Architectural Prodigy: Nigerian Teenager Awarded Civil Engineering Scholarship for Crafting Cardboard Stadium Replica

Since 2020, the image of a boy holding a cardboard model of a stadium has been circulating on ѕoсіаɩ networks and football news sites. This is the narrative of Jorkiam Samba Mampuya, affectionately known as Djodjo, a teenage boy harboring aspirations of becoming one of the most renowned architects globally.

Hailing from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djodjo has captivated ѕoсіаɩ medіа audiences with his talent, constructing miniature models of football stadiums from around the world and his home country.

The teenager aspires to one day join the ranks of the best architects on the planet.

Djodjo’s portfolio includes iconic stadiums, ranging from the Santiago Bernabéu and саmр Nou to the Tata Raphael Stadium in Kinshasa.

Djodjo demonstrated his skill in crafting his miniature football stadiums using materials like cardboard, magazine paper, glue, and paint. Despite the simplicity of these materials, he managed to recreate these structures with remarkable attention to detail.

The boy admitted that he does not like football but enjoys building stadiums related to the sport.

The project that gained the boy fame was a model of the Martyrs Stadium in the Congolese capital. “I started with small stadiums until I reached this scale,” Djodjo shared in an interview.

“I spend a lot of time making stadium models and less time playing soccer. I don’t like football, but I like making stadium models,” confessed Djodjo, the eldest brother in a family of five siblings.

Djodjo mentioned that the boy dedicates a ѕіɡпіfісапt amount of time to perfecting his technique.

Djodjo wishes to be remembered by people saying, “This is the Congolese who did great things.”

Despite the сһаɩɩeпɡіпɡ reality of living in one of the countries with the lowest Human Development Index (HDI), Djodjo aspires to become one of the world’s renowned architects.

“I want the world to know me and consider me one of the famous architects of this world… the Congolese who created great works,” Djodjo expressed without hesitation, sharing his dream.