From Ibadan to England, Belgium, and Canada — the story of a Nigerian winger who made his mark abroad.
An Act of Honesty That Cost Him — and Then Rewarded Him
Folorunso “Foley” Okenla, a former Super Eagles player, was once punished for being honest.
At one point in his early career, he was invited to join the Flying Eagles (Nigeria’s U-20 national team). However, Okenla declined the call-up, truthfully informing the coach that he had already exceeded the age limit for that category. His honesty did not sit well with the coach, who, angered by his refusal, vowed that Okenla would never play for the national team.
Yet, destiny had other plans. Some time later, that same coach travelled abroad for a training course, and in his absence, Okenla received another opportunity. He was invited to the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s senior national team, where he earned five caps — four officially recognised by FIFA and one non-FIFA match — though he did not score any goals.
This story of integrity and eventual triumph highlights the values that defined Okenla’s football journey — truthfulness, discipline, and perseverance.
Early Life, Background, and Education
Folorunso Okenla was born on 9 October 1967 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
As of 2025, he is 57 years old, turning 58 in October.
Public information about his early family background and formal education is limited. However, his family is partially documented through his children — notably his son, Henry Okenla, who is listed as the son of Folorunso and Rachael Okenla on the official Boston College Athletics roster.
Foley Okenla is a devoted father. His son, Henry Okenla, attended Boston College in the United States, where he played college football and was officially described as “the son of Folorunso and Rachael Okenla.”
Henry has four siblings — Christina, Aila, Lola, and Grace — also listed in the same biographical note. While Okenla’s private life remains largely out of the public eye, this information reflects a family legacy that continues to value sports and education across generations.
Club Career
Okenla’s professional football career took him across three continents, showcasing his versatility and ambition:
1991: Signed for Burnley F.C. (England) but did not make a league appearance.
1991 – 1992: Joined Birmingham City F.C. (England, Third Division), where he made 7 appearances and scored 1 goal.
1992 – 1993: Transferred to K.V. Turnhout in Belgium’s Second Division, appearing 4 times.
1993: Signed for Montreal Impact in Canada’s American Professional Soccer League, making 7 appearances.
His career abroad made him part of the early wave of Nigerian footballers who ventured overseas in search of professional growth long before it became commonplace.
International Career
Representing his country was one of Okenla’s proudest achievements.
He played for the Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles, earning at least four official FIFA caps and one additional non-FIFA match between 1988 and 1994.
He was also a member of the squad at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria finished as runners-up, reinforcing his status among the nation’s top players of his era.
Style of Play and Position
Folorunso Okenla primarily operated as a winger, renowned for his speed, creativity, and direct attacking play. Though his overall number of club appearances was modest, his consistent inclusion in Nigeria’s national setup spoke to his quality and professionalism on the pitch.
Following his retirement, Okenla has occasionally appeared in media discussions and football commentary in Nigeria. His honesty, both on and off the field, continues to inspire younger athletes.
His son’s participation in North American college football reflects how his sporting spirit endures through a new generation — a cross-continental legacy that connects Nigeria and the diaspora.
Okenla’s journey from Ibadan to Europe and North America, coupled with his story of integrity and resilience, cements his reputation as one of Nigeria’s understated football ambassadors.
The Federal Government has announced the death of Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Algeria, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, who died at the age of 50.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.
According to the ministry, Lele died in the early hours of April 19, 2026, in Ankara, Türkiye, after a protracted illness.
The ministry described the late diplomat as a dedicated officer who served the country with distinction.
“The late Ambassador Lele, until his death after a protracted illness, was the Director in charge of the Middle East and Gulf Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Ambassador Lele, a career diplomat, was recently appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Ambassador-designate to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, following the Nigerian Senate’s confirmation of his nomination,” the statement said.
Born in Gamawa, Bauchi State, in 1976, Lele studied Economics at Bayero University, Kano, and went on to serve in Nigerian missions in Berlin, Lomé and Riyadh.
“Ambassador Lele was known for his intellectual depth, strategic insight and commitment to the advancement of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives,” the statement added.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dunoma Umar Ahmed, who received the remains of the late diplomat at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, described him as “a hardworking, humble and fine officer, who will be sorely missed by the ministry.”
The ministry added that his death “is a monumental loss not only to his immediate family but also to the entire Foreign Service community and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Lele was buried on Wednesday in Kano in accordance with Islamic rites.
The ministry extended condolences to his family, associates, and the government and people of Bauchi State, praying for the peaceful repose of his soul and strength for those he left behind.
Comedian Kevin Chinedu, popularly known as Kevinblak, has revealed that officials of a political party offered him dollars to change his satirical skits criticising politicians and governance.
