Former Ghana youth international Najeeb Yakubu has opened up about the experiences that led him to switch nationality and play for Niger.

Najeeb helped Niger secure a 1-1 draw before beating the Black Stars 2-1 to finish third in Group F in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification on Monday, November 18, 2024, at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Though he played at right-back and was an integral member of Ghana’s U-17 squad at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India, Najeeb's smooth transition to the senior national teams was never realised. He started all five games as Ghana reached the tournament's quarter-final stage but never broke through to higher divisions of the national team.

Speaking on Prime Take with Muftawu Nabila Abdulai on Joy News, Najeeb recounted a series of incidents during his time with the Ghana U-17 team, coupled with his exclusion from the Black Meteors squad.

“You don’t know what is going on; you just feel like, ‘Let me forget the national team and focus on my career.’ That’s how I felt because you will be waiting and nothing comes. Even if you’re called, they drop you,” he said.

He highlighted the lack of a structured transition, which made it difficult for players to move seamlessly to the Black Meteors (Ghana’s U-23 team).

“We came during Jimmy Cobblah’s time as U-23 head coach. We were all there—Arko, Razak, Tampico (Iddrisu), Abu Sadik, Eric Ayiah—but we weren’t getting the chance or opportunity to play. We didn’t feel at home there. It was like being part of a team but not really part of it. It wasn’t like the U-17 team, so we didn’t feel okay, and we packed our bags and left,” he recounted.

He explained that leaving the team’s camp was not due to a lack of mental toughness but rather because they felt excluded.

“It’s not about being mentally weak, but the team would be training while we sat and watched. It doesn’t help the country,” he said.

“I left with all the guys. When I went to Ukraine, they later called us again. When I returned, only Lever (Leverkusen player) and Emmanuel Toku came with me. I arrived at the Ghana U-17 camp, played a match the same day, and was asked to pack and go home the same day.”

Najeeb eventually switched allegiance to Niger and was part of the team that defeated the Black Stars 2-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

The Black Stars’ poor performance in the qualifiers saw them finish last in Group F with just three points, missing out on the AFCON for the first time in 21 years.

Meanwhile, Najeeb’s Niger placed third with seven points, while Angola and Sudan secured qualification with 14 and eight points, respectively.

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