Moses Magnut in his official Dream the Blues Samsung-Chelsea FC snapshot
It was the fourth day of the week long Samsung-Chelsea FC Dream the Blues Finale in
London. Moses Magnut has just arrived London barely 6-hours earlier
with his guardian, Gabriel Oyediji, the founder of Compassionate
Orphanage under whose care Moses, his two brothers and sister live. He
was held back by a glitch in his visa process – for some reason Moses’
biometrics data was corrupted and he had to go to British High
Commission to re-do it at the last minute.
“It
was worth it,” confessed Oyediji. “Seeing Moses on the pitch, training
with Torres, Mata, Oscar, and Victor Moses just makes everything we went
through to bring Moses here, worth it.”
Moses
in hot play in a friendly match between the Dream the Blues
Samsung-Chelsea FC and Chelsea FC Youth Team at Chelesa’s training camp
at Cobham, UK
Moses’ backstory
“Moses’
parents have been passing through a hard time,” Oyediji hesitates, as
if unsure he could trust the public with the information. “His father is
under medical management, he has a brain tumour which has devastated
the family economically. The mother is living with him in the hospital.
It’s distressing what is happening to the Magnuts. It’s just sad.”
The
third of four children, Moses who stands a head above his peers, fell
in love with football when he was 5 years old and the sport has been the
source of physical and emotional strength to him since. On the plane to
Lagos, after his experience at the Dream the Blues Camp in London,
Moses says, “I am convinced I can be an international footballer
someday. I believe I have the strength and the ability that it takes and
as Victor Moses told us at the camp, I have to keep improving on my
skills.”
Moses
being mentored on the field by Chelsea player and Dream the Blues
Ambassador, Fernando Torres while team mates Jep Mallam (Nigeria) and
Kongkrit Lamom-Prom (Thailand) look on
“Moses
is a great kid, even as tragedy looms in the family, he performs above
average in school academically,” Oyediji said. “He’s also reserved, he
doesn’t warm up to people easily.”
“The
Dream the Blues experience is highly stimulating. It goes beyond
recreation, and exposes kids to a possible career choice,” the reverend
with a doctorate explained. “For Moses, Samsung expanded his horizon and
given him a new perspective on life, he can dream bigger. He met Victor
Moses this week and knows that he can one day be like him, or Mikel
Obi, his other football hero.”
“The
Dream the Blues campaign is commendable. I wish all our football loving
kids – and we have many – could experience this programme,” Oyediji
concluded. “I just want to say congratulations to Samsung for coming up
with such a programme.”
[READ: 
Dream
the Blues Ambassadors take a pose with Moses and his guardian (from
left) Oscar, Fernando Torres, Gabriel Oyediji, founder of Compassionate
Orphanage, Moses Magnut, Juan Mata, and Victor Moses
A story of uncommon fatherhood
How
did Gabriel Oyediji, a 1982 graduate of Agricultural Science from the
University of Port Harcourt discover his calling into charity work?
“I
never knew what it means to have a father. There was nobody to hold my
hand as a child, to guide me,” he told me, with sadness in his eyes. “My
father died before I was born. I never met him. As a child I was
subjected to cultural trauma. My people saw me as a child caring bad
luck. People were afraid of me, and I grew up with terrible childhood
experiences.”
One
day in his childhood, under intense emotional pain, Oyediji went into a
deal with God. “I vowed that if God would take me out of this bondage,
as it were, I would dedicate my life to serving other children with
traumatic childhood. And he did.”
“By
a miracle, I graduated from the university and even did a Masters in
Aqua Culture from the Lagos State University. I have a family, a boy who
is 27 and a girl who is 25. Both of them are university graduates. God
did it,” he said with a glimmer in his eye.
Chelsea player and Dream the Blues Ambassador, Juan Mata shows the boys some tricks on the field
In
2002, Oyediji, who is also an ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, began the Compassionate Orphanage; in 2005 it was registered by
the Lagos State government, reputed to have one of the toughest
processes. The home which at present has 38 children under its care is
largely self-funded by Oyediji. “We don’t have regular donors, only
occasional visitors.”
“I
set up the orphanage so that kids who don’t have a father could
experience the love and care of a father,” he explained. “I am humbled
to be their daddy.”
You can read more about the orphanage and how you can help HERE
Moses in the team line ups at the start of the friendly with the Chelsea FC Youth Team
A load of thanks
Gratitude
appears to be the life philosophy of this exceptional 13-year-old.
Moses was grateful to have been selected to represent Nigeria at the
Samsung-Chelsea FC Dream the Blues Finale in London. He looked forward
to thanking the four Dream the Blues Ambassadors – Fernando Torres, Juan
Mata, Victor Moses, and Oscar for the once in a life-time opportunity.
He’s also thankful to Samsung for making his dreams come true.
“God
will bless Samsung,” the JSS 3 student said when asked what he has to
say to the global digital technology and digital convergence giant. “I
wish the company progress.”
Chelsea player and Dream the Blues Ambassador, Fernando Torres show Moses and team mates some skills ; Moses is seen looking on
Victorious
– Dream the Blues Samsung-Chelsea FC – Moses pictured with his team
mates after their win over the Chelsea FC Youth Team
At the London Eye – Dream the Blues Samsung-Chelsea FC – Moses pictured with his team mates
Dinner
is served – Moses and fellow Nigerian, Jep Mallam at the closing dinner
which held at the Ironmongers Hall at the London Museum
Moses
and team mates are wowed by the magic of Paul Hoffman at the closing
dinner which held at the Ironmongers Hall at the London Museum
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