Ahead of the Super Eagles’ round of 16 games against Tunisia at the Africa Cup of Nigeria (AFCON), President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the team to make Nigerians happy by coming out victorious.
Nigeria will play the Carthage Eagles at the Stade Roumde Adjia in Cameroon by 8 pm Nigerian time.
According to a statement by Femi Adesina, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, the President gave the Super Eagles a “pep talk” on Sunday morning.
“Speaking via video conference from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President spoke with Coach Augustine Eguavoen, Captain Ahmed Musa, Amaju Pinnick, President of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), and Nigerian Ambassador to Cameroon, Gen Abayomi Olonisakin (retd).
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“Mentioning two of the players, Kelechi Iheanacho and Moses Simon, by name, President Buhari urged the Super Eagles to continue making Nigerians happy, not only by winning the second-round match, but to eventually lift the trophy,” the statement read in part.
The president was quoted to have said: “You’ve been doing Nigeria proud. You’ve been winning. Please keep on winning. The Federal Government is supporting you, and I say thank you to all the technical crew and the players. Please keep doing the country proud.”
President Buhari applauded the good work being done by the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, saying the country appreciates it.
Responding, Eguavoen said, “We are so excited that His Excellency, President Buhari, has come to speak with us this morning. On behalf of the players and the technical crew, I want to say thank you very much sir.
“The group stage has passed, and your speaking to us is a morale booster. Thank you for your support, Mr President, we also thank the Hon. Minister, and the NFF President. We are so privileged, and want to promise that you should just relax, we’ll come out victorious. We won’t let the nation down.”
Olonisakin said the over four million Nigerians living in Cameroon have been giving robust support to the Super Eagles since they arrived Garoua, Cameroon, on January 5, “and they will continue to do so.”
Musa, on behalf of the players, appreciated Mr President, noting that it is not easy to speak with the leader of a country, and they count themselves privileged.
“We will make Nigeria proud, now that we have the blessings of the father of the nation,” Musa said.
NFF President, Amaju Pinnick described the video conference as “a priceless privilege,” and thanked President Buhari and the nation at large for their prayers and support.
He said under the current dispensation, Nigeria has won the Under 17 football tournament twice, “and we want to win the African Cup of Nations too.”
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