Nigerian-born American football star, Morotoluwa Ojomo, fresh from his 2025 Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles, has announced plans to establish a sports academy in Nigeria aimed at empowering young athletes and promoting American football in the country.
Ojomo, who arrived in Lagos on Wednesday with his parents and sister, expressed his vision to create opportunities for Nigerian youths, nurturing the next generation of elite athletes.
During a meeting in Abuja on Saturday with the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Ojomo emphasized the importance of investing in the youth for a brighter future.
Ojomo’s Vision for Nigerian Athletes
“In the meeting yesterday, we proposed a plan to ultimately build an academy that not only promotes Nigerian-born athletes overseas or Nigerian descendants who come back and visit, but also points to the youths and give them abilities to grow in strength, and grow into skill. That is what is in the pipeline,” Ojomo stated.
He further noted that flag football is gaining momentum in Nigeria, with ongoing tryouts in Lagos aimed at preparing teams for the 2028 Olympics.
“There is a lot of work being done with the flag football team. Some tryouts are happening in Lagos right now. I think they want to get them ready for the Olympics in 2028,” Ojomo added.
Strengthening Nigerian-American Football Ties
Ojomo, who was born in Lagos in 2001 before moving to California at age seven, credited his Nigerian roots for shaping his determination and perseverance. He believes that with the right resources and platforms, Nigeria has the potential to become a global sports powerhouse.
“What we are working on now is just to provide more opportunities for the youths and ultimately make Nigeria the greatest country in the world. So that’s the goal,” he remarked.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa Commends Ojomo
Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa congratulated Ojomo on his Super Bowl victory and acknowledged his efforts in promoting Nigeria’s global sports presence.
“We thank you for making us so proud and I know that you are passionate about your country. You are passionate about the younger Nigerians, and you want to make a difference in their lives,” she said, inviting him to participate in the upcoming Diaspora Day on July 25 to share his inspiring journey.
Ojomo joins the ranks of other Nigerian-born NFL champions, including C.J. Uzomah, Chukwuebuka Godrick, Chris Oladokun, and Charles Omenihu, further cementing Nigeria’s growing influence in American football.
