Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has made a subtle but significant move to address his public on-field disagreement with teammate Victor Osimhen, choosing the power of music and social media to send a message of unity.
The On-Field Drama in Morocco
The incident occurred on Sunday, January 5, 2025, during Nigeria's AFCON Round of 16 match against Mozambique in Morocco. Despite the Super Eagles dominating the game and securing a comfortable 4–0 victory, a moment of tension stole some spotlight.
Lookman had opened the scoring in the 20th minute, with Osimhen adding a brace in the 25th and 47th minutes. Akor Adams netted the fourth in the 75th minute. However, with the score at 3–0, television cameras captured Osimhen visibly upset and confronting Lookman on the pitch, apparently accusing the winger of not playing a team game.
Lookman's Social Media Response
Hours after the match, Lookman took to Instagram with a clear response. He shared a post celebrating his bond with Victor Osimhen, soundtracked by Wizkid's hit song "Blessed" featuring Damian Marley. The choice of song, with its themes of gratitude and positivity, alongside pictures of the pair together, was widely interpreted as Lookman's way of signaling that their camaraderie remains strong despite the heated exchange.
The post effectively served as a public assurance that the "bromance" between the two key players is unshakable, aiming to calm fans and shift focus back to the team's tournament ambitions.
Reactions and Fallout
The incident and Lookman's response sparked widespread reactions online. While many praised Lookman's mature handling of the situation, others felt it didn't fully address Osimhen's conduct on the pitch.
Social media users were divided:
- @rahjezy focused on the tournament: "Class act we got 3 more wins to finish off nicely."
- @hello_ifedayo saw it as a learning moment: "Stronger together ? we all have our flaws, learning from events and mistakes only make us better people."
- @danielregha offered critique: "Posting pictures of togetherness doesn't justify or whitewash what happened on the pitch yesterday... he needs to learn how to better control his emotions."
- @shadyville08 commended the act: "Very mature professional. A great way to calm the nerves so everyone can move forward and focus on the next game!"
In a related development, it was reported that Victor Osimhen blocked popular football content creator Bi Bernard on Instagram after the creator criticized the striker's actions during the clash with Lookman. Bernard confirmed the block in a video that circulated online.
Furthermore, Nigerian actor Lege Miami added his voice, posting an Instagram video appealing directly to Osimhen to quickly settle any misunderstanding with Lookman for the sake of the team's success in the tournament.
The episode highlights the intense pressure and emotions involved in high-stakes tournaments like AFCON, while also showcasing how modern footballers use digital platforms to manage narratives and team dynamics off the field.
