Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has hosted Francis Ngannou, the mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, at his office in Abeokuta. 

In a post on his Instagram on Monday, Ngannou said he visited the former president on Sunday.

It was an honour 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,” the post reads.

Ngannou, a Cameroonian-French, arrived in Nigeria a few days ago after spending the yuletide holiday in his native Central African country.

Over the weekend, he was spotted in Lagos hanging out with Burna Boy and Kamaru Usman, a former UFC welterweight champion.

Ngannou’s visit to Nigeria comes almost three months after he knocked out Brazil’s Ricardo Ferreira in the first round of his Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut.Before that, Ngannou suffered a second-round knockout to Anthony Joshua at their exhibition bout in March 2024.

… Ex-boxing champion to light torch of National Sports Festival in May

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has announced plans by his administration to construct a brand new Anthony Joshua Indoor Boxing Ring in the state.

Governor Abiodun also announced that the two-time former world heavyweight boxing champion would be lighting the Gateway Games National Sports Festival torch, which has been postponed to May next year.

The Governor made this known on Monday when he hosted the two-time world heavyweight boxing champion in his office.

“I want to openly request that, besides the fact that today we are going to officially confirm you as our sports ambassador, we want to request that you come back to light up the Gateway Sports Festival torch; you will be the one lighting it up.

“We are going to construct a brand new Anthony Joshua Indoor Boxing Ring, and that boxing ring will be in a stadium here in Abeokuta to ensure that you come home more frequently. Besides the fact that you are now our official sports ambassador, we have decided that we will give you a brand new house in Sagamu,” he said.

The Governor urged Anthony Joshua to find ways of supporting the state in the area of sports development by working alongside the Director General of the National Sports Commission and the state Commissioner for Sports Development to host a boxing championship in the state.

“We want to plead that you also find ways to support us back home. We believe that we should have tournaments planned leading to the sports festival, and you were expressing how you will participate and what you can do to mentor.

“We leave you to work with our Director General of the National Sports Commission and the Commissioner for Sports Development on what we can do to ensure that we have activities leading to the sports festival in your boxing arena.

“Proudly, we bid for the National Sports Festival for this year, and we won that bid. The festival was supposed to be in January; however, for some technical reasons, it’s been postponed to sometime in May.

“In preparation for the sports festival, we are spending a lot of money; we are totally refurbishing, rehabilitating, and reconstructing our sporting facilities. As you know, sports is a universal language; it brings people from different parts of the world together,” he said.

The Governor noted that the state is blessed with many talents spread across music, arts, and sports who are doing very well and, at the same time, placing the state on the world map.

Prince Abiodun added that the state is extremely proud of the achievements of Anthony Joshua on the world stage, saying that his administration would support his career in every way it can.

“Your coming back home will be a source of motivation and inspiration for many young men who are aspiring sportsmen, and we have quite a lot of them in Ogun State.

“I want to congratulate you on what you have achieved in such a short span of time. You’ve made a short story of your life and your career.

“Whatever we can do to encourage you to continue to win more laurels for yourself, your family, for the state, and Nigeria, be assured that we will be more than happy to do that. We watch your career grow, and we are going to support your career in every way we can,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Anthony Joshua noted that he would work towards promoting Ogun State to the rest of the world by showcasing the numerous talents in the state.

Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, has expressed his heartfelt congratulations to Chief Bukola Olopade on his recent appointment as the Director General of the National Sports Commission by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The senator hailed the appointment, noting that it marks a significant milestone for sports development in Nigeria, given Olopade’s track record and commitment to advancing the sector.

In a statement made public through his official X handle, Otunba Gbenga Daniel reflected on his time as the Governor of Ogun State, he praised Chief Bukola Olopade for his instrumental role as Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development.

He highlighted Olopade’s contributions to several landmark sporting events and initiatives, including the successful hosting of the Gateway Games, the Gateway Tertiary Institution Games (GATIG), and the FIFA Junior World Cup.

These events, which took place during Daniel’s administration, underscored a robust agenda focused on sports and youth development.

“One of the highlights of my administration was our conscious effort in ensuring that sports and youth development received the utmost attention. This was evident in the landmark Gateway Games, Gateway Tertiary Institution Games (GATIG), the hosting of the FIFA Junior World Cup, and many more,” Senator Daniel remarked.

“All these were possible through concerted efforts and initiatives, of which Chief Bukola Olopade as the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development played a significant part.

The senator expressed his confidence in Olopade’s ability to transform Nigeria’s sports sector as the new Director General of the National Sports Commission. He noted that Olopade’s extensive experience and passion for sports will provide the leadership necessary to elevate the nation’s performance across various sporting disciplines.

“It is with great delight that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decided to appoint him as the Director General of the National Sports Commission,” Senator Daniel added.

“I am confident that he will right all the wrongs in our nation’s sports affairs and provide the needed leadership for Nigerians to compete in all competitions with pride, bringing victory to us all.”

Senator Daniel’s endorsement of Olopade’s appointment underscores the significance of this strategic move by President Tinubu, as stakeholders and sports enthusiasts anticipate a new era of revitalized sports development and international competitiveness for Nigeria