Ex-Super Eagles defender Taribo West, who is now a pastor and the founder of the church Shelter In The Storm Miracle Ministries of All Nations, claims that he had an encounter with God that led him from the man who was always on the football pitch to one who climbs the pulpit to minister.
The former Inter Milan star, once known for his eccentric hairstyles on the pitch, has surprised many fans by becoming a clergyman.
The skilled defender, who was a vital part of Nigeria’s national football team from 1994 to 2005, after rising through the ranks with the U21 and U23 squads, also earned 42 caps with the Super Eagles and played a key role in Nigeria’s historic gold medal win at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
His professional career kicked off with Sharks FC in Port Harcourt, followed by spells at Enugu Rangers and Julius Berger. In 1993, he made the move to Europe, signing with French club Auxerre before later joining Italian giants Inter Milan and AC Milan. He also had stints with Derby County, FC Kaiserslautern, and a few other clubs before retiring in 2007.
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Shortly after announcing his retirement from football, Taribo made headlines.
When he was questioned by the BBC about why he chose to become a pastor after his football career, the former international responded, “Why would I switch from being a footballer to becoming a pastor? I had a one-on-one encounter with God. That was the beginning of my transformation—from the pitch to the pulpit.”
We were celebrating. In the middle of that, a woman stumbled into me and said: ‘Sir, please may I know your name?’
I said, ‘I am Mr. No Name.’
She said: ‘May I know where you live?’
I said: ‘I live nowhere.’ She left with annoyance’.
“In the twinkle of an eye, I just heard an audible voice. And it came like a slap. It said: ‘Switch, turn.’ I turned.
It said, “Look at the woman. Look for her now and call that woman and apologize to her. I said that to you. That can only be a voice from God. So I switched, like a Robocop, and I started searching for the woman, and when this sister came all the way from America, she told me a lot of prophecies. And she told me in the next one or two years I would open a church. All the prophecies she gave me came to pass.”
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