Great Family Story: Noah Okafor Boyhood Years and Football Rise

Noah Okafor’s father, Christian Okafor, fled Nigeria due to hardship and fate brought him to Austria, where he struggled to find a meaningful job. He then moved to Germany and pursued football professionally, a passion he passed down to his son Noah. After his own football aspirations didn’t pan out, Christian became a German auto mechanic. He worked this job for several years before meeting his wife, Noah’s mother, in another European country. Life in Austria was initially tough, as Christian was once falsely accused of being a criminal. Despite these challenges, Christian laid the foundation for his three sons, who all became professional footballers. Noah Okafor, one of his five children, rose to become the family’s breadwinner. This is Noah’s story.

Our Noah Okafor Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – Father (Christian Okafor), Mother (Nicole Okafor), Family Background, Nigerian and Swiss Family Origin.

This article on the Life story of Noah Okafor also tells you Facts about his Brothers (Isaiah, Elijah, etc), Sister (Sonia), and Girlfriend/wife-to-be. Again, we’ll also unveil the LifeStyle, Personal Life, and Net Worth of the Speedy Swiss Baller.

Not forgetting, we’ll tell you facts about Noah Okafor’s Nigerian Family Origin. This includes the state, Local Government, and Village his Dad (Christian) comes from. Paternal grandparents and family relatives (uncles, aunts, cousins) both home and abroad.

Preamble:

Our Biography of Noah Okafor begins by unveiling you all the notable events of his Early Life. Thereafter, we’ll proceed to tell you the challenges he went through, like how he fought bone inflammation issues. And then how he rose above all odds to see success.

To whet your autobiography appetite on the engaging nature of Noah Okafor’s Biography, we’ve made it necessary to unveil his Life trajectory gallery. Behold the Early Life and Great Rise of the Swiss player with Nigerian Family roots.

YES, everyone knows that being Lightning-fast, technically strong, dynamic and hungry – is everything one needs to see in a wide attacker. Noah is a special talent, so blessed with skills and pace. And he is one of the youngsters tipped to light up the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Despite the many praises to the way he plays football, we’ve noticed a gap. We notice that not many football fans have read a concise piece of Noah Okafor’s Biography. Because of that, we’ve created the Swiss striker’s Life story. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

Noah Okafor Childhood Story:

To kickstart his biography, he goes by the full name Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor. Noah was born on May 24, 2000, to his parents, Nicole and Christian Okafor, in Basel, Switzerland.

Being born in the 2000s means the Swiss Forward is a millennial child. Did you know?… Noah Okafor’s father noticed his son’s sporting talent when he began walking – at eight months.

And when little Noah, who was two years old, began riding a bicycle without training wheels. All over the world, it is almost impossible for a child of two years old to ride a bicycle without that training wheel support.

Noah Okafor is one among five children born of the blissful marital union between his Dad and Mum. Behold, Noah Okafor’s parents, two lovers who have different racial backgrounds. Christian and Nicole’s love for their superstar son is endless and unselfish.

Early Life and Growing Up:

Noah Okafor’s upbringing was a collaborative effort between his parents, Christian and Nicole. Alongside them, he shared his childhood with his older sister, Sonia Okafor, as well as one older brother and two younger brothers named Isaiah and Elijah. Behold an early photoshoot of Noah Okafor’s family.

As a child, Noah and his brothers (Elijah and Isaiah) shared a passion for the same sport: football. The boys grew up with the beautiful game, which has remained important for the whole family. Childhood memories of football were most felt in their family house’s backyard.

Christian Okafor, the head of the family, is the instigator. He indoctrinated Noah, Elijah, and Isaiah towards accepting football as their calling. The boys then transferred this ideology to their cousins (Aaron, Gideon and Desmond), who also pursued similar football dreams.

Noah Okafor Family Background:

Papa Christian, as he’s affectionately known, fled Nigeria as a teenager due to family hardships and in pursuit of securing a better future for his unborn children.

