Why we are bringing him to the country—Prince Donatus Okonkwo
By Benjamin Njoku
Business mogul and Chairman of Tetrazzini Group of companies, Prince Donatus Okonkwo is poised to hit headline news as he plans to bring World boxing champion, Floyd Mayweather to Nigeria.
The visit, which is already buzzing on the internet will once again shoot the country into the spotlight.
Mayweather is billed to touch the Nigerian soil on Monday, June 12, and he would be around for four days and three nights.
Prince Donatus Okonkwo, who is organizing an African tour for the boxing icon, said among other things that Mayweather will be involved in a lot of activities while in Nigeria. Part of the itinerary include a charity bout with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
“Floyd is coming to sub Saharan Africa for the first time and he is starting in Nigeria,” Okonkwo said.
“He would arrive on the 12th of June, and he would be around for four days and three nights” he added. Reeling out the itinerary for Mayweather in his four-day visit, Prince Okonkwo said, the World boxing champion will be visiting Lagos, Abuja, Akwa Ibom and Anambra states during his stay in Nigeria.
“We are happy to announce to you that Mayweather will be engaging Dogara in a charity bout to be staged in Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, on June 14, “ Prince Okonkwo said.
He added that the Speaker has already given assurances that he would be present for the bout as it is a charitable event.
Besides, on arrival on the 12th of June, Mayweather will move straight to Awka, the capital of Anambra State, where he is expected to deliver a talk on the “Seven Life Lessons.” The lecture will precede Okonkwo’s declaration as the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress,APC, in Anambra State. He said the declaration will be huge as APC chieftains including the National leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, Acting President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun are all expected to attend. Others are Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Dr. Prince Arthur Eze. who will be the father of the Day, while HRM Gerald Mbamalu, the Regent of Ojoto, will be the Royal father of the Day.
At the event, the undefeated world boxing champion will be sharing his grass to grace story. “It is going to cost us a lot of money, but I believe those who will be there may not forget the day after hearing the grass-to-grace story of Mayweather. This is somebody who was not given any chance, but he beat all the odds against him. The lesson is, if Mayweather can, you can as well,”Prince Okonkwo added.
Speaking further, Prince Okonkwo said, while in Anambra State, Mayweather will be conferred with a Chieftaincy title by the Igwe of Ogbunike, one the ancient kingdoms in Igboland.
“We are also taking him to Lagos and Abuja; after which he will continue his tour of West Africa to Ghana,” Okonkwo said.
With his fame and reputation, Okonkwo believes Mayweather who is flying out of his Las Vegas base in the United States will immediately bring the attention of his over 15 million followers on Anambra State.
Other cites Mayweather is expected to visit during his stay in Nigeria include, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, where he expected to commission the sport complex in the state among other things. In Lagos, aside meeting with the governor, the boxing icon will have interactive session with the Nigerian youths as well as visit some historical sites in the city.
On why he is delving into politics, Okonkwo who is known as a successful businessman and community developer said, he is going into politics to clean up the mess in Anambra State.
According to him, “I am a man of vision, I am a man of clarity and I am a man of excellence. It means that if it is not done well, it’s not done at all. So, specifically, I will bring excellence in Anambra state. I will immediately stamp out poverty in Anambra State. Poverty is a disease. What is happening in Anambra Stat is unacceptable to me. We need sanity in Anambra State. What I will bring to the state is sanity. Anambra is in chaos and we need to clean it up”
Narrating how Mayweather reacted when he invited him to Nigeria, Okonkwo said, he was excited, adding, “he wants to come to the mother land and that’s why he’s coming to the country. I don’t see Mayweather coming to Nigeria without giving all.”
Okonkwo said, the world boxing champion is interested in establishing a boxing academy in Nigeria, where he will train youths with extra abilities and strengths in sport. “He’s also interesting in training talented Nigerians who have bias for boxing. He will be able to adopt them.” One of the emerging enterprises from the Tetrazzini group is Zzini Media. With this platform, Okonkwo intends to aggregate all his entertainment, leisure and media related pursuits. Already, plans are afloat to bring to Nigeria a world class female American musician in the last quarter of the year.
An Ojoto, Anambra State-born business mogul, Okonkwo loves, listens and dances to all kinds of music. He also loves watching basketball; plays table and lawn tennis to relax. His love for sports is highlighted by the fact that he has attended many Olympic Games and World Cup events.
The post Garlands, as world boxing champion, Floyd Mayweather comes to Nigeria appeared first on Vanguard News.
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