Super Eagles legend Austin Okocha meets President of the Niger Republic

The Nigerian football icon continues to be given a hero’s welcome on his many travels

Former Super Eagles midfielder Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha has offered his appreciation for the warm hospitality he was afforded while meeting the President of the Republic of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum.

No detail of the purpose or duration of the meeting was disclosed.

But on his official Instagram account, a smiling Okocha shared a selfie he took with the President and wrote: “A very big thank you to your excellency, the president of Republic de Niger, for your wonderful hospitality.”

The former PSG star has shown no indication that he plans to take up a coaching career.

Since retiring from active football in 2008, Okocha has spent his time pursuing his business interests and keeping in touch with some of his former clubs.

The 1994 Afcon winner is still a respected voice at Paris Saint-Germain, a club where he starred for four years, after leaving Fenerbahce in 1998.

Earlier in December, ex-Arsenal ace Mesut Ozil confessed Okocha was his childhood idol, and he gifted the Nigerian hero a Fenerbahce number ten jersey just before their Europa League clash against German side Eintracht Frankfurt.

The night before, Okocha was invited to a party between the executives and players of both Frankfurt and Fenerbahce as he played for the two teams in the nineties.

Regarded as one of the most gifted African footballers in history, Okocha was named the Nigerian Footballer of the Year five times and the BBC Africa Footballer of the Year twice.