Noah Okafor’s Dad (Christian) didn’t have a choice of the country abroad. All he wanted was to find himself out of the shores of Nigeria and on the European continent.

At first, fate landed Christian Okafor in Austria, the Capital of Austria. It was hard for the teenager to establish himself there. He spent six months in Austria without a meaningful job.

Because of the lack of opportunities, Christian Okafor fled to Munich in Germany. In that European country, Noah Okafor tried so hard to become a successful footballer. Research has it that he played for SSV Ulm, in the third tier of the German league.

Unfortunately, Christian Okafor never succeeded in football as he had wanted. For this reason, he vowed that one or two of his sons would correct his failed football dreams.

Moving on after an unsuccessful football career, Christian Okafor turned into a German auto-mechanic. Noah Okafor’s Dad survived with his mechanic job for a few extra years before destiny took him to find his wife (mother of Noah), in another European country.

How Noah Okafor’s Father met his Mother:

In the mid-1990s, Christian Okafor had begun making little monies in Germany. So, one day, he decided to take a holiday to Basel, a city in Switzerland.

Noah Okafor’s Dad had hoped to return to continue living in Germany. But little did Christian know he was going to meet Nicole, the love of his life. His future wife and mother of Sonia, Noah, Isaiah and Elijah, his children.

Did you know?… Nicole (Christian’s future wife) wasn’t supposed to be in Basel at that time. Luck made her in the city – all thanks to her friend. Speaking on how she found herself in Basel that day, Nicole once said,

I wasn’t the travelling type.

But a friend of mine was going to fly there on vacation.

She told me, Nicole, Please come with me. OR we’ll never see each other again.

This was how Nicole (the mother of Noah Okafor) found herself in the Swiss City. Little did she know destiny would make her find her future husband in Basel.

In that city, both Christian and Nicole met, and it was love at first sight. Nicole loved the way Christian made her laugh at all times. Aside from being jovial, she noticed that her new Boyfriend was very prayerful and decent.

Fast forward to some years later, the union between Christian and Nicole produced this close-knit family of seven. Behold the beautiful household, made up of children whose parents bequeath to them not riches but the spirit of reverence.

Noah Okafor Family Origin:

The Swiss footballer holds two nationalities. First, he is Nigerian through his Dad (Christian Okafor. Secondly, Noah Okafor has Swiss nationality by virtue of his birth, and Switzerland is Nicole Okafor’s country of origin.

In analysing Noah Okafor’s origin, it is common knowledge that Noah Okafor’s dad is from Nigeria (similar to Joshua Zirkzee‘s mum), and Noah’s mother (Nicole) is from Switzerland. This is not what we’ll give you in our Biography of Noah Okafor.

We’ll take you deeper to unveil Noah Okafor’s ancestral roots, first from both his mother’s side. Then, there is the geopolitical zone, Nigerian state, local government authority (LGA), and village where his father (Christian Okafor) comes from.

Noah Okafor Mother’s Origin – Where Nicole comes from:

First thing first, Noah’s Mum IS NOT from the main Swiss city of Basel. Nicole Okafor has her family origin in Aesch. For many who don’t know, Aesch is a village in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland. As observed from this map, Aesch is a suburb of Basel.

Noah Okafor Father’s Origin – Where Christian comes from:

Regarding the state in Nigeria where Noah Okafor’s father comes from, our research points to Enugu state, in South-Eastern Nigeria.

From his Dad’s side, Noah Okafor’s ethnicity is Igbo. He is fluent in both the Nigerian Igbo and Benin languages. Why Benin?… it is because Christians grew up there. Noah’s Dad ethnic group (Igbo) has the third-largest population in the country after Yoruba and Hausa.

Also to note, Christian Okafor’s Nigerian state of origin (Enugu) is found in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. People who have Igbo Nigerian descent dominate this part of Nigeria.

According to research, Noah Okafor’s Dad (Christian) is from Amoli village in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. We got to know his State, LGA and village when Christian visited Nigeria for his Dad’s burial in September 2013.

