In a remarkable display of resilience and determination, Harambee Starlets striker Essie Akida has opened up about her harrowing experiences with racism while playing in the Israeli Women’s League.
Akida, 30, who plays for Greece side PAOK Thessaloniki, had joined Ligat Nashim club FC Ramat HaSharon on a two-year deal in October 2018.
She became the first Kenyan female footballer to play in the Israeli top tier.
NTV’s Monday night live sports show SportOn! hosted by Bernard Ndong and James Wokabi had the privilege of closely following Akida’s football journey.
Recalling her initial days, Akida revealed: “I experienced racism so many times. When you are new in a club in a foreign land, these people will frustrate you at first because they still don’t know what you can offer. They will use all ways to frustrate you and bring you down. It was not easy, and at some point, I almost quit football.”
A screen grab of Greece-based Kenyan football player Esse Akida during the interview on NTV’s SportOn show on July 18, 2023.
Photo credit: Photo | Nation Media Group
As time went by, her exceptional skills and exemplary work began to garner the respect and admiration of her team.
“I had to prove myself repeatedly on the field, showing them what I was capable of helping the team register positive results. It took time, but gradually, I earned their respect. Football has taught me the importance of perseverance and never giving up,” Akida shared.
The graduate in Entrepreneurship from Kenya Methodist University (KeMU), faced an uphill battle to prove herself in a foreign land. Despite the challenges, Akida remained resilient on the pitch even after facing the obstacles that almost made her start thinking of quitting football.
“One of the club officials asked me to leave a room I was sharing with a teammate, to accommodate an American team member who had just joined the club because she could not stay in an open space. That really broke my heart because I come from a different race.
“I managed to cope with the situation over time and I proved them wrong on the pitch. Throughout this challenging period, I received support from my mother and cousins, who provided emotional strength through prayers and encouragement,” added Akida.
She joined HaSharon after ditching Spedag FC. She had previously featured for three-time Kenya Women Premier League (KWPL) hampions Kenya Police Bullets FC, formerly Thika Queens in August 2018.
Akida scored four goals in 22 matches for the Israeli side before heading to Turkish side Besiktas in 2020 where she played just two matches when the season was disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.
She became the second Kenyan woman to have played for a top European club after former Starlets captain Doreen Nabwire who featured for Germany’s Werder Bremen.
Akida returned briefly to Thika Queens before heading out PAOK in the 2021-2022 season.
