Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has appointed former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua as a Sports Ambassador for the state.
The governor received Joshua at the Government House in Abeokuta on Monday.
The Governor confirmed the appointment in a post on his X account.
He wrote: “As a gesture of our collective pride and recognition of his contributions to sports, we were delighted to present him with a letter appointing him as a Sports Ambassador for Ogun State.
“This appointment underscores our commitment to celebrating excellence and supporting individuals who bring honor and pride to our state.
“Together, we look forward to Anthony Joshua achieving even greater victories and continuing to be a beacon of inspiration for Ogun State and beyond.”
Abiodun hailed Joshua for his “remarkable achievements in the world of boxing” which he said continues to inspire others across the globe.
“Anthony Joshua’s remarkable achievements in the world of boxing continue to inspire millions, including the people of Ogun State. His dedication, discipline, and excellence embody the values we uphold as a state,”
The boxer was accompanied by some of his family members during the special courtesy visit.
“This visit is a testament to the bond we share as a people and our collective pride in the success stories that emerge from Ogun State.
“We remain committed to supporting our talents and creating an environment that nurtures greatness in all spheres of life.
“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,”
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.
He said: “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,”
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.