Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka, the talented Arsenal winger, has garnered attention not only for his impressive football skills but also for his rich cultural heritage. Saka’s Nigerian roots can be traced to his parents, who migrated to the United Kingdom (UK) from Nigeria before he was born.
While his mother, Adenike Saka (nee Ogunremi) hails from the Elerinmowe compound in Ijomu-Oro, Kwara State, his father, Yomi Saka, is from Ogun State. They left Nigeria to settle in London in search of the proverbial greener pastures.
Saka has his family origin from the Yoruba ethnic group of southwest Nigeria known for its vibrant culture and traditions. Bukayo is a Yoruba name that means something that adds to joy and happiness. Indeed, Saka lives up to his name, his mesmerizing skills and goals bringing joy to his supporters across the Arsenal fan base worldwide, the English nation where he is an important player of the Three Lions and Nigeria, where he is seen as one of their own doing great exploits on the global stage.
This connection to Nigeria is an essential part of Saka’s identity, and he has often expressed pride in his heritage, celebrating it through his interactions with fans and his visit to Lagos last year to reconnect with his roots.
Despite being born in England, Saka has maintained a strong affinity for Nigeria. He often shared his experiences of visiting the country, connecting with family members and embracing the local culture. This dual identity has resonated with many of his fans, especially those of Nigerian descent, who see him as a role model and a source of inspiration. As he continues to excel in his football career, Saka’s Nigerian heritage remains an integral aspect of his story, reflecting the diverse cultural tapestry within the world of sports.
Early Life
Bukayo Saka’s journey began in London, in a place called Ealing, where he grew up. The younger of two children, he was part of a family of strong values rooted in the vibrant Yoruba culture.
Bukayo‘s father, Yomi, and mother, Adenike , played a big role in helping him not just as a person but also in following his love for football.
Arsenal Star’s Visit To Grandpa’s Home In Kwara
Ijomu-Oro is one of the nine provinces of Oro Community in Irepodun local government area of Kwara State in Nigeria, about 54 kilometres from Ilorin, the state capital.
To be precise, Ijomu-Oro, Elerinmowe’s compound, is the maternal ancestral home of one of Saka’s parents and grandparents. His mother, Adenike, hails from there.
The two-storey building adjacent the main road by the left at the entrance into Ijomu-Oro community was barely occupied when LEADERSHIP Sunday visited it to interact with Saka’s maternal parents.
A relative, 62-year-old Mrs Alimatu Kareem, ushered our correspondent into the compound and claimed to have stayed briefly with Saka’s mother’s father, Mr Oladipo Ogunremi, who is now in his 80s and lives in Lagos State.
“I am related to Mr Oladipo Ogunremi, Adenike’s father. I lived with him at a younger age; we are both from Ijomu-Oro. Adenike (Saka’s mother) was very young when I lived with her father. Later, she (Adenike) travelled abroad to continue her studies.
‘We are happy that Bukayo, her son, is doing well outside Nigeria, and he has proved to be a good ambassador of the family. He was in Nigeria last year, though I wasn’t around to receive him. We are happy he remembered us, his maternal lineage. We are proud of him,” she said.
Hon. Kayode Ogunremi, a former councillor representing Oro Ward 1 and also an uncle to Saka, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that his joy knew no bounds when he (Bukayo) traced his roots back to his grandparents in Nigeria in 2023.
Ogunremi said the family is proud that Bukayo not only brought honour and recognition to the family but also chose to associate, identify, and relate as one of its members.
“We all feel very happy and excited; more importantly, he is doing well in his career. The visit to his grandparents in Lagos no doubt put our community, the family and the country on the global map and publicity. It is quite an honour and recognition for us.
“I would have given you Baba’s (Oladipo Ogunremi) phone number to speak with him directly in Lagos, but he is now in his 80s and will not be able to coordinate very well on the phone,” Ogunremi said.
Hon. John Olalekan Adefila, a youth leader in Oro, said Saka is adored and loved and has remained a role model to the youths in Oro because he chose to identify with the people of the community.
“He is now more popular, being a community member from his mother’s side. I learnt he was in Nigeria last year on a visit to his grandparents in Lagos, but the media erroneously reported that he visited Oro. His family from his mother’s side hails from Ijomu-Oro, but at present resides in Lagos. Some of his relations are here with us in Oro, too, and we are happy to be associated with him and for bringing fame and recognition, not only to his family but the entire Oro community through his football career,” he said.
