Our Moses Simon Biography portrays Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents, Family Background, Brothers, Sisters, Wife (Ibukun) and Children. More so, the Naija superstar’s Lifestyle, Personal Life and Net Worth.
In a nutshell, this memoir breakdown the Full History of Moses Simon. We give you the story of a boy from a polygamous family – with a bigger dream. Something that made him different from the rest of his family.
A boy hustled between Jos and Kaduna’s Ribadu Cantonment in the quest for football success. This is a story of a boy whose secondary school girlfriend (Ibukun) fueled his mentality to succeed in the beautiful game.
Wiki begins Moses Simon’s Story by telling you notable events of his Early Life. Afterwards, we’ll explain to you how he overcame disappointment in his early European days. And then, how he rose with through AFCON to become a Naija household name.
To whet your autobiography appetite on the engaging Moses Simon’s Biography, Wiki has made it necessary to unveil his Early Life and Rise Gallery. Behold a perfect intro to Daddy-Ajala’s Story.
Yes, upon noticing his gameplay, you’ll be quick to fall in love with the Nigerian. He is a player who excels best when it comes to acceleration, sprint speed, dribbling, agility and balance.
Despite entertaining us a lot on the pitch, Wiki realizes that not many football fans have read a concise piece of Moses Simon’s Biography. This is why we prepared Daddy-Ajala’s Story. Now, without further ado, let’s begin with the events of the Baller’s Early Life.
Moses Simon Childhood Story:
For Biography starters, he bears the nickname Daddy. Moses Daddy-Ajala Simon was born on the 12th day of July 1995 to Nigerian parents in the country’s city of Jos, Plateau state.
Shortly after his birth, Moses got his nickname – Daddy. The combination of this name with his middle name led to his middle name, Daddy-Ajala. Moses Simon’s Dad was behind this naming. He gave him this nickname because his boy appears older than his years.
As a child, Moses was highly energetic and very friendly. He found it hard to sit still and always wanted to kick anything moulded like a soccer ball. Little did members of his family know he was laying the foundation of his destiny.
Early Life and Growing Up:
Research has it that the Nigerian footballer isn’t the only child of his parents. In fact, Moses Simon is one among many children. This includes brothers and sisters from different mothers. He and all his siblings were born to the marital union between his Dad and Mum.
Behold the persons who brought the Nigerian footballer into the world. Moses Simon’s parents, as seen here, appear to be in the 60s (his Mum) and 70s (his Dad). They gave him life, education and the most unconditional love.
Early Life with Football:
We summed the humble beginnings of Moses Simon into one word: Football hustle. His Ultimate vision in life was to become a professional in the sport. Just like Paul Onuachu, he faced trials and tribulations along the way.
Moses Simon would never forget his childhood football exploration with Innocent Bonke, his best friend. Pictured below, both friends had very humble beginnings. Moses and Innocent would never forget their football days at Ribadu Cantonment, Ungwan Kanawa, Kaduna.
While so many kids lost hope, these two held on to their beliefs. As I write this Biography, they both play their football in Europe and are members of the Nigerian national team.
Moses Simon Family Background:
Research has it that the Nigerian footballer was born and bred in a polygamous household. Moses Simon’s Dad married other women asides from his Mother. The federal government of Nigeria recognizes polygamy marital unions under the country’s customary law.
Moses Simon hails from a typical Nigerian middle-class family. His Dad is a well-respected figure in both Benue, Kaduna and his Jos neighbourhood of Plateau state. So hardworking, he ensured that none of his family members (wives and children) go hungry.
As I write Moses Simon’s Bio, his family has become not only grown, but close-knitted as well. Behold, a large portrait of his entire household. Moses Simon’s extended family members comprise his nephews, nieces, etc. Also, the sweet grandchildren of his parents.
Moses Simon Family Origin:
The AFCON sensation identifies his nationality as Nigeria. Although born in Jos, he is not from the country’s coldest city.
Moses Simon is from Benue State of Nigeria. He spent most part of his childhood years in Jos, a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria. Moses Simon’s family also lived in Kaduna during his childhood years.
Regarding the LGA his family belongs to, we identify Moses Simon as an indigen of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. By identifying with this LGA, it means he is Idoma by tribe and ethnicity. Agatu is one of the 23 LGAs in Benue state.
