Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Bukola Olopade has slammed Sunday Oliseh over his criticism of Victor Osimhen and the Super Eagles in the aftermath of the 2025 AFCON tournament, SportPremi reports.
Former Nigerian captain and head coach Oliseh had criticized the Super Eagles over their celebrations for winning the bronze medal at the tournament in Morocco, stating concern over the fallen standard of football in the country.
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The 1994 AFCON winner also slammed Osimhen’s actions during the 4-0 win over Mozambique in the Round of 16 and stated that the behaviour affected the morale of the team and contributed to their failure to reach the final of the tournament.
Nigeria finished third in Morocco and claimed a record ninth bronze medal at the African Cup of Nations tournament, following their penalty shootout win over Egypt in the third-place playoffs match.
Olopade reacts to Oliseh’s criticism of Osimhen and Super Eagles
Bukola Olopade, speaking in an interview, strongly disagreed with Oliseh, insisting that the current crop of players fully deserve the respect they are receiving.
“I disagree with Oliseh on many of his comments, including his indictment of Osimhen and others. Our superstars of yesterday deserve respect, but they must also take their place as mentors to the younger generation, not denigrate them”, Olopade revealed.
The NSC Director General also revealed that the team properly handled the on-field situation between Osimhen and Lookman that occurred at the tournament, labeling the former as a very big brand in the country.
“Initially I did not want to get involved or respond to Oliseh, but I strongly believe that the situation with Victor Osimhen was properly managed and addressed by the game. In addition, Osimhen is the second biggest brand in Nigeria after the Super Eagles. I know exactly what I am saying. If we are branding Nigeria, the Super Eagles are number one, Osimhen is number two, and the Super Falcons are number three—this is my professional opinion as a branding expert”, Olopade added.
“Oliseh’s history is written in stone, and nobody can take that away from him. He is a hero. But he must allow the youngsters to make mistakes and learn, just as he did. He should remember that Onigbinde did not forgive him before the World Cup, and many of us supported him then. He also made mistakes that caused disunity and discouraged players, yet he was forgiven by a grateful nation. Osimhen, Lookman, Akor, Bassey, Ekong—these are heroes of our country today, and we must recognise and respect them as such”, he concluded.
