Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen has been caught in a religious controversy in Turkey after a mosque was mistakenly renamed after him on Google Maps.
The incident happened in Konya, where the Bulut Mosque was wrongly labelled online as the “Victor Osimhen Mosque.” The change sparked outrage among local Muslims, who saw it as an insult to their faith.
A member of the community, Zeki Yaylacı, expressed anger, saying:
“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.”
There is no evidence that Osimhen, who recently returned to Turkey to join Galatasaray, had anything to do with the Google Maps edit. It appears to be the work of internet users abusing the platform’s open-edit feature.
The 26-year-old Super Eagles striker had missed Galatasaray’s last game — a 3-0 win over Gaziantep — as he was still regaining fitness after a late arrival to pre-season. Coach Okan Buruk confirmed Osimhen will be available for their next match against Karagumruk on Friday.
Osimhen joined Galatasaray this summer after long transfer talks with Napoli, where he was a key player.
While the mosque naming controversy is still being investigated, many online have called on Google to tighten its system to prevent religious or cultural sensitivities from being disrespected.
