I fell out of love with Chelsea – Ashmusy

Nigerian content creator and entrepreneur, Amarachi Amusi, popularly known as Ashmusy, opens up on her interest in padel, love for Chelsea, her admiration for Super Falcons midfielder Rashidat Ajibade, and more in this interview with Temitayo Oshikoya

You’ve mentioned that you’ve recently fallen in love with padel. How interested are you in sports generally?

I’m not really a sports fan. Lately, I fell in love with padel, and I’ve been playing only padel and tennis sometimes, but I know padel more than tennis. That’s like the only one I’m interested in right now.

So, if you had to choose one sport to play professionally, would it be padel?

I’ll choose padel. That’s the only sport I even know right now. I know how to play. I’ll make it. Whatever I put my mind to, I’ll achieve. I’m a go-getter for sure.

What about football? Were you ever a fan of the game?

I used to be a football fan. I used to support Chelsea, but after a while, emotionally, I pulled out. I got interested in some other things.

Is there any Nigerian female athlete you particularly admire?

Rashidat Ajibade is one. She has put in the work and sacrificed a lot. She is a female athlete succeeding in a field that is dominated by men. It’s not easy seeing a woman go against all the odds and societal suppression to become recognised in that kind of field. She is doing really well. She is disciplined and a good leader, so I’m proud of her, and I admire her.

Why do you think athletes like Ajibade deserve more recognition?

I think women who are succeeding in fields that are dominated by men deserve to be recognised for the work they put in. Rashidat has put in the work, made sacrifices and shown discipline and leadership. I admire the fact that she is doing well despite the barriers that can come with being a woman in that kind of field. I think she deserves more recognition.

You have built a strong personal brand. Do you think Nigerian athletes can learn from influencers when it comes to promoting themselves?

Of course. Most athletes are not very popular outside their particular sports or among the people who already follow those sports.

But somebody can do so well that they become famous and recognised globally for their work. Athletes can build personal brands that make people know who they are and appreciate them for the great work they are doing. They can leverage the social media era so that more people know them and give them the respect and recognition they deserve.

What kind of personal branding do you mean?

For example, look at Anthony Joshua. I’m not comparing him to everybody, but look at how well he has built himself in his field. He is now known globally. Even a random child would probably have heard the name Anthony Joshua. I think athletes can also build themselves in that way, use social media and become more widely known for what they do.

You recently found yourself involved in a celebrity boxing event. How did you become part of the plans?

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I was on holiday in Japan when someone first contacted me about a celebrity boxing show.

Phyna later contacted me about it and encouraged me to participate. I was unsure about it from the beginning. In our chats, because I was busy, sometimes I would just say, “Okay, I’m in,” and continue with what I was doing. I never signed the contract. At some point, I asked one of the organisers if I could choose another opponent because I wasn’t sure I wanted to fight Phyna. I was told to go ahead and find somebody who matched me physically.

What did you understand at the time about choosing another opponent?

I didn’t understand that choosing another opponent could affect Phyna’s participation in the event. I thought there could be multiple boxing matches in one event. Everything was also happening very quickly because I was travelling at the time and was extremely busy. I was going with the flow without properly looking at everything. When I eventually came back and understood how the situation had played out, I realised where I had gone wrong.

How did you respond when you realised how she saw the situation?

I took full accountability and apologised to Phyna because I had to take responsibility for my part in what happened. I could understand why she was hurt. You trust somebody and the person goes behind your back. That’s how it looked. That wasn’t my intention, but I understand why it looked that way.  I didn’t mean to betray Phyna. I was led on by somebody in the company, but I still had to take accountability for my actions and apologise to her.

How did you feel when the controversy became public?

It hurt me because I was being bashed online and people were saying different things about me. I tried to reach out to the organisers and Phyna to sort things out. Eventually, I removed that person from the situation, and I was able to see things more clearly. I took full accountability and apologised to Phyna because I realised where I had gone wrong.

Where does your relationship with Phyna stand now?

We spoke and sort of reconciled. We are all cool now, but on the internet, I’m still the villain. For me, I learned my lesson from the situation. I have to watch my steps more carefully and be more deliberate about the decisions I make.

After that experience, would you consider another celebrity boxing fight?

No, I would not consider it. I’m not interested generally.

Has the experience changed the way you will handle situations involving other celebrities in the future?

Not really changed. But at least I’ve learnt my lesson. I’ll just be more careful, more calculated. I’ll plan better, organise better and be more confidential, especially. Very confidential.

What would you say is the biggest lesson you took away from the experience?

I’ve learnt to watch my steps more carefully. I’ll plan better, organise better and be more confidential. Sometimes, when you’re busy, things can happen quickly, and you can just go with the flow. I think I’ve learnt that I need to be more careful and make sure I properly understand situations before making decisions.