Noah Okafor Education:

Right there in Arisdorf, the youngster attended his kindergarten and primary school. For Noah Okafor’s parents, getting their children educated was mandatory. They insisted Noah should do an apprenticeship (as Plan B) after schooling in case football didn’t work out.

Noah did not complete his secondary school in Arisdorf, a Swiss town where his family lived. At 15, football made him leave home to live in FC Basel’s apartment building. While there, Noah had football, a nice apartment and secondary schooling – all in the same place.

After finishing school, the Rising Star did an apprenticeship with Ochsner Sport, a company. Even though Noah Okafor’s parents (Christian and Nicole) fancied schooling, he never liked it. This was because Noah had that belief that he would become a successful footballer.

Career Buildup – How Football Started:

As a young boy, all he wanted was to be part of a football team. So, one day, little Noah went to Arisdorf’s local football ground, hoping that he would join the local football team. Little did the poor boy know the youth coach, Markus, would instantly reject him.

Truth Be Told, Noah went there without proper football kits. He saw other kids playing football, he enjoyed it, and made an attempt to join.

Noah knew he had no proper kit but gathered the courage to ask Arisdorf coach Markus Schweizer if he could join his team.

Markus Schweizer, who is the junior coach at FC Arisdorf, first looked at the eight-year-old Noah. The coach then shook his head and then said to the boy;

You need the right material for football training.

Come back if you have indoor shoes and shin guards with you.

He ran back home and pressured his Dad:

Without saying a word, poor Noah turned his back, left the field and ran straight to his family home. Upon reaching home (a few minutes later), a heavily panting Noah ran to his Father (Christian) and narrated what happened. Noah Okafor told his Dad;

Dad, Please buy me indoor football shoes and shin pads.

Noticing his son pressed so hard on his demands, Christian Okafor took Noah into his car and drove straight to the nearest sports shop in Liestal. After buying the kits, Noah got them on. He zoomed out of his family home and quickly ran back to meet the coach.

Markus Schweizer had no Choice:

The FC Arisdorf coach couldn’t believe his eyes after seeing Noah returning with new sets of football boots and shin pads. It amazed him that the same boy he sent away never gave up.

Reaching where the coach was standing, Noah boldly demanded he should play football. At last, Markus Schweizer had no choice but to grant the boy his wish.

A few minutes after Noah entered the pitch, the 57-year-old coach’s jaw dropped. So shocked, he confessed that Noah Okafor’s technique and shooting power were unique.

After the training, Markus Schweizer quickly brought out a registration form, gave Noah to take it home – for his parents (notably his Dad) to fill it.

Somehow, Markus Schweizer could not wait. He found all the means to get Christian Okafor’s phone contact information. The coach then told Noah’s Dad, saying;

Your son has no place in Arisdorf. He’s better off at FC Basel.

The decision to move Noah to a bigger academy:

The following day, Christian Okafor accompanied his son to his first indoor tournament with FC Arisdorf. That day, he watched his son (Noah) play football. Christian Okafor was also dumbfounded, and he immediately understood what the coach meant by his earlier words.

On that day, Noah made his peers look so bad as he scored tons of goals. Thanks to him, the Juniors of FC Arisdorf, who weren’t used to success, began collecting victories in a row. Christian and Markus agreed that the boy would stay with FC Arisdorf for six months.

The truth is, Markus Schweizer would have allowed Noah to stay longer. He knew it wasn’t right, as it would be in his own selfish interest. When the time got right, Markus Schweizer dialled Marco Otero’s phone number. This is a man, he believed, would help little Noah.

Marco Otero, at that time, was Murat Yakin’s assistant at FC Sion, a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. Markus Schweizer contacted Otero, who was once the youth coordinator at FC Basel. Upon hearing about Noah, he invited him for football trials.

Noah Okafor Biography – Early Career Life:

That Basel Academy football trial happened at a friendly game against a partner club Concordia Basel, in the spring of 2009. That day, Noah convinced Basel officials with his display. His trial was successful, and the youngster enrolled into the under-9s.

