SUMMARY
- African Soccer Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, has been impressive for Napoli and his country, Nigeria, throughout the last few seasons.
- Victor Osimhen, from the Esan tribe, became a global superstar, but his place of origin is still mysterious.
African Soccer Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, has been impressive for Napoli and his country, Nigeria, throughout the last few seasons. His performance has caught the eyes of many clubs across Europe and is currently valued at $120 million (approx.).
However, his rise to prominence was not as easy as it looks now. Osimhen was born in Lagos, regarded as Nigeria’s economic hub. However, the Napoli striker’s tribal affiliation is not as straightforward as his birthplace might suggest.
If Football were a religion, our footballers would be gods. 😬
A pitch invader couldn’t let go of Victor Osimhen yesterday.
We love to see such undiluted love between fans and their football idols. ❤😊 pic.twitter.com/fGXZIIylLO
— Senior Citizen🇨🇦 (@MiracleEmakpo1) June 19, 2023
Even though the 25-year-old could claim Lagos as his state of origin, Nigeria often prioritizes the parental tribe over the birthplace. Osimhen grew up in Lagos, but due to his parents’ roots in the Esan tribe from Edo State, his true ethnic ties lie with the Esan tribe.
Unheard facts about Victor Osimhen’s tribe and ethnicity
Belonging to the Esan tribe because of his parents’ roots, Victor Osimhen went on to be a global superstar. However, there are still some unknown facts about his place of origin.
The Esan people are believed to be a major ethnic group in Edo Central Senatorial District, in Edo State, which is in the southwest of Nigeria. Esanland is comprised of 35 kingdoms, and Victor Osimhen belonged to one of those named Oregun.
The Esan community came into existence in the 15th century as its citizens departed from the nearby Benin Empire to establish independent communities and kingdoms. These kingdoms were under the control of the British Empire during the 20th century. However, in the 1960s, when Nigeria finally got independence, these kingdoms eventually achieved their autonomy.
Talking about religion, although Christianity and Islam are the two main religions among the tribal people, many still follow their traditional religions. However, this is not the case with Victor Osimhen. Inspired by another African star, Sadio Mane, Osimhen has adapted to Christianity, intending to help disabled people.
Victor Osimhen’s background and childhood
Coming from a poor background, the childhood of the Nigerian striker hasn’t been easy. Osimhen was the youngest of his five siblings. Due to financial constraints, Osimhen had to sell sachets of water and household commodities on the streets to earn money for his family’s survival.
However, that didn’t stop the young Victor from reaching his destination. Thanks to his brother, Andrew, Victor got into soccer and was a keen follower of Chelsea during his early days. Osimhen’s potential caught the eyes of the scouts in no time, as he was allowed to join the Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos.
A 16 year old Victor Osimhen scored 10 goals in the 2015 Under 17 World Cup and helped Nigeria win the trophy. 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/4zN1ksG813
— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) April 30, 2023
The year 2014 saw Osimhen get a call-up to represent the Nigeria under-17 team in the qualifiers of the Under-17 FIFA World Cup, which was going to be hosted in Chile in 2015.
Not only did Osimhen help his nation secure a berth at the world event, but he went on to be the top goalscorer at the main event next year to lift the cup for his nation. Osimhen scored a total of 10 goals throughout the campaign and was named the 2015 African Youth Player of the Year.
Later, he ended up joining Bundesliga side VFL Wolfsburg after rejecting offers from clubs like Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur.