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Tag: Victor Osimhen

  • From Lagos slum to Napoli sensation: Amazing rise of Osimhen, Africa’s soccer king

    From Lagos slum to Napoli sensation: Amazing rise of Osimhen, Africa’s soccer king

    Wondering how Napoli’s powerhouse, Victor Osimhen, evolved into one of the world’s most feared strikers since bursting onto the international scene eight years ago at the Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup? His journey, marked by audacity, relentless work ethic, and a touch of fate, is a testament to his exceptional rise. MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN, who witnessed the striker’s breakthrough at its inception, offers an exclusive insight into the transformation of a young boy from the modest ‘slum’ of Olusosun in Lagos to the celebrated sensation of Napoli, Africa, and the entire world.

    The Nigeria U-17 national team, widely known as the Golden Eaglets, arrived in Santiago on a chilly night of October 14, 2015, preceding their engagement in the global cadet championship hosted by Chile for the first time.

    The journey to South America was marred by significant challenges, focusing on the team’s welfare, compounded by minimal support from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and a lack of belief from a segment of the Nigerian public and press.

    Despite the harsh Chilean cold, the Golden Eaglets reached Santiago ahead of their opening match against the United States, appearing in a somewhat dilapidated state with inadequate covering. The entire group, including players and accompanying officials, found themselves left unattended in the cold.

    The odds were undeniably against the Emmanuel Amuneke-led Golden Eaglets, who were expected to defend the FIFA U-17 World Cup title secured two years earlier in the United Arab Emirates under the leadership of coach Manu Garba.

    While many teammates fretted about adapting to the hostile weather, Osimhen had his sights set on triumph at Chile 2015. In a bold move, he approached the team’s administrative secretary, Tayo Egbaiyelo of the NFF, requesting the latest Nike soccer shoes then valued at $250 USD (approximately N85,000 in Nigerian currency).

     “I want to score as many  goals as possible at this U17 World Cup and with new Nike boots, I’m confident to score many goals,” Osimhen pointedly told Egbaiyelo who was fondly called within the Golden Eaglets‘ family as  Government or Pathfinder as circumstances demanded.

    At first glance, Osimhen’s request appeared as challenging as finding a needle in a haystack, especially considering the lack of provisions for even basic necessities, let alone his bold ask. However, with the ingenuity and resourcefulness of “The Pathfinder,” funds were procured. Together with this writer, a grey-coloured Nike Silver Storm Pack was acquired in Santiago City Centre for Osimhen. Upon receiving his beloved new pair of soccer shoes, his joy radiated like that of a child receiving his first toy.

    The breakthrough at Chile 2015

    The next day, Osimhen started his goal account at Chile 2015, scoring the second goal after Chukwudi Agor’s opener in a 2-0  win  against the USA. The abiding image from that encounter at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez was that of Osimhen as he raced down the side-lines to prostrate  before coach Emmanuel Amuneke who then offered  his ward a symbolic handshake.

     “I prostrated for coach Amuneke because of what he actually told me before we left the dressing room for the pitch and that was the first time he said such to me,” the energetic striker told this writer.  He (Amuneke) told me: ‘Victor, I trust you and I know you will score’ and that really touched me. So, after I scored, I did that to appreciate him for all what he has done to make me a better player.”

    Afterwards, from Santiago to Coquimbo, Concepcion, and finally to Vina del Mar, where Nigeria triumphed over Mali with a resounding 2-0 victory, marking the second all-African final match in the competition’s history.

    Throughout Chile 2015, everyone’s attention was captivated by the beanpole teenager, Victor Osimhen, renowned for his remarkable goal-scoring prowess. Osimhen went on to establish a new tournament record, netting an impressive 10 goals in a single FIFA U-17 World Cup championship. This accomplishment surpassed the longstanding record of nine goals in a single tournament jointly held by Florent Sinama Pongolle of France and Souleymane Coulibaly of Ivory Coast.

    With his overall outstanding performance for the Golden Eaglets’ class of 2015, Osimhen stands among the top three strikers ever to pass through the national U-17 team conveyor belt in recent times. His total record boasts 51 goals in 79 matches (64.5%), a remarkable achievement slightly trailing behind predecessors such as Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and former Watford striker Success Isaac, currently with Udinese. Iheanacho scored 35 goals in 49 matches (71.4%), while Isaac notched 33 goals in 49 matches (67.3%) during their time with the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning team in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    Following his standout performances at Chile 2015, Osimhen became the most sought-after teenager, attracting attention after Nigeria’s World Cup triumph. Guided by his benefactors, Ariyo Igbayilola and Shira Yusuf, he ultimately joined Wolfsburg, the club of former Nigeria international striker Jonathan Akpoborie, in the German Bundesliga. Despite his reputation from Chile 2015, Osimhen found himself mostly relegated to the bench at the Volkswagen Arena due to an injury. His two-season stint at Wolfsburg ended with a less-than-impressive record of 14 matches, comprising 12 Bundesliga games, two German Cup matches, and one inconsequential game. During this period, he predominantly served as a substitute and failed to register a single goal to his credit.