A successful enrolment with FC Basel made little Noah (pictured below) leave his village club (FC Arisdorf) after just six months of stay. At his new club, Noah Okafor’s parents gave him all the support he needed to make his football dreams become a reality.

The success made by Noah motivated his younger brothers, who later joined the academy. Elijah and Isaiah began emulating their big brother. They want to do everything, just like Noah did. At this time, football (in the home of the Okafors) became a family affair.

While at FC Basel academy, Noah met Robin, and they became best friends. Off the pitch, these two boys never allowed each other to wander in the dark alone. Robin, like Noah Okafor, was also a striker. The two helped Basel Academy become Swiss junior champions.

Leaving family for the first time:

At the age of fifteen, Noah eventually left home to reside in the FC Basel apartment building in the Lehenmatt district. For the youngster, departing from his family at such a young age proved to be challenging. Staying at Basel’s hostel didn’t make Noah attend birthday parties of friends and family members.

Back then at FC Basel, weekends without games are rare. And the children always travel with the team. For any trip abroad, FC Basel would send for one of Noah Okafor’s parents (notably his Dad) to join his son. At that time, plenty of Football dominated the boy’s life.

Road to Fame Story:

During his mid-teenage years, Noah encountered a health issue that started to affect him. He experienced a rapid growth spurt of 10 centimeters within a short period. Similar to England star Marcus Rashford, this excessive growth put strain on his body, leading to inflammation in his bones.

Did you know?… the inflammation of Noah Okafor’s bone kept him away from football for several months. It took the poor boy six months to recover and then a few extra months to regain himself. During this difficult phase of his life, Noah worked with a mental coach.

Asides from FC Basel’s mental coach, Noah Okafor’s parents also played a huge role in his recovery. Christian and Nicole Okafor are very religious. They encouraged their son to pray, fast, and have faith in God. Thankfully, it helped poor Noah become mentally strong.

The Recovery:

Noah followed doctors’ orders and completed his six-month break. Afterwards, the poor boy saw another delay (for another three months) as a result of muscular problems and minor injuries. In total, a patient Noah Okafor did not play football for a total of nine months.

Upon his return from injury, he saw himself reaching a towering presence of 1.85 metres. He became this tall footballer with an athletic build. The only thing left for the youngster was for him to improve on his end product and then graduate from FC Basel’s academy.

Noah Okafor Biography – Rise to Fame Story:

As among the best player, the Swiss Forward progressed through all youth departments up to Basel’s Under-21 level. In January 2018, Noah Okafor got a promotion to FC Basel’s first team, which was under the command of Raphael Wicky.

By the end of the 2017/2018 season, he had cemented his place at FC Basel’s first team. Noah Okafor’s goals and superb dribbling quality made headlines the following season. The youngster exploded with Basel, and this video proved the huge hype that surrounded him.

At FC Basel, Noah, in the 2018/2019 season, helped his team win the prestigious Swiss Cup. The manner in which he helped his team win this trophy made his popularity grow. He became known both home and abroad as one of football’s biggest upcoming stars.

National team success poured next for the Swiss Rising star. To the joy of Noah Okafor’s family, their very own got a call from Vladimir Petkovic. A call to join Granit Xhaka led Swiss national team. Wearing his country’s colours partially fulfilled his career destiny.

With the national team, Noah rubbed shoulders with big names – the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Yann Sommer, Haris Seferovic, etc. Noah also joined footballers from African extraction in the Swiss team. The likes of Breel Embolo, UCL winner Manuel Akanji and Kevin Mbabu.

The Red Bull Salzburg Story:

Noah Okafor’s rapid rise created a storm that FC Basel struggled to contend with. Premier League giants such as Manchester City and Manchester United expressed interest in securing his signature. However, he heeded his father’s advice and turned down the opportunity to move to England. Noah, on the 31st of January 2020, joined Red Bull Salzburg.

