"I was living as if I’m living in Nigeria" Former Nigerian footballer Etim Esin speaks on r@pe scandal that destroyed his career in Belgium (video)

Etim Esin, a former professional Nigerian footballer, has reflected on the controversial r@pe scandal in Belgium which derailed his career. 

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Speaking in a recent interview with sports host Charles Anazodo,  Esin disclosed that ignoring advice from late Super Eagles captain Stephen Keshi led to him getting into trouble in Belgium. 

Etim Esin said: “Had it been I calmed down like Keshi advised me, ‘Get a woman, Itimi, your life will be more stable’, I think a lot of things I didn’t do then, I would have avoided. I learned a lesson from that.” 

Esin further addressed his lifestyle in Belgium which ultimately landed him into legal trouble. 

According to him, he was partying, dating multiple women and living as though he was still in Nigeria, not knowing he couldn’t get away with things abroad as easily as in Nigeria. 

“That was the more reason I got involved with this r@pe issue, because I was living as if I’m living in Nigeria, not knowing that some things I could get away with here, I couldn’t get away with there,” he said.

Addressing the r@pe allegation, Esim insisted the girl involved was his girlfriend and claimed he didn’t know that she was underage. 

“She was 16, and I never knew. When you see them, they look mature. I wasn’t aware. If I was aware, she wouldn’t have come,” he explained. 

Esin added that his own statement admitting to sleeping with the girl, believing she was his girlfriend, did not help in his defense. 

“My lawyer even argued that I shouldn’t have accepted it. Because had I known, I would have just said I didn’t know or hadn’t slept with her. That was where I nailed myself again,” he said.

See video below.