In 1971, former World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali was hosted by General Yakubu Gowon, the Head of State of Nigeria at the time, at Dodan Barracks in Lagos. This visit happened just prior Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s historic bout.
The video shows Muhammad Ali engaging in humorous conversation with General Gowon’s son, Ibrahim Gowon. Ali was in Nigeria for a four-day goodwill tour. The President thanked Ali and expressed his hope that the boxer would inform Afro-Americans about the social and economic advancements occurring in Africa.
In order to better understand the joy of success, the General also urged Ali not to worry about his most recent loss to Joe Frazier, stressing that it was occasionally beneficial to taste failure.
Brigadier Austen Olumuyiwa Peters (with sunglasses), the first native commander of the Nigerian Army Corps and later the Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services, and Federal Commissioner for Education Chief Anthony Enahoro were also in attendance. Brigadier Peters graduated with a boxing “Blue” from Cambridge University, at Barewa College in Zaria, General Gowon captained the boxing team.
