After years of talks. Youre watching bbc news. Now its time for efe 0bada against all odds. Honestly, the way i got into the nfl was a miracle. London is definitely still home for me, 100 . Do you still head back to your old haunts . I still do, yeah. One, two, three. Lets go. The more people to see your story, the more inspiration that gets people to think that to themselves, imjust like efe. I can do exactly what he did. The road to the nfl is well travelled, but littered with pitfalls and broken dreams. Typically, thatjourney begins age five or six and encompasses high school and college, before a select few reached the promised land. Efe 0badas route wasnt like many whove gone before, but then again, his story is far from typical. Hisjourney to americas biggest show began age 20. Far from the glitz and glamour in south london. One of my friends, josh hastings, played American Football for the warriors and he saw my size. We were similar built. We went to college together. And at the time, he was, he was very skinny. And when i saw him again, you know, he had some size on him. And he told me that he was playing American Football and i would be a good fit. So i went down and i thought nothing of it. Like, honestly, it was the first time seeing helmets and pads and all these things, it was very strange. Like i never saw. Id never seen anything like that in south london. I think i knocked someone on the ground, thought i did something wrong. Everybody was cheering and happy and it was just that, embrace and that, you know, 0k, well, if i can, if i do this more and i can be physical, and that kind of whats drawn me to it. 0badas progress was rapid and he became the first player to go straight from the European Football League to the nfl. But reaching the pinnacle is one thing, staying there, another thing entirely. After spells in dallas, kansas city and atlanta, the breakthrough came in charlotte. From there, the journey continued in buffalo and ultimately washington. The average nfl career lasts a little more than three years, and as an outsider, that battle for acceptance can be long and arduous. It took me a while. It took me a while, because initially it was, ok, im in a different country, different culture. Then its like im playing a sport that ive never played before. And not only am i navigating real life in a different country, im also trying to learn a different sport and train my body and this different lifestyle as an athlete, learn the different languages and the terminologies and just learn the rules of the game. So it took me a while and then also just being thrust into that limelight and itjust, i didnt understand how huge that was, how huge the nfl was. So it took me a while. There were days where i felt like i didnt belong. I had Imposter Syndromejust because the knocks that i had early in my career, you know, i didnt have success off the bat. Lots of rejection, lots of fighting and having to claw and stay around lots of rejection, lots of fighting and having to claw and stay around and just keep knocking at the door and keep improving. And, you know, there was a time where i was out of the league for a year and i wanted to go to canada and, you know, just try to develop. So that plays on your confidence and especially when you dont know the game, youre getting your ours kicked every day, you know, and its that mental fortitude to kind of stick with it, you know, that, you know, its going to pay off eventually. So yeah, it took me a long time to get comfortable and even to some degree im not comfortable, im still learning. Every year, it brings new challenges and you know, and new lessons. 0si Umenyiora is one of britains nfl pioneers. Drafted in 2003, having played high school and college football, he knows just how hard it is to make it to the professional game. Youve got to think, its a sport that the entire country loves, the entire country is crazy about, everybody wants to play the game. So theyve been playing that game since they were four or five, six years old over there. So its a very, very difficult, difficult sport to play, very competitive. Even getting into the college game is extremely competitive. So what about reaching the nfl, having not played football in your formative years . Highly improbable. But the good thing about somebody like efe, hes an outstanding athlete. Thats the good thing. And thats the the main differentiating factor between the nfl and a lot of other sports is if you have an extreme level of athleticism, size, intelligence, you can translate and make it to the game rather quickly. And this is. All these things play to efes advantage. In the context of 0badas life, fighting for a place in pro football is just another obstacle thats been overcome. Born in nigeria, 0bada left the country of his birth with his sister, age five or six, and moved to the netherlands, where he remembers meeting his mother for the first time. At ten, he and his sister were trafficked to the uk and abandoned. The pair were looked after by a Security Guard in hackney before social services took them in. From there they moved from home to home, never truly settling and endured no end of hardship. How much do you remember of your early days in this country . Just, just a normal. Just normal kids really just going to school, wanting