Victor Osimhen set to become a movie star after meeting with Turkey's Mr Ibu

Super Eagles ace Victor Osimhen could soon become a movie star after his recent meeting with a top filmmaker in Turkey sparked rumours and speculations in the country. 

The 26-year-old signed a permanent deal to join Galatasaray this summer in what was a league-record signing. He is quickly becoming one of the most famous celebrities in Turkey, and the record for the highest data traffic in Istanbul coinciding with the date of his unveiling lends credence to that. 

Osimhen's superstardom could soon spill beyond the confines of football, as he recently met with renowned Turkish comedian Sahan Gokbakar, famed for his Recep İvedik movie series.

In the movie series, Gokbakar plays the character Recep İvedik, a slapstick, over-the-top, everyman character who gets into ridiculous situations. His comedy is typically loud, exaggerated, and geared towards mass audiences, making him one of Turkey’s biggest box-office draws.

Recep Ivedik can be likened to Mr Ibu, played by the late great John Okafor; he built his career around playing a bumbling, simple-minded but hilarious character in film after film, just like Gokbakar does with Recep.

Galatasaray are so big in Turkey that it comes as no surprise that major celebrities in the country are fans of, or have a stake in, the club. Gokbakar is a Galatasaray congressman, and recently, he met with their new record acquisition. 

The meeting between the pair has been making the rounds, with the Nigerian clad in a Galatasaray training kit and Sahan wearing a Cim-Bom face cap on his casual wear. 

After posing for a photo, Osimhen humourously asked Gokbakar, “You gonna give me a role in your movies?” The comedian responded, saying, “Of course,” Samimihaber reported.

Fans have been having fun with the interaction since it hit the internet, with many jokes made around the Nigerian appearing in the eighth instalment of Gokbakar’s hit comedy series Recep İvedik.