The Club Brugge midfielder was the Super Eagles’ standout performer, scoring twice in Tuesday’s 3–1 Africa Cup of Nations victory over Uganda at the Fes Stadium.
Paul Onuachu had given Eric Chelle’s side a first-half lead before the 24-year-old struck twice after the break, both goals coming from assists provided by Samuel Chukwueze.
The former African Player of the Year stressed that individual accolades do not always have to revolve around him, highlighting that Onyedika’s contribution has gone under the radar for too long.
"Onyedika has been one of our best players and most of the time, he doesn’t get the hype he deserves," said Osimhen.
"He is really a talented player. For the kind of performance he put in against Uganda, I think he deserves to be in the spotlight.
"It’s not about me, its not about the Super Eagles, its all about him because he has done so well and he deserves to be in the spotlight."
Meanwhile, man-of-the-match Onyedika expressed his delight with his performance, explaining that he had patiently waited for his opportunity to shine in the star-studded Super Eagles squad.
"I feel happy and I cannot explain how I feel but it’s a moment I have been working for all my life and I am happy it finally came true," he told the media.
"It is the same like any other player; when you are not playing, you just have to keep the focus and keep working and wait for your opportunity. The rest is up to the coach to decide on who to play."
He explained that his goals were no fluke, revealing they were the product of training-ground routines and a strong understanding with Chukwueze.
Notably, all three of Onyedika’s goals for the Nigeria national team have come from assists provided by the Fulham star.
"This is what we work out during training. It is also a matter of seconds when you decide of course, some of these decisions don’t go the way you want it sometimes, but you just have to be ready," he added.
"I also know Samuel (Chukwueze) very well whenever he dribbles, he always looks for (…) and then cuts back.
"So, I try to make sure that I’m always in that position. And luckily, against Uganda, I was always in a good position. I need to buy Chukwueze a gift, all my three Super Eagles goals came from his assists."
When asked what it feels like working with coach Eric Chelle, Onyedika said: "It feels good and also tough because he has a standard and demands a lot from the players during training and in the game. "He is also an amazing manger too but he expects a lot from the players while pushing everyone to his potential."
As a result, Nigeria will now await their Round of 16 opponents, with Cameroon, Mozambique or reigning African champions Côte d’Ivoire all possible matchups.