    “I wasn’t disturbed in any way by some of the negative comments and stuff that were written about me during my period at Wolfsburg,” noted Osimhen, who hawked sachet water on the streets of Lagos in his formative years. “Some journalists speculated so much about my career, but the truth was that I was even sick at some point at Wolfsburg; it took me about three weeks to come out of that sickness and I really thank God for my life,” he added.

    From Wolfsburg to Charleroi

    Transitioning from Wolfsburg to Charleroi, Osimhen, initially perceived as a disappointment in the Bundesliga, faced a turning point in his career. In 2018, he was loaned to Charleroi, a Belgian club, and subsequently made the move permanent. Despite the challenges in Germany, Osimhen acknowledges that the Teutonic lifestyle and experiences there played a crucial role in preparing him for the greater successes that lay ahead.

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    “I learnt a lot in terms of football and life at Wolfsburg because I was surrounded by good people,” admitted Osimhen, whose favourite songs include that of American singer, Kelly’s ‘I believe I Can Fly.’ “I perfectly understood almost 90% of the way they played in Germany because I wanted to learn and improve on my quality and that was the main reason I actually went to Wolfsburg. They have one of the best facilities in the world at Wolfsburg and Germany is one of the most powerful countries in the world.

    “Everything, and I mean about everything, is different from where I was coming from; the first five months were very strange to me because the mentality is different. But luckily, I met this wonderful French guy of African origin and I mean Joshua Guilavogui who has been with Wolfsburg for three years; he really assisted me in settling down to a new life in Europe. He was my guardian all through my stay at Wolfsburg and it was a great experience because I was able to increase my knowledge. Aside playing football, I can now live in any European country on my own without difficulties because my mentality is great, very great.”

    Even greater opportunities awaited Osimhen as he transitioned from the Bundesliga to Belgium. Expressing his delight, he scored on his first full debut for Charleroi, known as Les Zebres (The Zebras), in an away match against Waasland-Beveren on September 22, 2019. His remarkable back-heel goal generated widespread attention and buzz in Europe and beyond.

    ‘God is good’

     “It was  a great feeling for me to get my first league goal in Europe after two years,”  Osimhen, which means ‘God is good’ in  his native Ishan vernacular in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State of Nigeria, told The Nation. “I’m really happy because I have been working hard; and I think the hard work has started paying off again. I really want to thank God because this goal is important for me, my family and all my loved ones.”

    Throughout his time in Belgium, Osimhen carried the values instilled in him from his humble beginnings on the streets of Lagos. Drawing from his experiences, he embraced principles of perseverance and determination. Notably, the message on his WhatsApp display photo during that period encapsulated his mind-set with three powerful words: Focus, Hustle, Believe. “I actually received the display photo on my WhatsApp as a message from one of my fans and this means so much to me because it summed up the philosophy of my life,” Osimhen offered then, and added: “Strangely, I’ve not met this great fan of mine but he perfectly understood all what I went through at Wolfsburg; he kept urging me to work hard and asked me to put the picture at a place I can see every day. That picture has been on my WhatsApp logo for over one year now and it’s going to be there for a while and I may probably not even change it. I believe I can achieve all that I conceive in my mind with focus and that means, I have to continue to hustle and believe that God will certainly bless my efforts.”

    Osimhen’s journey to Europe was a gradual process, originating from his early days in Lagos, where he began his football career with a local team now known as Perick Academy. He later moved on to the modest Ultimate Strikers Football Club. His breakthrough came when he joined Ultimate FC, catching the attention of talent scouts while en route to the 2015 CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Niger. Osimhen emerged as the top scorer in the tournament, netting four goals in six matches and securing qualification for the Amuneke-led U-17 national team to the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. Reflecting on his humble beginnings, Osimhen emphasised the resilient and hardworking mentality instilled in him during his upbringing. “One of the things that have helped me so far in my football career and life was the kind of mentality I grew up with because I grew up with both male and female that worked as if they were warriors.

    “My brother (Andrew Osimhen) was a great motivation for me because I saw him waking up as early as 4:00 am to go out and hustle. I picked up this strong mentality from the neighbourhood (Olusosun) because nobody was ready to give you anything, not even a stick of match because you’re always reminded about the need to work for everything. That attitude has stayed with me over the years and my life has been a life of struggle. But this mentality is helping me now because what would stop me from hustling now if I did the same when I was kid?”

