Tanya Okpala: Gov Soludo Rescues Homeless Former Tennis Champion From The Streets

• The homeless former lawn tennis champion, Tanya Okpala, has been taken into custody by the Anambra state government
• Governor Charles Soludo said his government will ensure her rehabilitation and reunion with her daughter and family.
• Soludo disclosed that his wife, the First Lady of the state, Nonye spoke with Okpala over the phone

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

Anambra state, Awka - Anambra state governor, Charles Chukwuma Soludo has come to the rescue of homeless former lawn tennis champion, Tanya Okpala.

Soludo said Okpala, who represented Nigeria in the 1990s is now in the custody of the state government.

The governor disclosed this via his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) @CCSoludo, on Sunday, January 28.

Read also

Tragedy as 72-year-old retired soldier kills self in Benue

The step became necessary after Okpara, whose mother is from Belarus, and her father from Anambra was seen in a viral video lamenting that she had been abandoned and neglected.

The US-based ex-lawn tennis star said people often mock her for being a half-caste

Reacting to the sorry state of the former tennis star, Soludo tweeted:

“Tanya Okpala (Fmr Tennis champion) is now in the custody of the Anambra State Government. She was with the Commissioner of Women's Affairs when my wife spoke with her on the phone. My government will ensure her rehabilitation and fruitful reunion with her daughter and family.”

Former tennis champion roams streets like pauper

Legit.ng earlier reported that Okpala was recently Women's of Awka, Anambra state capital. In a video shared by @chude_ on X, the tennis champion revealed how she found it hard to believe that Nigeria had forgotten her.

Read also

"She represented Nigeria in 1990": Former tennis champion now roams the streets like pauper, seeks help

According to Tanya, she had been labelled a prostitute and a madwoman by people in the area. She also lamented that people always advised her to return to her country because she’s a half-cast but she considers herself an Igbo lady. The half-cast revealed that she was planning to return to her village and take care of her daughter.

Okpala is said to have practised as an immigration lawyer in the United States for some time.

Source: Legit.ng