The brothers from Sugar Land, Texas, haven’t had much time to race. They’re too busy on the football field. Victor is a 6-foot, 200-pound senior cornerback at Wittenberg, and Chris Banjo is a 5-10, 223-pound rookie safety with the Green Bay Packers.
Victor and Chris talk all the time, but they hadn’t seen each other in about a year when Victor traveled to Cincinnati to see Chris play against the Bengals on Sept. 22. Chris had two tackles in a 34-30 loss to the Bengals.
“It was unbelievable,” Victor said. “It’s a blessing. We’ve been through a lot as a family. Seeing him in that game motivates me to the best player I can be. Honestly, I still have a lot of work to do.”
Both brothers use the memory of their mom, Yinka, to motivate them. She died at 45 after a long battle with sickle cell anemia the day after Victor and his twin sister Victoria graduated from high school in 2010.
“She was always in the hospital,” Victor said. “It was very hard. We knew the day would come. We just didn’t know it would come that fast.”
Victor said his mom didn’t die in vain because she inspired he and his siblings with her fight.
“I know she’s looking down on us every day,” Victor said. “I know anything’s going to be possible in life. I’ve just got to keep striving for it. I still think about her all the time. It’s hard.”
Chris had similar thoughts when he talked to the Green Bay Press Gazette in early September about the impact his mom’s death had on him.
“I feel so many things that I’ve learned and have came from my mom,” Chris said. “Also, my dad, don’t get me wrong, but seeing my mom have to fight on a daily basis. That’s really molded me into the man I am in terms of how to treat a woman and everything she taught me. The life morals, being able to fight and not take no for an answer. There’s so many things that went into it. I guess that’s the biggest thing, just being able to fight and waking up every day with the mindset that you’re not be defeated.”
Victor and Chris’ parents, Yinka and Ayo, were born in Nigeria. Their children were all born in the United States. Victor is close to his dad and sister, who still live in Texas.
This is Victor’s first season as a starter, though he appeared in every game the last two seasons after spending his freshman season at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas. He leads Wittenberg defensive backs in tackles this season with 17.
Victor made a name for himself early in his Wittenberg career on the track, placing seventh in the 100 meters at the NCAA outdoor championships in 2012.
“Obviously, he’s a great athlete,” Wittenberg football coach Joe Fincham said. “He’s come a long way as a football player since he’s been here. He understands our scheme now, and he’s playing with a lot more confidence.”
Chris Banjo has appeared in four games as a backup safety with the Packers. He was a long shot to make the roster. After finishing his career at Southern Methodist University in 2011, he tried out for the Steelers and Raiders in 2012, but didn’t make the roster.
Chris found a job as a recruiter, helping people find jobs. Once again, Victor found inspiration in how hard his brother worked as he continued to chase his dream in the NFL.
“He woke up at 5, worked out to 8, went to work from 8-5 and then did drills,” Victor said. “He did that every single day. I didn’t believe it. He’s committed.”
Victor said his brother got cut by the Jaguars on July 29 and invited to Packers camp two days later. He surprised everyone by making the team.
“He had a lot of work to do in that month he was there,” Victor said. “He showed them what he can do. Now he’s on the Packers. I didn’t think it was possible. Everything’s possible, but in that little time, it was unlikely. But he every game, every snap he plays his heart out. He’s a small, undersized player, and he’s in the NFL.”
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