    From Charleroi to Lille

    After making 36 appearances for Charleroi, scoring 20 goals, and earning distinctions such as the record-breaking fastest goal in the history of the Belgian First Division A, Osimhen made another significant move in 2019.

    Joining French Ligue 1 side Lille, he was heralded as the “new offensive reinforcement for LOSC.” True to this description, Osimhen made an impactful debut, scoring a brace against Nantes. He concluded the season as Lille’s top scorer with 13 goals in domestic league matches and 18 goals across all competitions, including a memorable UEFA Champions League goal against Chelsea, the club of his admired mentor, Didier Drogba, then under the management of Frank Lampard.

    “In the preparation for this game, I have been watching his (Osimhen) performances for the season and now I know his story as well,” Lampard admitted despite his side’s 2-1 win. “He’s hugely impressive and I thought he (Osimhen) was really good. He is fast; he has everything and I think it was tough for us to play against him so I wish him well. His story is great where he has come from, where he is now and it looks like a fantastic career ahead of him,” added Lampard.

    During his time at LOSC, Osimhen received the prestigious 2020 Prix Marc Vivien Foe, an accolade bestowed upon the best African player in the French Championship. Additionally, he earned the title of Lille’s Player of the Season, securing the highest number of votes from the fans.

    Between Drogba and Osimhen

    Naturally, fans initiated comparisons between Osimhen and Drogba, drawing parallels to Drogba’s beginnings in Ligue 1 before achieving legendary status in the English Premier League (EPL) with Chelsea. “I’d compare him to Didier Drogba. He really makes me think of him. He has the same profile. He can do everything and he’s phenomenally powerful,” Charleroi goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau said then.

    Osimhen told The Nation: “Over the years, my choice of a soccer role model has not changed and it has always been Didier Drogba. He comes first but I keep learning from all the great strikers that have come out of Africa; the likes of Samuel Eto’o, El Hadji Diouf, Odion Ighalo, Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane. I’m really happy to have watched all these great strikers because I’ve learned so much from them, but kudos to Didier Drogba because all that I’ve learned watching him during his playing years have really set my path for the kind of player I want to be.”

    These comparisons speak volumes of both his approach having  been known for his elite finishing, pace, strength and athleticism to attract huge transfer interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.

    Cult hero in Naples

    In 2020, Osimhen made a historic move to Napoli from Lille for a club-record fee of €70 million, marking the most expensive African transfer to date. While he enjoyed a relatively successful first two seasons between 2020 and 2022 at the Diego Maradona Stadium, scoring a cumulative 28 goals in 62 matches in all competitions, Osimhen’s career took a remarkable turn in the 2023/23 season. Despite missing the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon due to a skull and eye socket fracture in November 2022, which led to him wearing a protective mask often referred to as a ‘masked assassin’ by sections of the media, Osimhen’s astounding feat of scoring 26 goals in 32 Serie A matches played a pivotal role in Napoli clinching their first Italian Serie A title in 33 years.

    Simultaneously, Osimhen exhibited exceptional prowess with the Super Eagles during the qualifying campaign for the upcoming 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire. His striking contributions were outstanding, tallying an impressive 10 goals, with four of them coming in a resounding 10-0 victory over Sao Tome & Principe – a historic record for the largest winning margin in a qualifier for the competition.

    Osimhen as a record breaker

    His exceptional performance in the 2022-2023 season positioned him as the highest-scoring African player in Serie A, amassing an impressive 47 goals and surpassing the long-standing record of 46 goals held by former Liberian international and AC Milan legend, George Weah. Additionally, Osimhen made history as the first African to be crowned the Italian Serie A top scorer, known as The Capocannoniere. His accomplishments extended to the international stage as well, securing the 8th position in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings, making it the first time a Nigerian player entered the prestigious top ten of the annual individual awards. The crowning achievement came with Osimhen being honoured as the Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) Footballer of the Year at the Gran Gal del Calcio held in Milan on December 4th, 2023.

     “Thank you @grangadelcalcioaic for the recognition and awards, thank you my family, friends  and supporters for your votes and unending support,”  Osimhen, who will be 25 on December 29, said on his Instagram Page, adding: “God is the Greatest.”

    Magic moment in Marrakech

    The pinnacle of his career unfolded on December 11 when he was crowned the 2023 men’s African Player of the Year at the prestigious awards gala in Marrakech, Morocco. Osimhen triumphed over formidable contenders that included Paris Saint-Germain’s Morocco right-back, Achraf Hakimi, and Liverpool’s Egypt winger, Mohamed Salah; securing the top honour in recognition of his outstanding achievements.

