Former Nigerian football legend and Super Eagles captain, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, has strongly refuted a viral social media claim that he once carried Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo on his shoulders during a match at the Reebok Stadium in 2005.
The rumor started after a photo surfaced online, showing a young girl seated on Okocha’s shoulders, with social media users and some blogs claiming the child was Okoronkwo. The post quickly gained attention, with many praising the image as a touching moment between two Nigerian football generations. Some even described it as a symbolic passing of the torch from a football icon to a future star.
However, Okocha has since issued a clear statement debunking the claim. According to him, while he appreciates the creativity and sentiment behind the story, it is simply not true. He clarified that he had no connection to the girl in the photo and that the image was being misused to push a false narrative. “I didn’t carry Esther Okoronkwo on my shoulders in 2005. That picture has been wrongly interpreted,” he said.
Okocha also expressed concern over the increasing spread of misinformation on social media. He advised fans and bloggers to fact-check and verify before sharing unconfirmed stories, especially when such stories involve real individuals who may be affected by public assumptions.
On her part, Esther Okoronkwo has remained silent regarding the viral post. As of now, she hasn’t commented publicly to confirm or deny the story. Okoronkwo, born in 1997, would have been about eight years old in 2005, the year the photo was reportedly taken.
Critics of the viral post also noted the lack of evidence linking Okoronkwo to the girl in the picture. No official record, interview, or photograph from that era supports the claim, and no news outlet had previously reported such an incident.
In an age where content spreads rapidly online, Okocha’s response serves as a reminder of the importance of digital responsibility. Not every viral moment is true, and not every photo tells the full story. As a football icon known for his integrity both on and off the pitch, Okocha’s clarification puts to rest what now seems to be a case of mistaken identity fueled by nostalgia and imagination.
In conclusion, the claim that Austin Okocha carried Esther Okoronkwo at the Reebok Stadium in 2005 is false. Okocha has denied it, and no verifiable evidence supports the story.
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