Tunde Folawiyo

Whilst some might say that next year’s AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) tournament is still a long way off, plans for the event are already well underway. The recent draw revealed that the Super Eagles will play against Sudan, South Africa, and the winners of the Libya v Rwanda, and Congo v Namibia matches. South Africa (or Bafana Bafana as they are known) were quite possibly disappointed by the results of the draw; Super Eagles supporters like Tunde Folawiyo are probably aware that SA has yet to defeat Nigeria in an international competition, despite having played against them on several occasions.

The tournament is to be held in Morocco this time, and will run from the 17th of January, until the 8th of February. In total, there are seven qualifying groups; each of the teams within these groups will play six matches between the months of September and November, after which the two top teams will progress to the final in 2015.

Aminu Maigari, the Nigeria Football Federation’s president, has expressed his confidence in the Eagles, stating that he believes they will once again win the tournament. During a press conference, he insisted that there was no question as to whether they would qualify for the final, or manage to retain their title. He was quoted as saying that the Eagles are in Group A, and will emerge with a grade A result. Describing the players as ‘vibrant and strong’, he finished by saying that he was sure they would do well in both AFCON and the World Cup. Whether or not fans of the Eagles, like Tunde Folawiyo share his certainty, remains to be seen.

The NFF are clearly very optimistic regarding Nigeria’s chances of winning the cup; this is evident not only from Maigari’s words, but also from the very generous financial plan which they have drawn up, to cover all of the team’s tournament-related expenses. In total, the federation has earmarked N941 million for the event; a portion of this will be used to secure a training camp abroad, whilst the rest will be used for things like flights and accommodation for the 12 officials and 40 players who will be travelling to Morocco. Money has also been allocated to cover car hire, and accommodation for visiting teams, during the Eagles’ four home matches.

Speaking at a forum at the presentation of the Europa Cup, Former Super Eagles skipper Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha released a warning for the team in regards to a looming World Cup appearance. The BCC African Player of the year award winner cited the large role football plays in the lives of Nigerians, urging the Super Eagles to play their very best for fear that a loss could prove detrimental to the spirit of the game in Nigeria.

“Football in Nigeria is big and it unites us as a nation. I just hope that this time around our team would make the desired impact to make Africa proud,” he stated at the forum, mimicking the hopes of Super Eagles fans throughout Africa, including native Nigerian Tunde Folawiyo and countless other loyally supporting the team and sharing in their triumphs on the field.

Okocha’s declaration is not lost upon Nigerian sports fans. Holding the respect of Super Eagles fans throughout the world, Jay-Jay Okocha remains one of the most revered players in Nigerian football history, as well as one of Africa’s most famed athletic talents.

A midfielder highly-recognised for his outstanding skill, Okocha like many other football stars began his passion for football as a young boy. He made his official debut for Nigeria in their 2–1 1994 FIFA World Cup, where he assisted the team in 4–1 win, leading to a qualification to their first World Cup. The year 2002 saw Okocha’s first tournament as captain of the Super Eagles during the World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan. Scoring four goals in the quarter finals, Okocha led the Super Eagles team to third place at the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia, for which he was later awarded Player of the tournament and joint Golden Boot winner.

After more than a decade of dedicated service to the Super Eagles, Okocha announced his retirement from the international scene after the Cup of Nations in Egypt, after which his final international appearance took place in a 2–1 victory in a third place playoff against Senegal in 2007. Here, he was honoured with a standing ovation from nearly 60,000 fans in attendance, demonstrating the impact he forged on the national sports scene. Named among the top 125 living footballers by Pelé in March 2004, Okocha remains a source of inspiration for millions of football fans throughout Nigeria and beyond such as Tunde Folawiyo and countless others with a love for African sports.

Amid speculation regarding the Super Eagles choice of coach for the club’s World Cup appearance, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced it will not engage the services of a foreign football coach for the nation’s senior male team. The news comes ahead of the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Fans of the Super Eagles, including Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others, may find comfort in the clarification.

Speaking at the Federation’s media briefing in Abuja yesterday, Emeka Inyama, the Chairman, NFF Media and Publicity Committee, gave the assurance. Whilst speculation centred around the prospect of a foreign manager for the Super Eagles may be ongoing, Inyama noted the NFF’s confidence in Stephen Keshi, pledging support for the coach.

“I want to use this medium to clarify the issue once and for all, that we do not have plans as a Federation to hire any other coach for the World Cup. We do not have any plans whatsoever to bring any foreign assistant to work with Keshi,” he said.

Though the Federation’s plans to stick with Keshi have now been clarified, the NFF Executive Board member has acknowledged previous concerns between the Federation, the Super Eagles and their head coach.

“It seems as if there is war. It seems as if the country is going to break into two. But honestly, I want to assure you today that there is peace. There is no tension.”

