Southampton contract for Kayo is a boost for 'preemie power'
JUST because a baby is born prematurely, it does not mean that they are held back in any way.
This has proven to be the case with nine-year-old Kayo Ajanaku, who officially signed for Southampton FC’s Under 10 Academy earlier this month.
Kayo and his twin Zaria were born at 30 weeks and four days, and weighed 3lb 14oz.
They needed to spend five weeks in Portsmouth’s neonatal intensive care unit, and an additional three weeks in Guernsey’s special care unit.
The family moved from Guernsey to Southampton in January so that the children could be more aware of the world that surrounds them, to experience different cultures and have different opportunities.
The former Vale Junior school pupil was a regular junior football player in Guernsey, a member of North Minis from the age of four, and then at Aztech Academy under the Guernsey Football Association from the age of eight.
When Kayo continued playing football in Southampton, he was scouted by Roshan Bhatti, who said that after watching 30 minutes of Kayo playing, he could see his natural abilities.
‘What stood out for me was his attitude on and off the pitch. Playing with a smile and when he made mistakes how he recovered,’ he said.
It was not all plain sailing in the beginning for Kayo, though. He initially attended Le Rondin due to suspected hip dysplasia.
‘Kayo would walk funny,’ said his mum Nicky Ajanaku.
‘His legs were bent and his feet were inwards and he would fall over constantly. We went to see a professor in Southampton who compared him to Charlie Chaplin. But he said that he would straighten up, and he did.
‘We didn’t know if he could do any form of sport and he had lots of physio. And now he’s been signed for Southampton.’
Mrs Ajanaku credited all of Kayo’s coaches from North Minis and Aztech Academy for his success, adding that they were all ‘amazing’.
Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation, which supported the Ajanaku family upon the early arrival of the twins, said that Kayo’s success was a testament to ‘preemie power.’
Co-founder Jo Priaulx said: ‘It’s amazing how little ones with tough starts in life can go on to achieve so much.
‘The Ajanaku family went through a rollercoaster when Kayode and Zaria were born early, but it was our pleasure to support them during that time. Fast-forward a decade and here we are seeing Kayode make an exciting step in his football career. We know how much this means.
‘We hope Kayode thrives at Southampton.’
