Liverpool’s Ekitike updates IG bio to omo Olorun

By Ejire Folakunmi

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike has set social media alight after updating the bio of his low-key Instagram account to the Yoruba phrase “Omo Olorun”, meaning “Child of God” or “Son of God”.

The 23-year-old French international, who joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer for a club-record £79 million, made the change on his secondary account @heesheki, which has 440,000 followers. His main account, @hekitike, has 3.5 million followers.

The update was first amplified by ESPN Africa on April 22, posting: “Hugo Ekitike has updated his Instagram burner bio to ‘Omo Olorun.’ A Yoruba phrase meaning ‘Child of God’ or ‘Son of God.’ 🇳🇬🙏”

Nigerian fans quickly celebrated the gesture with flags, prayers, and viral comments like “Ewedu to the Universe”, with Brila FM also picking up the trend.

The move has, however, drawn questions from skeptics over Ekitike’s links to Nigeria. The striker was born in France to a Cameroonian father and French mother, and has represented France at the youth level.

Unverified rumours have circulated online about a Yoruba grandfather, but Ekitike has not publicly addressed his heritage.

Ekitike is currently facing a long spell on the sidelines until 2027 due to injury, according to reports.

The bio update comes amid growing cultural crossover between European football stars and African fanbases, with players increasingly acknowledging heritage or engaging with supporters in local languages.