Founded in 1949, the Nigerian National Football team have overcome various obstacles throughout their history as a club. Controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation, the Super Eagles became the first African football team to win gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, an accomplishment of vast significance for African sports. Twice qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, the team later went on to win a Silver Medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 after suffering a 0-1 defeat against Argentina. The Super Eagles also won a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games and later went on to win third place in the 1976 and 1978 African Cup of Nations. They won the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2013, one they’ve won 3 times in their history, further demonstrating the team’s enormous talent on the field. Through decades of triumphs and disappointments, the Super Eagles continue to inspire citizens of Africa as the sport of football remains a passion of many throughout the continent. Fans such as Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others may approach this summer’s World Cup in Brazil with high hopes of a Super Eagles success story.

Since its establishment in 1945, the Nigeria national football team have accomplished various fetes of significance, cementing their spot as one of Africa’s most proud professional sports teams. After overcoming many obstacles as a team, the “Super Eagles” continue to serve Nigeria as a revered organisation boasting millions of loyal fans, including Nigerian native Tunde Folawiyo and others throughout various African nations.

Throughout its history as a franchise, the Super Eagles have been home to many players of great athletic talent, each possessing expert skill and an unwavering passion for the game. Among these is Taribo West, a defender who made over 41 appearances for the Nigerian national team. He was part of the Nigerian National team when they won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta before playing in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup. Peter Rufai was another such player with great talent, becoming the first Nigerian goalkeeper to play abroad as he signed for Beninese team Dragon FC in 1986. He played a total of 110 international matches for Nigeria, including a 6-0 win at the 1994 Nations Cup qualifier. Representing Nigeria at the World Cups in 1994 and 1998, he also led the Super Eagles team to the 1994 African Nations Cup victory, held in Tunisia.

Regarded by many as one of the greatest Nigerian players of all-time, Segun Odegbami won 46 caps and scored 23 goals for the National Team, guiding Nigeria to its first Africa Cup of Nations at the 1980 tournament. Among Odegbami’s most notable skills were his outstanding speed and precision. After years of play for the Super Eagles, Odegbami played his last game – the 1984 African Champions Cup final defeat to Zamalek. Whilst the athletic talents of Segun Odegbami cannot be denied, his younger brother was also a skilled athlete Wole Odegbami is a former national team player, as well. Not only were the two brothers extremely skilled on the field, but in academics as well. Segun Odegbami was nicknamed “Mathematical” not only for his precision, but because he attended and graduated from Nigeria’s premier technical institution, The Polytechnic, studying Engineering. Years after his retirement, in 2007, Odegbami appeared on Nigeria’s version of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ and donated all his winnings to ‘The Little Saints’ Orphanage on the Strong Tower Mission, further demonstrating the exceptional character that undoubtedly aided him to become the super talent he proved himself to be on the field. As the Super Eagles strive for dominance in yet another season, fans of the team such as Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others are sure to remember the amazing talents that have sported the green jersey years before.

Over the past week, the Super Eagles’ have been putting the finishing touches on their World Cup preparations. As a football fanatic, Tunde Folawiyo is probably aware that their manager Stephen Keshi has been closely monitoring several players whom he believes might be worthy of  inclusion in the final squad; he noted that he has been particularly interested in Chinedu Obasi, the winger for Schalke 04. Keshi spoke enthusiastically about Obasi, explaining that he had been impressed when watching the player’s recent matches in Germany and Spain.

Keshi himself will be under the same level of scrutiny soon enough; a report published this week revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation will be paying close attention to how he manages the team during the upcoming tournament. Keshi has acknowledged that if the Eagles do not perform as well as expected, he may have to begin looking for a new position. His contract is nearing its end, and its renewal is not certain.

This week, Leon Balogun, another player whom Keshi is said to have been considering for the World Cup squad, spoke to the press regarding his recent injury. The defender, who fell to the ground during his debut match with the Eagles in Atlanta, has said that he is healing quickly, and is optimistic about his chances of joining the team for their upcoming training session in the USA next month.

Meanwhile, the NFF has decided that, contrary to their original statement, the team are now allowed to bring along their wives and girlfriends when they travel to Brazil for the World Cup. Keshi announced this development whilst at a press conference in Lagos. The coach however, was less than enthused about the players taking their other halves. A representative from the NFF’s technical committee also advised against it, arguing that doing so might create a distraction, which could ultimately affect the performance of the team.

A few days ago, the NFF also announced that the musician ‘Solidstar’, would be recording the official theme song for the Super Eagles. This is a performer that most music fans, including Tunde Folawiyo, will be familiar with. He is scheduled to work with the label Achievas Music to complete the song; an NFF spokesperson explained that they chose Solidstar, as he is not only talented, but also passionate about football, and moreover, almost everyone can relate to, and enjoy his style of music.