Super Falcons skipper, Rasheedat Ajibade, has revealed that she spent a decade playing for FC Robo Queens in the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) without earning a single salary.
Speaking in a soon-to-air episode of With Chude hosted by Chude Jideonwo, Ajibade reflected on the early struggles of her football journey, describing her time in the NWFL as “a tough moment.”
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She recalled growing up in the Mushin area of Lagos in “a compound of almost 100 people” and resorting to “wash people’s toilets and bathrooms for money” to make ends meet.
“During that phase when I was in Nigeria and playing the professional league with FC Robo Queens, it was really a tough moment for me. I played there for 10 years without a salary,” she said.
The 25-year-old, who has never shied away from speaking about her humble beginnings, also revealed in July that she once hawked bottles of olive oil and soft drinks at deliverance programmes organised by the Mountain of Fire Miracle Ministry (MFM).
Ajibade’s determination eventually paid off, as she captained the Super Falcons to victory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco — Nigeria’s 10th continental crown — and was named the tournament’s best player.
Rising through the ranks at FC Robo Queens in Lagos, she made the switch to Avaldsnes IL in Norway at just 17, before sealing a move to Atlético Madrid Femenino in 2021.