Evander Holyfield spotted in Nigeria tracing his root

Evander Holyfield, five-time World Boxing Champion (WBC), last weekend visited Badagry, a border town in southwest Nigeria's Lagos State, to reconnect with his African roots and seek the possibility of investing in the country's tourism industry.

The Alabama, United States-born retired pugilist believes he is of African descent.

Holyfield disclosed this to reporters here when he visited the traditional ruler of the town, Wheno Aholu Meno Toyi 1, the Akran of Badagry, saying he was visiting to trace his African roots.

"I am happy to see His Royal Majesty, the Akran of Badagry and to also reconnect and reunite with my ancestral land," he said.

According to the world renowned boxer who believed to be one of the offsprings of the Blacks in the Diaspora who were taken into slavery during the trans-atlantic slave trade in the 18th century, Badagry is also a good place for investment.

"On the long run, I will like to promote tourism here," he added.

He later went on a boat cruise along the Badagry waterways, to see areas of possible investment.

The retired pugilist was in the company of Alfred Dickson, an associate of Marlon Jackson, who also disclosed that he would be investing in Gberefun Town where Badagry's Point of No Return is located.

The Point of No Return is the gate from where slaves were shipped abroad during the days of slavery.