The Super Eagles have assured President Muhammadu Buhari that they won’t let Nigeria down.
They gave the assurance when Buhari, Sunday morning, gave a pep talk to them ahead of their second-round match against Tunisia tonight in the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON 2021).
Speaking via video conference from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Coach Austin Eguavoen, described the president’s pep talk as a morale booster.
He 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.”
Ahmed Musa, on behalf of the players, appreciated the president, noting that it is not easy to speak with the leader of a country.
“We will make Nigeria proud, now that we have the blessings of the father of the nation,” Musa said.
The president spoke with Coach Augustine Eguavoen, Captain Ahmed Musa, President of Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, and Nigerian Ambassador to Cameroon, Gen Abayomi Olonisakin (retd), according to a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina.
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Mentioning two of the players, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Moses Simon, by name, 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 president 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.”
The president also applauded the good work being done by sports minister Sunday Dare, saying the country appreciates it.
Pinnick described the video conference as “a priceless privilege”, and thanked 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.”
Olonisakin said the over four million Nigerians living in Cameroon have been giving robust support to the Super Eagles since they arrived in Garoua, Cameroon, on January 5, “and they will continue to do so.”
Via Punch
