Akor Adams paid tribute to Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of DR Congo, after scoring against Algeria in the quarter-final of the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

On Saturday, Adams scored the second goal in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Algeria.

The strike was the 25-year-old’s second in the competition and his fourth for the Super Eagles.

After scoring, Adams stood and struck a pose resembling Lumumba’s famous statue in DR Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.

The Lumumba pose was made famous by Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, a DR Congo fan who attended all the country’s matches at the 2025 AFCON.

Mboladinga dressed up as his country’s respected first leader and stood still on an elevated platform throughout every match.

Lumumba was DR Congo’s first prime minister and was assassinated in 1961. He has remained one of Africa’s most revered political icons ever since.

Algeria defeated DR Congo in the second round of the 2025 AFCON. After the match, Mohamed Amine Amoura, one of the Algerian players, mocked Mboladinga and, in a theatrical banter that suggested the statue had been knocked over.

Amoura’s action stirred online reaction with many people describing the gesture as disrespectful to DR Congo and the memory of Lumumba.

However, Adams’ tribute has sparked reactions, with Nigerians describing the gesture as payback and revenge on Algeria following Amoura’s earlier antics against a DR Congo super fan.
@HARZ97485790 wrote, “Respect to you Adams and thank you for the gesture! Africa is one; we are one!!! Thank you for eliminating those racists!”
@wasuptalababy wrote, “Brother that display is defending the melanin, and also tha cool goal you’re maddd”
@tonyajah wrote, “Congratulations  The Super Eagles didn’t win for Nigeria; they won for Africa. Patrice Lumumba lives on.”
@Tabelo2000 wrote, “This gesture was beautiful . Thank you for doing that. Respect”