Who is Ademola Lookman?

Just like he had a defining moment on an extraordinary 2024 Europa Cup Final night in Dublin on May 24th with a  stunning hat-trick which capitulated him to the top of  European and, indeed, football world, Ademola Lookman yet again rode himself into the hearts of  many on the night  of December 16 in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

The Atalanta ‘wide forward’ wowed  his audience  at the Palais des Congrés as well as the global audience on the television with  a  captivating acceptance  speech laced with  patriotic fervour, after being crowned the 2024 African Footballer of the Year.

Were his appearance and speech just a  façade  or the authentic Ademola Lookman?

Two members of the Super Eagles’ inner circle, Patrick Pascal (Team Coordinator) and immediate past Team Media Officer of the men’s national senior team, Babafemi Raji, share a rare insight  into the personae of the new African soccer King  in an interesting  conversation with Sports Editor, MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN… 

2024 African Player of the Year 💫 pic.twitter.com/a7K0l0r5Hh

— Ademola Lookman (@Alookman_) December 17, 2024

Since his debut for the Super Eagles  in March 2022, Ademola Lookman has shown that he is a player whose composure on and off the pitch sets him apart from his peers. 

According to close confidants, Lookman’s calm demeanour and unique ability to remain level-headed, even under  high-pressure situations on and outside the field  of play, are second to none within  the rank and file of  the  current Super Eagles.

For many, ‘Mola’, as Ademola Lookman is fondly called,  came off  the  dais as a patriot and a well-focussed  young man  more than a  footballer that  he is.

 But for members of the Super  Eagles’ inner circle, the Mola  we all saw in Marrakech is the essential  Ademola Lookman – a man without airs.

“Mola is a very humble and respectful person, “ Babafemi Raji, the immediate  past Team Media Officer of the Super Eagles, told  NationSport.

“He’s always willing to take up any task given  and you can see that he’s always one of the first set of players to come to camp. 

“What you see in Marrakech  is all about ‘Mola; he’s just respectful like that. He’s a gentle person, always respectful. He’s also media friendly. Even if there are times when  it’s not convenient for him to do media rounds,  you always hear him say  ‘baba,  let’s reschedule; baba, I want to rest at this time but at this time  I am free’.

“When he says this time,  he’s always on time, he will even call  you  five or two minutes ahead of the scheduled  time and ask where are you;  and that’s the kind of person Ademola Lookman is.

Yet, according to Babafemi, the seasoned broadcaster and CEO of Topmost Sport,  stardom, fame and money have not in any way tainted the essential make up of  ‘Mola, adding that it’s always there  to see  that  the Atalanta star is not only level-headed but he is  a refined ‘Omoluabi’ – a Yoruba term  for a  honourable, respectable and, above all, a man of integrity.

“What do we expect from someone like that?” Raji, in  his  usual smooth  and glossy baritone voice, asked rhetorically. “His father is more than a father  figure to him  and  he’s always around him (just as we saw them together in Marrakech), and it’s interesting to know that  he was well brought up and  very cultured too. 

“Let me tell you a story and this happened  times without number during our AFCON  campaign in Cote d’Ivoire. He (Lookman’s father) was always coming around to our hotel  even  before  our breakfast; but each time, you’ll  see him prostrate to greet his father. He won’t bend down but prostrate flatly like a typical Yoruba man and that makes a huge impression on me. 

“So, being respectful has been part and parcel of him.”

Babafemi further  volunteered  on  Mola’s puritanical  devotion  to his trade, saying being crowned  the African Footballer  of the Year is a justification  for his solid work ethics

“On the pitch, he’s very productive  just like every other player  but he  has other exceptional qualities: always willing to listen and  ready to learn and if he’s not clear about anything, he will ask questions,” Babafemi further told NationSports.

“Right from the first time he joined the Super Eagles camp, he showed the temerity that he was ready  to work his way to the top with the team.  

“He’s not a forward type of person; he is not an extrovert at all but  an introvert and  a man of very few words.

“Even when he has to  attend a press conference, he would ask: ‘baba, what should  I expect and what do you think  I should say?’  Not that he doesn’t have  a mind of his own, because  before he would answer a question, he would  listen well  before offering his comments and I think that’s really important.”

Yet on the strength of his speech in Marrakech, Babafemi  is already predicting another career  for ‘Mola  whenever he quits the game that has now given him  immense fame  across the continent  and beyond, adding  that only  few lads  who had their  foots  firmly rooted on the  ground  could have come forth with such exponential message  as he did. 

“Of course, Mola  can be a  great motivational  speaker after his retirement and I can  see that happen,” predicted the self-styled Topmost Striker. “I say so because when he talks, he inspires people and  I don’t think  only about people of his generation, I think he inspires the older people as well.

