Nigerian government release statement in support of Victor Osimhen after fallout with Napoli over offensive TikTok post
The Nigerian government has broken its silence in regard to the Victor Osimhen saga. The country's sports minister, Senator John Ewan Enoh, stated that they are looking to reach the player and understand the situation completely.
They are also exploring diplomatic channels with the Italian government to explore the matter further. The statement given to the Nigerian newspaper, The Nation, read:
“Over the last weekend, the developments arriving from Naples regarding striker Victor Osimhen made me very sad. My office is working hard to reach Osimhen firsthand and understand what the problems are, to establish the facts clearly.
“I am also in contact with the Foreign Minister and the Nigerian Ambassador to the Italian Republic. We are using diplomatic channels to explore the issue with Italy. Under this administration, we are committed to ensuring that our athletes are afforded the respect they deserve and that they are not exposed to injustice, discrimination, and unfair teasing that could be detrimental to their careers.”
This comes after two videos were released on Napoli's official TikTok page that seemed to mock the Nigerian. The player was ridiculed for missing a penalty against Bologna. The video made the rounds on social media earlier this week.
The 24-year-old has reserved his right to take legal action against the club over this issue. He was spotted ignoring his teammates before the side's clash against Udinese and refused to celebrate after he scored. He also removed all pictures of him in a Napoli shirt from his Instagram.
Napoli assert their innocence in the Victor Osimhen incident
Serie A side Napoli have released a statement after two TikTok videos, released by its official account, criticising striker Victor Osimhen, became viral. In the statement, the club insisted that the intention was not to offend the striker.
“To avoid any potential exploitation of the matter, Napoli would like to explicitly state that the club never intended to offend or make fun of Victor Osimhen, who is an asset to the club,” read a statement on the team’s official website.
“Over the course of the summer, Napoli rejected all offers to sign the striker – firm proof of the club’s appreciation of him. On social media, and TikTok particularly, expressive language is used in a light-hearted and playful manner. In this case, involving Osimhen, there was no intention of mockery or derision. If Victor was in any way offended, this was not at all in the club’s intentions.”
In one of the videos, a high-pitched voice seemingly mocks the forward after he missed a penalty against Bologna. He was also referred to as a coconut in one of the posts.
Osimhen was the side's top scorer with 26 goals last season as they lifted the Scudetto for the first time since the 1989-90 season. He has already bagged four goals this season.