Two elderly men who claim to be relatives of Victor Osimhen have expressed disappointment over what they describe as the Super Eagles striker’s “neglect” of his ancestral home in Edo.
The men spoke in a now-trending video filmed by a blogger who claimed to have visited the footballer’s hometown in Okhuesan, Esan, in Edo state.
The aged men, identified as Omuyiwa John and Monday Egbe, claimed that the striker has not returned to his roots or offered support to the people he grew up with.
John said they grew up with Osimhen’s father in the same village and attended primary school together.
They alleged that they even helped raise funds for the burial of Victor’s mother, who was from Obiaruku in Delta state.
John expressed shock that despite their contributions to his family, the African Footballer of the Year has not “acknowledged or visited the community”.
“The father is of the same grandfather as me. We are surprised how the boy said he does not know Okhuesan again. Because the father grew up here. All of us grew together here. We attended the same primary school here. The father’s name is Patrick Osimhen,” he said.
“The father married from the Delta side in Obiaroko.
“Even when Victor Osimhen’s mother died, she was out in a mortuary at Obiaroko. They said that until we come and do everything in marriage, they would bury her because she has given birth to many children for us.
“The father came from Lagos to come and meet us because he has no money, and his wife’s family is making demands. We sold everything and contributed money to take to Obiaroko to bury Victor Osimhen’s mother.”
John added that the community celebrated Osimhen’s rise to fame but was saddened by his apparent detachment from his roots.
“There was nothing we did not do for Victor or his father. When we later heard that the boy is now a footballer, we were happy. The whole community is happy for him,” he said
“He has never stepped foot in the village here. Even when the father died, he was buried in Lagos. We sent messages through our people in Lagos to bring the deceased back home, but the children refused.”
As of now, Osimhen has not publicly responded to the allegations.
