For someone who was born and raised in Owerri, the capital city of Imo State in south-eastern Nigeria, it is appropriate that Arsenal and Nigeria legend Nwankwo Kanu embodies the usefulness of the heart.
Owerri’s slogan is “Eastern Heartland” because it is located at the centre of Igboland, a territory in south-eastern Nigeria which is the homeland of the Igbo people.
Kanu, 49, underwent a heart operation to correct a faulty aortic valve in 1996 after the defect was discovered during a medical examination as he was completing his transfer from Dutch club Ajax to Italy’s Inter Milan. Despite concerns that he may never play again, Kanu made a full recovery and played football at the highest level until his retirement in 2012.
Kanu had another corrective heart surgery in 2014, but the first experience had motivated him to establish the Kanu Heart Foundation in 2000 to help less-privileged children with heart problems to get life-saving surgeries.
During an interview with James Wokabi and Elijah Ouko on SportOn! – the sports talk show which airs on NTV every Monday night – Kanu reflected on his successful heart surgeries with a sigh of relief.
“That (undergoing life-saving heart surgeries) is why I started the foundation. I have gone through it, I have seen it, and I can look back and say phew,” Kanu said before describing how his foundation is helping to facilitate early detection of heart ailments in needy children, which may go unnoticed for years due to lack of funds for proper medical check-ups.
“It does not make sense to be a legend and not give back,” Kanu said, narrating how the foundation’s work adds meaning to his status as a legendary footballer.
“My best trophy is seeing a child happy after undergoing a successful heart surgery,” Kanu said in an earlier statement, which followed a remark about the Kanu Heart Foundation having sponsored over 700 successful open-heart surgeries.
Arsenal legend Nwankwo Kanu surprises fans with the EPL trophy
Still, Kanu said he feels the pressure to do more. “Our waiting list has over 150 cases. That gives us pressure, and we are now planning to build a hospital in Nigeria soon,” he said.
On a trivial front, there are other issues that have given Kanu pressure over the last 21 years – Arsenal’s league trophy drought.
“When Arsenal is not doing well, people call my name because I made them support the club,” Kanu, who won the league with Arsenal in 2002 and 2004, said with a laugh before tipping the club to win the Premier League this season because they have a formidable squad.
“I know I said the same thing in previous years, but I believe this is our year.”
Still, Kanu reckoned the current Gunners squad has to overcome the “bottlers’ tag to match the achievements of the Invincibles – the Arsenal team that won the league unbeaten in 2004. “Invincibles were warriors and finished what they started,” Kanu said.
Kanu singled out winger Bukayo Saka as his favourite player at the club. “He scores and assists goals, and his work rate is very high,” he said.
Saka is of Nigerian origin, and Kanu also had something to say about Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi, who is one of two Nigerians to have played for Arsenal after Kanu left the Gunners in 2004. The other one is Semi Ajayi.
“His progress has been top. I always tell him to see himself as a superstar and not a part player,” Kanu said.
He said Iwobi could become the first Nigerian player to reach 300 appearances in the English Premier League after featuring in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle on October 25.
Iwobi made his debut for Nigeria in 2015 and played for them at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia, the last one that the Super Eagles qualified for. Iwobi and his international teammates face an uphill task to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup after being relegated to the play-offs.
Arsenal's Nwankwo Kanu in action against Aston Villa's Jlloyd Samuel during an English Premier League match on January 18,2004
Photo credit: File
However, Kanu, who played for Nigeria at three World Cups, is confident they will be in the global showpiece next year and will win Afcon 2025 because they have quality players. “A World Cup without Nigeria is not a World Cup. Nigeria will be at the World Cup and Afcon is ours to win it,” Kanu said.
Kanu’s 19-year-old son, Sean, is also a footballer. He plays for Polish third-tier side Górnik Polkowice. “He has the talent, and I encourage him a lot. I know it is difficult because there is pressure on him to emulate me, but gradually I believe he will be a superstar,” Kanu said.
Manchester United fan Anne Njoroge (centre) with her friends receive Arsenal and Nigeria legend Nwankwo Kanu at her house in Kanyariri Homes on Waiyaki Way in Nairobi during the EPL trophy tour on October 27, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
Kanu gave the interview while he was in Kenya for a promotional event with Guinness last week, during which he paid surprise visits to Kenyan EPL fans at their homes together with the Premier League trophy.
“I have heard a lot about Kenya having wonderful EPL-mad fans and I came here to be part of them and make them feel special,” he said of his engagement in Nairobi.