Obagaji is Moses Simon’s village – our research says. This village is in Agatu LGA, in Benue state, Nigeria. We got to know Moses Simon’s village (in 2020) at the time he drilled three boreholes for his people.
We gathered that the youths of Obagaji village made a request for borehole water through the head of their community, Chief James Ocheche. He reached out to Moses Simon, and the footballer quickly reciprocated by sending monies.
It is important to note that this borehole project is one of the numerous the Nigerian winger has undertaken since his rise to stardom. Before erecting these boreholes, Moses Simon was more into supporting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).
About the place of his Footballing Origin:
Early on, Moses Simon’s family lived in Kaduna and then settled in Jos. This is the place the Naija Baller calls home. Simon spent a vital part of his childhood years in Jos South local government area of the Plateau state.
Jos South, where Moses Simon’s family lived, houses the Governor’s office in Rayfield. The Indigenous people of Jos often describe this local government area as the de facto capital of Plateau state.
Moses Simon grew up mostly around Berom people. This autochthonous ethnic group is by the largest in the whole of Plateau State. Popularly called “J-Town”, Jos, where Moses Simon comes from, has a reputation for being the most loved and coldest city in Nigeria.
Moses Simon Education:
The then aspiring footballer attended school like so many other children from middle-class families. Right there in Jos, Plateau state, Moses Simon (including Mikel Obi) passed through the hurdles of his secondary education.
Since primary school (at 8 years old), playing football became his major extracurricular activity. Among the phases of Moses Simon’s education, high school days were the most challenging. Then, he held so high his life’s ambitions of becoming a professional footballer.
Moses Simon’s parents advised he shouldn’t jeopardise his studies for football. His idea was to first obtain his Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). And then, use it to proceed to the University or get a job – in case football (his number 1 priority) didn’t work out.
Finding Love as a Schoolboy:
While in his secondary school, Moses Simon became friends with Ibukun Sarah Adenuga. She was his classmate – and from a Nigerian southwest family. Their friendship grew from best friends to becoming lovers. Taiwo Awoniyi also has a very romantic school love story.
Ibukun was with Moses when he was nothing. At a time he most was confused about his life ambitions. By staying with him, Moses Simon decided to marry her – at the time he made it. Even to this day, Ibukun had remained the wife of Moses Simon.
The average life of any young aspiring Nigerian footballer, especially one whose family has no political connection, is filled with everyday worries. The question of IF they would make Europe often bug their minds. And only a few of these kids get to see their football dreams.
Since Moses Simon’s secondary school days, his girlfriend, Ibukun, had been his source of solace. She comforted him at times of career distress. Ibukun stood by him the most – when he was nothing. For this, Moses didn’t hesitate to marry her when he made it.
Moses Simon Biography – Football Story:
This section of our memoir explains the Nigerian Footballer’s career journey. At the tender years of eight, Moses Simon started out with the famed Jos GBS Academy – based in Jos South Local Government. Now, here is a little fact about Golden Boot Football Academy.
Owned by Coach Ahmed Ibrahim, the academy is famous for producing the likes of Ahmed Musa. Coach Bros, as they nicknamed him, claimed Musa made him a millionaire. A millionaire because of the role he played in the formative years of the Nigerian footballer.
Life in the academy before going to Europe:
After finishing secondary school, Moses gave his all to the academy. He became so good – to the extent of getting attracted by top clubs in the Nigerian football league system.
According to our research, Nigerian Premier League club Kaduna United were among those who fought for Moses’ signature. In a quest to find fame, GBS Academy decided to keep on holding him with hopes that suitors from Europe would come.
Thankfully, one of the most respected football in the world (Ajax) made contact. AFC Ajax wasn’t the only European academy to contact Golden Boot. Both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur reached out through their Nigerian scouts.
Moses Simon Bio – The Road to Fame Story:
Around May 2013, AFC Ajax fought off other interests to sign Moses Simon in a pre-contractual agreement. He arrived at a time Christian Eriksen had just left the club for Spurs. Ajax made him play briefly for their academy before a trial with the senior team.
Moses Simon made a quick impression by scoring a goal in his first Ajax first appearance – a pre-season friendly. Unfortunately, Ajax didn’t give him a smooth run on their first team. Bigger stars like Bojan Krkic and Lasse Schöne played ahead of him.