He made the disclosure on Monday in an interview on ARISEtv’s Arise 360 programme, where he spoke about the pressures facing content creators who hold public officials accountable through humour.
Chinedu, known for his character Governor Amuneke, said the approach came at a particularly vulnerable moment, shortly after his wife had a Caesarean section and he was under financial strain.
“They said they were going to change my life, that I’m earning crumbs, you know, give me dollars. They mentioned that my colleagues are in the game and all of that,” he said.
He declined to name the party, saying only that it was “Amuneke’s party”, a reference to the fictional political figure in his skits, and cautioned against any attempt to identify it publicly.
“Don’t mention names, trust me, don’t mention names,” he said.
Despite the financial pressure, the comedian said he turned down the offer, recalling how the officials had tried to lure him to Abuja with the promise of a life-changing sum.
“I had a lot of bills on my head and I just heard come, come to Abuja, let’s change your life. Dollars upon dollars,” he said.
He said he ultimately held firm, guided by a personal code he had maintained throughout his career.
“I looked at it, I said, no, I am who I am. I’ve been here for a long time, and I’ve never been in any illegal thing, and I’ve never been somewhere, you know, I’m doing something because I’m being influenced, because of money.
“If I want to do it, it should be something I’m doing because I want to do it. So, you know, it is what it is,” he said.
When asked whether friends had urged him to accept the money, Chinedu said his inner circle was equally principled, and had themselves been approached and refused.
“I don’t have friends that are easily overwhelmed with money. I have people who have principles because they have, you know, approached them, they themselves. So, we always have that conversation,” he said.
Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system is facing renewed strain as no fewer than 4,691 doctors have relocated to the United Kingdom since President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, fresh data from the General Medical Council shows.
The UK GMC is a public official register detailing the number of practising doctors in the UK alongside other details such as their areas of speciality, country of training, among others.
The mass migration represents not just a human resource crisis but a significant economic loss.
With the Federal Government estimating that it costs about $21,000 to train a single doctor, Nigeria has effectively lost at least $98.5m in training investments within less than two years.
The figure put the total number of Nigeria-trained doctors currently practising in the UK to about 15,692, making Nigeria one of the largest sources of foreign-trained doctors in Britain, second only to India.
As of May 28, 2025, official records showed that the number of Nigerian-trained doctors in the UK was a little over 11,000. The figure has grown significantly since then.
The exodus of doctors comes as Nigeria’s doctor-to-population ratio hovers around 3.9 per 10,000 people, far below the minimum threshold recommended by the World Health Organisation.
For many health experts, the numbers confirm what has long been visible: a system gradually losing its most critical workforce.
The Nigerian Medical Association has repeatedly warned that poor remuneration, unsafe working conditions, and inadequate infrastructure are pushing doctors out of the country.
“Our members are overworked, underpaid and exposed to unsafe environments daily. Many are simply burnt out,” the NMA said in one of its recent statements addressing workforce migration.
Similarly, the National Association of Resident Doctors has consistently highlighted the toll on younger doctors, who form the backbone of Nigeria’s tertiary healthcare system.
“Doctors are leaving because the system is failing them—irregular salaries, excessive workload, and lack of training opportunities,” NARD noted during one of its nationwide engagements.
Ironically, the doctor exodus persists even as Nigeria continues to spend heavily on healthcare abroad.
While official foreign exchange data shows only modest spending on medical tourism in recent years, broader estimates suggest Nigerians still spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually seeking treatment overseas.
For instance, a recent report by The PUNCH revealed that foreign exchange outflow for health-related travel by Nigerians surged to $549.29m in the first nine months of 2025, a 17.96 per cent increase from $465.67m in the same period of 2024, according to official data by Nigeria’s apex bank.
A public health expert, Dr David Adewole, noted that the Federal Government’s national policy on health workforce migration, aimed at curbing the growing trend of health professionals leaving the country—commonly referred to as ‘Japa’—is a good initiative, but may not do much to address the fundamental problems of the shortage of skilled healthcare professionals in Nigeria, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
According to him, many of the push factors for health professionals emigrating to greener pastures, like insecurity, emolument and lack of basic amenities like potable water, health facilities, cost of living and constant electricity, persisted.
He stated: “To make healthcare workers stay here, let the salaries be enough so that what you earn will be much more than the multiples of what you need for basic needs, like food, power supply, housing, and so forth.
“People still look at life after retirement. You might have a good policy, but its implementation is the issue. For example, you are retired, and for your retirement package, you don’t need to know anyone for it to be processed promptly.
“Then subsequently, your monthly pension, without pressing anybody, should be paid. Those things are not here.
“And when you go to the hospital abroad, if you tell them that you are in a hurry, you go to your home; they’ll bring the medicines to your doorstep.”
