Former President of the Jersey Football Association, Ricky Weir, has unveiled plans to expand the reach of his award-winning memoir, Illegitimately Blessed, to Africa, particularly Nigeria, the country he recently discovered as his paternal homeland.
Originally self-published in September 2024, Illegitimately Blessed has since been acquired by a European publishing house and is attracting a growing readership beyond the football community.
Weir said the memoir has become an unexpected source of inspiration for people across cultures and generations, prompting efforts to introduce it to a wider African audience.
In an exclusive interview with a Nigerian media outlet during a recent visit to the country, Weir described obtaining a Nigerian passport after years of tracing his paternal roots as another significant milestone in his remarkable journey of self-discovery.
However, he believes that the story behind that journey, as captured in his memoir, is what will resonate most deeply with readers.
“In March 2025, Illegitimately Blessed was picked up by a European publisher and I was offered a contract, which was a massive step,” Weir said.
“To be sought out and offered a publishing contract was amazing and not something I expected.”
Best known for his contributions to football administration and grassroots development, Weir said writing the book was never motivated by commercial success.
According to him, he had only three objectives: to complete the book, leave a lasting record of his life for his three sons, and inspire at least one person.
“If it could positively impact one person, inspire one person, then I’d be happy,” he said. “Everything from then on is a bonus.”
The memoir chronicles an extraordinary life story.
Born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and a Nigerian father, Weir never met his father, who died before he was born. He was subsequently placed for adoption and raised by adoptive parents in Scotland.
Decades later, he embarked on a quest to uncover his family history, a journey that eventually reconnected him with his Nigerian heritage and recently culminated in his acquisition of Nigerian citizenship.
While football features prominently throughout the narrative, Weir believes the book’s themes extend far beyond sport.
“It covers fathers, identity, discrimination, family, resilience and overcoming challenges,” he explained. “It’s not just for football people.”
The memoir received a major boost in April 2025 when it won a literary award in Italy, a development Weir described as one of the most surprising moments in the book’s journey.
“That was a real wow moment,” he said. “I don’t see myself as a writer. I’m a football person who wrote one book. For literary people to recognise it was very special.”
The recognition has strengthened his determination to introduce the memoir to readers across Africa, especially in Nigeria, where a significant part of the story is rooted.
According to Weir, efforts to bring Illegitimately Blessed to Africa are already underway and were partly responsible for the connections that led to his recent visit to Nigeria.
“I truly believe the book can inspire many people here,” he said. “If it can have an impact in countries where I have no connection, then imagine what it could do in Nigeria, where a massive part of the story comes from.”
Weir, founder of the Jersey 2 Africa Football Foundation, said he hopes the memoir will become part of the legacy he leaves both within and beyond the world of football.
For now, the former Jersey FA president is encouraged by the growing reach of a story that began as a personal reflection but has evolved into a powerful message of identity, belonging, resilience and perseverance.
“I feel it’s only a matter of time before the book reaches Nigerian bookshelves,” he said. “And I look forward to seeing the impact it can make.”
