Haringey, Harvard & Hollywood: The fabulous Temi Fagbenle and family

Fagbenle played in all five games at London 2012 – “everyone on the other teams just looked like these big women and I was just this little girl compared to them” – before returning to the States to complete her degree and kick-start her college sporting career.

Now 27, she has turned into a ‘big woman’ of the world game herself. Since graduating from Harvard, she has been drafted by top-flight Minnesota Lynx, when she won an WNBA title, and represented clubs in Polkowice in Poland, where she won consecutive national championships and claimed MVP accolades, Botas in Turkey and Salamanca in Spain. She’s picked up a Masters degree in Public Relations from University of Southern California for good measure as well.

After Great Britain missed out on qualification for Rio 2016, Fagbenle is spearheading their attempts to return to Olympic action at Tokyo 2020.

This February, Great Britain’s women will play China, Spain and South Korea in a four-team round-robin, with the top three earning their ticket to Japan.

“It was great to be on that stage at London. For those that went to the first Olympics in 2012 we know we just have to get back,” she says.

An Olympian, a Harvard graduate, a WNBA title winner, with a fledgling modelling career, acting ambitions (“I have a specific look but I would love to be a gladiator/witch/queen in fantasy type movie”) and a small business (“premium confectionary coming to your online store soon”) about to be launched.

The most gallingly successful member of the family, right? Well, the Fagbenles are a little different.

Twelve children born to former journalist Tunde and six different mothers, spread over a 39-year age-gap and several continents, but connected by modern technology and an all-conquering approach to life.

Perhaps most famous is OT Fagbenle, who is a bona-fide Hollywood star after starring opposite Elisabeth Moss in the hit television adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale. He is also signed up for Black Widow – the next Marvel blockbuster.

Fellow older brothers Luti and Dapo are top producers and directors respectively, creating music videos for Beyonce, Drake, Stormzy, Nicky Minaj and many more.

There is Seyi, an in-demand music producer, brought in by a host of blue-chip brands to sharpen their image. Oldest sister Banke is inspiring future generations as a teacher in London.

Pekun is studying political science in Tambov, Russia, Tito is a talented musician, performing all over Europe, Torera is exploring opportunities in Nigeria after graduating from the prestigious Lafayette College in the states.

Second-youngest Toto is studying in England, but has inherited the basketball bug, while Tani, only 12, is in Temi’s words “the firework of the family”.

Eldest Kunle – a high-flying lawyer in Nigeria and the United States – died in May 2018 aged 49.

What mix of nature and nurture has produced success across such diverse fields, from one family?

“We just want to be the best at whatever we are doing,” explains Temi simply.

“We are all competitive and we are competing with each other – when we play board games and debate stuff there is an amazing spectacle. But also, not really.

“We definitely all want each other to do so well. It is like the Fagbenle clan, showing the world that we are a force to be reckoned with. We didn’t plan it that way but it became that way because we are all so driven individually.

“Whatever you are doing, you are kind of representing the Fagbenles. You know the name is bigger than yourself so you don’t want to hold yourself to a low standard or act erratically or in a way that will put a bad name on the family.

“That makes it sound so serious, but you hold yourself to a high standard.”