Once known as the ‘fine boy’ of the Super Eagles, Peter Osaze Odemwingie is as talented a footballer as he is controversial, a person.
When he was not scoring a goal to help Nigeria qualify for the World Cup, he’s making comments that raised the world’s attention to his disputatious nature.
Odemwingie, the footballer, took the Premier League by storm when he joined West Brom from Lokomotiv Moscow and scored 15 Premier League goals on his debut season. He also won two Player of the Month awards that season and scored against many big teams.
Odemwingie, the person, drove to the garage of QPR and waited for a deadline day transfer which never happened and it’s still one of the most ludicrous stories in the Premier League.
He easily channels both worlds – a world-class footballer on his day, and one capable of wonders and a complete bag of the unexpected in his other world.
Odemwingie has lived a low profile life since his retirement. The Uzbek-born former Nigeria forward last played in Indonesia after his career had taken him to Nigeria, Belgium, France, Russia and England.
Despite not being seen publicly many times as he has focused on a career in golf, which he is thriving at, he has not been less of the controversial figure.
From getting more professional training in golf and stepping up in the sport to playing the guitar and singing Bob Marley and the Wailers’ ‘Redemption Song’ classic, to posting various biblical quotes, Odemwingie’s world is funny, interesting and polemic.
https://twitter.com/odemwingiep/status/1567486358746267649?s=21&t=Cekal0yz46pwjMU_WJSbYQ
https://twitter.com/odemwingiep/status/1567985838948073473?s=21&t=Cekal0yz46pwjMU_WJSbYQ
Since the death of the former Queen of England, Elizebeth II, he has thrown subtle jibes at the Royal Family and the British people, quoting the Bible and songs that uphold people freedom.
He also posted newspaper articles that subtly question the Royal family’s actions.
https://twitter.com/odemwingiep/status/1568669160904982528?s=21&t=Cekal0yz46pwjMU_WJSbYQ
In one of his supposedly conspiratorial viewpoint, he said the year 2022 is the year of Shmita.
What is Shmita?
Also known as Sabbatical Year, per Wikipedia, it is the s the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah in the Land of Israel and is observed in Judaism.
When the year runs, the land is left to lie fallow and no agricultural activity is conducted.
Fruits or plants grown during this period are deemed not owned by anyone and can be picked up any anybody.
What did Odemwingie say about Shmita?
Odemwingie in several tweets suggested that the world is experiencing a downturn this year due to the seven-year cycle of the Shmita.
“My son Theo woke me up this morning (at 07:07). I don’t know much about this but hearing we are in the year and maybe even month. Will now have to research, ” he tweeted.
— Peter Odemwingie (@OdemwingieP) September 8, 2022
https://twitter.com/odemwingiep/status/1567862013317070848?s=21&t=Cekal0yz46pwjMU_WJSbYQ
He also showed pictures of events the world has faced every seven years since 1966. In one of the articles he highlighted, it wrote that the world can learn something from handling the modern economy using the Shmita years practice of the ancient Jews and a section of the modern Jews.
Odemwingie also looks to be of the same school of thought.
The forward may have shown his great football skills while his career lasted, he has also proven consistently that he’s more than just a footballer, and it’s not a very easy sight.