“I saw a guy with an umbrella, it wasn’t raining, nor was it hot enough for an umbrella,” Onazi said. “I can read people, I knew he was up to something.

“He opened the umbrella to block my view, then took a lady’s purse.”

Onazi and his brother chased down the miscreant and marched him back to the restaurant.

“I couldn’t just take back the purse,” Onazi said. “It was two black guys, with this white man. People could have misinterpreted the situation. The restaurant called the police, so many people wanted to beat the guy, I said, ‘No, no, no’.

“I don’t like people who cheat others, it is not right.”

Onazi had five years in Rome with Lazio, a club stalked by issues with racism among supporters.

“There was a lot said, but I wanted to change the mentality,” Onazi, who signed in 2011, aged 18, said.

“My picture was used in an anti-racism campaign and I never once experienced racism. The fans write to me every day and want me to go back.”

He is keen to leave a similar impression at Kitchee, who will need his qualities on Wednesday in their opening AFC Champions League group-stage match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in South Korea.

Onazi repeatedly references his “strong mentality”, formed when he embarked on a football career without his father’s knowledge.

“He wanted me to study, to become a doctor or an accountant,” Onazi said. “He thought people who played sports were those who had nothing else to do.”

When Onazi joined a Nigeria youth-team training camp, Onazi told his father he was visiting an uncle with a view to changing schools.

“My mum and brothers always encouraged me, we had to work together as a family because my dad is very strict,” Onazi said.

The ruse continued as Onazi travelled to play on loan in Sweden with Bodens BK – “I went from 35 degrees to -15, it was really terrible, I’d never seen snow, but I had a strong mentality and wanted to play football” – and followed him to a Nigeria U17 training camp in Qatar.

Then in 2009, family and friends squeezed around a television in the family home to watch young Ogenyi in Nigeria’s opening U17 World Cup match against Germany, in Nigerian capital Abuja, and convinced a reluctant Wilson Onazi to look at the screen.

“He saw me singing the national anthem and burst into tears,” Onazi said. “He came straight to Abuja to apologise for the stress from trying to stop me playing football. I told him I would never feel anything against him. Whenever I play now, he is really proud.”

Dad never puffed out his chest further than when Onazi won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Nigeria and was consequently made a Member of the Order of Niger. In the AFCON quarter-final in South Africa, Onazi’s team overcame the overwhelming favourites, the Ivory Coast of Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure and Salomon Kalou.

“The AFCON was one of my greatest achievements,” Onazi began. “No-one believed in us, people didn’t watch against Ivory Coast, a team of superstars, they thought we would be easily beaten. But when you have nothing to lose, you risk everything.

“After that match, I felt we could crush anyone in our way. I met the Nigerian president and received the national honour. My dad would never have believed that could make any sense.”

Onazi suffered a ghastly-looking ankle injury in a challenge with France midfielder Blaise Matuidi in the last 16 of the following year’s Fifa World Cup finals in Brazil.

“Many people said if I wasn’t injured we would have won,” Onazi said.

Nine years after living his World Cup dream, Onazi’s football journey continues to criss-cross the globe.

Ending the last campaign with Bahrainian club East Riffa, he rejected an attractive offer to stay in favour of joining Kitchee for the opportunity to “win trophies and experience the AFC Champions League”.

Onazi’s family joined him in Hong Kong this month, which the 30-year-old said would allow for complete concentration on football.

He is “100 per cent fit” for Wednesday’s match against Jeonbuk.

“With the calibre of our players, we can make history with this club,” Onazi said. “Anything is possible. I am sure we will reach the final eight, at least – if everyone has the same focus as me.

“I have more responsibility on the field than ever before – this comes from experience. And I am very passionate about everything I do.”

Most importantly, whatever Ogenyi Onazi does, he makes sure it is the right thing.