Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, announced on Sunday that the former professional tennis player Tanya Okpala is now under the care of his government, following the circulation of a distressing video featuring her on social media.
The video, which emerged on Saturday, depicted Okpala engaging in a conversation with an unidentified man on the streets of Awka, Anambra State. Born to a Belarusian woman and a Nigerian man, Okpala represented Nigeria in tennis during the 1990s and had practiced as an immigration lawyer in the United States for a period.
In the video, Okpala, seemingly nursing a wound on her left leg, expressed disbelief that her country had seemingly forgotten her. She shared that she had been unjustly labeled a prostitute by people in the area and appealed for assistance, expressing her intention to return to her village to care for her daughter.
Tanya Okpala and her sister Katya Okpala both represented Nigeria in tennis in the 1990s.
It breaks my heart to see a former Nigerian Tennis Champion in the street like this💔 pic.twitter.com/f5g5XnvHXH
— Chude Nnamdi (@chude__) January 28, 2024
Governor Soludo, in a tweet, confirmed that his wife had spoken with Okpala over the phone, and assured that the former athlete would undergo rehabilitation. He wrote, “Tanya Okpala (Fmr Tennis champion) is now in the custody of the Anambra State Government. She was with the Commissioner of Women Affairs when my wife spoke with her on the phone. My government will ensure her rehabilitation and fruitful reunion with her daughter and family.”
