By Monsurah Olatunji
Cameroonian football legend Samuel Eto’o made a memorable gesture during a recent courtesy visit to Nigerian billionaire Tony Elumelu, gifting him a luxurious red Hermès tie.
Elumelu, visibly pleased with the thoughtful present, thanked Eto’o with a handshake, and a video from the encounter showed the two engaging in further discussion.
In addition to the tie, Eto’o made the visit even more special by signing jerseys for Elumelu’s sons, further cementing the goodwill of the meeting.
While many fans admired Eto’o’s kind gesture, some criticized the lavishness of the gift, particularly given Eto’o’s current role as the President of the Cameroon Football Federation.
Nonetheless, the visit resonated warmly with followers, who appreciated the mutual respect between two influential African figures.
Eto’o shared the moment on his official social media platforms, writing, “It’s always a great pleasure to see you,” further stressing the strong bond between the two.
A two-time treble winner with Barcelona and Inter Milan, Eto’o remains a prominent figure in African football.
Meanwhile, Elumelu, founder of Heirs Holdings and the Tony Elumelu Foundation, is widely recognized for his efforts in youth empowerment and economic development across Africa.
This visit is not the first time the two have been seen together; they were recently spotted at Elumelu’s annual ‘White Party’ last December, an event that gathers influential figures to celebrate the end of the year.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
