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Ighalo on his journey from Africa to the Premier League

 In December 2017, an orphanage was built by Odion Ighalo in Ijegun, a modest suburb north of Lagos, Nigeria.

 Ighalo is said to have spent around 500 million Nigerian naira, or around £1 million – to build this house. This is a complex that can accommodate from 30 to 40 children, with separate rooms for boys and girls. 

 This orphanage will accept infants and is committed to full care until the age of 18, including instruction in culture and sports. 

 “I dream of making an impact on my life and this is a step in the right direction,” Ighalo said.

 “I hope there will be positive changes in life, the goals of the orphanage are fully met and the children are the leaders of the future,” added the Nigerian striker.

 Before opening the orphanage, Ighalo looked for other ways to help. He is a Christian and has sent part of his salary to Nigeria to help children, schools and widows living below the poverty line.

 In 2015, he told the Daily Mirror: “My family is number one. Every month I send money home to them, but I also send donations to those less fortunate because I come from poverty.”

 In the past, Ighalo played football for a short time for Man Utd in the 2020/21 season but was not very successful. 

 Before that, he spent 4 years playing football in China for Changchun Yantai and Shenhai Shenhua.

 However, the peak of Ighalo must include his time with Watford when the player scored 33 goals in 82 appearances. In the Nigerian shirt, Ighalo also left a certain mark with 16 goals after 36 times for the national team.