Liverpool’s Ekitike sparks Nigerian frenzy with Yoruba Instagram bio update

Abdullateef Fowewe

Liverpool FC’s French-Cameroonian striker Hugo Ekitike has ignited a wave of excitement among Nigerian football fans, particularly those from the Yoruba ethnic group, after updating the bio on what appears to be a burner Instagram account to “Omo Olorun”—a Yoruba phrase meaning “Child of God.”

The subtle change quickly went viral on social media, with Nigerian users seizing on Ekitike’s surname, which phonetically echoes “Ekiti,” the name of a southwestern Nigerian state.

Fans flooded the post with celebratory replies, playfully claiming the 22-year-old as “one of their own” despite his well-documented French birth and Cameroonian heritage.

Comments ranged from heartfelt nods to spiritual kinship—“Omo Olorun ti de Liverpool!” (Child of God has arrived at Liverpool!)—to humorous jabs like “Ekiti boy don land Anfield” and memes linking Ekitike to Ekiti State’s rugged stereotypes.

The reactions highlight football’s power to forge unexpected cultural bonds, blending fandom with ethnic pride.

Ekitike, who joined Liverpool in a high-profile transfer last season, has yet to address the buzz.