    “First of all, I want to say thank you, God, for everything,” Osimhen, the first  Nigerian to win the continental prize since Nwankwo Kanu did in 1999 and the first former CAF Youth Player to be so honoured, said in an emotion-laden voice. “Special thanks go to Mr. Emmanuel Amuneke. Without him, I don’t think I would be standing in front of you guys holding one of the most prestigious awards in world football.

     “I appreciate Nigerians for their support, and I appreciate Africa for putting me on the map, and for encouraging and defending me regardless of my shortcomings. Thank you so much to Emmanuel Adebayor for his encouragement, Solomon Kalu, I appreciate you, and every African legend that I looked up to while growing up that inspired me, can’t forget Didier Drogba, my role model.”

    Even the recently departed foreign trainer of the Super Eagles, German coach Gernot Rohr, acknowledged that Osimhen possesses a talent that transcends, believing that his unwavering commitment and passion for the game could propel him to become one of the greatest players ever to emerge from Africa.

     “I’m so happy that Osimhen got the Africa Best Player  Award  of 2023 because he truly deserves it after scoring so many goals and played so well (for club and country),” the 70 -year-old Rohr who now manages The Cheetahs of Benin Republic, told The Nation. “He was 17 when I first saw him; and drafted him to the Super Eagles in my very first match with Tanzania and a lot of people were surprised.

    “Again, many were also surprised when I took him to the 2019 AFCON in Egypt  but he showed later all the qualities. This boy is still the same; humble, working hard and staying always modest which is a good sign for a big player (desirous to be the greatest),” noted the vastly travelled Rohr who had previously worked in Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon before his tour of duty in  Nigeria between 2016 and 2022.

    OSIMHEN: THE NUMBER GAME THROUGH THE YEARS  

    0 – Number of goals Victor Osimhen scored during his stint at German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg where he featured in 14 official matches over two seasons.

    1 – Osimhen bagged his first CAF Africa’s Footballer of  the Year prize on December 11, 2023 in Marrakech, Morocco, after seeing off stiff challenge from Liverpool’s Muhamed Salah of Egypt and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi of Morocco. He has also been feted once as the Serie A Footballer of the Year  after his goals helped Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years in the 2022/23 season.

    2 – The number of  trophies already won by Osimhen with Nigeria national teams; namely, the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile and the 2015 Total CAF U-23 Africa Nations Cup in Senegal. 

    3 – The number of individual awards won by Osimhen in 2015 after his goals helped the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria to win their record fifth title at the  U-17 FIFA World Cup in Chile and these were the Golden Boot as top scorer; Silver Ball as the second Most Valuable Player (MVP); and CAF Youth Player of the Year in the 2015 annual CAF Awards.

    10 – The number of goals scored at the FIFA World Cup Chile 2015, when he broke the long-standing record of nine goals in a single tournament that was previously jointly held by Frenchman Florent Sinama Pongolle and Ivorian Souleymane Coulibaly. He also topped the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying tournament with a record 10 goals.

    20 – The number of goals scored in 36 matches by Osimhen at Belgian club, Charleroi, while on a season-long loan deal from Wolfsburg.

    26 – Number of goals scored  in 32 Serie A matches in the 2022/23 season that crowned him as the first African to become Serie A top scorer, otherwise known as Capocannoniere.

    27 – Osimhen, who got his first international cap under coach Gernot Rohr after he came on as a second half substitute for Ahmed Musa in the 3-0 thrashing of Togo in a friendly match at the Stade Municipal de Saint Leu La Foret in Paris on 1st June 2017, now has 27 caps with an impressive 20 goals to his name ahead of the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.

    47 – Numbers of goals Osimhen has scored to become the highest scoring African player in Serie A as he eclipsed the 46-goal record previously held by AC Milan legend, George Weah of Liberia.

  • Buying a house for late dad my greatest achievement – Victor Osimhen

    Buying a house for late dad my greatest achievement – Victor Osimhen

    Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen is proud of his fulfilled duty as a son to his father before he passed on .

    He said buying a house for his late father, Patrick Osimhen is one of his greatest achievements.

    He said he bought the house with the first money he made from football.

    The Napoli striker said he was sure his late parents were proud of him.

    The 24-year-old stated these in a recent chat with YouTuber, Korty EO.

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    He said: “God gives, and he takes. I lost my mum a long time ago. And I lost my father in 2020. But I know that they are proud of me.

    “The first time I received my first money in football, I bought a house for my father. So, that’s one of the greatest achievements for me.

