Former Premier League frontman Emmanuel Adebayor has been urged to become a politician in his native Togo.
An opposition leader believes the 39-year-old has all the merits to make the switch from pitch to polls, a path followed famously by legends George Weah and Romario.
Adebayor hung up his boots in March 2023 after a storied career banging in 237 goals for Real Madrid, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, and Crystal Palace among others.
His career courted controversy – there was that iconic knee-slide against former club Arsenal while at City, or his fall-out with the Cityzens as he refused to train with the reserves after being banished by Roberto Mancini.
There was also the ruckus in 2020 when he defiantly refused to donate to Togo’s fight against Covid-19, declaring: ‘I do what I want to do.’
Now, however, Yao Robert Date, president of the opposition Renewal Action Committee, has invited Adebayor to join his party.
‘It’s a good thing that our brother Adebayor has celebrated his testimonial game,’ Date said.
‘But now he has finished with sport he needs to get involved in politics.
‘And the ideal party for him to campaign with is the CAR. I invite him to join us.
‘With him on board we can continue the political struggle for freedom in Togo. In Adebayor we see an example of perseverance and success.
‘He embodies the kind of ambition and dynamism that Togo’s young people want from their political leaders.’
Whether Adebayor would take up the offer is another matter – on Sunday he lavished praise on the incumbent president Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe for facilitiating his testimonial in Lome, the country’s capital.
Gnassingbe’s Union for the Republic party won 108 out of 113 seats at the country’s legislative elections in April, with the president having been in power since 2005.
Plenty of African and Premier League greats turned out to celebrate Adebayor’s career on Sunday. Samuel Eto’o, Jay-Jay Okocha, Yaya Toure, El Hadji Diouf, Nwankwo Kanu, and Patrick Mboma were all present in front of a packed-out stadium.
His SEA foundation (his full name is Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor) aims to improve education, health and youth entrepreneurship, in Togo and wider Africa.
‘I’m also focusing on empowering of women, empowering of the youth. And, you know, they are vulnerable populations. And these people, need our voice to stand for them. They need our strength,’ said Adebayor after his testimonial.
‘That’s why we’re here. These are the areas we are focusing on. And of course, agriculture. So for me, we need to find a way to have sustainable agriculture.’
