By Daily Sports Nigeria on September 6, 2025

Popular Super Eagles and Kwara United supporter, Bashir Alabi, also known as Arabambi, talks about his love for football and choosing fandom over his original occupation, in this interview with ABIODUN ADEWALE

How did you get the name Arabambi?

It was because I liked musician Pasuma back then, when he was called Arabambi, and I used to go to his shows, that was how people started calling me Arabambi too.

Does the painting you put on your body during football matches not affect you?

The chemical I use is expensive, and it doesn’t affect me. It is not wax or emulsion paint, so it doesn’t affect my body. I have been using it for like 25 years. I can’t reveal the name.

How did you start this journey to become a popular football fan?

I was actually a ball boy before in Ilorin. Then I used to play table tennis and football. I was under a coach we called ‘Baba Oshobula’. Afterwards, I went to another coach and also trained under coach Kabiru Dogo, who is now the coach of El-Kanemi Warriors. I played under Dogo for about five years. There was a coach who worked with Sunshine Stars, his name his Abdullahi, he was one of my teammates then. He was a goalkeeper while I was a defender. We started the fan club in 2004. From there, I started displaying different ways of canvassing support for Kwara United. I started by making planks I could use to make sound before I started sewing a form of yellow and green cotton into a regalia. Later, I started painting my face and began to travel around to support different clubs. I have supported Crown FC of Ogbomoso as well, Enyimba, Nasarawa United, Lobi Stars, Osun United, and Doma United. There are lots of clubs, and it is those who show me affection that I support.

So why did you stop playing football?

I had friends who were doing other things and were making money. But I played table tennis and I represented my local government in some competitions. I was more popular with table tennis than football then. Later, I became a ball boy and then abandoned it to go learn how to make furniture. But after I finished my apprenticeship, I still returned to playing football.

Kwara United won their first title in the President Federation Cup this year. How did you feel when you realised they had finally achieved something since you began to support them?

I cried when the final resulted in penalties. People who are in charge of sports in Kwara have been really nice, not just to me but to the sports in Kwara, so I was afraid of where that penalty could lead to. I didn’t want to see their failure. There was a time they had disagreements and infighting, which almost derailed sports in Kwara State, but thank God everything was resolved before the final. I was very happy to have witnessed the success of Kwara United after supporting them for a very long time.

How did you manage to gain attention during the last AFCON in the Ivory Coast?

My style was unique, and I think that is what helps me gain attention.

How did you get into the Super Eagles supporters club?

Baba Ladipo reached out to me to come join initially, but I couldn’t go with them to the World Cup in Russia due to certain things that had to do with money. In fact, I had travelled to Lagos to meet up with them ahead of the trip, but I returned to Ilorin immediately on a night bus when I was disappointed. Later, the former media officer of Kwara United, Ibitoye Shittu, gave me the phone number of a certain Bonfrere. So I wrote a letter to the Governor and the Chairman of Kwara United who raised some money for me. So I went to meet them in Cameroon during the AFCON. Things didn’t go well again in terms of hospitality, but I just kept my cool and still managed to shine with my showmanship. I jumped ship from his group to another supporters’ group in Cameroon and continued to shine until the Eagles were eliminated. Unfortunately, the same thing happened at the 2023 AFCON in the Ivory Coast. I remember Obi Cubana came to the tournament and saw me. I entertained him, and he gave us some money in foreign currency, but some people within the group kept the larger share and gave us peanuts. They made about N20m and gave me N25,000. There are different strokes and different stories with all the supporters club groups. There is unity now, and we were all together during the last World Cup qualifiers in Rwanda and in Uyo. May God spare our lives till the next AFCON in Morocco. I am already preparing new styles to support the Eagles.

You haven’t been to the World Cup before, and the Super Eagles are struggling to qualify for the next one. How will their fate affect your chances of also travelling to the World Cup?

It has a lot to do with it. I can only get donations to travel when Nigeria qualify, and I can only shine at the world stage if Nigeria is there. So I am praying they will qualify so my dream of supporting the Super Eagles at the World Cup can come true.

How many states have you been to in Nigeria because of football?

I must have been to almost all the states. I can’t recall, but the ones I haven’t been to are not many.

How many countries have you been to as well?

I have been to Saudi Arabia, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Cameroon and Egypt. Egypt was just a lay, though. I have been to Togo as well.

Some fans always display black magic during matches. Have you ever seen this help their team win?

It is all lies. There is nothing like that (black magic). Football is purely about quality. If it is about that, why haven’t we won a World Cup? You must be really good to win matches.

Do you get paid at home?

Not really, but thanks to my chairmen at Kwara United and the Kwara State Sports Commission. I mean all the ones that have been in that office, and many good people in Kwara Sports. They really understand my contribution. But for other teams outside, I get invited to support them.

How much do you make from this?

I can’t reveal that either.

Do you still practice furniture making?

Source Punch Ng

Posted September 6, 2025

Ibra bids farewell to PSG with Cup win...

Embattled Loew To Continue As Germany Coach For...

Ilechukwu hopeful of MFM title push

Nigeria battered 6-0 by Japan in U20 World...

Man Utd Refusing To Negotiate With PSG Over...

Hearn prefers Vegas for Joshua, Wilder clash