The herdsboy, Lawrence, wearing a red t-shirt with the inscription “Ozil 9”
Arsenal player Mesut Ozil has gifted a Kenyan herdsboy with a hamper of assorted merchandise including signed jerseys and boots.
Ozil’s attention was drawn after sports journalist Eric Njiru photographed the boy identified as Lawrence, wearing a red t-shirt with the inscription “Ozil 9” as he tended the family cows.
“I saw this kid today grazing in the streets of Nairobi – a city without really grass for cows.
“He told me he loves Mesut Ozil so much(You can see his shirt). Maybe one day this can reach Ozil and get a real Arsenal shirt,” Njiru had tweeted on December 3, 2018.
The Twitter message gained traction amongst Kenyans on Twitter (KOT), garnering 408 comments, 8,300 retweets and 9,900 likes.
Three months later, the Arsenal superstar had hearken to Lawrence’s wish and responded with a gift hamper.
“Ozil saw the tweet, reached out to me and requested to send gifts to the boy- Lawrence- and his brothers which includes signed shirts, boots etc. Thank you Ozil,” Njiru stated.
The team based at Emirates Stadium in London, England and its players have in the past shown kind gestures towards the Kenyan die-hard fans.
For instance, the team paid a special tribute match to a Kenyan fan, Carlton David Maina, who was killed in Nairobi.
The 22-year-old was allegedly killed by a police officer in Kibra as he returned home from watching a football match.
