“Never been to Nigeria” – South Africans urged to calm stormy Ime Okon debate after Bafana Bafana debut

Former Enyimba star Prince Olomu has called on South African fans to rally behind young defender Ime Okon, whose Bafana Bafana debut has stirred debate due to his Nigerian heritage, Soccernet.ng reports.

Okon, who was born in Johannesburg to a Nigerian father and South African mother, has played every minute of South Africa’s campaign at the ongoing COSAFA Cup in Bloemfontein. His assured displays at the heart of defence have helped Bafana Bafana reach the semi-finals, yet some fans have questioned his place in the team.

The 20-year-old’s dual heritage has sparked a polarising reaction online, but Olomu, who resides in South Africa, believes the criticism is misplaced and divisive.

Ime Okon: Olomu's message to South Africa

“Bafana is ready to win bigger things if they can embrace what the global game has become,” Olomu told Kickoff.

“Lamine Yamal (Spain), Kylian Mbappe (France), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Bukayo Saka (England), Alexander Isak (Sweden), and Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands) all play for European teams and there are no issues even though they have roots in Africa.

“If it is for the benefit of having a stronger national team, then I see no issues with selecting anyone eligible.”

Olomu also pointed to the Springboks rugby team and Bafana Bafana's own history of selecting dual-nationality players as further evidence that Okon deserves full support.

“The Springboks have had players who are not originally from South Africa who have helped them win the World Cup, and there has been no noise.

“Even Bafana has had players with roots in England, Portugal, Holland or Greece in the past, but there was no noise. Ime Okon was born in South Africa and is eligible to play for Bafana, so that is what matters.

“The boy was born and grew up here, eats the same food, speaks the language, has never been to Nigeria, and takes pride in identifying as being South African… other sentiments on Okon are just feeding on black-on-black hate.”

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A composed, ball-playing centre-back for SuperSport United, Okon made 20 league appearances this past season and earned a place in the league’s Team of the Week.

His rise through the ranks has been rapid, and national team coach Hugo Broos handed him a debut in the COSAFA Cup opener on June 4, a narrow 1-0 defeat to Mozambique.

Despite the result, Okon impressed with his poise and positioning. He retained his place in the starting XI for the second match against Zimbabwe, where he capped a fine performance with his first international goal in a 2-0 win. He completed the group stage with another 90-minute display in a goalless draw against Mauritius.

Now a mainstay in South Africa’s backline at thr COSAFA Cup, Okon is pushing to be included in Bafana Bafana’s squad for the September World Cup qualifiers — including a potentially emotional clash against Nigeria, the land of his father.

While his decision to represent South Africa may have surprised some Nigerian fans, the Super Eagles are not expected to feel his absence deeply. With a solid centre-back pool that includes William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Igoh Ogbu, and rising star Benjamin Fredrick, Nigeria’s defence remains strong.

Still, Okon will be eager to feature for South Africa when Bafana Bafana host Nigeria in a crucial World Cup qualifier on September 5.

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