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By Vitus Michael

Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo was has stated that Napoli of Italy striker, Victor Osimhen is not far from winning the coveted Africa Footballer of the Year award in 2023 if he remains consistent.

The 24-year-old is the current Serie A top scorer with 14 goals and Taribo who came 3rd in the 1997 Africa Footballer of the Year Award said that Osimhen could join the league of Nigerians who have won the continent’s individual prize if he remains focused.

Taribo who became a pastor after his retirement from football stated this on a radio programme in Abuja.

“He is doing well, even though he still has some distance to go,” Taribo said

“Playing in the Serie A is not easy. You could be a good club player and not good for the national team, but Osimhen combines both, and if he keeps the consistency, he is not far from winning the CAF African Player of the Year.”

He rated Osimhen ahead of current holder and Bayern Munich star, Sadio Mane as well as Liverpool talisman, Mohammed Salah both of whom have dominated the award in the past four years.

“With Salah and Mane not up to par with their standards, he (Osimhen) is ahead of them, and if he can continue to score goals, he should win it.

“With these signs, it shows that Nigerian sports can come back to reckoning, the air is clearing and the spirit will bounce back again through Osimhen in football.”

Only four Nigeria players, Rashidi Yekini (1993); Emmanuel Amunike (1994); Nwankwo Kanu, (1996 and 1999) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) have won the award.