David Ngannou, the younger brother of Francis Ngannou, who is gradually gaining attention thanks to his elder brother and MMA superstar, has found himself at the center of scrutiny following the Ngannou versus Tyson fight on October 28. Some Cameroonians view him as an ‘opportunist’ seeking to benefit from someone else’s hard work.
David Ngannou has recently been seen accompanying his brother on various outings and lavish trips, enjoying the perks of stardom and inadvertently provoking discontent among some onlookers.
The young man has become the target of negative comments on social media, with critics suggesting that he should strive to create his own wealth rather than relying on his brother’s success. A Facebook user commented, “Young man, don’t be lazy. Go and work for your own money and stop depending on your brother’s wealth as if you were the one who made it.”
Another user added, “It’s good that your brother has made it in life, but his money comes from hard work and determination. David, you need to create your own path in life and grow through it.”
Despite the backlash, there are voices in support of David Ngannou. Marie Rose defended him on TikTok, saying, “You people should leave this young man alone. He has done nothing offensive, and there is nothing wrong with him enjoying his brother’s wealth. Francis N’Gannou worked hard to make his family happy and proud, so allow his siblings to enjoy their brother’s money.”
Others expressed envy for David’s situation, with one TikTok user stating, “I really envy David. He is so lucky. How I wish my elder brother could make such wealth. I will even stop going to school and just be moving up and down enjoying my brother’s cash, especially when he has no issue with it.”
In response to the criticisms, David Ngannou has defiantly declared that he will not actively seek his own money, saying, “I will not work for my own money. You people should come beat me up.”
Francis has taken steps to mentor his brother, exposing him to his own challenges and experiences in an effort to encourage him to carve out his own path. However, perceptions of this mentorship vary among observers.
Some have drawn parallels between David Ngannou and David Eto’o, who, in the past, presented themselves more as Samuel’s little brother and faced similar critiques of dependency on familial wealth. Both Davids have wealthy elder siblings who seemingly set high standards without requiring them to put in significant efforts.