Did you know?… The Austrian club bought Noah as a replacement for Erling Haaland and Takumi Minamino, who moved to Borrusia Dortmund and Liverpool. While at Salzburg, Noah formed a solid on-pitch partnership with Brenden Aaronson, Chukwubuike Adamu, and Karim Adeyemi.

Career Rise:

The year 2021 was outstanding for Swiss Forward – from both club and national team point of view. From a country’s perspective, Okafor’s goal against Bulgaria secured Switzerland an automatic ticket to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

A month after Okafor helped his country to the World Cup, he replicated something similar with Salzburg. His bravery led him to score the goal that helped Red Bull defeat Sevilla. This goal secured Red Bull Salzburg a place in the Champions League knockout stages.

With the above goal, Noah got seen on the ladder of SportingNews’ Champions League top goal scorers 2021-2022 season. In terms of ULC goal scored at that time, he was level on par with fellow youngsters like Donyell Malen, Canadian Jonathan David, Uruguyan Darwin Nunez, etc.

The rest of Noah Okafor’s Biography, as we say, is now history. Having told you his amazing career story, let me take you to matters that concern the Swiss Footballer’s heart.

Noah Okafor’s Love Life:

The Swiss forward, as of March 2022, is yet to give his fans clues regarding the identity of his girlfriend or his wife to be. While Noah Okafor keeps his relationship private, his brother Elijah doesn’t. Now, we’ll focus our attention on the beautiful damsel below.

Behind the brother of the Swiss footballer, there is a lady of enamoured beauty. Alayah Pilgrim is Elijah Okafor’s Girlfriend. She has a perfect body, which is very radiant like the sun. Alayah Pilgrim is Elijah Okafor’s Wife to be. Also, the Mum of his unborn kids.

About Alayah Pilgrim – Elijah Okafor’s Girlfriend:

First things first, she was born on the 29th day of April 2003 in Basel, Switzerland. This is the same city where Noah Okafor’s parents had him, Sonia, Isaiah, Elijah, and the rest of his siblings.

Regarding what she does for a living, Alayah Pilgrim is a professional footballer.  As I write this Biography, Alayah Pilgrim plays her football with FC Basel 1893. Both she and Elijah met and began dating during his time with FC Basel.

What the future holds for Alayah Pilgrim and Elijah Okafor:

The lookalike brother of Noah Okafor is deeply in love with his lover. Both parents of the footballers are aware their children are dating. And it is only a matter of time before Noah, Sonia, Isaiah and the rest of his family get the invitation to Elijah and Alayah’s wedding.

Personal Life away from Football:

Away from Football, who is Noah Okafor?

First thing first, the Swiss professional Baller is a gentleman, someone who speaks very little of himself. In fact, nothing is so strong as Noah Okafor’s gentleness, and nothing so gentle as his inner strength.

Noah Okafor does not fancy the idea of clubbing, as his workload does not allow him to turn the weekend nights into days. This is something most of Noah’s childhood friends do quite normally. Noah only hangs out with his friends when time permits.

Also on his Personality, the Swiss forward is a huge FIFA fan. Noah feels excited using himself on FIFA. He knows the speedy quality he’s got in real-life and is happy FIFA has replicated that in the games. Find out more about his stats in the latter part of our Bio.

Noah Okafor Lifestyle:

For the Swiss striker, there is enough money to live a normal life. And Noah provides for himself only the basic things needed to live his refreshingly humble life. An example of such thing is having this nice Jacuzzi in his house.

Regarding his lifestyle, Noah Okafor remains an antidote to living large. He doesn’t fancy showing off fleet of cars, mansions and expensive Wrist Watches as most footballers do. He is the type of person who doesn’t show off his wealth and does avoid glossy magazines.

Noah Okafor Family Life:

In the household of the Swiss star, love is the oil that eases friction. The road to becoming a successful footballer came with huge support from Noah Okafor’s family, especially his Dad. Now, let’s tell you some extra facts about members of Arinzechukwu’s household.

