On Friday afternoon, President Bola Tinubu hosted the latest Super Bowl champion, the Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Morotoluwa Ojomo, at the State House. For Ojomo, it was one of those moments of pride when one could sigh “It all paid off!”
Having left Nigeria for the United States at age seven in 2009, Ojomo’s career success brought him face-to-face with the President of his home country. They discussed ways to give back to his roots. Some may argue that the encounter might not have been possible if the 23-year-old had not left Nigeria early with his parents to pursue his dreams.
Nine years later, Ojomo enrolled at the University of Texas, majoring in Business Finance. Over five seasons with the Longhorns, he played 50 games, recorded 95 tackles and tallied five sacks. His performance earned him second-team All-Big 12 honours in 2022.
Building on years of dedication, his professional career kicked off when the Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Although his rookie season saw limited playtime, he eventually broke out in the 2024 season. That breakthrough culminated in his pivotal role during Super Bowl LIX, where he led the Eagles’ defensive success. The Eagles triumphed over the Kansas City Chiefs with a decisive 40-22 scoreline on February 9 in New Orleans.
During that meeting with the President, Ojomo proposed establishing a foundation to give more young people the opportunities he had.
“The plan is to have a facility here that provides opportunities for youth to attend secondary schools or universities in America. Places are looking for talent, and Nigeria is filled with talent. I believe education is power, and I want to educate the youth and give them opportunities. That is the first part.
“Then, there is the idea of a facility where guys [fellow Nigerian NFL players] can come back and train, spend two, three weeks, or longer periods in Nigeria, just building Nigerian talent,” he explained.
President Tinubu replied, “It is remarkable to have a talent like you believing in yourself and ready to help others. With your kind of focus, you can mentor and develop many youths here. Your perseverance, determination, courage and focus should be admired. If you have any recommendations or a pathway on what I can do to make it better or work faster, let me know.”
Reactions from Nigerians have been quite positive so far. However, some say they would have been worried for Ojomo’s career if he had met President Tinubu’s predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who many believe wielded a reverse Midas touch. In 2020, some netizens even superstitiously linked the meeting between Buhari and British-Nigerian Boxer Anthony Joshua to the latter’s loss of his championship title to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk the following year.
Some claimed the Super Eagles maintained a winning streak in the 2022 African Cup of Nations until Buhari’s video conference call. The sacking of then-U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, by Donald Trump—barely 12 hours after meeting Buhari in Abuja—didn’t help matters either. Then came the former OPEC Chief, Mohammed Barkindo. After concluding his tenure in July 2022, Barkindo received a hero’s welcome from Buhari in Abuja, only to die barely 24 hours later. Although there is no factual basis for these beliefs, the Buhari phenomenon stuck like stubborn mud to a shoe sole. Where there is a will to cook up conspiracy theories, there will always be a way.
Unlike Buhari, however, Tinubu has been quite fortunate. So far, Nigerians do not seem inclined to pin notable defeats on him, except for the disappointing outing at the Paris Olympics. Being only halfway through his presidency, it is too early to say how long that luck will last. Time and outcomes will tell. For now, Nigeria’s best from across the world will continue to enjoy access to the President.
Don’t peep at the President
Speaking of access and conspiracy theories, those unfamiliar with the seat of power believe that everyone in the Villa sees the President daily at will. I recall Buhari’s meeting with the Villa community days before he left office. The whispers in the crowd that evening revealed that some State House staffers were seeing the President for the first time in a shockingly long time, despite working there every day for years.
Thanks to the heavy formation around the leader, you are more likely to see Arsenal win every tournament in English and European football in a single season, than see the President walking alone in his courtyard.
It was therefore no surprise that, last Monday, journalists were shooed away from peeking at the President as he posed for photographs with participants of Senior Executive Course 46 from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. Although a metal grill stood between reporters and the President—providing ample distance—perhaps he was too holy to be looked upon.
This phenomenon is not peculiar to Aso Rock alone. In the United States, White House Correspondents who cover the leader of the free world do so from a distance. For instance, Richard Nixon’s team made it clear from the start that they considered the press dangerous to the political health of the President.
Things were different under President John F. Kennedy and his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, who sometimes gave interviews from his bedroom. However, Nixon’s legacy stood the test of time, and each president’s personality dictated their relationship with the press.
Veteran journalist Judy Woodruff, who has covered various presidential cycles since 1976, once explained it this way: “How is it to cover the White House? It is the most stimulating turf. You are on the frontline of history.
On the other hand, you don’t have great access. You’re always behind the door,” she said in a 2016 PBS documentary on the White House. So, if you ever visit the Villa and see the President, consider it an honour. It’s certainly not the norm.
