When the bible says, “Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long,” it isn’t speaking only to biological homes. In the sacred world of sport and especially in football, a coach is a father, an elder, a mentor, a leader, and soul-keeper. If that is true, then one must ask: What spirit did Victor Osimhen invoke when he publicly called out Finidi George? A man who once kissed Nigeria’s flag on foreign soil, a man who helped carry our nation's hopes to its first-ever World Cup in 1994?
Victor Osimhen, our proud Napoli stallion, the man with thunder in his boots and lightning in his veins, is a living symbol of Nigerian youth. Esan by blood, Lagosian by hustle. He is bold, expressive, sometimes brash, and thoroughly adored. But one day, in the heat of online outrage, he said too much and said it too loud. His target? Finidi George. A man whose name is etched into the golden annals of Nigerian football. One of the sacred few who once danced through the streets of Tunis, Atlanta, and France in green and white.
Finidi George is one of the few who gave this country memories that time cannot erase. And yet, with the team faltering in its World Cup qualification campaign and failing even to beat Lesotho or Zimbabwe, Finidi was suddenly the object of ridicule. Then came Osimhen’s now-infamous Instagram Live, where he claimed that the coach questioned his patriotism. The striker spoke with emotion, anger, and without filters. But did he speak with wisdom? No matter the provocation, was that the tone one takes when addressing a national legend?
Let’s be clear, this isn’t about generational differences, nor is it about club versus country. It isn’t about tribe either. Finidi is Ijaw-Izon stock and Osimhen is Esan. Their disagreement was not of ethnicity, but of ethics, decorum, and the unwritten code that binds teams and nations. But before all that, they are Nigerians. This is not about South-South vs South-South. This wasn’t just player vs coach. This was youth vs elder, Tempo vs tone, Ego vs ethos. This is about the soul of a sport that once unified 200 million people on a dusty Sunday evening.
What of karma? Since that clash, Finidi has resigned. Nigeria’s World Cup dream is now on a tightrope. Even if FIFA strips South Africa of three points for fielding an ineligible player, they still have the advantage. Nigeria has failed to win home games. The Super Eagles are limping. You don’t shout at your coach. You don’t tear your jersey in public. You don’t pour petrol on already tense flames when the Super Eagles are struggling to soar.
If things continue like this, Osimhen may go down in history as the best Nigerian striker never to play in a senior World Cup. Could it be a spiritual reversal, or a footballing karma playing out in real time? We must remember that to build a nation, one must first preserve its fathers; Even football ones. Finidi, who once flew our flag with quiet dignity, now walks away from the national dugout with his legacy questioned. Osimhen on the other hand, who was once African Footballer of the Year, now watches his country’s World Cup hopes slide further from reach.
Maybe Osimhen’s outburst wasn’t just about Finidi. Maybe it was a cry of frustration. The cry of a lion without a den. But even lions must bow when the elder roars. If Nigeria fails to qualify for 2026, may this moment be studied carefully. Not just by players, but by pundits, politicians and fans. May we ask ourselves: what did we ignore? Who did we insult? And who did we fail to honour? For in football as in life, Karma doesn’t need a passport to attend the World Cup.
Meanwhile, a younger star, Ademola Lookman, now Africa’s reigning king rises with humility and poise. One must ask again: where is our team spirit? Where is our patriotism? Today, too many of our boys play for pay, not for pride. Materialism has replaced nationalism. The boots may be cleaner and the pitches greener, but the hearts are Colder. Yet, let us not only blame this generation. Have we as a nation celebrated our heroes? Did we reward those who bled for the badge? Did we even build a museum to house their memories?
William Z. Bozimo
Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper
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