    “To carry the name of the family on my shoulders, it’s actually not an easy thing. You got some attacking you spiritually. Some hating on you physically. And some backstabbing you. Because they prefer money to life, but it’s just God that’s keeping me.”

  • I’m more of a businessman than a footballer – Victor Osimhen

    I’m more of a businessman than a footballer – Victor Osimhen

    Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has claimed that he is more of a businessman than a footballer. 

    He mentioned that he owns two estates as an apart from being a footballer 

    The star player said this while featuring in an interview session with Korty EO where she was requesting to know the most expensive thing he has ever bought.

    Responding to the question, Victor Osimhen said that he has purchased two estates.

    Read Also: The travails of Victor Osimhen

    He stated that in addition to his football career, he is also into doing business.

    Victor emphasised that a career as a football player is temporary and it is always a good thing for one to have something to fall back to when one’s time as footballer ends.

    “I have bought two estates. Football is temporary when you’re fine playing, you need to fall back to something,” he said.

  • The travails of Victor Osimhen

    The travails of Victor Osimhen

    Sir: Last season in Serie A (Italian League), Victor Osimhen was a treasure to many, most especially to the fans of Napoli Football Club. He was treated like a king by the club and its fans owing to his major contributions that earned Napoli FC the lost glory the club had for 30 years been yearning to regain.

    What could have made a once beautiful bride to become an object of ridicule in the eyes of his once beloved admirers? This is exactly the question many want an answer to. Is it true that no matter how hard a non-white footballer strive to please his club, the colour of his skin will remind his employer of the race he belongs to?

    Though racism is discouraged in all human endeavours all over the world – football not excluded – its presence can still be felt, and its end is undoubtedly not yet in sight considering what many black footballers suffer in the hand of their clubs and fans. They’re usually ridiculed for any slight mistake without giving thought to many of their impacts to the clubs

    Bukayo Saka of Arsenal Football Club was subjected to horrific racial abuse after losing a penalty kick in Arsenal game against Westham United last season, not taking into consideration many major contributions the young man had made to give victories to the club, Arsenal.

    Can racism and discrimination against black footballers end in the round-leader game soon? Unlike Saka and Osimhen, Harry Maguire, an English professional footballer, who, at several times, make many blunders that cause great havocs to his club, Manchester United, is always tolerated each time he makes gruesome mistakes. Perhaps Maguire is lucky to be a white footballer. Many want to know the reason the same people always have no patience for any black footballer who only make occasional and unavoidable blunders.

    Read Also: Victor Osimhen pulls down Napoli-related photos from Instagram

    Many, especially Nigerians, after the ridiculous comment on Osimhen, had come out to criticize Napoli FC for the show of ungratefulness to the ever dedicated footballer. They reprimanded the club for continuing to perpetuate racial abuse despite unending public condemnation of racism on the pitch. They want to know when exactly racial discrimination will end in football.

    I think this is the time the African footballers who ply their trades in foreign land ought to meditate deeply and choose between dedication to foreign clubs and to their national teams. They need to understand that no amount of dedication to their clubs can earn them accolades more than what their countries will bestow on them if they choose to always remain patriotic to their countries.

    Many a time their clubs had rendered them ‘hors de combat’ most times their countries called them for national assignments to do their nations proud. Many African players prefer their foreign clubs to their national teams.

    Notwithstanding the FIFA rule that mandates all the international footballers to heed to their countries’ calls whenever their services are needed, some African footballers occasionally found flimsy excuses to shun their countries.

    The way the non-white footballers are being treated by these clubs, I suppose, should by now tell the players that no amount of zeal and wholeheartedness they dispense to give glories to their clubs at the expense of their countries will ever confer on them the honour and gratefulness they deserve. They should understand that no matter the situation, good or bad, their countries will always be there for them.

    • Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola babalolaademola39@gmail.com

  • Osimhen to dig deep against tough Nimes Defence

     

    Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen will need to triple efforts if he is to break Nimes defence and continue his goal cruise, analysts have submitted ahead of the Ligue 1 clash on Sunday.

    Though Osimhen and his teammates failed to run away with the needed victory after he shot the side into the lead in the Champions League clash against Chelsea on Wednesday, he was nonetheless hailed for his swift response to Tammy Abraham’s 22nd minute goal. Lille remains rooted to the bottom of Group H after that 2-1 loss but attention will turn to the league where 15th placed Nimes come calling.

    The goal against Chelsea is the Nigerian’s seventh strike of the season in all competitions, and he has now been involved in nine goals in just 10 appearances for Les Dogues.

