Odion Ighalo: Super Eagles striker has become an honorary citizen of Calgary in Canada

Ighalo spent a couple of days in Calgary on vacation after a tough season in the CSL.

Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has been awarded the honorary citizenship of Canadian city Calgary.

Ighalo went on vacation in Calgary, a city in the Canadian province of Alberta after a tough 2017 Chinese Super League (CSL) season with Changchun Yatai.

The striker took to his Instagram to share photos of his certificate which certifies him as an honorary citizen of Calgary.

The certificate was given to him at the White Hat Ceremony which is a long-standing tradition in Calgary, a symbol of the Western hospitality and good cheer they share with visiting guests.

 

“Honorary Calgarian, this certificate entitles Odion Jude Ighalo to enjoy a truly western experience in Calgary,” the certificate reads.

“Now an honorary Calgarian, the recipient has understood and made a promise to extend this special brand of western hospitality to everyone from the day forward.”

The certificate was signed by the Chief White Hatter of Calgary, Cindy Ady, a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

 

Ighalo spent a couple days in Calgary and attended the White Hat Ceremony with some of his Canada-based relatives.

As part of the ceremony, the 28-year-old was given a white hat which he is seen wearing in one of his Instagram photos.

Ighalo joins a slew of several celebrities and dignitaries who have had the white Smithbilt hat bestowed on them on their visits to the city since the 1950s, when Calgary's Mayor, Don MacKay, started the tradition.

Before visiting Calgary, the former Watford striker spent some days in Las Vegas where he ran into retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather.

 

He withdrew from Super Eagles duties in the just concluded international break because of an injury which also made him miss Changchun Yatai's last league game of the season.

Ighalo joined Changchun Yatai in January 2017 and scored 14 League goals for the Chinese club, leading them to a seventh-place finish in the league.