The Big Disappointment:
While Ajax contemplated his future, Moses got deployed to the club’s reserves team, Jong Ajax. Sadly, the club didn’t give him enough time to show he was the best in his position. Just two months after Ajax bought him, the club decided not to have him anymore.
Ajax decided not to sign Moses Simon into their senior team. It was indeed a trying time for Moses Simon’s parents and his entire family. At that time, their hopes were to see their breadwinner remain in Europe with another team.
Thankfully, Ajax began discussions with AS Trenčín on acquiring Moses Simon. This is a Slovakia club that partners with Ajax, and is owned by their former player – Tschen La Ling. Trenčín found Moses worthy and decided to have him.
The Slovakia Impact:
On 13 January 2014, Simon signed a three-year contract for AS Trenčín. While there, he met a fellow brother from Nigeria, Kingsley Madu.
Moses Simon developed a strategy to shine for the club. His major target was the Europa League. In his first Europa debut, he scored a hat trick on his debut in the 4–0 win at home. That hat-trick reignited the interest of his old suitors – Tottenham and Liverpool.
Around October 2014, ESPN prepared a scouting report that linked Moses Simon with a move to Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Hull City. Ajax, his old club, also came begging for the return of a boy they once abandoned.
Moses Simon Biography – Success Story:
The transfer situation of the Nigerian resulted in a bidding war between the Belgium club K.A.A. Gent and the Dutch club, SC Heerenveen. It was Genk who later won the race to have his signature – on a three years deal.
Simon had a shaky start to life with the Belgian club. To the shock of KAA Genk fans, a referee showed him a red card – just after 30 seconds of entering the field. Moses Simon made up for his disappointment by scoring a hat-trick in his third league game.
By scoring that Hat trick, he once again regained fans’ trust and was honoured as the best Belgium-based footballer for that week. Moses Simon quickly became a key player for the club. In May 2015, he helped Gent win the national Championship title (first ever for the club).
Moses Simon’s success story with Gent didn’t end there. Two months after his first trophy, he delivered a beautiful assist that led to Laurent Depoitre’s winning goal in a cup final. That made earned Moses Simon’s Gent the 2015 Belgian Super Cup.
Post Gent Success:
After the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Simon joined Spanish La Liga side Levante. He further took a move (via loan) to the French club, Nantes. The club’s love for Simon made them trigger the option to buy him permanently.
Since then, Simon has given them reasons to smile. He once helped Nantes stun Paris Saint-Germain – in what football pundits call a five-star performance.
At the time of writing Moses Simon’s Biography, he currently puts smiles on the faces of Nigerian football fans. The speedy Nigerian winger produced so many lovely moments in the Cameroon 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
With Watford and Napoli’s refusal to allow Emmanuel Denis and Victor Osimhen to attend AFCON, Moses became a bonafide starter in the Naija starting eleven. A solid partnership with Kelechi Iheanacho led to a beautiful start to the campaign.
Since after helping his country defeat Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in the 2021 AFCON, Moses Simon’s popularity has grown. He is a man to help Nigeria reclaim her former glory in the sport. The rest of his Biography, as we say, is now history.
Moses Simon Love Story:
Football can indeed change someone’s life. If you doubt that, then the Biography of Moses Simon will convince you. Find below a piece of photo evidence. This is Ibukunoluwa Sarah Adenuga (the wife of Moses Simon), THEN and NOW.
Without a doubt, he is one of very few footballers who began dating from secondary school and went on to marry their girlfriends. Ibukun Sarah Adenuga and Moses Simon kept their love strong even as once distance separated them.
Similar to what Lionel Messi did to his wife, Moses went to fetch his girlfriend as soon as he settled in Europe. His dream was to marry and spend the rest of his life with her.
Moses Simon got married to his long-term girlfriend, Ibukun Sarah Adenuga. The wedding date was on 29 December 2015. They celebrated it in the presence of important family members and friends.
About Moses Simon’s Wife:
Ibukun Sarah Adenuga is a native of Ibadan, Oyo state in Nigeria. Right there in her family’s hometown was where she and Moses had their traditional wedding ceremony.
Before getting married to Moses, Ibukun bore the surname Adenuga. This is a popular name in Nigeria, bore by the Nigerian businessman, Mike Adenuga. Upon our findings, we notice Ibukun is not related to the owner of Globacom.
