John Enoh, Nigeria’s Sports Minister, has emphasized that the ongoing controversy between Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and former Super Eagles coach Finidi George is not a primary concern for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at this time.
In an interview on Eagle7 FM Radio, Enoh underscored the need for the NFF to address more urgent matters within Nigerian football instead of getting drawn into the Osimhen-Finidi dispute.
“There have been various opinions on this matter. Osimhen is a strong asset for Nigeria, but this incident was unfortunate,” Enoh remarked.
“I advised the NFF not to rush into making statements until they have spoken directly with Osimhen. This is particularly important because Nigerian football is facing several challenges that require management. The NFF needs to maintain focus and avoid distractions.”
The controversy arose when Finidi allegedly questioned Osimhen’s commitment to the national team following the striker’s absence from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic due to injury.
According to reports, Finidi expressed reluctance to plead with Osimhen to join the team after his withdrawal.
In response, Osimhen took to social media, asserting that he had informed Finidi about his injury status and had offered to be with the team at camp, even if not fit to play. He claimed Finidi declined this offer.
“I anticipated situations like this and that’s why I have videos and screenshots of my call with Finidi while I was in Germany with the doctor,” Osimhen stated.
“I asked Finidi George to allow me to stay with the team in camp, but he told me not to bother and to stay with my family. I’m not addressing anything; everyone knows I give my all whenever I play for my club or the national team. I will share the screenshots and videos of my conversation with Finidi for those who believe what he said.”
Despite facing criticism for his social media comments, Osimhen has not issued an apology. Meanwhile, Finidi has denied making the alleged remarks about the 25-year-old forward.
