Former Super Eagles captain Augustine “Jay-Jay” Okocha has revisited one of the more unusual episodes of his playing career on how Fenerbahçe gave him Turkish citizenship and a local name during his time in Istanbul, a move he has linked to the club’s efforts to hold on to him as interest grew from clubs elsewhere in Europe, including Paris Saint-Germain.
Okocha joined Fenerbahçe in 1996 from German side Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth around €1 million, arriving in Turkey after Frankfurt’s relegation to the second division. Across two seasons in the Süper Lig, he became a fan favourite, scoring 30 goals in 62 appearances, many from his trademark free kicks.
During his spell at the club, Okocha took up Turkish citizenship and adopted the name Muhammed Yavuz. Speaking to Turkish outlet Hürriyet, he said he accepted the citizenship offer without much hesitation, recalling the warmth of Fenerbahçe’s supporters during his time there. He has explained separately that he chose “Muhammed” for its significance in Islam, and “Yavuz” as a tribute to a Fenerbahçe facility manager he was fond of without changing his own religion in the process.
His form in Turkey drew attention from bigger clubs. In 1998, Paris Saint-Germain signed him for a fee reported between roughly £14 million and $18 million, then a Turkish transfer record and enough to make him the most expensive African player in the world at the time. Okocha has said Fenerbahçe initially resisted the move, having recently extended his contract by three years, but he pushed the transfer through, viewing PSG as too big an opportunity to turn down.
At PSG, Okocha spent four seasons, making 84 appearances and scoring 12 goals, and helped the club to the 1997–98 Coupe de France as well as joint Intertoto Cup success in 2001. He also became a mentor to a young Ronaldinho, later a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, whom Okocha has since described as the best teammate of his career. He left Paris in 2002 for Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer, before later spells at Qatar SC and Hull City.
Now 52, Okocha remains among Nigeria’s most celebrated footballers, having earned 75 caps for the Super Eagles between 1993 and 2006 and featured at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He was twice named BBC African Footballer of the Year and is remembered as much for his flamboyant dribbling as for his role in one of Nigerian football’s golden generations.
