Veteran Nigerian rapper, Illbliss, born Tobechukwu Ejiofor, has opened up about how he developed love for Arsenal FC as a child.
He revealed that he owns more than five customised Arsenal outfits but during the years that the team struggled on the league table, he decided to dump all the expensive jerseys out of anger.
Illblis said that he grew to love The Gunners after watching his father show massive support for English clubs to the extent that he flew them to Highbury stadium.
The ”Bank Alert” hit-maker said he started supporting the English Premier League club as an adult when ex-Nigerian international Kanu Nwankwo played for the team.
In his words; “I saw a lot of the greats from Arsene Wenger to Thierry Henry, Gilberto, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljunberg. Matchdays were incredible, all the Niaja boys will file out, go to the pub, buy beer and just be shouting and arguing. I really liked that communal energy. Everything the team stands for is something I’ve always loved, even in our slump moments, before we rebuilt ourselves to where we are currently.
Arsenal went through some terrible years. There were years I never wore my Arsenal jersey out of anger. I have about five of them that my wife would order, home jerseys of about £50 and away jerseys of about £65 with my name ‘Oga Boss’ at the back but I won’t wear them. They are all in my wardrobe but now I wear them because we feel good about the team again, we have succeeded in rebuilding the team. It’s not perfect but we have done well.”
Illbliss added; “Growing up, my father was an English league follower, so he exposed us to all the teams: Leeds United, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. My likeness for Arsenal started from when my dad visited Highbury Stadium to watch an Arsenal match. He went to different stadiums, took pictures and came back with some Arsenal cups, some mufflers, bedsheets and other items from their store.
So, growing up, we had all that stuff sitting on top of the shelf with books of Arsenal, and that’s where I started. I started supporting the team as an adult in the Nwankwo Kanu era, because I felt they had a great policy for players of African descent. From Emmanuel Eboue to Kolo Toure, to Kanu and Emmanuel Adebayor and up to this moment, it’s a club that is racially balanced with the black French and English component. I just felt it was a community.”