to go college, university, playing outside, you know, itsjust regularstuff, really. How much of what happened to you in those early days, do you think shaped who you are as a person now . I thinkjust the, in terms of growing up in foster care, just the instability and just uncertainty of where, you know, just not having a place to go home. I feel like it translates in terms of being in the nfl. Just the fact that theres just this level of uncertainty. You can be on one team with this moment. You can be on another team, you know, living out of a suitcase, you know . And thats, thats something i still do right now. You know, its just this Global Lifestyle that i have and just being comfortable and being uncomfortable, i guess. Were you angry about your situation when you were growing up . Those situations i definitely was angry and i was frustrated. But myjourney isnt, you know, isnt uncommon. And a lot of people that grew up around, a lot of friends of mine in similar situations, im very fortunate that i was able to have the opportunities that i was presented and made the most of them. For me, the people that were around me had similar situations. There was an understanding, you know, or their parents were in similar situations, you know, so there was, there was this level of understanding. So itjust felt normal to me, you know, its just what it was, you know, the cards that i was dealt. But it wasnt until i got into the nfl and just, you know, all of us started seeing different environments and different, and having different conversations, that i was able to kind of look back and understand that, well, this part of my life wasnt normal. Going through this wasnt normal. These things that ive normalised and just deemed, you know, it wasnt normal. A lot of people find solace in sport. Was that the case for you . Initially, yeah, it was. It was this outlet of frustration and allowed me to be physical, allowed me to exert my anger and frustration of my situation or lack of opportunities that i had. Itjust kind of led to something amazing, you know, that afforded me a great life and it allowed me the opportunity to give back and have an impact in my community. Under pressure and down he goes and 0bada with the sack for washington. I heard you on the podcast saying that youve been running away from something in your life, which i found is interesting because of your role in American Football is defensive and youre always running towards something. Have you ever worked out what it is youre running from . I think the lack of opportunities, you know, the frustrationjust of where i was an immigrant, couldnt work, couldnt further my education, you know, the area i grew up, the people that were around me. Theres only a certain amount of options that you have. And given those, those cards, you know, and eventually youre just going to get pulled in a certain direction. And thats kind of what i was running away from, because in my heart, thats not really who i am. And your environment kind of turns you into someone else or, you know, just so you can survive, so you can provide. And i think thats what i was running away from. So given the opportunity, like the nfl, something so big like that, i was able to, like, i didnt even have a passport before the nfl, you know, and i was able to get me on a plane. Even when i was in a practice squad, i was making really good money that i was able to send back home. And i was like, you know, im going to hold on to this because i know whats waiting for me, i know. And thats not what i want for myself. While you identify as british, thus far, youve been unable to get a british passport, which must be incredibly frustrating. It was frustrating. I was in foster care and you know, when i was a minor, they were supposed to sort it out for me. And sort out my immigration and my papers. But i did fall through the cracks. They didnt sort it out. I aged out. You know, rules changed. And unfortunately, i wasnt able to get it. And im still fighting to get it. And although i do feel british, its still, i still feel like its a country thatjust kind of doesnt, you know, accept me. But, you know, hopefully, you know, with time, ill be able to get that. And then that can be just a part of my life thats just, thatll be behind me. Does it hurt, that feeling of not being accepted, given the fact you do so much . A little bit. But, you know, thats, these are the crosses and these are hurdles that i have to overcome and i have to bear. I have a lot of empathy because, like i said, i grew up around people in similar situations and are still in similar situations, probably have more of a right to be in the country than i do because of the amount of years theyve been in this country, but still are struggling and fighting and, you know, going through solicitors and having to, you know, just adjust based on the rules and changes that happened in the uk. And some of them cant even leave the country, you know, and im very fortunate. Im blessed that i have the ability to go in and out as i as i please. Its just having that indefinite inability to just kind of call england my home and be recognised as a british citizen. A traumatic upbringing often leaves scars. In many cases, they arent always visible to the naked eye or obvious to those who carry them. Youre