Patricia Okafor, the mother of U.S.-based footballer Chioma Okafor, has opened up about her daughter’s recent decision to represent Nigeria rather than Malawi, the country of her birth.
“It’s not me, it was her choice. Nigeria wrote a letter, I didn’t have any say, it was her choice,” Mrs. Okafor said in an exclusive interview with BolaNews (A Zambian Football outlet). “I told her to choose so that she would not regret it in the future, so it came from her.”
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Chioma, 21, was born in Malawi to a Malawian mother and Nigerian father.
She currently plays for the University of Connecticut in the United States. She has been included in Nigeria’s 24-player squad for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which kicks off in Morocco on 5 July.
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Her mother revealed that Chioma had been approached by Malawi earlier this year, but the timing wasn’t right.
“I just heard that one of the coaches approached her to say that she should come to play for Malawi, it was in February, but it was not possible because she was busy at her club.”
Although there were earlier discussions about playing for the Malawian national team, Mrs. Okafor said serious doubts were raised due to her daughter’s name.
“Last year, there was a talk, but it started after one team recognised her in the US… People [Malawians] said she was not a Malawian [by] looking at her name, so I told her to make a video and explain that she was born in Malawi, it’s just the name.”
In contrast, she noted that Nigeria showed strong interest and followed through with the official procedures.
“Oh yes, I have a letter from Nigeria in my phone to say they want to have my daughter and they want to know more about her… They told her to go to Atlanta, she went there and made the passport for her, so you can see how serious they are.”
Mrs Okafor said the choice to play for Nigeria was entirely Chioma’s, even though the family had been deeply connected to Malawi.
“Her dad was not even around when she came up with a decision… She thought maybe mom will not be happy if she settles for Nigeria since I have been celebrating her [while] carrying the Malawi flag, so I told her to do what pleases her.”
Although she has now committed to Nigeria, Chioma spent time in Malawi as recently as May 2023, training with local side Bullets and even appearing at the FAM complex in Blantyre.
“She was here… Walter Nyamilandu was there, Adelaide Migogo was there, everyone saw her… Soon after Chioma left, one team in the US recognised her.”
FAM confirmation
On Thursday, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) confirmed her decision to switch international allegiance. In a statement, it said:
“Following discussions held with her parents on 18th June 2025, USA-based women’s football Scorchers international prospect Chioma Okafor has decided to commit her international football career to Nigeria.”
The statement also noted that Chioma has never featured for Malawi at any level, although she had previously trained with the national team back in 2015.
While some high-profile athletes, such as sprinter Favour Ofili, have recently reportedly chosen to switch allegiance away from Nigeria, Okafor’s case highlights the reverse trend—where some dual-national players are proudly embracing the opportunity to wear the green and white jersey, even when other national options are available to them.
A letter dated 13 June from the Nigeria Football Federation to the University of Connecticut confirmed Chioma’s inclusion in the squad for both the upcoming training camp in Portugal and the WAFCON tournament in Morocco.
She was not involved in Nigeria’s recent friendly match against Portugal in Lisbon on Monday, which ended 0-0, but she may likely get a chance for a debut in Sunday’s warm-up match against Ghana.
Okafor will need to settle in fast ahead of Nigeria’s opening WAFCON group game against Tunisia on 6 July in Casablanca as she is set to begin her international career in green and white, choosing her path with her family’s full support.
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