I put on a call to him via Whatapp, as we discussed the progress of his professional career: “I’m good I’m still trying my best, to improve in my career and be known worldwide.
This was the first time Basit would be interviewed about his professional career: “My name is Basit jabita, I’m from Nigeria and I’m hoping to go professional in football as I’m still an amateur player currently in Turkey.
He went on to reveal the age he went on to become a professional and what drove him to chase a football career: “I started playing football at a young age right from when I was young and got to play in my school (secondary school) team”
It’s a passion and that my parents had said they would support my decision in my career that would be after I have completed my degree successfully”.
He would recall of the times in secondary school when he used plastic bottles around to make a ball when he couldn’t afford one: “Yeah, it was good at the time, but it’s not something I would like to do again because we outgrow everything in life, but at that time it was really nice because I played with my friends”.
I also asked him the challenges he faced then in secondary school when he was playing “First, being in the school team for me it was more on merit than being friends with the coach, because I was in a team with most of my seniors so I feel it was based on merit after successfully passing the trials”
I was amazed at his story and experience, as he shared on how the school coach and his friends had encouraged him to play what he loved most.
However, he went on to say, “I remember at the point, they were other good players who couldn’t make the team,but he was still soaring high in his dreams of becoming a footballer to be known worldwide.
According to him experience matters a lot in his career with years that passed by ,I have made progress from every angle in football, presently I am the vice captain of my team and his still learning so as to progress
He is also interested in making his dream come through by being a professional footballer to be known worldwide
In his words football is more than a game/match,it is about excitement, entertainment, frustration, passion, suspense and making friends ,all these are what makes life beautiful and as such it motivates me.
In 2015, he went to Cyprus to further his education, and in 2018 after his graduation he went on a vacation and during his holidays in turkey he said ‘I decided to go out to train as I was training alone,I met a team and asked the team coach if I can join them for just the training ,he accepted and they fell in love with the way I played, so they started asking me about myself, and if I really want to play football and I said yes that I want to play and shortly after that they did my licence in which without it,I can’t play internationally’
Then after that they sent my name to Nigeria Federation to confirm if I have any agreement with any team in Nigeria. The name of my team is kalecik spor, it wasn’t really easy playing with professionals it was a challenge for me, even though they loved the way I played.
Basit, also stated that he loves Ronaldo because constant practices makes you the best with your talents, Nigeria as a country is the biggest challenges we the citizens do face regardless of what you intend to do in life, the country is not helping her citizens, well lets put the blame on the leaders and the system, as a Nigerian or should I say African we are all born with this precious gift called strength and natural talents, although we grow up looking inferior to the white simply because of colonialism or should I say upbringing but as a Nigerian you can succeed in all you do in life if you are focused and dedicated.
He wrapped this conversation to say that “There are so many talents in Nigeria but the coaches needed to change their mentality, but if anyone ever gets the opportunity to play football he would advise you do it internationally”.
Basit finally advise to those who aspire to play football just like himself is “The key to making your dream come through is to have a good agent, because with that you would gain more opportunity internationally due to connections from the agent”
