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Ikpe's troubles began in 2010 during preparations for the U-17 African Championship qualifiers against Congo.
The promising football career of former Nigeria U-17 international, Ikpe Ebere Michael, has taken a devastating turn, forcing him to work as a meat seller and goat washer to make ends meet.
Ikpe's story is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by many young athletes whose careers are cut short by injuries.
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The injury that changed everything
Ikpe's troubles began in 2010 during preparations for the U-17 African Championship qualifiers against Congo.
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He sustained a knee injury that not only hampered his performance in the qualifiers but ultimately derailed his footballing ambitions.
“I picked up my injury in 2010 when we were preparing to play AFCON U-17 qualifiers against Congo for the 2011 U-17 AFCON in Rwanda.
“After picking the injury which bought me down and which made the coach moved me to second choice striker and with that I joined the team to travel to Congo for the qualifiers which I performed woefully because of my injury, I was dropped after we returned from Congo,” Ikpe explained.
A crushing diagnosis and lost opportunities
Following the qualifiers, Ikpe was sidelined for over a year. An MRI scan revealed a knee disease requiring surgery.
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The surgeon's prognosis was devastating, it stated that Ikpe would not be able to play football for more than five years.
This news was a crushing blow, especially as his teammates were progressing in their careers, with some signing for clubs abroad and others playing in the Nigerian league.
“I did my operation at UCH in Ibadan where the surgeon confirms to me that I can’t play football for more than five years again. The statement made me shocked because of the commitment of several years about to go because of the injury," he said.
Lack of support
Ikpe reached out to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for assistance with his medical expenses, but was told that the government had not allocated any funds for treating injured footballers.
"I contacted the NFF which they made it clear to me that the government didn’t give them any money to treat any footballer injury,"he said.
From football pitch to meat seller
Now, a university graduate, Ikpe is working with butchers, washing goats and carrying buckets in the market to survive.
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"For now I am helping butchers to wash goats and pick buckets from market to sustain myself after I graduated the university,” he concluded.
Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in an African Junior Championship first leg qualifier in 2010 for the U-17 AFCON in 2011 in Rwanda which Ikpe failed to qualify for.
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