponder about.