“How Abramovich Helped Me Get My Dad Back When He Was Kidnapped” – Mikel Obi

Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi has praised former Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich for his compassion and genuine concern for everyone connected to the club.

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel recalled Abramovich’s extraordinary reaction when his father was kidnapped in Nigeria.

“Roman was the guy. He cared about everyone — players, fans, everyone,” Mikel said. “I remember when my dad got kidnapped and I got a phone call from him.

“He just cared and spoke to me: ‘Mikel, what do you need? Do you know how you can get your dad back?’ I said, ‘I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to the kidnappers yet.’

“He said, ‘OK, listen, with your permission, give me 24 hours, I will go and bring your dad back home.’ And I was thinking, Roman, he’s in Nigeria, how will you get him back? And he said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get him back.’ That’s the kind of man he was.”

Mikel described Abramovich as a leader who treated the club like family and played a defining role in building Chelsea’s global success.

“Who we are today is because of Roman, we’ve won so many trophies, we’re one of the biggest clubs in the world now — and it’s all down to Roman Abramovich.”