About Noah Okafor’s Father:

Christian is an auto mechanic by profession. He is the son of the late Fabian, who raised him and his siblings in Benin City, Nigeria. Noah Okafor’s Dad did his early education at Payne Primary School, Benin City, Edo State. He graduated from his primary education in 1985.

Following his graduation, Christian Okafor began studying at Edokpolor Grammar School, Benin City, Nigeria. Noah’s Dad left the school in the year of 1988. A few years later, he travelled abroad. First to Austria, and then Germany and Switzerland.

The things Christian had to go through:

The Father of Noah Okafor is 48 years old (at the time of writing this Bio). He is someone who has suffered unpleasant incidents of racism in Europe. When he arrived in Switzerland, Christian was often treated badly by the police due to a negative stereotype for blacks.

That time, he noticed that some Africans had arrived in Switzerland and begun doing drugs. That made Swiss Police suspect many black persons. Christian Okafor never had his hands on drugs. He quickly cuts ties with anyone he gets suspicious of, anyone he thinks peddles drugs.

In an interview, Noah Okafor’s Father said;

In a country with rules where everyone is supposed to work cleanly.

And what do some people do? nothing but Sell ​​drugs …

That’s disgusting. I can’t understand that behaviour.

That’s why I only have contact with very few of my nigerian compatriots.

Christian Okafor has come a long way to become who he is today. What a Man and Proud Dad!

Rather than doing drugs, Christian fed his family from his mechanic job. He always worked hard and never got in trouble with the law. Even at that, the poor Dad still had to go to the police station from time to time. Christian did that to keep himself and his family safe.

Owing to Christian Okafor’s past experience in life, he is now a man that holds on to his favourite words. These are the watchwords of Noah Okafor’s Dad;

When money is lost, nothing is lost.

But when integrity is lost, then all is lost.

About Noah Okafor’s Mother:

Nicole is 51 years old at the time of writing her son’s Biography. Judging by this age, it means she is three years older than her husband, Christian. Nicole Okafor loves Nigeria, and she visits the country on numerous occasions with her family.

Noah’s mother first went to Nigeria in 1999 with her husband (Christian) and Sonia (her first child and only daughter). Nicole is a woman who is super proud of what he has achieved in life. Especially for showing his brothers (Elijah and Isaiah) the way.

Regarding her personality, Noah Okafor’s Mother does not like visiting stadiums. This is because she dislikes any environment that is surrounded by lots of people. Among members of Noah Okafor’s family, Nicole is the only one who doesn’t go to the stadiums.

Unlike most Mums of professional footballers, Nicole Okafor prefers watching his sons play football on TV. She does that in the family house while the rest of her household (including the extended family) go out to the stadium.

About Noah Okafor Sister – Sonia:

Around April 1999, Christian Okafor (pictured below with the yellow arrow) travelled to Nigeria with his wife (Nicole). Sonia Okafor was less than a year old at the time she first visited her Dad’s village (Amoli) in Awgu Local Government Area, of Enugu State, Nigeria.

At the time of their visit, Christian Okafor’s aunt (Nnenna) became very fond of Sonia. Nnenna was pictured carrying her little Neice everywhere. She also took a pole position in taking Sonia’s bath, as observed in the picture above.

Research reveals that Noah Okafor’s sister (Sonia Okafor) is also an athlete. Sonia is very good at volleyball. Along the line, she left the sports and focused on her studies.

About Noah Okafor Brothers:

Altogether, he has three male siblings, an older and two younger. Asides from himself, his two younger siblings also toed the lane of becoming professional footballers. As observed here, Noah is the General, while his younger brothers are his defence attorneys.

The effort of Christian Okafor has paid off in raising three male footballers. Big clubs are chasing Noah and are sure his siblings will join the line soonest. Now, tell you more about the footballing brothers, who are rare species in the beautiful game.

About Isaiah Okafor:

He is often called the baby of the family, he is the youngest child of Christian and Nicole. He bears the full name – Isaiah Tobechukwu Okafor. Isaiah Okafor’s date of birth is April 22, 2005. This implies he is 15 years old at the time of writing Noah Okafor’s Biography.

