Taiwo Awoniyi urges young Nigerian footballers to invest in education

Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi has urged young Nigerian footballers to combine their playing careers with academic development, warning that the importance of education becomes clearer after retirement.

Awoniyi, who joined Coventry City from Nottingham Forest, made the comments after completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship at the Players Football Association (PFA) Business School.

The qualification, awarded with a merit, is the third academic achievement for the Ilorin-born forward, who is from Kwara State. He previously completed a diploma and a degree in Business Administration, qualifications he attributes to his long-standing interest in education.

“I’ve got a degree in business management and another diploma. So, this is my third qualification. I say to people, I am a quiet dreamer. I always felt education was important. It’s not like a 9-5 job in football. We go in and sometimes finish quite early,” Awoniyi said.

“Although it’s challenging, I think every footballer has time in the evening for something like this business school. Of course, it demands a lot from you, and it’s all about how willing you are to do it. I say to people there are a lot of things that are bigger than football.

“Yes, football is our passion, but we are normal human beings as well, and maybe that’s something the world doesn’t always see.”

Awoniyi began his football journey at Imperial Football Academy of Odoogbolu in Ogun State. He eventually played in the English Premier League with Nottingham Forest, fulfilling an ambition that had eluded him during his time at Liverpool, where he did not make a competitive appearance.

Before joining Nottingham Forest and later Coventry City, Awoniyi also played for FSV Frankfurt, SV Mainz and Union Berlin in Germany, NEC in the Netherlands, and Mouscron and Gent in Belgium.

His academic record began in 2020, when he gained a Diploma in Business Administration and Marketing Management from London School of International Business. He then completed a Bachelor’s degree at Buckinghamshire New University in 2022.

On the 15th of last month, he added the Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship from the PFA Business School, delivered in partnership with the University of Portsmouth.

Awoniyi said footballers should recognise that their lives and ambitions extend beyond the sport, particularly because playing careers are relatively short. His latest qualification, he added, reflects his determination to prepare for the period after football while continuing to pursue his ambitions on the pitch.