Forbes Magazine Ranks Cameroon's Ndamukong Suh Africa's Highest Paid Athlete

Ndamukong Suh looking to the stars as the limit

 Cameroon’s Ndamukong Suh, who plays for Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL) in the USA, has been named as Africa’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes magazine in its recently published ranking of world’s highest-paid athletes.

The 25-year old Suh is named as the 14th highest-paid athlete in the world with a total earnings of $36 million including salaries/winnings ($35.5 million) and $500,000 from endorsements.

Ndamukong Suh is the son of Michael and Bernadette Suh. His father moved to the USA from Cameroon Where he met got married with his mother Bernadette , who equally found her way to America from Jamaica.

Though an American-born, the native from the North West region of Cameroon has often been vocal of his roots as well as his elder sister and manager Odette Lennon Ngum Suh who played with the indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon at the 2008 African Women’s Championships.

Suh is joined by fellow is not the only African on the list as Cote d’Ivoire’s Yaya Toure is joint 73rd highest-earning athlete in the world with American basketball player, Tim Duncan with total earnings estimated at $19.1 million each.

American boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr. tops the list of highest-paid athletes with $85 million, from only salary/winnings, ahead of Manny Pacquiao, from the Philippines, is in second with a total earnings of $62 million.

American golfer Tiger Woods ($54.9 million), Basketballer LeBron James ($53 million), Tennisman Roger Federer ($52.7 million), Basketballer Kobe Bryant ($52.3 million), Golfer Phil Mickelson ($47.8 million), David Beckham ($46 million), Cristiano Ronaldo ($42.5 million) and American footballer, Peyton Manning ($42.4 million) complete the top ten in that order.

The Great Philanthropist

Ndamukong’s passion for philanthropy began at a young age, donating his own clothing, books, and toys to the children of his parents’ home lands of Cameroon, Africa where Michael, his father was born and Jamaica where Bernadette, his mother was born. As he grew so did his giving. He went on to be an active volunteer at local food banks, and participated in major recycling functions with his family. Entering his college years he spent time visiting hospitals where he comforted the elderly and held babies in NICU.

His most notable giving experience came a)er his graduation but before obtaining his first post-collegiate position. He donated $2.6 dollars to his alma mater dedicated to both the athletic program and the college of engineering department of which he received his degree.

Performing what he masters best

Since being dra)ed 2nd overall in 2010, Ndamukong and sister Ngum, who also serves as his business manager, started the Ndamukong Suh Family Foundation. They continue to strive for philanthropic success through the foundation, whose principles are comprised of:

• Education
• Health, Wellness & Nutrition
• International Outreach

In his efforts to encompass his foundations mission, Ndamukong and his family have developed ways to be become involved his three chief home bases:

• Portland, OR (Birthplace)
• Lincoln, NE (collegiate town)
• Detroit, MI (professional home)

Within its first year of operation, the foundation has sent Ndamukong to donate toys to the entire children of Detroit Medical Center in Holiday celebration. Ndamukong hosted his inaugural football camp in June which serviced over 350 children in Walled Lake, MI and a complete scholarship camp for over 120 inner city Detroit youth. The Suh siblings have also spent time as mentors for high school students in the DPS and the Walled Lake School districts of Michigan. The Foundation has partnered with Nike to cover the expenses for the US Grant High School football uniforms, the team Ndamukong once played for. In addition, the foundation has donated auction items to countless organizations in efforts to fund medical health research and has even adopted a school in Bamenda, Cameroon where Michael, Ndamukong’s father grew up.

 Additional source: Starafrica.com


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