    Nimes defence according to the analysts have been superb lately conceding only twice in their last five outings, thus keeping three clean sheets in the process and hoping to maintain the tempo in the Sunday away tie against Lille.

    Meanwhile Moses Simon and his Nantes teammates will be riding on their lone goal victory over Olympique Lyonnaise last Saturday to consolidate a week later (today) .

    Nantes Moses Simon set for Olympique Lyonnaise

    The Nigerian international was in action for 74 minutes in that encounter.

    Samuel Kalu and Josh Maja will be hoping to push aside the lone goal loss to PSG last week and attempt to return to winning ways away as Bordeaux file out against to Toulouse.

    Late last month Bordeaux recorded an impressive 3-1 win over Amiens with Samuel Kalu grabbing the third goal in the 73rd minute.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Lampard: Osimhen has fantastic future

    Olalekan Okusan

     

    CHELSEA’S coach, Frank Lampard has described Lille of France striker, Victor Osimhen as a player with a lot of potential to be great in future after the Nigerian scored against his team in the UEFA Champions League game on Tuesday.

    Osimhen first champions League goal could not prevent his team, Lille from going down 2-1 at home loss to Chelsea. The Nigerian striker also had a chance to level scores toward the end of the games but Chelsea’s goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made a good save to deny the Nigerian hitman.

    Lampard in a post-match interview,  admitted that the 20-year-old Nigerian  was a threat to his defenders with his speed and agility during the encounter.

    The Chelsea legend, who recorded his first victory in the UEFA Champions League said: “In the preparation for this game, I have been watching his (Osimhen) performances for the season and now I know his story as well.

    “He’s hugely impressive and I know tonight match is going to be a very tough match for our defenders, not just for him but for their attacking threat. They (Lille) have a lot of speed, there is performance individually and I thought he (Osimhen) was really good and he has to get the defenders probably all the time as he likes to run behind defenders.

    “He is fast; he has everything and I think it was tough for us to play against him so I wish him well. His story is great where he has come from, where he is now and it looks like a fantastic career ahead of him,” said Lampard.

    An excited Osimhen thanked God for scoring his first Champions League but was not happy that they lost the tie.

    “Not the result we wanted, but we will keep fighting to get it right, major thanks to GOD almighty for my first @championsleague goal, we move @losclive,” Osimhen wrote on his Twitter handle.

    Lille remains bottom of Group H after two defeats from their opening two games of the competition.

    They will face the Spanish side, Valencia in their next game.

  • Osimhen tipped to shine with Lille against Chelsea

    NIGERIA international striker, Victor Osimhen, is named as one of the probable goal scorers for Lille on MatchDay two of the UEFA Champions League as the French League 1 side host the English Premier League side, Chelsea on Wednesday.

    Pipped 3-0 by Ajax on MatchDay one, Lille according to experts on the popular Football Live show, are condemned to win their next game  even as they singled out the  leggy Osimhen  to get among the goals.

    “Victor has been a very good buy for Lille and a good replacement for Pepe,” noted one of the commentators at the weekend. “He scored over 20 goals for Charleroi before   he was bought for Lille and he has shown his scoring qualities again since he arrived in France.  He is capable of scoring goals and one of those to watch out for in the Champions League game against Chelsea tomorrow.”

    Similarly, organisers of the Champions League (UEFA) have given Osimhen a head start  in Wednesday’s match to be played at the Stade Pierre Mauroy.

    UEFA on its website, noted that Lille and Chelsea both need three points to get back into Group H contention when they meet in northern France after losing their respective matches on MatchDay one.

    Read Also: Red hot Osimhen gets sixth season for Lille

    In a fascinating statistics for the match, UEFA noted the scoring prowess of the FIFA U-17 World Cup  record goal scorer thus: ”Having scored six of LOSC’s first eight goals this season, new signing Victor Osimhen is Ligue 1’s joint top scorer after eight games alongside Lyon’s Moussa Dembélé and Habibou Diallo of Metz.

    “Osimhen was the first player to score five goals or more in his first five Ligue 1 games since Mario Balotelli hit six in September/October 2016.”

    Meanwhile, Lille’s coach Christophe Galtier on the back of  an impressive 1-1 away draw against Nice in the French Ligue 1 at the weekend, is enthusiastic about the ability of his wards to clean up their act in Europe  since they remain winless in previous nine UEFA  home matches.

    “Will we be able to win in Nice then against Chelsea?“ the 53-year-old manager asked. “We work in that direction. We have signals that show that players are starting to arrive at a very interesting level.”

  • Victor Osimhen eyes goal No. 7 as Lille tackles Nice

     

    Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen will be hoping to continue his goal scoring adventure when Lille visits Nice on Saturday.

