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Nigerian-born New Zealander, Israel Adesanya, has dropped his two cents regarding corruption in Nigeria and his perception of the Nigerian people in general.
In a video clip that is gaining traction online, the UFC fighter can be seen expressing strong feelings about the situation of things in the most populous black nation.
In the clip, which was a cut from an April 6, 2022 episode of the 'Hotboxin’ podcast' with host and boxing legend Mike Tyson, the 33-year-old mixed martial artist was heard saying, “Nigeria is a very corrupt place.”
“I love my people but it is just that the government, everyone is trying to find a way to siphon money from someone.”
Speaking further, Adesanya noted that greed isn't only a peculiar problem to Nigeria, but cuts across other African countries.
“It can happen in Nigeria, it can happen in South Africa, or it can happen in Morocco,” The Nigerian-New Zealand MMA fighter stated.
Pulse reports that Adesanya reclaimed his Middleweight title from his arch-rival, Alex Pereira, in the main event of UFC 287 in the early hours of Sunday, April 10, 2023.
The self-styled Last Stylebender put his Brazilian opponent to sleep with a deadly punch in the second round at the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida.
Adesanya was born in Nigeria but migrated with his parents to the island country when he was 10 years old. Although he represents New Zealand, Adesanya has always promoted the West African country, especially its music and culture and enjoys a large followership and support from his country of birth in equal measure.
After his victory on Sunday, which was the first in four attempts against Pereira, the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, congratulated the UFC fighter for his doggedness and never-say-die spirit.