Nigeria, Aug. 16 -- When Rasheedat Ajibade lifted the trophy at the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, she was not only celebrating Nigeria's record-extending 10th continental title. She was also closing a remarkable personal chapter - one that began far from the floodlights and cameras of world football.

"To be honest, I never imagined that I would be where I am today. If I say so, I'm lying. But one thing I knew was that we were living in poverty. I knew things were not okay for myself and my family," Ajibade said in a recent interview with Nigerian media personality @WithChude.

Ajibade was born in Lagos and grew up in Mushin, a densely populated neighbourhood where she lived in a compound with over a hundred othe...