For the better part of Wednesday afternoon, a Kenyan on social media was on the receiving end of brutal attacks from his fellow countrymen after he made a controversial tweet which questioned Harambee Stars Captain Victor Mugubi Wanyama’s efforts and accomplishments off the pitch.
Using retired Ivorian football star Didier Drogba’s recent achievement of sponsoring the construction of an $1 million state of the art hospital in his hometown for comparison, one Njuguna Nyenjeri accused Wanyama of not having done enough to give back to the society despite pocketing millions of pounds every month.
Didier Drogba built a $1 million state of the art hospital in Cote d'Ivoire. pic.twitter.com/TlOEZhL3ZL
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) May 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/ECDGraduate/status/1130855095006949384?s=19
Njuguna would soon regret having made the tweet after a swarm of Kenyans on Twitter descended upon him and condemned his remarks, with a huge majority insisting that the soon to be Champions League finalist doesn’t owe his country anything and that all of his massive success is courtesy of his hardwork.
Thats the work of the govt. Giving back to society is personal decision & no one should be compelled to do so.
— F.D.R (@Leningate) May 22, 2019
I don't remember anyone voting for Wanyama for any office that puts the responsibility of constructing schools on his shoulder.
— Marcus (@isthatmark) May 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/kibuchimzito/status/1131131193490059264?s=19
https://twitter.com/ECDGraduate/status/1131064152582184960?s=19
https://twitter.com/ECDGraduate/status/1131130342474231808?s=19
https://twitter.com/ECDGraduate/status/1131144978649030656?s=19
On this you are wrong. You will not tell Big @VictorWanyama what to do with his money. Kama ulipiga Kura mara tatu na hujaona darasa tafadhali ambia mbunge wako. Victor can chop his money as he so wishes. Hii RTs search hufikia mwisho
— Kipkorir Arap Ananda (@anj_116_) May 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/iGachango/status/1131173203261480960?s=19
I never see tweets telling Kenyattas, Odingas or other rich CEOs to be philanthropic but so many people bang on Wanyama and Mariga.
— Mureithi (@Its_Mureithi) May 22, 2019
Y’all need to stop telling successful people what they should do with their money. Use this energy to demand for better services from the folks who’s job it is to deliver these services. And for clarification purposes, I’m referring to the government not Wanyama…🙄 https://t.co/fC1uglVKhv
— Cleo Maina (@CleoMaina) May 22, 2019
Others seemed to agree with Njuguna’s sentiments with one specific Kenyan accusing Wanyama’s elder brother McDonald Mariga of the same.
Our own McDonald Mariga is Wanyama’s elder brother and was last playing as a defensive midfielder for Spanish club, Real Oviedo and the Kenyan national team where he was earning 14m a month. And all i know he has done is "KARIBU BETIN" https://t.co/thKoNIrXDj
— Ombasa (@kelvinOdell) May 22, 2019
Many footballers have made it to the top from disadvantaged backgrounds and it’s great to see when they use their wealth and status to give back to the community in some way.
Football stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Özil, Nwankwo Kanu, Lionel Messi and David Beckham are known to donate much to charity.
In 2012, Cristiano Ronaldo auctioned off his Golden Boot for that year, raising €1.5m that went towards building schools in the extremely volatile Gaza Strip.
Lionel Messi has contributed money regularly to community projects in Argentina as well as funding a dormitory for his football club as a child and a restoration of a hospital in his hometown.
The Argentine has also worked alongside UNICEF for several years now, working in collaboration with them and other charities to help improve the education systems in countries such as Nepal, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
David Beckham has his fingers in several pies when it comes to charity work, working with organisations such as UNICEF and “Help for Heroes” as well as being a founding member of ‘Malaria No More’ and the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust.
He has raised a huge amount for the NSPCC and also donated all of his £170,000 a week while he was at PSG to charity.
It goes without doubt that Wanyama has been a great servant of the nation on the football pitch and has flied the nation’s flag high on numerous occasions but might Njuguna have a point?
Has Victor Wanyama given back enough to the society? Could he do more? Tell us what you think in the comments section.
