Former Nairobi City stars striker Davis Agesa is grateful to be back home after being stranded in an Asian country for four months.
Agesa left the country in May for a sweeter deal in Malaysia. This is after he was approached by a Kenyan coach who linked him to an Ivorian agent through social media saying that he would help him join a Malaysian Football Club.
The footballer was very much interested in the deal hoping that his life would change for the better.
He trusted the agent in Ivory Coast although they only communicated through social media. Agesa catered for his passport, visa, air ticket and fee of 4,000 Euros(Kshs 633,000) that he channeled to the agent.
He arrived in Malaysia on May 18. The agent told him to contact another friend once he was in the Asian country, who would take him to his new club.
The friend in question however never responded to his calls and messages and the Ivorian agent also went silent on him.
After spending a day at the airport, he went to look for accommodation in a hotel where he stayed until he ran out of funds.
“I stayed at the airport upon my arrival until midnight. I slept at the airport … still waiting…but eventually, as a human I got tired,” he said.
He decided to go to the streets and after some days, he luckily he met a person who took him in on condition that he contributes in paying for rent.
Agesa would later seek for financial assistance from his family, who sought assistance from the community and through social media.
Unluckily the family lost a substantial amount of money that was raised to some greedy individuals.
The cry for help however reached the Kenyan player association KEFWA and together with FIFPRO Africa, the Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia and the Kenyan Embassy in Malaysia, Agesa was able to return home towards the end of last month.
“I would like to say many thanks to PFA Malaysia, KEFWA, the Kenya embassy and FIFPRO, who have been there for me during my lowest time in Malaysia. They assisted and helped me to go through the hardship that I’ve experienced,” he said.
He also advised his fellow football players to be careful not to be duped like him.
“This is for all professional footballers out there: please be extra careful when you deal with a football agent. They can make or break your career,” he said.
