DR Congo Fan Who Stands As Living Statue of Congolese Leader Lumumba Finally At The World CUp
Mr. Nkuka Mboladinga became a social media sensation at the African Cup of Nations for posing as a statue of Lumumba
XtraTime Newsdesk: Michel Kuka Mboladinga is a name no one has heard of. Yet, the fans of the Democratic Republic of Congo's football team often recognize him as their leader. While Congo were playing their 2nd match against Colombia, Mboladinga supported the team in a somewhat unique fashion.
He dresses up in a jacket and tie to resemble his country's first Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba so that he can stand on a podium and strike a pose similar to a statue of the leader in the country's capital, Kinshasa. That stands in contrast to the fans singing and dancing around him.
Mr. Nkuka Mboladinga became a social media sensation at the African Cup of Nations for posing as a statue of Lumumba on a pedestal with his right hand raised and standing still throughout games.
He is an iconic sight in any game involving the DR Congo. When they started their World Cup campaign, fans felt that something was missing from the stands. Mboladinga finally got his visa recently and fans were greeted by a welcome sight during Congo's second World Cup match. He also missed DR Congo's World Cup playoff match against Jamaica earlier this year — when his nation secured a return to the tournament after 52 years — because he was unable to get a visa in time.
This time, due to an outbreak of the Ebola Virus, his visa was delayed again. But, that didn't stop the viral sensation from coming to see his team play the World Cup after more than five decades. Congo fans are glad that their "leader" is back amongst themselves to support the national team.
(Photo Courtesy :Fifa)
