Controversial Nigerian cleric and INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church leader, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has stirred intense debate on the eve of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco after issuing a stern prophetic warning to the Super Eagles’ technical crew and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The prophecy, reported on December 21, 2025, the same day the tournament officially kicked off, specifically targets Nigeria’s two biggest stars, Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen, ahead of the team’s Group C campaign.
According to the cleric, allowing Ademola Lookman to feature in Nigeria’s opening matches would not benefit the team, insisting that the Atalanta forward “is not meant to play” and that his inclusion could negatively affect the Super Eagles’ progress in the tournament. In the same breath, Primate Ayodele cautioned that Victor Osimhen, Nigeria’s talismanic striker, should not be allowed to play the full 90 minutes, warning that overusing him could work against the team’s overall success.
His exact words, as widely circulated, were blunt and direct: “Osimhen should not play 90 minutes; Lookman is not meant to play, as he won’t help them.” The statement has since ignited massive reactions across social media, sports platforms, and football circles, with Nigerians sharply divided between amusement, skepticism, and concern.
Many fans have dismissed the prophecy as spiritual theatrics, joking that the NFF might as well appoint Primate Ayodele as an assistant coach, while others have pointed to his long history of football-related predictions, some of which he later claimed came to pass. The cleric has previously issued warnings involving Osimhen’s career moves, injuries, and club decisions, ensuring his name remains a recurring feature whenever major football events approach.
The timing of the prophecy has added to the tension, as both Lookman and Osimhen are widely regarded as central pillars of Nigeria’s AFCON ambitions. Lookman, the reigning CAF African Player of the Year, has been in devastating form for Atalanta, while Osimhen remains Nigeria’s most feared striker despite his ongoing stint with Galatasaray. Under head coach Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles are seen as strong contenders to go one step further than their runner-up finish at the last AFCON, with expectations of a deep run and a possible fourth continental title.
Nigeria faces a relatively favorable Group C, featuring Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda, and football analysts overwhelmingly agree that team selection will be guided by tactics, fitness, and performance data—not prophecies. Still, in a country where football and spirituality often collide, Primate Ayodele’s warning has injected an extra layer of drama into Nigeria’s AFCON journey.
Whether his words prove prophetic or fade into the long list of pre-tournament noise, all eyes will now be on the Super Eagles when they step onto the pitch, as fans wait to see if football logic—or spiritual warnings—will write the next chapter of Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 story.
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