Inside Francis Ngannou’s historic visit to Obasanjo in Abeokuta (Photos)
Obasanjo and Ngannou
Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou paid a visit to former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, at his home office in Abeokuta on Sunday.
Ngannou, who shared the encounter on his Instagram account, described the meeting as an honour and expressed gratitude for the words of wisdom he received from the iconic statesman.
His post garnered over 50,000 likes within hours, with fans and followers from around the globe celebrating the moment.
In the caption accompanying the post, Ngannou wrote: “It was an honor meeting the legendary former Nigerian president, H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday at his home office in Abeokuta. It was great receiving some words of wisdom from the legend.”
Obasanjo with Ngannou during the visit
Fans flooded the comments section with admiration and excitement. Comments ranged from expressions of national pride to suggestions for Ngannou to engage further with Nigerian and African communities.
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One fan remarked, “Francis! Man of the people! All people!” while another predicted leadership aspirations for the Cameroonian-born fighter, saying, “Trust God has chosen you to become a leader of Cameroon as a president.”
The meeting has sparked discussions among fans about Ngannou’s growing influence beyond the MMA world.
Known for his humility and commitment to African unity, Ngannou has often used his platform to inspire youth and promote collaboration across the continent.
Obasanjo with his visitors
Ngannou’s visit to Nigeria also rekindled calls for him to engage with other iconic African athletes, including Nigerian boxing legend Anthony Joshua and UFC star Kamaru Usman.
As one fan aptly commented, “@Francisngannou @usman84kg @anthonyjoshua Nigerians want you guys to hang out together in Lagos. Black is beautiful.”
