Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has reflected on her tough childhood, revealing that she began playing football at the tender age of six or seven on the streets of Mushin, Lagos.
The 25-year-old forward shared her story during an interview on the Leadership Podcast with Stephen Akintayo, where she spoke candidly about the challenges of growing up in an environment plagued by violence and cult clashes.
“At the age of six or seven, I started playing football on the street of Mushin in Lagos,” Ajibade said.
“It was an environment where Hausa and Igbo were fighting. When they start this riot, it’s like they’re burning somebody in front of you. It’s like they’re shooting, you’re hearing the bullets on top of your roof. You have young boys and girls at the age of 14 already into cults, doing incisions on their heads, they’re into drugs, a 14-year-old girl getting pregnant, becoming a mother at a very tender age.”
Despite the challenges, Ajibade pursued her passion for football. She began her professional career with FC Robo in the Nigeria Women’s Football League before sealing a move to Avaldsnes IL in Norway in 2018.
In January 2021, she signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Atlético Madrid, which was later extended by the Spanish side.
On the international stage, Ajibade has represented Nigeria across different levels, having captained the U-17 and U-20 women’s national teams before breaking into the senior squad.
She was part of the Super Falcons team that reached the round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In 2024, she captained Nigeria to a historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco, where she was crowned Woman of the Tournament.
Ajibade’s inspiring story has continued to resonate with fans, not only for her achievements on the pitch but also for her resilience and determination to rise above her difficult beginnings.
