Aside from crude oil, sports talent is one notable resource Nigeria is blessed with. Our nation has been thrust repeatedly into the international limelight thanks to the heroics of sporting legends who have flown the Nigerian flag high.
The likes of Victor Osimhen are painting the Italian Serie A green and white (Nigerian flag colors), with punters checking top forecast sites for over 2.5 prediction today any day Osimhen leads the Napoleatans on the pitch.
But aside from their talent for sports, a number of these Nigerian athletes have made news for charitable donations.
This article recognizes top Nigerian athletes whose kindness has awed us as much as their conquests in sports.
Nwankwo Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu is one of the most decorated Nigerian players across global football leagues. The legendary star was the captain of the Nigerian National Team and played for Ajax, Arsenal, and Portsmouth.
Despite being diagnosed with a heart problem, Kanu successfully displayed his footballing brilliance for years.
In addition, the ailment inspired Kanu to establish the Nwankwo Kanu Heart Foundation (KHF) in 2000. This initiative has helped children with heart problems access free heart surgeries and cardinal treatment across Nigeria and Africa. So far, KHF has recorded about 500 heart surgeries with about 98.5 success rates.
Kanu helped many local communities in Nigeria to access quality education and educational materials through his Kanu Hope Foundation. Not only that, The Kanu Charity Foundation, established in 2008, has helped to rehabilitate and support many natural disaster victims in Nigeria.
Also, his Kanu Nwankwo Football Academy in 2008 supported sports development in Nigeria.
Obafemi Martins
Next on our list of Nigerian athletes with noticeable philanthropic acts is Obafemi Martins. In 2012, the veteran football star established his charity organization which helped improve the quality of life of many underprivileged and vulnerable people in Nigeria and other underdeveloped African countries.
Also, Martins supported different health initiatives by building clinics and donating medical supplies to African hospitals and clinics, especially in Nigeria.
In addition, the ex-football player regularly contributes part of his earnings to numerous charity groups such as the Hope for African Children Initiative.
Martins annually provides scholarships for Nigerian students, offering them free education from their primary education through university. In 2012, He donated N5 million to support the Abia State governor in building a Primary Health Care facility in his hometown.
Asisat Oshoala
The excellent Barcelona football star is the founder of the Asisat Oshoala Foundation, which was launched in 2019 in Lagos State. The foundation focused on supporting underprivileged girls in Lagos with sound education by dishing out scholarships, educational materials, and mentorship programs.
In addition, the famous footballer created the Asisat Oshoala Football Academy in 2017, which has groomed and tailored many Lagos girls into the professional activities of football—helping them to discover, master, and hone their football skills to international levels.
Furthermore, Asisat is a cancer awareness activist. She has actively participated in many campaigns and public health rallies that sensitized females about the terrible disease.
John Obi Mikel
In 2018, during the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, John Obi-Mikel donated about N1 million to support the Red Cross Society in its fight against the deadly virus.
Further, the former Chelsea FC star donated to numerous initiatives to give back to the community. For instance, he contributed funds to support the World Food Programme, which aimed at alleviating hunger in developing nations.
Mikel also partnered with the United Nations to propagate the Sustainable Development Goals.
Likewise, the football veteran established a school and a pitch in Jos, Nigeria. The John Obi Mikel Academy in Lagos has helped nurture many young football talents.
Efe Ambrose
Efe Ambrose is highly recognized for his generous act of giving back to his society, especially in Delta State. In 2015, the sport’s veteran donated N500,000 to support the Red Cross Society in Nigeria in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus.
The footballer donated to many schools and hospitals in the state, including the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, and the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.
He also provided financial aid to the Delta State Football Academy and Football Association.
In addition, he has sponsored several football tournaments in the region and donated to constructing a football field in Warri, his hometown. Ambrose has also provided financial support to the Delta State chapter of the Nigerian Cancer Society.
Chioma Ajunwa
Chioma Ajunwa-Opara was the first Nigerian woman to bag a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. The former Nigeria police officer was the first ever woman to compete in two different sporting categories simultaneously.
She played in the FIFA Women’s World Cup and participated in various Olympic track events. Consequently, she has multiple medals to her name.
In December 2017, she started the Chioma Ajunwa-Okpara Foundation, which has helped to discover and nurture many young athletes in Nigeria.
In 2018, the foundation collaborated with the Abia State government to sponsor the Under-16 Athletics Championship for Secondary Schools in March 2018.
She actively campaigned against using illegal drugs in sports, financing and delivering several speeches in workshops and seminars during the interactive Session organized by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) in 2010.
Conclusion
Nigeria is blessed with numerous athletes who are excelling in their various endeavors. Many, including those whose names are not on this list, are dedicated to giving back to their communities through donations and participation in multiple initiatives.
Apart from athletes, a few individuals like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Tony Elumelu, the Late Prophet TB Joshua, and other philanthropists made it their duty to support sports development in Nigeria.
