By then he had already spurned overtures from Nigeria, as he sought to concentrate on his club career. However, the rejection from England prompted a change of heart when the Nigerian federation asked again. He quickly agreed to switch his allegiance and went back to Nigeria, in early 2012, for the first time in 10 years to play for the national team. “He is a world-class player and you can rely on him any time and any moment he is playing. He is the most impressive player in my team,” said Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 23, 2018 12:53 UTC