Godwin Enakhena, a renowned Nigerian media personality, sports administrator, and analyst, is one of the typical examples of rising from grass to grace; he didn’t allow his humble beginning to define him but propelled him to his current status......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
In a chat with Naija News, Godwin Enakhena shared how he had a very tough upbringing and how he was able to navigate through the humble beginning to becoming one of the most famous sports journalists and versed sports administrators in Nigeria.
Also in the chat, Enakhena, who is currently the Director of Sports of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries ( M.F.M) and the chairman of Nigeria National League side, Sporting Lagos, revealed some of the personal goals he has set for himself, including becoming the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and a minister.
Below are the excerpts from the interview with Godwin Enakhana:
File photo of Godwin Enakhana with his extended family.
Sir, how was your growing up like?
“I grew up in the hard way. I grew up in the village. I never knew I was going to live this life as a sports journalist or sports personality because I do more than TV, radio, online, social media, and all that. Growing up was interesting, but like I said, it was the hard way. You can imagine waking up at 5 o’clock to go to the farm. I go to the farm at 5:30 a.m. on foot to bring casava back home before I go to school at 8 a.m. When we close, I won’t go home. I have to go to the farm again. There’s always something to carry to bring back home. This journey I am telling you is just like from Ikeja to Lekki. But you have to go through a bush path to get to where you are going.
“Then, from Agenebode (in Edo State) to Kano, and from Kano to Benin. So much happened that I cannot put it down in words. It was tough.”
Thank you very much, sir. With this type of background you just described, at what point did you decide to be a media personality or journalist?
“Honestly, I didn’t know how it happened. I can tell you that in secondary school, sports were life. I did sports; I read sports because I would always be at the vendors – reading from the back pages where you have sports stories.
“In secondary school, I wrote for Complete Football Magazine. Back then, in the village of Agenebode. I continued until my first write-up was published by Complete Football in 1987. At that point, I started thinking, wow, so I can write and my writeup would be published in a big publication like Complete Football?
“After secondary school, I went in search of greener pastures in Kano. I was in Kano for a while. When I felt like Kano wasn’t working, from Kano, I came back to Benin City. I started doing odd jobs here and there. From there, I came to Lagos and my path and that of Paul Bassey crossed, and that was the beginning of Godwin Enakhena. But I never stopped writing.”
File photo of Godwin Enakhana and veteran journalist Paul Bassey who is currently the chairman of NPFL club, Akwa United.
Aside from Paul Bassey, was there anyone in the industry who inspired you to become who you have become today?
“Bottomline, inspiration, mentorship, and what have you, it is Paul Bassey one, Paul Bassey two, Paul Bassey three, and Paul Bassey all the way. It has always been Paul Bassey.”
How fulfilled will you say you are in terms of your career goals?
Godwin Enakhana with the General Overseer of MFM, Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya.
“I haven’t started at all. I know where I want to be, and I am not halfway there yet. The goals I set for myself, I am achieving them slowly… Who knows, one day I want to be NFF president, one day I want to be a minister, I want to be a commissioner. They look like tall ambitions, but they are not. Some people are there, and I am like, ‘These people no sabi pass me nah.’ So, that is what it is. So, I haven’t gotten halfway… I am climbing a ladder; I don’t know how soon I will get there, but I know I will get there.”
Aside from your contact with Paul Bassey which fully kicked off your media personality journey, which other moment would you say was a turning point for you?
“Something I remember extensively was when I wanted to travel to Germany. In the process, I got into trouble. I was detained for one month and three weeks. I also went to court for five years. When the matter ended, it was a big relief for me. You know what it means to go to the police station for a court case, and when I came out from all that, I said to myself, ‘Oh, this is not the path God wanted me to take’. It was that one moment I would not forget in a hurry. I went through hell and back. I was detained at three different police stations. I was detained at State CID Benin. Imagine going to court for five years…
“I also remember in 2005, when I was sick and placed in a wheelchair. I survived it. There was a lot. My survival was just God. I thank God for life.
“Is it my first time on NTA Master’s Sports being hosted by Paul Bassey? I can’t forget moments like that. Moments in Radio Nigeria and Sports Summit on Metro FM are moments I cannot forget.”
What were those challenges you faced as you were trying to climb the ladder as an up-and-coming media personality then?
“Wow! There is something about people trying to pull you down. I remember someone who felt I wasn’t good enough. I almost lost confidence in myself. He would say to me, ‘You are not good enough; you are only a color’. These were the things he was saying to me. Can you imagine being on air and someone being brought to take over from you [when your shift wasn’t over]? I wouldn’t forget those times; there were times I would weep. I wouldn’t forget it in a hurry. To him, I wasn’t good enough at all. That was one of them.
“I also remembered a moment I was made to apologize to a listener who said nasty things about me. He said very unpleasant things. I got very upset.
“There was a period when something happened. Osama bin Laden had just died. So, I went on air, and my introduction was simply, ‘gone, gone, gone.’ I was banned from going on air (this is TV). I had to beg and beg and beg before I was allowed back on air. These were very difficult moments.
“There was a period when I had to go to the NTA, I had to sell bottles and sell Newspapers for me to be able to get money to go to Victoria Island from Agege… Can you imagine that I had to go to the NTA for one month plus, and I was not allowed to go on air? I was wearing the same trousers and the same shoes. Just the same pair of shoes. Master’s Sports was always on Saturday. I went there for almost two months without going on air. I didn’t know they wanted me to understudy. Like they say, the rest is history.”
What is the difference between how journalism is being practiced now and when you are just starting?