    Osimhen who has scored in practically in all recent outings for The Great Danes, is full of optimism that the club will post impressive run this season.

    He was quick to call on teammates to forge ahead after the 3-0 defeat away to Ajax in the Champions League.

    In the English premier league Alex Iwobi posted and impressive run in Everton’s 2-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday in the Caraboa cup will be hoping to maintain the momentum as the Toffees host rampaging Manchester City who were merciless against Watford in the their last premier league outing and followed it with another 3-0 defeat of Preston North End in the Caraboa cup.

    Everton ace Alex Iwobi

    Iwobi and his teammates will need all the arsenals in their armory to checkmate the Citizens who appear to have forgotten how to lose match though their 3-2 loss to Norwich city remains a reference point in some quarters.

    Although Nigeria born England junior international Tammy Abraham was missing in the score sheet in Chelsea’s 7-1 demolition of Grimsby Town in the Caraboa cup, none can rule out the possibility of his goal scoring return against visiting Brighton and Hove Albion who have sidelined Leon Balogun in their players list.

     

     

     

  • Boko Haram: BLC accuses Reps member of profiting from terror activities

    The Buhari Legacy Centre (BLC) has accused the lawmaker representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency, Ahmadu Jaha, of massively profiting from terror activities in the North-East.

     

    The pro-Buhari Centre made this known in a press conference on Monday in Abuja to address what it described as the “representation of Boko Haram in the Federal House of Representatives”.

     

    Mr Jaha had alleged that the radical Islamic sect are currently occupying eight out of the 10 local government areas in Borno State.

     

    The lawmaker even lamented on the floor of the House of Reps that the war against Boko Haram has not been transparent.

     

    In a statement signed by Godwin Apeh, Director of Communications, the Centre accused Jaha of hiding under parliamentary immunity to sing the praises of the terrorist organization.

     

    The group added that the lawmaker is sabotaging government’s efforts, painting an utterly helpless situation for his personal gains.

     

    According to the Legacy Centre, Jaha and his collaborator use their salaries, allowances and constituency project allocations to finance Boko Haram.

     

    While urging the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to probe some constituency projects, the group said measures should be put in place to fish out other pro-Boko Haram lawmakers in the National Assembly and prevent them from legalizing Boko Haram.

     

    Read full statement below:

     

    Gentlemen of the press, Nigeria recently witnessed the bizarre when the member representing Boko Haram in the House of Representatives, Ahmadu Jaha, threw away decorum and all sense of appropriateness to sing the praises of the terrorist organization in the hallowed chambers of the house. Jaha apparently hid under parliamentary immunity to test how the country will react to the knowledge that terrorists are now openly represented in the National Assembly.

     

    We had always known that persons in positions of influence and authority are closet Boko Haram members. It is also common knowledge that such persons are in the habit of sabotaging government forces in support of terrorists and that they always ramp up such activities whenever the Nigerian Military is gaining upper hand over the insurgents.

     

    However, Nigerians did not bargain for the travesty that involves a supposedly elected federal lawmaker defecting to become the de facto representative for Boko Haram in the federal parliament of all places. It was equally not conceived that he will attempt to jeopardize the good work that the military is doing by deploying industrial scale lies and manipulating scanty facts to spin a web of deception.

     

    To paraphrase Jaha’s delusion as delivered in his poorly constructed English, “Substantial geographical area occupying Borno state and other insurgency affected areas is still under the occupation of Boko Haram whether we like it or not. In a local government that has 13 electoral wards like mine, Gworza, only three wards are not under the occupation of Boko Haram.

     

    “Out of the ten local governments in northern Borno  it is only two local governments and that is still their headquarters that is not under the occupation of Boko Haram…the truth of the matter is that the soldier there is being paid N500 per day that is totalling N15000 in a month…We are funding them we have to know exactly what they do with the fund.”

     

    It is most unfortunate that this Boko Haram lawmaker decided to resort to tales by moonlight to launch himself as a pro-insurgent representatives. By lying that the terrorists control even a square inch of Borno state, or any other part of Nigeria, what the lawmaker is attempting to achieve is to dubiously legalize some portion of Nigeria to terrorists. The strategy is to trick the House of Representatives into documenting this aberration in its votes of proceedings, which will subsequently make it into government gazette that he and his terrorists will then use to seek and demand for government recognition of their holding onto territory that they would ask to be allowed to keep.

