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Some names just sound like they were made for greatness. Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku is one of them. And if you haven’t heard of the 17-year-old midfield wizard from Ibadan, don’t worry — you’re just fashionably late to the party.
He’s not trending because he scored a screamer at the U17 AFCON (he didn’t), or because he dazzled fans at the U20 level (he wasn’t picked). But what he has done is show enough in fleeting moments — at screenings, academies, and preseason friendlies — to convince anyone with half a footballing brain that Nigeria has a gem on its hands.
A star born in Ibadan
Olowoporoku was born on 15 July 2008, in the Gbekuba area of Ibadan, the ancient city that gave football the legendary talents of Mutiu Adepoju and John Salako.
Like the greats before him, Olowoporoku didn’t wait for destiny to find him, he chased it down at Tripple 44 Academy, a talent factory known for grooming young minds with both boots and brains.
It was there that the whispers began to grow of the skinny kid with two good feet, a golden football brain, and an eye for the killer pass.
Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku (16) has completed preseason with IFK Göteborg in Portugal and will now return to Ibadan-based Tripple 44 to continue his development before his permanent move next year.
— Samuel Areo (@Undisputed_Jsam) February 7, 2025
In June, the talented youngster is expected to return to Sweden again. https://t.co/v1560WdKYK pic.twitter.com/9H7w4AyRo9
At just 14, he was named in Nigeria’s squad for the 2023 U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria — the youngest on the team. He wore the coveted No. 10 shirt. Nigeria didn’t go far in the tournament, and Olowoporoku only got a solitary minute on the pitch for the Golden Eaglets. But for scouts and coaches who’d seen him train, the talent was already obvious.
Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku: Snubbed, overlooked but never forgotten
What followed was a strange spell of being so good, yet so unused.
Despite his prodigious talent — and a trial with Real Betis’ U19s — he was overlooked by Manu Garba for the following U17 squad and then snubbed again by Flying Eagles boss Aliyu Zubairu ahead of this year’s U20 AFCON.
Ifeoluwa Adewale Olowoporoku was given just a minute to play for Nigeria at the U17 Afcon by coach Nduka Ugbade.
— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) May 4, 2024
He was ignored by Manu Garba in his recent U17 squad. The boy
The 15-year-old has been spotted playing in a trial for the Real Betis U19s.
He has impressed but… pic.twitter.com/JeD1j1GLmA
Nigeria finished third in that tournament. The Flying Eagles were solid, but lacking in creative spark, scoring only four goal in six games. The irony? The one teenager in the country who lives to create was at home, watching from Ibadan.
But all is not lost. There are strong indications Olowoporoku could still make the U20 World Cup squad for Chile this September. And frankly, if the goal is to field Nigeria’s most intelligent feet, his name deserves to be on the flight list.
Swedish sojourn: IFK Göteborg calling
While Nigeria continue to flirt with indecision, Swedish giants IFK Göteborg are done hesitating.
The club has agreed a deal to sign Olowoporoku when he turns 18 in July 2026, having monitored him closely since 2022.
16-year-old Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku will join Swedish side IFK Gothenburg when he turns 18 next year. Contract has been agreed with his Ibadan club Triple 44 Academy.
— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) January 8, 2025
Details in link thread: pic.twitter.com/WMFNFRc8T6
He’s already trained with their U21s, impressed in friendlies, and returned home each time looking more polished.
He even bagged an assist during a preseason match this July against Oddevold — and was spotted signing autographs like a rockstar. Not bad for someone who hasn’t played 90 minutes of international football yet.
Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku, 16, is currently in preseason with IFK Göteborg.
— Samuel Areo (@Undisputed_Jsam) January 26, 2025
The talented midfielder, who will join the club permanently when turns 18 in 2026, is a product of Tripple 44 Academy.
He played the second-half in IFK’s 2-0 loss to Lillestrøm SK yesterday. pic.twitter.com/zTlwtYRRSk
Göteborg, who last year sold Malick Yalcouyé to Premier League club Brighton for €7m just six months after signing him, clearly know how to spot a future baller. And they are convinced Ifeoluwa is next in line.
Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku: Why he’s so special
Call him a rare breed. Olowoporoku is a technically gifted No. 10, equally adept on both feet, with a natural feel for positioning and creativity. He thrives in tight spaces, plays with a sixth sense for movement around him, and disguises passes like a seasoned pro.
In an era where the Super Eagles are crying out for a true creative midfielder, he feels like a player whose time is coming fast. Jay-Jay Okocha comparisons might be ambitious, but even former Nigeria coach José Peseiro was impressed by his ability to find pockets of space in crowded midfields.
Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku (16) is back in Sweden with IFK Göteborg. Having arrived on June 18th, the talented youngster will spend the next two months there.
— Samuel Areo (@Undisputed_Jsam) July 11, 2025
Seen below signing autographs after an eye-catching 45′ performance (+ an assist) in the U21s’ 2-0 win over Oddevold. pic.twitter.com/hLiMs0KiGo
The road ahead
As he continues to develop with Tripple 44 and makes more trips to Sweden, the only question is: how long until Nigeria fully trusts this boy wonder? Whether he wears green and white again this year or next, you get the sense Olowoporoku isn’t going anywhere — except up.
At 17, he’s already dealt with rejection, rumours, trials, and international snubs but he’s still smiling, still training, and still assisting goals for fun in faraway Gothenburg.
So, who is Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku?
He’s the calm before Nigeria’s next midfield storm. And trust us, when the lightning strikes — it’s going to be spectacular.
