Ogun State government on Monday said it would facilitate a proposed visit of the World boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, to Nigeria when he is ready.
The government said the heavyweight boxer had expressed intention to visit the country and home state, Ogun.
This was disclose by the Secretary to the State government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, while addressing journalists in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, after the weekly State Executive Council meeting.
Adeoluwa described Joshua as a “pride to the state,” saying the feat achieved by him was a good news to the state.
He noted that the government would continue to support Ogun State indigenes across the globe.
“Anthony Joshua contacted Ogun State because of that ‘Omoluabi’ in him, we didn’t make that plan, he indicated his intentions to come back home.
“He said that he would be willing to visit Nigeria, of course, he will visit Ogun State and Sagamu and we will facilitate his visit to Nigeria.
“Everywhere we find our people doing things that appears to demonstrate the ‘Ogun Standard’, we support, we celebrate, we identify, and that is why Ogun state sent delegation to Cardiff.
“Yes, Joshua spent a larger part of his years and professional accomplishment in the UK but the truth is that he comes originally from Sagamu and I was happy to hear that the parent spoke to Ogun State delegation in Ijebu dialect.
“Today, we celebrate Joshua just as we will continue to celebrate all our people in different categories of sporting and other activities.
“Joshua is a model to the youth of Sagamu, Ogun East and Ogun State at large. We will continue to wish him well so also all our youths aspiring in different fields,” Adeoluwa said.