involved heavily in mind. What is your role with them . I think theyre a great, great foundation, the Great Charity that has a huge impact. For the nfl, every year you get to choose my cause, my cleats. And this year, because i went into therapy and i just saw the impact, i saw the change in terms of, like, how i treat people, how i view the world. You know, itsjust, itjust impacted everything. My confidence when i play, how i dealt with issues that when growing up and, you know, and you know, then how i cope with certain things and i think like, you know my offer of that space and its an thats why i wanted to work with them and its important for people to kind of go there and if theyre having issues, the environment in the nfl, its very macho, its very alpha male. So opening up about how you feel might be seen as a sign of weakness, but how did you sort of marry the two aspects of your life with that together, notjust only in the nfl, right . With that together . Notjust only in the nfl, right . You know, just even in in the communities, even in the house, in african households, in lots of households, its very taboo. And especially as a man like its like, well, just get on with it. You know, its always this mindset of all someone else has it worse. So you just kind of negate your feelings and, you know, and push it down. And i have an amazing platform, you know, and i, i felt some type of way and it was impacting my, my life. It was impacting the way i treat people, is impacting my relationships. And i wanted to fix that. And then this isnt something that i could have an opportunity to do it years ago, but i didnt have that. Like i said, it was very taboo. I didnt have the space. Ive been programmed to feel like, 0k, well, just get on with it, you know, like its, what it is. And also i felt guilty because i was like, well, im an nfl player, like, what do i have to complain about . Its a huge thing. Men are killing themselves. People are depressed, you know, and people dont know how to cope with what theyre dealing with. People are acting out on or on certain things and not understanding. Did you feel a great weight off your mind when you started to open up . At first i was scared. I was so scared, you know, i didnt know how it would be received. I felt so exposed. I felt vulnerable. It was so therapeutic. Once i got it out and i started talking and are you know, i said, this is my stance and this is what i believe and this is what this is. It really helped. Like, honestly, it really helped. I even got in front of my team and spoke about myjourney and to use that to kind of galvanize and bring everybody together and just express that, just the gratitude and the immense privilege that we have as nfl players. And honestly, like i would never. Like, years ago, iwould never do Something Like that. But itjust kind of shows how helpful, you know, looking after your Mental Health was for me and for it was for me, like, its really helped me. What was the response from your team mates when you did talk to them about your situation . You know, its funny. Like, you know, at first, i was like when i was out there, my heart was beating. But then i shared it. Everybody clapped and afterwards we went into our next meeting. But then over the course of the weeks, like, people just started coming to me and just kind of expressing like, you know, they appreciate me sharing and then they also like, itjust kind of created that platform for them to share their experiences and theirjourney as well. And now like that was amazing. Like, you know, i learned so much about my team mates. I was able to connect on a deeper level, you know, and then also, as you kind of, i gained like friendships to a point. And yeah, so it was it was a very was very helpful. I was going to say, has it made you a better player, do you feel . 100 . You know, it made me definitely more confident, made me more trust in my abilities and where i come from. Initially, i had the Imposter Syndrome and i feel like thats gone. Like ive accepted my role and who i am as a person. And ive kind of detached from my past and my internal voice and who i see. Its not as negative. And even when it does get negative and when i do dip, i have the tools and and the recognition and the awareness to to understand that, 0k, well, im ifeel this way instead of catastrophising or spiraling, you know, into a certain point. Efe 0bada, the fifth year man out of nigeria with his first sack of the season. Former pro Coachjerry Glanville once famously declared that nfl stands for not for long due to the Short Career Span at the top of the game. This makes 0badas longevity, coupled with his unusual rise to the top all the more impressive. The average career in the nfl| is three years 3. 