The footballer has been living in the streets as a beggar.
The former Super Eagles winger has revealed to Completesportsnigeria.com how he was swindled by some pastors in the South West part of Nigeria in a bid for him to regain his sight.
Opabunmi recounted his ordeal in a chat with Completesportsnigeria.com that he suddenly lost his sight during training with his French second division side Niort in 2006.
And after two unsuccessful surgery in France, Opabunmi returned to Nigeria in search of a cure for his partial blindness but according to him he was duped.
He said; "Many believed I was cursed, even my mother because in Paris the doctors medically said there was nothing wrong with my eyes," Opabunmi, one of the best players at the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Cup where he helped Nigeria reach the final, told Completesportsnigeria.com. "Funds were given to me to survive by my former teammates (including Osaze Odemwingie) and well wishers. I gave pastors some of the money, hoping that if I got healed I would start afresh with a coaching career. "I visited several churches and mountains in search of a cure but it never happened. "They duped me of my small cash. I paid more that 400k to pastors to see that I got cured but nothing happened." "I also went to see some Imams as well. But they all turned out to be false men of God who duped me all the way."
Angry fans reacted to the story expressing displeasure with how 'church leader's are taking advantage of peoples sad situations to con them.
- Sad
- God have mercy
- I pray for u my brother God we hear 👂 ur 😭
- Glaucoma.... Lord have mercy. Almost impossible to cure
- This is sad. May God restore your sight in Jesus name
- So sad
- Am sad about this
- So Nigeria has forgotten and abandoned their very own. Shame on we country
- Some of those pastors will be preaching today n imams will be fasting and be calling the same God they used in deceiving to extort money from the innocent🤔olowogbogbo will soon cure you and will definitely judge them 1by1🙏🏽
- He is silky to think pastors & Iman would or heal him. Are they God? Why was he paying them for the service? All they can really do is help pray for him that's all. Not collecting money. I mean people can't be that stupid & desperate.
- Wickedness