In a tragic incident just days before the 2010 African Cup of Nations, the Togolese national football team’s bus was ambushed by rebels, who mistakenly targeted the squad.
This harrowing event has left a lasting impact on former captain Emmanuel Adebayor, who vividly recalls the panic and fear he felt during the attack.
Amid the chaos and gunfire, Adebayor reached out to his pregnant partner, sharing his final wishes for their unborn child.
“Listen, if the baby is a boy, name him Junior Emmanuel. If she’s a little girl, make sure you name her Princess Emmanuella,” he instructed. As gunfire erupted again, he had to abruptly end the call.
Reflecting on the incident in a conversation with BBC Sport Africa, Adebayor remarked, “Since that day, something changed in me. I started telling myself: ‘You have to embrace and enjoy every single moment as if it is the last one.’”
The former Manchester City striker also recounted the traumatic experience of witnessing his personal assistant, Stanislas Ocloo, succumb to his injuries during the attack. Despite efforts to encourage him, Ocloo died from gunshot wounds.
Adebayor expressed deep gratitude to Manchester City for providing psychological support to help him cope with the trauma that followed.
Although he has sought help, the memories of that day still haunt him.
“When somebody drops something that sounds like a gunshot, it brings back memories of what happened in 2010,” Adebayor admitted.
