Nigerian singer Kingsley Okonkwo, widely known by his stage name Kcee, has opened up about a part of his life that many fans might not know—his first dream was not to become a music star, but a professional footballer.
In a revealing conversation with podcaster Temisan Emmanuel, the ‘Limpopo’ crooner shared the details of his journey from the football field to the music stage, painting a vivid picture of passion, struggle, and unexpected redirection.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but football was actually my first love. That’s where it all began,” Kcee said, his voice tinged with both nostalgia and pride.
During the candid interview, Kcee disclosed that in the 1990s, he played for Nigerian league clubs such as Julius Berger FC and Puma FC, both prominent teams in the country at the time.
He emphasized that he was deeply invested in the sport and had serious ambitions of representing Nigeria at the highest level. “The first time I travelled out of this country was football,” he recalled.
“I was playing for Julius Berger. I played for Puma. The first time I went to South Africa was soccer. That was before music.”
For him, football wasn’t just a pastime—it was a path he believed would shape his future.
Kcee further revealed that his football journey extended beyond Nigerian borders and took him to South Africa, where he continued to nurture his dream.
He noted that he was part of the promising crop of young players who were being groomed to follow in the footsteps of Nigeria’s celebrated 1996 Olympic gold-winning team.
“I was a very young boy. This was in the middle 90s. I was a teenager then,” he said.
“Jay Jay [Okocha] and Kanu were a set before me. After them, we would have been like the people to take over Super Eagles.”
His statement highlights the depth of talent he possessed and how close he came to achieving that dream.
However, despite his talent and commitment, Kcee’s football career never quite reached the heights he had envisioned.
The lack of financial backing and critical sponsorship proved to be insurmountable obstacles. “When I found out that it was difficult to take my football career to the next level,” he explained, “I picked up my next love, music.”
The shift wasn’t immediate, but gradual. He found himself straddling both worlds, hoping one would offer a clearer path forward. “I was running both of them side by side,” he added, “but it got to a point where I had to choose.”
That turning point came when Kcee participated in the Star Quest music talent show, a platform that would eventually launch him into the limelight.
His performance won the hearts of both judges and audiences, and with that victory came new opportunities. “In the course of that, I won Star Quest talent hunt and I started making money. So, I had to drop one for one,” he said matter-of-factly.
It was a pivotal decision, but one that set him on a course that would make him a household name in the Nigerian music industry.
Looking back now, Kcee doesn’t express regret but rather gratitude for the path he has walked. His journey from the football field to the music stage may not have been the one he originally envisioned, but it is one filled with lessons and success.
“Life has a funny way of directing us,” he reflected. “I still love football, but I believe I ended up exactly where I was meant to be.”
