UPDATED: Illegitimately Blessed: Former Jersey FA president turns personal story into global inspiration

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Former Jersey football administrator Ricky Weir says his award-winning memoir, Illegitimately Blessed, is becoming an unexpected vehicle for inspiring people across cultures and generations, with plans underway to bring the book to a wider audience in Nigeria and Africa.

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Speaking in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES during a recent visit to Nigeria, Mr Weir also reflected on another significant milestone in his journey of self-discovery—obtaining a Nigerian passport after years of tracing his paternal roots.

However, he insists that it is the story behind that journey, captured in his memoir, that he hopes will resonate most with readers.

Initially self-published in September 2024, Illegitimately Blessed was later picked up by a European publisher after attracting attention beyond football circles.

“In March 2025, it was picked up by a European publisher and I was offered a contract, which was a massive step,” Mr Weir said. “To be sought out and offered a publishing contract was amazing and not something I expected.”

For Mr Weir, who is best known for his contributions to football administration and grassroots development, writing the book was never about commercial success.

He said he had three objectives: to complete the book, leave a lasting record of his life for his three sons, and hopefully inspire at least one person.

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“If it could positively impact one person, inspire one person, then I’d be happy,” he said. “Everything from then on is a bonus.”

The memoir chronicles a remarkable life story.

Born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and a Nigerian father, Mr Weir never met his father, who died before he was born. He was subsequently placed for adoption and raised by adoptive parents in Scotland. Decades later, he embarked on a search to uncover his family history, a journey that eventually reconnected him with his Nigerian heritage and recently culminated in him securing Nigerian citizenship.

While football features prominently throughout the narrative, Mr Weir believes the themes explored in the book extend far beyond sport.

“It covers fathers, identity, discrimination, family, resilience and overcoming challenges,” he said. “It’s not just for football people.”

The book received a major boost in April 2025 when it won a literary award in Italy, a development Mr Weir described as one of the most surprising moments of the project’s evolution.

“That was a real wow moment,” he said. “I don’t see myself as a writer. I’m a football person who wrote one book. For literary people to recognise it was very special.”

The recognition has strengthened his determination to introduce the memoir to readers in Africa, particularly Nigeria, where a significant part of the story is rooted.

According to Mr Weir, efforts to bring Illegitimately Blessed to Africa have already begun and were partly responsible for connections that led to his recent visit to Nigeria.

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“I truly believe the book can inspire many people here,” he said. “If it can have an impact in countries where I have no connection, then imagine what it could do in Nigeria, where a massive part of the story comes from.”

Mr Weir, founder of the Jersey 2 Africa Football Foundation, said he hopes the memoir will become part of the legacy he leaves both in football and beyond it.

For now, the former president of the Jersey Football Association is encouraged by the growing reach of a story that began as a personal reflection but has evolved into a message of identity, belonging and perseverance.

“I feel it’s only a matter of time before the book reaches Nigerian bookshelves,” he said. “And I look forward to seeing the impact it can make.”