Retired Super Falcons star Desire Oparanozie has revealed why she took a different path from that of former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi.Seeing that Mikel Obi and Desire Oparanozie have enjoyed a similar career trajectory, they have decided to go in different directions after retirement.

Last year, Pulse Sports Nigeria Managing Editor Joba Ogunwale chronicled how Mikel Obi has evolved after his playing career to stay relevant and how the former Chelsea man has provided a blueprint that sports legends in the country can learn from.

However, in this exclusive interview with Pulse Sports Nigeria, Desire Oparanozie told Funmilayo Fameso why she is charting a different course from that of Mikel Obi. She also discussed the chances of the Super Falcons at the upcoming WAFCON in July.


Both Mikel Obi and Desire Oparanozie followed similar paths at the beginning of their careers, representing Nigeria at the age grade level —both players donned the green and white jersey at the U20 level before being called up to the senior men and women teams.

Mikel Obi played to the highest level at Chelsea, winning the Premier League and the Champions League. On the international scene, he was part of the Super Eagles team that won the 2013 African Cup of Nations. In fact, he is one of Nigeria’s most decorated players of all time.

On her part, Desire Oparanozie featured at four consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup, first as an 18-year-old in 2011. Her heroics at the 2014 Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON), powered the Super Falcons to the title – she scored five goals and won the golden boot.

Life after retirement hasn’t been easy. Leaving something you’ve done all your life and to face life squarely. It was a new experience very different but so far so good. I'm enjoying the freedom that comes with it — family time, you know, getting to be like every other person out there. I’m enjoying it.

After retirement, you went into business and we’ve seen someone like Mikel going into punditry and TV, podcasting and the likes. Why was it business for you?
It wasn’t after I retired that I started my business. It has been there since 2019 but I just haven’t put it over everything because I was still very active but now that I have retired I have to face it squarely.

Why business is because I personally believe that being in charge of your finances is the best thing that can happen to anybody. You know punditry just for clickbait and online streaming views to monetise is the motivation behind all those online streaming things.

So, I want to be in charge of my finances, run my businesses, establish my own brand - that's my motivation for focusing on business but this is not me saying it’s wrong, not at all. I might even venture into it in the future. I mean everybody to their own whatever they wanna do. If it’s punditry, kudos to you, if it’s business or if it’s other things you wanna do, awesome.

WAFCON is coming in July, Super Falcons are on a mission to win their 10th title - Mission X. Do you think the team is in that shape to Achieve mission X?
YES. I think so because I watched their game against Cameroon. I saw how they dominated the game, coming out on top, winning 2-0. Also, coupled with the fact that the majority of the players in that squad were also in Morocco two years ago. They experienced all the hostility meted out to them by the Moroccan fans and officials and all of that.

I think that experiencing that firsthand, they know what to expect and what they are up against. I also know some of those girls haven't really had a trophy to their names and that will be another motivating factor for them to go all the way and win it.

Oparanozie won four back-to-back Women’s African Cup of Nations with Nigeria’s Super Falcons (2010, 2014, 2016, 2018).