Isaiah Okafor’s birthplace is Binningen, a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland. The youngster followed in his big brother’s footsteps by joining FC Basel. Isaiah Okafor’s playing position is Centre-Back.

As I write Noah Okafor’s Biography, his kid brother (Isaiah) is no longer a footballer with FC Basel. Following a piece of advice from his Dad (Christian), he (in 2022) left the Swiss club and now plays his football with Bayer Leverkusen’s academy in Germany.

Just like Elijah, his immediate older brother, Isaiah, is also in love. Luckily, he dates a girl with a near similar name (Aaliyah) to Elijah’s girlfriend. Is it too early for the 15-year-old to begin dating (especially publicly) at this early stage of his career? Perhaps Yes!

About Elijah Okafor:

Born on the 30th day of September 2003, he is the fourth child of Christian and Nicole. Elijah, at the time of developing this Biography, plays as a Centre-back for FC Basel’s Under-21. He is the person we discussed earlier, who is madly in love with Alayah Pilgrim.

About Noah Okafor Grandparents:

Mr and Mrs Fabian Okafor are the paternal grandparents of Noah Okafor. Fabian, his late granddad, was born in the year 1938 – a year before World War II. His death, which happened in the year 2013, was a sad event that shook the Okafor family.

That year of Fabian’s demise (2013), Noah Okafor’s Father (Christian) travelled to Nigeria for his burial. Noah Okafor’s grandmother wasn’t herself through the ceremony. Christian was there to console his mother in the event that marked her worst time on planet earth.

On Fabian’s burial day, the Undertakers hired by the Okafor family were at their best in performing their duties. Most importantly, these men utilized their dance moves to provide comfort to the mourners, especially Noah Okafor’s grandmother.

About Noah Okafor Cousins:

Among his extended family, Aaron, Gideon and Desmond are the most popular. These three boys are proud to follow in Noah, Elijah and Isaiah’s footballing footsteps. The three look-alike brothers not only know a lot about football. The boys are also very talented at the sport.

About Noah Okafor Relatives:

Gabriela Okafor-Hedinger is the wife of Christian Okafor’s brother, Celestine. She is the mother of Aaron, Gideon and Desmond (the three aspiring footballers pictured above). Gabriela, who is Swiss by birth, works as a Senior Technical Assistant with Swisscom.

Elisabeth Hedinger is Gabriela Okafor’s Mum. She is a grandmother to Aaron, Gideon and Desmond – the footballing sons of Gabriela Okafor. She is married to Walter Hedinger, who owns a bicycle workshop in Kronenplatz, a small Swiss village.

Pictured above, the super Grandmum (Elisabeth Hedinger), alongside Noah, are the origin of her three grandchildren’s enthusiasm for football. She and her husband (Walter) love playing football with their grandchild Desmond in front of the house entrance.

Noah Okafor Uncle – Celestine:

The most popular among Dad’s brothers is Celestine Okafor, who is also based in Switzerland. He is Christian Okafor’s younger brother and the husband of Gabriela Okafor-Hedinger. Also to note, Celestine is the proud father of Aaron, Gideon and Desmond.

Following in the footsteps of his older brother Christian, Celestine Okafor spent his formative years in Benin City, Nigeria. He pursued his higher education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in Enugu State, Nigeria. Upon completing his university studies, Celestine journeyed to Switzerland to join his brothers.

About Mavin Okafor – Noah’s Uncle:

Pictured below, he is the younger brother of Noah Okafor’s Dad. Mavin is a product of Eghosa Grammer school. He is a graduate of the University of Benin. According to his Bio, he lives in Lichtensteig, Switzerland.

Mavin Okafor is a huge fan of Santi Cazorla and Snoop Dogg. He identifies himself as a citizen of Wattwil, Switzerland. Lastly, he is someone who supports only one football club – Arsenal.

