Patricia Jiya Okafor, the mother of Nigerian footballer Chioma Okafor, has addressed criticisms from Malawians who questioned her daughter's decision to represent Nigeria rather than Malawi at international level.
In an interview with BolaNews.co, Patricia explained that the choice was entirely Chioma’s. She said, “It’s not me; it was her choice. Nigeria wrote a letter; I didn’t have any say; it was her choice. I told her to choose so that she would not regret it in the future, so it came from her.”
Chioma, who was born in Malawi to a Malawian mother and Nigerian father, started her football journey in Malawi and trained with the Malawi national team, the Scorchers, in 2015. However, she did not make an official appearance for the side.
Despite her current involvement with Nigerian football, Chioma had earlier reaffirmed her roots. In February, she posted a video speaking in Chichewa, Malawi’s national language, to assert her Malawian identity after some fans questioned her nationality due to her Nigerian surname.
Her dual heritage and the decision to play for Nigeria have stirred conversations among fans in both countries, but her mother insists the final call was hers alone.
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