3 to be exact. So the fact that somebody whos come from his background, come from the places that he came from, not played the game for an extended period of time, has been in the nfl for doublel the league average, is a testament to this guys character as a testament to his athletic ability, the testament to his will, his spirit. And hes going to keep. On playing for quite a few more years, we expect. Hes intelligent, hes very aggressive, very, very athletic,. His size, obviously, so all those things you combine into one person and you have a guy whos been in the league for seven years now. As a seven year veteran of the nfl, 0bada has lived in various cities and states across the usa. American football has given him a life he could have only dreamed of, but hes neverforgotten where he comes from. So back in london, is london still home for you . London is definitely still home for me. 100 , yes. How does life in the usa compare to life in england. Its totally different, you know, because life in the uk it was different because i was younger. I went through the Traditional School system and working, normaljob. And then in the nfl, im some nfl player, im an nfl player, you know, im a star. So, yeah, its definitely different. How do you feel whenever you come back home . I feel grounded. So humbled. The nfl is such this. Its this all consuming thing, you know, and its this. Were all in this Echo Chamber Of Football then, these large amounts of wages and, you know, and salaries and, you know, and just having being around the best of the best and everything. And then you come back home and itsjust, you know, you get to see just the disparity and, you know, and its just different. Its just different. Do you still head back to your old haunts or do you try to avoid that . Oh, no, no, istill do. Yeah, i listen, ill go back. Ill go back around. Yeah. Especially i do some work with the big Kids Foundation and theyre based in south london. Theyre doing a lot of stuff across london as well. So i try to go and spend time with the kids and interact with them efe is a fantastic story. You know, hes been through so much to get to where he is and trying so hard to play at the level hes now playing at. And hes really, you know, someone for the young people to look up to. He came from london and and theyre from london, too, and he can do it. It allows those young people to believe that they can as well. Whats it been like getting to meet efe . Oh, its been quite lovely. Has it changed much from when you first got 0h, hes been quite loud has it changed much from when you first got here and you were growing up there in terms of American Football . Yeah, definitely. Like the sports grown immensely. Like its its honestlyjust taken over and its becoming a part of the english culture. Does it help remind you of how far youve come yourself . It does. Just being able to play in the league for this long and then also seeing the new generation of kids, notjust going off to just traditional football and theyre talking about American Football, you know, Flag Football and just wanting to go over to america and and study and just being able to do that. And its huge. Like those those conversations would never happen in my community. I feel like its given me a lot of confidence. Its given me a lot of life skills. American football, especially flag. Its very family orientated. I cant wait for like the next five, ten years cause i know for a fact youll see a lot more young people involved, a lot more young girls as well. Would you like to create something permanent in south london, something that might open pathways up for people . 100 . I think i like moving forward. One of my one of my dreams is to have my own facility, my own training facility, where people can come and watch, kids can come and just have that place, that safe haven. When i was growing up, i used to go to, like youth centres, you know, and i used to thats what i used to do my homework. Thats where i made friends. Thats where i used to just play games because, you know, it was just this safe place and and the sense of community if you just didnt want to be hanging out on the road. So if i can create some of that space, if i can help streamline and create more opportunities for American Football and try and get in the grassroots levels and streamline that process. Because honestly, the way i got into the nfl was a miracle. The more people see this story, the more people understand where he came from, the more hope that it gives people, the more inspiration it gives people to think that to themselves that, hey, imjust like efe. I can do exactly what he did. I didnt have to be playing this game since i was a young kid to be able to make it to the highest level. So its a massive inspiration for a lot of people. Are your experiences part of the reason why youre so heavily invested in the nfl programmes outside the actual game itself . Definitely. Because, like, my nfl career isjust mine, for me. And, you know, and ive been afforded this platform. My journey is my journey. And theres a certain demographic of kids and communities and people that i can reach. You know, i dont see beckham, all these stars reaching these these stars landing kids just because theresjust, you know, they might admire them and, you know, appreciate the accolades. But this is because of where theyre from. You know, the connection, the why go to the accent, the, you know, the understanding of south london and even the uk in general. Im able to connect and also just the african background as well. You know, the immigrant lifestyle, the immigrant parents, the you know, the journeys that im able to connect with these kids. And i would be doing the injustice if i dont make the most of the platforms that i have and try and reach back, because i would have wished for someone to do that for me and and show that