“If you want to be a journalist, you must be mentored. Social media has been abused so badly. In our days, you have to be mentored. You cannot just jump and be on air. Now, everyone is on air because you are your producer and your director. Then, our mentality was not like that. We were learning from people who had been there before us… In our time, there was no Internet. Before you write a story, you must have spoken with the person [source] physically. There was no room for misquoting people. You have to interview the source and come and transcribe. Today, you don’t need all of that. You can stay where you are and do whatever you want to do.
“I think, honestly, there are so many positives we can get from social media. Unfortunately, we are abusing it.”
What is your philosophy on often carrying along younger people on all your platforms?
“If Paul Bassey had not carried me along, where would I have been? We all have divine helpers who are there to help us. You know you cannot clap with one hand? If you find a man who says that ‘nobody helped me. I made it myself,’ the person is an ingrate. We all have been helped at some point in our lives.
“So, for me, whatever I do has to do with, first and foremost, remembering that someone helped me to where I am. If I don’t help people, what have I gained? Before I can assist a person, there must be something I see in that person that will make me say, okay, I think this is the person who should be helped.”
What is that one change you are aiming to see in the sporting sector of Nigeria?
“There are a lot of things a lot of people do not know. You know the worst thing you can do, is to go on air without the adequate information that you need… Each time I come on air, I spend time to disabuse the minds of people [who have been misinformed]. That is what I try to do whenever I start a program, and I deviate from talking [about regular sports news]…
“The change [I want to see] is from the media angle. We should have adequate information before going on air. Some people will go on air and be talking authoritatively [without adequate information]. That is our problem.”
How are you able to balance work, religion, and family?
“I can tell you authoritatively that one suffers. For instance… My team was going to play in Owerri. So, I told my wife, I was going to Owerri. And she said, ‘You have started again’. When she said that, I told her, ‘Okay, I wasn’t going again’. I didn’t go. You would try whatever you can, but I tell you, it is difficult… But always do whatever you can and leave the rest to God. That is what I always do.”
What is your take on the current state of club football in Nigeria?
“I think our problem is not about rebranding. Our problem is asking the government to leave our sports industry alone. If the government doesn’t leave football, we cannot progress. If we take two steps forward, we will take 20 steps backward.”
What is your take on the appointment of Eric Chelle as Super Eagles head coach?
“Giving the job to a Nigerian coach will be counter-productive because there will be too much pressure on the man. Nigerians can make excuses for others, but once it is a Nigerian, “kill him, sacrifice him,” that is what we would do.
“Do we need a world-class coach? Who is a world-class coach? When we brought Clemens Westerhof to Nigeria, what was his pedigree? When we brought Johannes Bonfrere to Nigeria, what was his pedigree? And they were the most successful Super Eagles coaches ever employed. We brought known coaches like Berti Vogts, Lars Lagerbäck, and others, but they never gave us anything.
“For me, the man (Eric Chelle) has been appointed. I saw his team play in Cote d’Ivoire LIVE, I saw his Milian team play. It was an enterprising display. He is a young man. He is hungry. I will give him the support he deserves. As a journalist, I wouldn’t be part of those who would say, go and bring Jose Mourinho.
“The most important people are the players. If the players stand up and be counted, we will be at the World Cup. The problem we have is not a coaching problem.”
Do you think we have a chance of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
“It is so easy. That is the truth. Why is it easy? Our first game is in March against Rwanda (the first-placed team in Group C); if we beat Rwanda, then we will be in the World Cup. How? After the game away, we have two home games. After Rwanda, the next game is against Zimbabwe in Uyo. After that, the next game is against Rwanda again [at home].
“If we beat Rwanda in the away game, we will have six points, Rwanda will have seven, will be one point adrift of Rwanda. We beat Zimbabwe [at home] and then beat Rwanda again, we will be four points ahead of Rwanda. After those three games, we will go out for the game that many are seeing as the most difficult, the game against South Africa. Let’s even say we get a draw in South Africa. We are still leading the group by three points.
“After the South Africa game, we are going to Lesotho. If the boys up their game, we beat Lesotho. We have the luxury of playing the last game at home, in Uyo, against the Benin Republic. At that point, Benin Republic will be out of contention. How is it difficult? Let us talk about how difficult it is after the Rwanda game.
“What we have is not a coaching problem. Once our players play as a team, my guy, forget it.”
At what point would you say, it is time to retire?
“Maybe you should ask Mitchel Obi. When Mitchel and [Charles Anazodo] retired, you can come and ask me that [Laugh]…”
What do you want to be remembered for when all is said and done?
“I want to be remembered as one who did not just talk about sports… I was doing a show one day, a woman called me that when her husband was listening to me, she got very upset. That day, I brought in the issue of Militão [a Real Madrid player who reportedly got married to the ex-girlfriend of his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend]. She said she was cooking in the kitchen, and she heard that, and she stopped cooking. She listened to the show. When the show ended, she asked her husband, when am I coming on air again? Because I didn’t go on air to talk about Arsenal and Man U. Everyone is talking about Arsenal and Man U, but not everyone talked about Militão.
“Situations like that are very important. I do shows and tell my listeners, is your wife’s birthday today? Send me her number and I will call her. [I want to be remembered] as someone who brought together families, who got more people interested in listening to sports and the challenges of life. I want to be remembered as someone who spoke truth to authority. I want to be remembered as someone when they say I want to hear the truth and the latest about Nigeria sports, they will say listen to Godwin Enakhena. You listen and you get the truth; that is basically what I want to be remembered for.”