“The fact is that he rarely talks, but when he does, you can see that  they come with a lot of wisdom vibes. 

“He is a direct opposite  of the Gen-z of this world. In terms of wisdom, he’s way ahead of his peers.

“He is a good  example to the younger  ones and even the older ones too, and as far as I’m concerned  age should not be a determinant factor to be a great  motivational speaker. After all, they say that  ‘what has the wisdom of  Solomon to do with the age of a Methuselah?’”

A good dresser himself, Babafemi  said he was so impressed  about  ‘Mola’s dress sense on Monday night in Marrakech  and insisted  that a good dress sense is a significant part of culture  since it conveys  a person’s identity  and where they originated from.

“Of course, anyone who saw the way ‘Mola dressed on  Monday night  will  know that  he is indeed  a cultured man,” Raji stated. “You would always know that he has respect  for everyone around him  too.

“I remember there was a time we were talking together with Calvin Bassey about  having mutual  respect for people  and I think it’s just part of his DNA.

“If you want to confirm all I have said about ‘Mola, you can  ask anybody that has worked around him – from the team coordinator to the team manager and to the coaches.

“He’s worked under three coaches since  he started playing for the Super Eagles – from Cerezo (Austin Eguavoen) to Jose Peseiro  and even  George Finidi. “They will all have some good and positive  things to say about ‘Mola.

 “This is not about flattery,  I’m just telling you what I know about him. In a few years that we have met; two or three years, even off the pitch when we chat, even if he misses your chat or your call, the first thing he would  do is to apologise

“I think God just looked at him and said, ‘I will crown your efforts and your dedication with  the African Footballer of the Year’. 

“That, I think, reflected  in his speech  and  saying that ‘  ‘no matter how low you get, just don’t stay down. Even when life knocks you down, don’t stay down.’

“This, I believe, is the summary of his  crowning glory on Monday night in Marrakech,” added  Raji.

For Patrick Pascal, the chairman of Bauchi State Football Association,  ‘Mola’s patriotic  fervour has always  been there for all to see  right from the outset of his career with the Super Eagles.  

“I’m not surprised that  Ademola Lookman was declared  the 2024 African Footballer of the Year,” Pascal,  the Super Eagles’ Coordinator, equally told NationSport. “He’s the logical choice because  he did his very best for both club and country  and  none of the other  four contenders came near him.”

 “Of course, I was not surprised by the way he comported himself in Marrakech  with his  dressing and his  acceptance speech,” Pascal offered. “He was not putting  up a show, rather that is a reflection of his attitude  and personality.”

The urbane Pascal, who made name for himself  on the Nigerian  domestic football  scene particularly in his heyday with Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, said  ‘Mola  has always shown that he’s a well-brought up Yoruba  son despite being born-and-bred in England

“Despite  being born  in England, you’ll know that  ‘Mola had proper home training  and he was trained to love his country  and  the culture of his Yoruba race,” Pascal, the former Nigeria international, further said. “For him to  choose to represent Nigeria  after playing for England  at youth level, speaks  so much about the kind of upbringing he has.

“Look at the way he started his speech, who would not be proud  of such a guy?

 “He is someone that loves  his country and I don’t want to  think he was just trying to impress people on Monday night in  Marrakech  because if you’d ever  had  conversation with him, you know that  he really carries Nigeria in his heart.”

Nevertheless, it’s Lookman’s way of life and  humane disposition  that  have long  made a huge impression on  Pascal: “Lookman is just a very simple person; he’s just a very quiet person who hardly talks

“We got talking one day  and do you know what coach Eguavoen said about Lookman? He said ‘if they put all the players  in a room and lock them up, he would not be able to recognise the voice of ‘Mola because he rarely talks, unless it is necessary.’ 

“Of course, he relates and communicates with everybody very well, but he’s  not a vocal person at all.”

He continued: “He’s one of the most disciplined players in the Super Eagles. He follows the programme of the team very well. I have not seen a day that maybe he opted out of training because something  was disturbing  him or he’s angry about something.

“Aside, I’m  very impressed with his general  attitude. ‘Mola doesn’t look down on anybody and he’s very respectful. He calls virtually everybody ‘Uncle’  and you understand what that  means because he shows himself very respectful at all times. 

“Also, he is always business-minded  and you’ll always see him as a guy who has a mission  with the way he conducts himself on and off the pitc

“You heard  what he said on Monday and that  summed up the true definition of Ademola Lookman: respectful, patriotic, humane, kind  and, above all, always wanting to achieve goals he has set  for himself,” noted Pascal.