Moses Simon Children with his Wife, Ibukun Sarah Adenuga:
As I create this Bio, they have two daughters. Emmanuella (born in August 2018) is the name of their first child. Find here, a picture of Moses Simon and his wife Ibukunoluwa in the church – as they attend their daughter’s child dedication.
Following their child presentation, the very religious and humble footballer was quick to thank his social media fans. In his words;
Thank god for a successful thanksgiving at @O.M.F Belgium.
Thanks to every one that came to celebrate my family.
God bless you all. A special thanks to pastor Godwin.
The coming of a second Daughter:
Precisely on the 30th day of April 2020, Moses Simon and his wife Ibukunoluwa welcomed their second child. This time, a daughter whom they named Ehi Simon. She was born in France during the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A true Family man:
Moses is a man who, despite his busy football schedule, enjoys home life with his wife and beloved daughters. There is never a dull moment with his long-term partner and children (Emanuella and Ehi). They live a very happy life thanks to their Daddy’s success.
Personal Life:
Away from what he does on the football field, we’ll tell you some untold facts about the speedy Nigerian striker. First, Moses is a very humble man who is often embarrassed by the praise. He is quick to recognize his own fault and is very God-fearing.
Again, he is the type of Dad who makes it very mandatory to introduce his daughters to swimming at a young age. The sport keeps them healthy, increases their stamina, improves posture and balance.
Moses Simon Hobbies:
Asides from football, the Naija AFCON sensation also excels in other spots. Among them includes bowling and long tennis. In case you are not aware, being versatile is an extra string to his powerful bow.
Research has it that Moses Simon is also a fan of boxing. He finds time to practice the sport – as observed in the video below.
The endurance level he possesses makes him work out so hard until the moment he almost gives up. Here is a piece of evidence of what we’re talking about.
Moses Simon Lifestyle:
The Naija man, together with his wife (Ibukunoluwa), are both lovers of water adventures. Jos, where Moses Simon’s parents raised him, has several rivers that take their sources on the state’s plateau. This is a typical example of a perfect holiday for the couple.
Moses Simon Cars:
The Nigerian winger loves driving his favourite rides. They include a Peugeot and an old-school car. Moses loves the pure freedom he gets when he disconnects from the speed of his footballing legs – and then goes to explore the sensations of his cars.
Moses Simon Family Life:
No matter how far his career takes him, Daddy-Ajala (as they nicknamed him) never forgets where he comes from. The Naija Baller remembers home. He plays the role of the breadwinner of his family. This section of our Bio tells you more about his household.
Moses Simon Father:
As the head of his polygamous family, the super Dad of the footballer assumed the roles of being both the provider, protector, and disciplinarian. Moses Simon’s Dad is a typical example of a man who now reaps the fruits of his labour.
Moses Simon Mother:
If you look closely, you’ll see her son’s face in her. In a mother’s day celebration, Moses Simon once said without her, he would be nothing. He thanked her for fighting for him to be a man. His efforts made him a man with his own family today.
Moses Simon’s Siblings:
The Nigerian footballer has quite a lot of them – including brothers and sisters from his parents and stepmothers. Among all of Moses Simon’s siblings, he has most spoken about a particular look-alike older sister. Unfortunately, she, who is late, died in 2016.
Untold Facts:
In this concluding section of Moses Simon’s Biography, we’ll tell you truths we think you might not know about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.
A friend of Nigeria’s Army Chief:
Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya, is a close friend of Moses Simon. This also goes to many other people in the Nigerian armed forces – including the police. As Nigerians would call it, he is heavily connected.
Moses Simon’s Salary and Net Worth:
The Nigerian footballer is nearing billionaire status in terms of his earnings in naira. The table below provides a breakdown of Moses Simon’s salary with FC Nantes.
TENURE/EARNINGS | Moses Simon FC Nantes Salary in Euros (€) | Moses Simon FC Nantes Salary in Naira (₦) |
---|---|---|
What he makes every Year: | €1,802,749 | ₦850,179,287. |
What he makes every Month: | €150,229 | ₦70,848,669 |
What he makes every Week: | €34,615 | ₦16,326,062 |
What he makes every Day: | €4,945 | ₦2,332,069 |
What he makes every Hour: | €206 | ₦97,149 |
What he makes every Minute: | €3.4 | ₦1,603 |
What he makes every Second: | €0.05 | ₦23 |
Considering his salary, endorsement deals and years of experience, Wiki values Moses Simon’s net worth. To be approximately 4.5 million euros.
