Shanghai Greenland Shenhua striker Odion Ighalo took time out from his busy schedule to interact with Nigerian journalists ahead of Wednesday's Africa Cup of Nations match against Guinea in Alexandria.

The Super Eagles number 9 who is the highest paid Nigerian footballer explained why he opened an orphanage to cater for the less privileged in the society.

''I have said this several times, I was born and brought up in Ajegunle in a ghetto. It was very difficult for me to even buy water to drink,'' said Ighalo

''Sometimes when you go to training in those neighborhoods, you see kids they throw them in the gutter and the government will come and take care of them.

''Jokingly I said that if God blesses me when I grow up, if I have money I will build an orphanage to take care of kids like this but since I said that God has blessed me and I have decided to do it.

''I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to do that and to put smiles on those little kids faces, they deserve more in life. I am happy God is using me to take care of them and to give them a bright future.''

Responding to quickfire questions and answers session, Ighalo chose rice and plantain as his best food, his first football boots Copa Mundial was bought by his mom, and revealed that he scored in the final of the Principals Cup for his secondary school.

The first big money he made from football was when he signed for Lyn Oslo in Norway, where he was receiving $1,000 which was big money for him in 2007.

He labelled John Ogu the funniest Super Eagles player in camp, picked Marvel over DC Comics and jollof rice over fried rice.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel