.Scores 2 goals in 2 games after acquittal for rape
By Douglas Baye-Osagie
Three years ago, Daniel Daga was Nigeria’s next big thing. A defensive midfielder in the Sunday Oliseh mould — strong, intelligent, with delicate long-range passing and an eye for goal. At 17 he was an Enyimba Football Club mainstay, playing for Nigeria’s most successful club. He then played for the Flying Eagles at back-to-back U20 FIFA World Cups in 2023 and 2025. At 18 he made the move every Nigerian boy dreams of — Europe — signing for Norway’s Molde FK. Where talent becomes stardom. Or dies trying.
Suddenly, a few months after arriving in Europe, news of a rape allegation hit the internet. “This can’t be true,” some of us screamed.
In December 2025, Molde removed him from training and matchday activities after he was formally charged over an alleged sexual offence involving an unnamed woman. The case reportedly dated back to April 2025. It echoed what happened to another young Nigerian, Akinkunmi Amoo, who was accused and later convicted of rape in Denmark while playing for FC Copenhagen. Everyone following Daga’s career prayed for justice — we did not want to see a bright future derailed.
In March 2026, a Norwegian district court convicted Daga and sentenced him to six months in prison for a sexual act without consent. Daga maintained his innocence, with his lawyer arguing the encounter was consensual, and an appeal was filed. Molde kept him out of the squad while the legal process continued.
The case took a decisive turn in July. Norway’s Frostating Court of Appeal unanimously acquitted Daga, overturning the earlier conviction. Molde subsequently confirmed that the midfielder was again available for selection. From suspension to a fresh start.
Daga’s return has been emphatic. He marked his comeback against KFUM with an emotional goal, then scored again against Sarpsborg — a powerful reminder of his ability after an extremely challenging period. The focus is now back where he wants it: on the pitch.
When news first filtered out of Norway, the reaction back home was instant and brutal. Social media buried him. Pundits wrote him off. For a boy who was the face of Enyimba at 16, it felt like the dream was over before it truly began.
Daga was not just another export. He was the NPFL’s proof that local football could still produce world-class midfielders. Composed, strong, and tactically smart beyond his years, he captained the Flying Eagles and bossed games for Enyimba as a teenager. Europe came calling because he looked ready.
Then came the case. The details were messy, the headlines were louder, and the process was slow. Whether guilty or not, the stain stuck. Contracts were paused. Confidence dipped. For months, the player who once played like he had nothing to lose looked like a boy who had everything to lose.
But here is the truth we rarely say in football: a man does not fall forever. Sometimes the fall is what teaches you how to stand properly. Daga is out of that process now and learning to pick his steps again. That is why people are talking about a “second coming.” His return to the pitch is the best thing that happened to Nigerian football in the month of July.
To understand why this matters and gives me so much joy you have to look back. Nigerian football has seen this movie before. Talent derailed not by injury, but by off-field trouble. The first name that comes to mind is Etim Esin.
Etim “Maradona” Esin was arguably the most gifted Nigerian midfielder of the late 80s and 90s. At 18 he was in the Flying Eagles, Olympic team and Super Eagles. He was the darling of the local league before he was scouted to Belgium, with technique that made defenders look foolish. Everyone said he would be our greatest ever.
Before we could blink, he was arrested and charged in connection with a rape case involving a minor. He spent time in detention before being released. Legally, the case ended. Professionally, it never did. While he was away trying to sort himself out, Friday Ekpo and then Jay Okocha emerged.
From national team regular to forgotten man in less than two years. By the time Okocha made his Super Eagles home debut against Algeria in 1993, the fans had forgotten about Etim Esin completely. Esin later spoke about depression, financial ruin, and how one incident cut a career that should have lasted 20 years down to less than 10. He remains a cautionary tale in every Nigerian dressing room.
Rape accusations can be career-threatening and make life unbearable for a footballer. Remember the recent cases of Benjamin Mendy, the French World Cup winner, and Thomas Partey of Ghana. In July 2025, the Arsenal and Black Stars midfielder was charged with multiple counts of rape relating to alleged incidents between 2021 and 2022. He pleaded not guilty.
The impact was immediate. Arsenal let his contract run down. Sponsors went quiet. Ghana fans were split. He was even denied entry to Canada during the World Cup and missed Ghana’s first game in Toronto. Whether he is eventually cleared or convicted, Partey has already lost momentum at 32 — an age where every season counts for a midfielder.
That is the cruel part. It is not easy to maintain focus when rape charges land. The mind is not on the ball. It’s on survival, rebuilding lost relationships, and trying to hold your concentration together.
That is why the return to the pitch of Daniel Daga case feels so important. He is 20. He is not at the end. He is at the beginning. We are all happy he has been set free because his talent is what we need going forward for the Olympics team in 2028 and possibly the World Cup in 2030. If he gets this right, the Norway episode becomes a footnote. If he gets it wrong, it becomes his entire Wikipedia page.
The problem is cultural too. Young African players go to Europe with talent but without structure. No media training. No understanding that in Europe, your name is your brand, and one mistake travels around the world in 10 minutes.
For Daga, the path back is simple but hard. Good he has played 3 league games and scored in two since his return back to the pitch in July. The same work rate that made him stand out in Aba is going to help him succeed .The same humility that let a teenager lead senior men at Enyimba. Talent got him to Europe. Character will keep him there. Mendy is trying to rebuild. Partey is fighting his case. Esin never fully recovered. Daga still has time and with focus he will get to the very top.
From Cristiano Ronaldo to Celestine Babayaro to Quinton Fortune to Rio Ferdinand — superstars who faced rape allegations and fought to rebuild their careers.
So here is to the second coming of Daniel Daga. May he remember that a fall is not a finish line. And may Daga prove that a Nigerian boy can stumble in Europe, stand up, and still become the midfielder we all saw coming. The pitch is waiting.
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