The great Jamaican reggae crooner, Robert Nesta Marley, aka Bob Marley in the lyrics of his song, ‘Who The Cap Fit’, has a line thus: ‘Who Jah Bless, No One Curse”.

The song must have been inspired by his reading of the book of Numbers in the Holy Bible. And it actually addresses hypocrisy and betrayal of man by another man, advising that those who are blessed by Jah (God) are protected from the negativity of others.

I bring this to address the rise and rise of Nigeria’s star boy, Ademola Lookman, a humble football player who carries on with his career, believing in his talent and God who blesses one to achieve his destiny.

Many years ago, precisely in November of 2015, Lookman made his senior debut for Charlton football club, a second tier team in England. He scored his senior goal on his fifth appearance for the club.

That performance caught the eyes of top clubs, one of which was Everton, then handled by Dutch legend, Ronald Koemen who went for the 19-year old for a handsome fee of £11m ($14m) back then.

The story was not the money splashed on Lookman by Everton but the prophecy of Koeman, that the young lad was “a player of the future”.

“We expect a lot from the boy,” he said, adding. “I think he is one who can reach a high level if he develops well and improves.”

That future didn’t come immediately because he failed to stamp his authority in the tough Premier League and was sent out on loan to clubs before he finally landed in Serie A with Atalanta.

The Jah blessings started showing at Atalanta where he helped them to win their first continental trophy. He did so in style, becoming the first man to score a hat-trick in a European club final, the Europa Cup.

His debut with the Super Eagles wasn’t pleasant either as the team faltered in a two-legged World Cup play-offs with Ghana which they lost on the away goals rule after both matches ended in draws , 0-0 in Accra and 1-1 in Abuja.

Even though they failed to qualify for the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Lookman didn’t rest on his oars and went on to be named the 2024 African Footballer of the Year.

At the 2023 AFCON played in 2024 in Cote d’Ivoire, Lookman scored three goals, two in their 2-0 win over Cameroon and the lone goal in the defeat of Angola.

He carried that form to the 2025 AFCON held in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

Shockingly before the Super Eagles even kicked a ball in the competition, another prophecy came, this time one of doom, from a Nigerian prophet, Primate Olubayo Ayodele.

He said Eric Chelle shouldn’t field Lookman in their opener against Tanzania as they would lose if he played. That prophecy fell flat as the Super Eagles beat Tanzania and Lookman was among the top scorers in the competition.

The prophet however, recanted saying he never said they would lose to Tanzania but that they won’t win the AFCON.

He wasn’t taken seriously though because his recant was like shifting the goal post after the match had started.

To prove that Primate Ayodele’s prophecy was a hoax, Lookman’s future which Koeman had predicted became brighter just last week as he landed another big contract with the third most successful club in the Spanish LaLiga, Atletico Madrid.

Lookman is a man of history. Ten days after he signed for Everton in 2017, he scored on his debut, in the team’s 4–0 victory over Manchester City in the 90th minute. The sweetness of it was that he came on as a substitute in the match.

Nine years after, in his debut for Atletico Madrid in a Copa Del Ray match against Real Betis, he scored as they won 5-0.

He has been recorded as the first Atlético Madrid debutant since the 2013/14 season to both score and provide an assist in a competitive match.

Lookman’s rise was not without disappointments. That is why he told younger players, especially Africans, not to allow disappointments weigh them down when he was crowned the 2024 African Footballer of the Year.

He believes his successes could provide inspiration for younger African players and hence said, “To the youth of Africa I say: Never give up. Turn pain to power.”

He has actually turned the pain of being dropped to the substitute bench in Atalanta and Primate Ayodele’s prophecy to his power.

Apart from scoring on his debut for Simeone’s team, he scored his 100th career goal, which is another milestone in his football career.

Joy showed on his glowing face and played on his lips as he wrote on X, “I’m proud and excited to start this new chapter.

I’m happy to join Atlético de Madrid, a massive club with rich history and passion”.

“New city, new challenges, new energy. I’m ready to give everything on the pitch and fight for these colours every time I step out there.”

Coach Simeone is already beating his chest that he didn’t make a mistake going for Lookman with plaudits for the Nigerian when he spoke to the media after the Copa Del Ray encounter.

According to Simeone, Lookman “is a forward with qualities that are different from our other players. I hope he will make the team stronger. His characteristics speak for themselves.

He’s unique. He’s a specialist in one-on-ones. He can play in several positions”.