About Noah Okafor’s Aunt:

Blessing Okpomor is pictured left. She lives in Dublin, Ireland. Blessing is a sister to Ndidi Pat Okafor, who is another of Noah Okafor’s aunts. She graduated from Greenhills Community College in Dublin. Lastly, she is a product of Dublin City University, Ireland.

About Noah Okafor’s Older Brother:

Noah Okafor has an older brother whom very little we know about. His senior brother didn’t take the option of football as his older youngster siblings did. He is said to have taken a non-footballing option, which, from what it seems, has also paid off.

Untold Facts:

As we conclude Noah Okafor’s Biography, we’ll use this final section to reveal more facts about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.

The Fatherly protection:

Some time ago, an FC Basel fan made his opinion felt on Facebook. He made a comment about Noah’s decision to leave his beloved club for Red Bull Salzburg. In that Facebook comment, he accused Noah of leaving the club because of monies.

Christian Okafor (Noah’s Dad) was quick to react to the Facebook comment. He is the kind of father who defends his son even on social media. This was Christian Okafor’s reply to the Facebook user.

He no longer played under Koller.

And he no longer feels like going to the bank.

That’s why the change. It’s about his sporting development and not about his finances.

How Rich is Noah Okafor compared to the Average Nigerian?

The average University graduate in Nigeria makes around ₦200,000 every month. A person who earns this amount would need 13 years and one month to make Noah Okafor’s Salzburg Monthly salary of ₦32 million.

Noah Okafor’s Religion:

The Swiss forward of Nigerian origin is a practising Christian. Noah Okafor’s parents are the reason behind his strong faith in the religion. When Noah suffered from bone inflammation, Christian and Nicole made their son use prayers to enhance his mental recovery.

One particular evidence of Noah’s strong religious family background can be seen in the Christian names (Noah, Elijah, Isaiah) his parents made him and his siblings bear.

Noah and his siblings also bear religious Igbo names that reference God. Christian, his Dad, made him bear the middle name (Arinzechukwu), which means ‘Thanks be to God‘.

Isaiah Okafor’s middle name (Tobechukwu), which means ‘Praise The Lord‘ is also of a Nigerian Igbo origin. The rest of Noah Okafor’s siblings also have Nigerian Igbo middle names.

EndNote:

Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor was born to both Swiss and Nigerian parents. His Father (Christian Okafor) is from Enugu state, in South-Eastern Nigeria. On the other hand, Noah Okafor’s Mum is from Aesch, a small town on the outskirts of Basel, Switzerland. He joins the likes of Luca Koleosho and Ugochukwu as footballers born abroad to at least a Nigerian parent.

Nicole and Christian Okafor are proud parents of five children. Football runs in Noah Okafor’s family. He and his two younger brothers (Isaiah and Elijah) are professional footballers. Aaron, Gideon and Desmond (Okafor’s cousins) are upcoming pro footballers.

Noah Okafor began his football journey with FC Arisdorf. This is a small academy in Basel’s district of Liestal, where he grew up. Recognizing he was better than everyone in his team, his coach, Markus Schweizer, advised Noah Okafor’s Dad to have his son play for FC Basel.

The youngster passed trials and had successful academy years with FC Basel. Basel doctors and Noah Okafor’s parents helped him overcome a bone inflammation injury that hindered his early career start. Since then, the Speedy Swiss forward has never looked back.

Thank you for taking the time to read our version of Noah Okafor’s Biography. We care about accuracy and fairness in the course of delivering you the Life Stories of Swiss footballers. And also the stories of European Footballers with Nigerian Family Origins.

Please let us know (via contact or your comments) if you notice anything that doesn’t look right in Noah Okafor’s Bio. On a final note, please tell us what you think about the Swiss Baller and his amazing Story.

Aside from Noah Okafor’s Bio, we’ve got other lovely stories of footballers who have signed a Red Bull Salzburg contract. Have you read the Life History of Benjamin Sesko and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia? And from a Swiss perspective, the history of Zeki Amdouni will excite you.