By: Levi Ugochukwu
Victor Osimhen is carrying Nigeria’s hopes for glory at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast.
The Napoli hitman will lead the lines for the Super Eagles when the three-time African champions begin their search for an eagerly sought fourth continental title.
Consequent upon his enthronement as the king of African football, breaking a 24-year jinx after Kanu Nwankwo’s 1999 triumph, all eyes will be on the Olusosun, Lagos-born striker to justify his emergence as the top shot among elite footballers in Africa.
The gangling forward is no doubt, the player to watch in Cote d’Ivoire as the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations finally kicked off Saturday evening at the Alassane Quattara stadium in the Ivorian capital city of Abidjan.
The continental football showpiece which is being hosted for the second time in Ivory Coast, promises to parade, apart from the Napoli marksman, other household African names who ply their trade across the world.
The likes of Mohammed Salah of Egypt and Liverpool, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Al Nassr, Ghanaian Mohammed Kudus of West Ham United, Youssef En-Nesyri of Morocco and Sevilla, will be lacing their boots for their national teams. Others are Algerian Riyad Mahrez, Moroccan Hakim Ziyech of Galatasary, Ivorian Nicolas Pepe and Yves Bissouma of Mali. These are of course among the many other stars that will be looking to inscribe their names in the sands of time. They will hope for posterity to reckon with them in the history books of great AFCON stars.
However, the case of the Nigerian is a peculiar one for he comes to the tournament bearing a burden of expectations. Like a newly wedded groom, he is expected to deliver for himself and the nation.
The capacity to do so is inherent. Coming from the back of emerging as the highest goalscorer at the qualifying series with 10 strikes, he has exhibited enough killer instinct to ‘single-handedly’ lead Nigeria to her 4th continental title. Additionally, his exploits in Naples can never be forgotten in a hurry.
His opponents are aware of this and are undoubtedly afraid of him. The likes of Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina and many others in the team will create the right atmosphere to replicate the form that saw him score 26 goals last season, which handed Napoli their first title in three decades. It will be great to rule Africa at this render age when the stamina and skills are at his disposal.
I hope fate smiles on him at the football festival.
Levi Ugochukwu for jerrymusa.com