Chelsea’s box-to-box midfielder, Michael Essien, is in tears and suffering a broken heart after his own father went to town crying that he is living in abject poverty even though his son earns about £90,000 per week.
Reports say 28-year-old Michael Essien has been all tears since the story broke and that sorrow has taken a better part of his emotions.
“Given what I have done for my father, when I was told of the false, vile and degrading comments he made about me, I wept because people normally do not get insults for doing good…But my father decided to pay me back in such a terrible way,” Essien explained.
The dad, James Essien, had told a number of media houses that he was ill, poor and had been completely neglected by the Chelsea star.
Michael Essien has however expressed shock and described the dad’s claims as “false, vile and degrading”.
The Chelsea super star, in a personally-signed news release disclosed that he does not only provide money for the father’s up-keep; but he had also bought him a car and built him a three bedroom house.
Michael Essien says he sends the money through his sister by name Diana and that as far as he is concerned, the father is not living in poverty.
“I had never wanted to discuss my family in public or any good I do to anyone because when you do good, you go only for God’s recognition… I need to react to stop the attempt to destroy me in the eyes of the people of Ghana and disgrace my family.
“My father currently lives in a three-bedroom house I instructed my sister to build for him with my own money….
He is visited monthly and more recently twice a week by my sister Diana on my orders to regularly give him money and other essentials I send. My mother, whom he has insulted so much, also provides for him.
“I bought a car for him to make his transportation easier and part of the money I provide for him is used to fuel the car or repair it when it breaks down…..
When his illness broke out I asked for him to be taken to the Asikuma Hospital but he said he wants traditional medicine. I provided money for him to undergo traditional treatment.
“It came to nothing and I ordered for him to be taken to the hospital. My family, I believe, has also organized for a nurse to come home and look after him on a regular basis… I want to state here categorically that even after such distasteful comments; I will continue to support my father as I believe it is the right thing to do,” Michael Essien noted.
