Former Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel, has publicly credited the club’s former owner, Roman Abramovich, for his instrumental role in ensuring the safe return of his father after a kidnapping incident in Nigeria.
Mikel’s Emotional Account
During a recent episode of the Obi One Podcast Live, Mikel opened up about the traumatic experience, revealing how Abramovich personally intervened. “Roman cares about everyone around him, whether they are players or fans. I still remember when my father was kidnapped in Nigeria, he called me on his own initiative,” Mikel stated.
He detailed Abramovich’s immediate response: “He was very concerned about my situation at that time and said to me, ‘Mikel, what do you need now? Is there anything I can do for you? Do you know how to rescue your father?’ I replied, ‘I don’t know. I haven’t contacted the kidnappers yet.’ He then said, ‘Okay, listen. As long as you agree, give me 24 hours, and I will definitely bring your father back safely.'”
Mikel admitted he was stunned by Abramovich’s confidence. “I thought to myself: ‘Oh my God, Roman, my father is still in Nigeria, and even I don’t know exactly where he is. How can you possibly rescue him?’ But he just said: ‘Don’t worry, I can definitely do it.’ That’s the kind of gangster-like determination he had. And this is precisely the manifestation of his love for the players, for ‘his players’, and for the entire club.”
Mikel also credited Abramovich for transforming Chelsea into a global football powerhouse. “All the achievements we’ve made today are entirely because of Roman. We are Chelsea Football Club. We’ve won so many trophies, and now being one of the biggest clubs in the world, all of this can be traced back to Abramovich.”
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