On a quiet street in Kaduna, far away from the roar of packed stadiums and the chants of football fans, a man who once dazzled in the Nigerian league now lives a life many would never imagine.
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That man is Promise James — a defender once celebrated as one of the finest right-backs the Nigerian league ever produced.
Today, the former Kano Pillars FC, Enyimba International FC, and El-Kanemi Warriors FC star struggles to make ends meet.
His story resurfaced recently when Kaduna-based footballer Emmanuel Owi Adoyi set out on a personal mission — to find and help former Nigerian players who have fallen on hard times after their careers faded.
For Adoyi, the search for Promise James was more than curiosity. It was a painful journey into the forgotten side of football.
A Search for a Forgotten Star
Adoyi, who currently plays for Benin Republic club Union Sportive des Cavaliers, said he had heard disturbing stories about James’ situation.
“I kept asking about him because he was one of the best players the league ever produced,” Adoyi told Sports247.
“Then someone told me he was in Kaduna… wasting away, drinking, just surviving from hand to mouth.”
The news shocked him.
“It’s a sad thing to hear that a great talent like this is wasting away,” he said. “So I decided to go in search of him.”
When he eventually found the once-celebrated defender, the reality was heartbreaking.
The man who once battled the best attackers in the Nigeria Professional Football League was now battling something far more difficult — seven years into his ‘life after football’, having played his last game in the league in 2019.
A Career That Once Promised Everythin
Years earlier, Promise James’ journey into professional football had begun in dramatic fashion.
He recalled how his life changed during a casual friendly match in Kaduna.
“I even had to collect ₦700 from my mother to fuel my car because I didn’t have money,” James said.
But that match would turn into a turning point.
After the game, then Kano Pillars coach Salisu Babaganaru and club officials approached him.
“They called me and we talked,” he said. “They gave me ₦100,000 and promised that if I joined them, they would make my life better — and they did.”
From that moment, his career blossomed.
James would go on to play for several notable Nigerian clubs, including Abia Warriors FC and FC Ifeanyi Ubah, earning a reputation as a fearless and reliable defender.
He also represented Nigeria at youth levels and featured for the Nigeria U23 national football team and the Nigeria national football team (CHAN), a recognition of his talent during his peak years.
Regrets and Hard Lesson
But like many athletes who suddenly find themselves with fame and money, James admits he made costly mistakes.
“I wish I had good friends that would have advised me back then,” he said.
“Most of the friends I had just wanted to flex and enjoy life.”
Today, many of those friendships have faded.
“Now they call me, but it’s just ‘Promise, let’s go and drink.’ Nobody calls to help me do something that will better my life or my family.”
What pains him even more is the memory of the generosity he once showed others.
“I paid school fees, WAEC and NECO for a lot of people when I was active,” he said quietly.
“But now nobody is helping me to train my children.”
A Mission Beyond the Pitch
For Adoyi, James’ story is exactly why he decided to launch his humanitarian project.
Through his NGO, Beyond The Pitch Initiative, the footballer hopes to identify and support former players who have been forgotten after retirement.
“My aim is to help them get back on their feet, give them a second chance and help them live a decent life,” Adoyi explained.
The initiative has become so important to him that he is considering putting his own playing career on hold.
“I’m currently at home in Kaduna and the second round of our league has started, but I might not go back,” he said.
“I want to focus on this project.”
Adoyi said he has already encountered many similar stories of former players struggling in silence.
“I have seen a lot of cases like this,” he said. “And I have made up my mind to bring them back to their feet.”
Hope for One More Chance
Despite his present struggles, Promise James has not completely given up on football — the game that once gave him everything.
He believes there may still be a way back.
“I can still play football,” he said with a faint smile.
“But I need rehabilitation first. After that, I’m very sure my life will be better than what it is now.”
For now, the defender who once thrilled thousands waits for a second chance — not just in football, but in life itself.
And thanks to Adoyi’s mission, his story — like many others hidden in the shadows of Nigerian football — may finally be heard.