The chairman of Kwara United Football Club, Mr Kunbi Titiloye, an Oro indigene, said, “It is a thing of joy for us knowing that Saka has his maternal lineage in the Oro community.
“It is important for the youths to emulate and replicate his sense of good reasoning to have deemed it fit to trace his grandparents back to Nigeria.
“I want to advise the youths like him who are outside not to forget their source but to be proud of their lineage,” he said.
Mrs Abikoye Esther Olaitan, an Arsenal fan and CEO of Queens Kitchen, Oro, said sharing the same community with Saka has tremendously increased her love and loyalty to her cherished club.
“I got to know last year that Saka hails from Ijomu-Oro when he visited his grandparents in Nigeria. That has become another level in my love and loyalty to my adored club, Arsenal FC. It has also increased his popularity among the youths in the community.
“The fact that he didn’t forget his roots speaks volumes about the kind of good, upright, and mature person he is. We will continue to pray for him to achieve more glory in his career and take the club to the desired enviable height.
“He should just continue to be versatile and excelling on the field and in his character, too,” she said.
The councillor representing Omu-Aran Ward 1 in Irepodun local government area, Hon. Taiwo Bello, also an Arsenal FC supporter, said Saka had, with the singular act of tracing his roots back to the country, demonstrated the Yoruba cultural value (Omoluabi) in his upbringing. He advised him to continue to be responsible and be a good ambassador of the community and Nigeria.
“Hearing that he hails from Ijomu-Oro when he visited Nigeria last year was cheery news to us in Kwara South senatorial district, and we are proud of his exploits in his club. He is a role model to the youths, and it is our prayer that his career continues to blossom,” he said.
Prodigious Saka Loved By Many In Nigeria
Bukayo Saka seems to have a larger-than-life image in Nigeria, his home country. During his visit to Lagos, many of his fans and ordinary Nigerians were ecstatic to see this football star in their community, whom they previously only saw on television.
Our reporters visited the orphanage, Bales of Mercy Orphanage, Bariga in Lagos, and met with officials to ascertain the level of his philanthropic activities. The manager told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the founder is the best person to speak about the matter.
Musa Wasiu, a tailor who first saw Saka when he visited Bales of Mercy Orphanage in Bariga, Lagos, expressed mixed feelings about the encounter.
He said, “I’m happy and not happy at the same time for Bukayo Saka. I’m not happy because he’s not playing for Nigeria. However, I’m happy because he has not forgotten his roots, which is Nigeria, and he visited the orphanage to make some donations.”
Recounting the moment, Wasiu continued, “I came out of my shop and saw someone taking a selfie. I told the guys around my shop, ‘Look, isn’t that Bukayo Saka who plays for Arsenal Football Club?’ Some disagreed, but I insisted, even though I’m not an Arsenal supporter, that I knew it was Saka.
As two or three people walked closer, they all agreed he was indeed Bukayo Saka, especially those who recognised him.”
The excitement among the locals was palpable, as Wasiu remarked, “We are excited that a star footballer could come and offer help. That is what humanity wants, and we are happy.”
Uncertainty Over Connection To Lagos
However, there remains uncertainty about Saka’s connection to the area.
“We’re not sure if his family still resides here,” Wasiu said. “Considering that he visited an orphanage, which different people often visit, I am unsure if his family stays here. Nonetheless, I love what he did. He came out, took a picture of himself, and waved at the people in the street.”
Supporting Wasiu’s account, Alaba Olotu, a betting agent, added, “We were all here on the street, talking amongst ourselves. One of us who saw him first pointed out that the man he was seeing looked like the Arsenal football player, Bukayo Saka. Some were skeptical, but the person insisted it was Saka. Before we could all realise it, he moved with his bodyguard and got into his car, and they drove off.”
Olotu emphasised how unexpected Saka’s visit was, saying, “People didn’t realise that the football star we watch on television was around our area. If not for the fact that he stepped out of the orphanage he visited to take a selfie around the welding shop nearby, most would not have noticed. By the time we realised, they had already escorted him into the vehicle and left.”
Reflecting on Saka’s visit, Olotu went on: “I think he spent up to 30 minutes with Bales of Mercy Orphanage, and no one outside the orphanage knew. I believe he wanted to experience coming to Africa, particularly Bariga, which is why he came and took pictures. When he came to Africa, the Lagos State government invited him as well. Given that Bales of Mercy Orphanage is one of the orphanages recognised by the government, maybe that was why he visited and made some donations.
“As a Nigerian, I feel happy for Saka. To come back to Africa and carry out some charity work is good and nice.”