     

    False Boko Haram narratives are aimed at bringing about fraudulent gains for some north east politicians that are in line to benefit from from continuous crisis in their homeland. Jaha, from the information at our disposal, is a pilot scheme for testing the waters ahead of when other pro-Boko Haram representatives and Senators will declare support for the terrorists. There is even a plot to use the state parliament to declare Borno state independence as a caliphate, a plot that has been continually stalled by the strings of successful operations against the terrorists by the military.

     

    Even though much has not been done to expose in details the financing of Boko Haram, we have cause to suspect that the likes of Jaha and his collaborators that are still in the closet are using their salaries, allowances and constituency project allocations to finance Boko Haram. In addition to abdicating their roles and responsibilities, they further engage in siphoning public funds in the name of non-existing constituency projects, some of which they use for arming youths in the name of Boko Haram. These are some of the ploys they adopt to prevent checks and balances that would have kept them under control from going haywire and destroy the country.

     

    We have grave concerns that these Boko Haram lawmakers have unfettered access to military and intelligence briefings that they become privy to because of their privileged positions. From the committees that receive briefings on the war on terrorism to the committees that review military related budgets, these compromised lawmakers are well positioned to glean information that they passed to Boko Haram to have kept the insurgents being able to adapt to match the changes in strategy by the military. For instance, by demanding details of how military money is being spent, Jaha is able to pass information to Boko Haram about how to counter military operations launched against them.

     

    In view of the forgoing, it has become pertinent that immediate steps are taken to address the political arm of Boko Haram. These steps should be targeted at: one, identifying other pro-Boko Haram lawmakers in the National Assembly and prevent them from legalizing Boko Haram in national documents and to also prevent them from allocating any portion of Nigeria to terrorists. Two, the finances of politicians in the northeast should be kept under watch for potential terrorism financing so that the terrorist group can be starved of funds. Three, is to track the relationship between politicians like Jaha and those in his circuit in order to unveil the identities of those that are behind the persistence of terrorism in the region.

     

    Additionally, we call on the ICPC to investigate constituency projects executed by these lawmakers from the north east in the last  eight years. The objective of this is to verify that the money meant for such projects were not channelled into buying weapons for terrorists, arranging logistics for them and providing training for the insurgents.

     

    Because the web of complicity is extensive in the region, the searchlight must also beam on the third tier of government, whose allocations have not been used for anything meaningful and could have been diverted from source to support terrorists. We therefore demand accountability from local government council chairmen in Borno state, particularly the ones listed by Jaha – there has been suggestions that some Boko Haram attacks are flag operations that are carried out to help these chairmen conceal their failure to execute projects. They always lie that the projects they executed were destroyed by terrorists when in reality they had not done anything on ground before such sponsored attacks.

     

    It is sad that the lives of Nigerians are being lost to these questionable politicians as they struggle cover their tracks by inviting Boko Haram to stage attack to cover their tracks for executing sham or non-existent projects. This is a situation that must not be allowed to continue in the interest of humanity.

     

    Above all, Nigerians must unite and rise against Boko Haram having representation in parliament as being done by Ahmadu Jaha. It is a dangerous development that could one day lead to the terrorists gaining enough members to block key legislation or to even tamper with the nation’s anti-terror legislation as they ae currently crafted. The intelligence agencies are strategic in preventing this from befalling the country by helping to identify Jaha’s accomplices before they strike deep in the heart of the country’s political structure.

     

    Pending when they will be fished out and made to answer for their crimes, we urge those that are exploiting legitimate offices to undermine the country to resign these posts and be brave enough to openly join the ranks of Boko Haram so that the laws of the land can take their course against them. We expect Jaha to be brave enough to identify with the side he has chosen in this regard. He must stop pretending to be a member of the House of Representatives and openly identify with the Boko Haram to which he belongs.

     

  • French Ligue1: Osimhen, Kalu score Simon plays for 90 minutes

    Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen was on target once again for his French Ligue 1 side Lille Wednesday night as they beat Strasbourg 2-0 at the  Stade Pierre-Mauro.

    The former Wolfsburg ace shot his club into the lead in the 43rd minute of the game to the delight of teeming club supporters.

    Teammate Remmy Loic increased the tally for the home side in the 64th minute after enjoying an assist from Osimhen thus handing Lille two goals and three points.  Osimhen who joined the side in July this year making a debut against Nantes and scoring a brace in that encounter, has now netted six goals with only six matches played in the new season.

    The 20 year old has been in super form since moving from Royal Charleroi Sporting Club of Belgium where he also netted 19 goals in 34 appearances.

    Osimhen was not the only Eagle that shone like a million stars on Wednesday.

    Compatriots Samuel Kalu was also on target in Boardeaux’s 3-1 win over Amiens SC even as  Moses Simon played full 90 minutes in Nantes loan goal victory over Rennes.