Victor Osimhen’s highly anticipated arrival in Turkey has taken an unexpected turn after the Nigerian striker found himself at the centre of a mosque-renaming row in Konya, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 26-year-old forward joined the Istanbul giants from Napoli this summer in a record-breaking €75 million deal, instantly becoming the biggest signing in Turkish football history. His contract reportedly places him among the highest-paid players in Europe.
However, just days after landing in Turkey, the Super Eagles star has been pulled into an issue that has sparked local dissatisfaction in Konya.
According to Fanatik, the Bulut Mosque in the central Karatay district, completed in 2008, was listed on Google Maps as ‘Victor Osimhen Mosque.’
What is being said of the ‘Victor Osimhen Mosque’?
The unexpected name change has prompted complaints from worshippers, who insist the original name should be restored.
A member of the mosque congregation said:
“We have been a congregation of Bulut Mosque since we have been here. We are against it being changed to Victor Osimhen. The name Victor Osimhen is a Christian name. As the mosque congregation, we want the authorities to look into this issue.”
Another added:
“On the internet, the location says the mosque is in Victor Osimhen’s name, but this has been the Bulut Mosque for 10 years. Everyone has known this place as such.
“He is not a football player from Konyaspor. He did no good for the mosque, and he’s not someone Konya will never forget. We don’t understand the relevance of this.”
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Zeki Yaylacı, another member of the community, went further, describing the situation as offensive:
“It’s a shame to name a non-Muslim and make a mockery of it. We consider it an insult to Muslims, the mosque community, and mosques themselves. We urge the authorities to introduce regulations to prevent such changes from being made so easily.”
There is no suggestion Osimhen was aware of or involved in the change. It appears to be the result of incorrect user edits on Google Maps, which the authorities are now being urged to rectify.
Meanwhile, on the pitch, Osimhen is working towards his debut. He missed Galatasaray’s emphatic 3-0 win over Gaziantep in their Super Lig opener on Friday but has returned to full training. The Nigerian is expected to feature in Galatasaray’s first home match of the season at RAMS Park this Friday.