Charles Chibueze Chukwu, the talented artist known as Crayon, has unveiled the heartbreaking tale of how his football aspirations were cruelly dashed by corrupt figures within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Speaking on Cool FM, the 'Ijo' singer recounted the story of his football journey before he achieved fame.
Crayon opened up about the incident, highlighting its significant toll on his mental well-being.
The rapidly rising Mavin signee revealed that he was initially selected for a national youth team in 2015, only to be unjustly dropped from the roster later on.
He shared, "In 2015, I fell into a state of depression because I couldn't secure a university admission like my friends. They were enjoying their college lives, while I remained in the neighborhood."
"It was a dull period for me. I had nowhere to go and nothing to do. Additionally, my football career was hitting a dead end. I used to play football and was rather skilled. In my neighborhood, they nicknamed me 'Coutinho,' after the talented player from Liverpool."
"I aspired to become a professional footballer, but my dreams were thwarted. Corruption deeply plagues Nigerian football. While I won't mention any names to avoid causing harm, I can reveal that these were influential figures within the football community."
"During a screening at the Surulere National Stadium, NFF officials deceived me and substituted me with another person who had money and connections. That incident left me profoundly disheartened and sunk in depression," added the 22-year-old artist.
Watch the video below:
Crayon on dealing with depression back in 2015. pic.twitter.com/SK7ArYiHmn
β π¬ @πΌπ»π²π·πΌπ―πΉπ²πππ―πΌπ (@OneJoblessBoy) August 24, 2023