Where Moses Simon comes from, the average Nigerian graduate earns around a hundred thousand naira (₦100,000) every month. Such a citizen would need to work for 23 years to earn what he takes home every day with FC Nantes.
Love for Dogs:
Moses Simon is a Cynophilist. This is a word used to describe persons who truly love dogs. The Naija Baller’s favourite dog breed is the German Shepherd. For Simon, playing with his Dog helps deal with the mental aspect of boredom.
Moses Simon Profile:
The Nigerian professional footballer is phenomenal and also very underrated. His agility, sprint speed, balance and acceleration are a nightmare to any right-back. Have you ever used Moses Simon on FIFA? Try him, and you’ll never be disappointed.
In terms of movement, Simon has similar attributes to these three top footballers. They are; Jeremy Doku (Belgium), Adama Traoré (Spanish) and Noni Madueke (England).
Moses Simon Religion:
The parents of the Nigerian professional footballer raised him to be a devoted Christian. He is the type who identifies with his religion (publicly) everywhere he goes. In fact, Moses Simon’s Biography – on his Instagram says;
Everything happens for a reason when you believe in God.
Regarding the church Moses Simon’s family attends, our research reveals OMF. This acronym means Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF). One of OMF’s church branches in Belgium was where Moses and his wife (Ibukunoluwa) had their child’s dedication.
Biography Summary:
This Wiki table breaks down Moses Simon’s profile. It summarizes the Biography of the Nigerian footballer.
WIKI INQUIRIES | BIOGRAPHY ANSWERS |
---|---|
Full Name: | Moses Ajala Simon |
Nickname: | Daddy-Ajala |
Date of Birth: | 12th of July 1995 |
Age: | 27 years and 7 months old. |
Nationality: | Nigeria |
Place of Birth: | Jos, Plateau state |
Nigerian State of origin: | Benue State |
Parents: | Mr and Mrs Simon |
Girlfriend: | Ibukunoluwa Sarah Adenuga (now wife) |
Wife: | Ibukunoluwa Simon |
Children: | Emmanuella (first daughter), Ehi Simon (second daughter) |
Nature of family origin: | Polygamy |
Football Academy: | GBS Academy and Ajax |
Religion: | Christianity |
Church | Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) |
Height: | 1.68 meters OR 5 feet 6 inches |
Net worth: | 4.5 Million Euros |
Zodiac: | Leo |
EndNote:
The Biography of Moses Simon tells us how love (from a secondary school girlfriend) and self-belief led to his success. The Nigerian footballer is from Benue State, Nigeria – Agatu LGA precisely. He grew up in a close-knitted Polygamous family and has many siblings.
As a child, all he dreamt of was to become a professional footballer. Moses Simon’s parents advised he finished his secondary school. While there, he met Ibukun, and she became his Girlfriend. Ibukun stood by him in his struggle years and eventually became his wife.
Footballing hustle saw Moses plying the routes from Jos to nearby Nigerian states. While at GBS Academy, he played alongside Innocent Bonke (a future Super Eagles player) at Ribadu Cantonment, Ungwan Kanawa, Kaduna. At last, Europe came calling through GBS academy.
Amsterdam-based Ajax Youth Academy accepted the Nigerian winger before eventually letting him go. To prove his worth, Moses Simon had to work his way back up. He did that with Slokav side, Trenčín. That earned him further moves to Gent, Levante, and Nantes.
As I conclude on Moses Simon’s Biography, he has just used AFCON 2021 to cement his name as a hero for his country. “Life is more enjoyable under Eguavoen“- he says. Moses would definitely be regarded as one of Nigeria’s best wingers, even after retirement.
Like always, we say thank you for reading one of Wiki’s African Biography Stories. We care about accuracy and fairness while delivering the stories of Nigerian Footballers. Please let us know if you notice anything that doesn’t look right in Moses Simon’s Bio.
Also, through our comment section, please tell us what you think about the Nigerian winger in terms of his Life story and the way he plays football. And stay tuned for more African True Football stories from Wiki.
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