its possible. You do have nigerian roots. How do you stay in touch with them . Music, food. You know, like when i when i feel homesickjust because of the different cultures that i experience going to america and having to, like, kind of assimilate. And in that culture, when i feel homesick, thats my go to african food, music, the film, the language, you know, the banter are the the kind of the interactions, you know, all of it. Like, its who i am, its deep rooted in my in my dna, like im an african man, you know, like nobody allowed one african dish. What would be your go to meal . Thats crazy. Ill be fat. Yeah. You cant go wrong with the jollof rice its very meat heavy you know so like anything within me like yeah youre right, you cant go wrong withjollof rice. You do a lot of work with nfl africa. What does that involve . Honestly, its just anything to promote the culture, anything to promote and create opportunities back back in africa, going back to africa with the camps avp programme, letting people know that theres a space here, you know, for africans. Does it have a big following in africa . Yeah, theres Flag Football. Theres you know, theres lots of talent. Im telling you, theres so much talent. You know, i need the nfl to kind of go over there and understand that, you know, africa is an untapped market in terms of talent for the nfl and on sports in general. The final chapters of 0badas story have yet to be written, but few would bet against a hollywood ending. Since birth, 0bada has been fighting against forces beyond his control. This has truly been a journey against the odds. Anything youd like to achieve before you hang up your cleats . Theres quite a lot of things. I want to obviously love to win to win the super bowl. You know, i think thats the ultimate goal. You know in your career. Theres hall of famers that never achieved the super bowl. So i would love to do that. Pro bowl id love to do that as well, an experience that i feel like those those games ill be really good at. Hello there. Plenty of Spring Flowers to try and brighten up our weekend, but if you look to the skies, its all about shades of grey, this weekend. A lot of cloud around, particularly out to the west. A few breaks here and there, but theres also a scattering of Nuisance Showers across north and east facing coasts in particular. In terms of the feel of the weather, 6 to 9 degrees, so on the chilly side with those grey skies, but nowhere near as cold as its going to get. The breeze will freshen a little through the night and that could drive in more showers across exposed coasts and a frequent rash starts to develop across the north of scotland, turning increasingly wintry to the tops of the mountains here. 0n the whole, we keep the cloud, but we cant rule out if there are a few breaks, it could be a little touch of light frost here and there. So its a chilly start to sunday morning. Again, a largely grey one. Therell be plenty of showers on exposed coasts and more widespread showers start to develop across the far north of scotland. Once again, those temperatures will sit between six and eight or nine degrees. Indications of the cold air, though, starting to arrive into the northern isles. Yes, from sunday night into monday morning, its going to turn increasingly cold and windy, which means that were also going to increase the risk of some snow and some ice around. And thats because weve got arctic air starting to push down from the north. The High Pressure thats dominated is starting to slip away from the uk. And weve got this Weather Front arriving. Its a cold front introducing this cold air behind. So to start with, itll be rain as it pushes its way steadily south. And then we will see a frequent rash of showers into Northern Scotland and potentially, northeast england. Here, temperatures 4 to 6 degrees. Ahead of it on monday, still in that milder air, so we might see nine or ten. The remnants of that front eases away during the early hours of tuesday. Behind, tuesday will be a case of sunny spells and scattered showers, showers most frequent along the north and east coasts. And yes, they could be wintry in nature. And accompanied by a brisk northerly wind, its going to feel more like close to freezing. That is going to be quite a shock to the system. So if youve got outdoor plans next week, its certainly worth Keeping Abreast of the weather story, particularly monday into tuesday, where snow and ice could be an issue across north, east and east scotland, and northeast england. This is bbc news welcome if youre watching here in the uk or around the globe. Im luxmy gopal. The headlines. The head of Russias Wagner group claims its forces now surround most of bakhmut the eastern ukrainian city thats been the focus of intense fighting. The head of the United Nations Nuclear Watchdog who has been visiting tehran to meet iranian officials says talks have taken place in an atmosphere of honesty and cooperation. The former uk health secretary, matt hancock, and his staff agonised for hours over whether or not he broke covid guidance when he kissed his aide, leaked messages in the telegraph newspaper show. Un countries are said to be finalising an agreement on a long awaited Environmental Treaty to protect the high seas the area of the ocean not controlled by any one country