Tunde Folawiyo

After several weeks of negotiating, Stephen Keshi has officially agreed to continue serving as the coach of the Super Eagles. He sent his formal letter of acceptance to the Nigerian Football Federation last week. The news of the coach’s contract renewal will no doubt come as a relief to Tunde Folawiyo, and other Super Eagles fans, as it means that the team now have the leadership they need to prepare for the first of their AFCON qualifying matches, which is to be held on the 7th of September.

The team are set to face Rwanda, Sudan and South Africa in the Group A matches next month. Rwanda was named as one of their opponents after their outstanding penalty shootout against Congo resulted in a 4-3 victory. They will be travelling to Nigeria to play the Eagles. Although the Wasps performance against Congo was impressive, Eagles’ fans like Tunde Folawiyo are probably not too concerned, given how well their team played at AFCON last year.

More upheaval may be on the cards for the Super Eagles in the near future, as Sammy Amoebi, who currently plays for Newcastle, has expressed a desire to devote his senior career to Nigeria, much like his brother Shola has. In an interview, Sammy said that it would be a great honour to join the Eagles, adding that after seeing how happy his older sibling was with the club, he is sure that he too, would fit in well.

There have also been rumours that Kelechi Iheanacho, a player who rose to fame during his time with the ‘Super Eaglets’ last year, might be joining Nigeria’s senior team in the very near future. His performance at the U-17 World Cup 2013 was outstanding; the seven assists and six goals which he provided were instrumental in helping his team to win this title. His efforts did not go unnoticed, with the committee awarding him both the Golden Ball and the Silver Boot for his hard work on the pitch. During the same year, he was given the title of ‘Most Promising Youngster’ by the CAF.

However, opinions are divided on whether Iheanacho would do well if he joined the Super Eagles. Sports journalist Solace Chukwu contends that integrating into the senior Nigerian team might be too overwhelming for the young man, but James Ezimoha believes that the Eagles need some fresh faces, and that Iheanacho could provide the commitment, passion and zeal that the existing squad so desperately need.

Although football is something which interests Folawiyo greatly, he also has many other passions, including entrepreneurialism. Those who want to learn more can read about the Tunde Folawiyo success story on Frontiers.

With the first of their AFCON qualifying matches looming, the Super Eagles are now working hard to ready themselves for this event. Nigeria have been named as the favourites to win in Group A; however, many say that the Eagles should not underestimate the abilities of their opponents, as to do so could deal a fatal blow to their progress in this important tournament.

Rwanda, whom the Eagles are due to play in Group-A, have been doing well under the guidance of their new manager, Stephen Constantine. Their recent victory over Libya, the 2014 CHAN champions, serves as a testament to how far they have come over the past few months. Coupled with their impressive performance against Congo this month, there is little doubt that they are now capable of giving Nigeria a run for their money. Tunde Folawiyo, and other Eagles’ fans, are probably not too concerned however, given that Nigeria defeated Rwanda quite easily at the 2014 AFCON tournament, finishing with a result of 2-0.

Nigeria will also have to face Sudan and South Africa. The latter are due to play the Eagles at the Cape Town Stadium on the 10th of September. Danny Jordan, the president of the SA Football Association, acknowledged that playing against the reigning AFCON champions at such a huge stadium would be a daunting task for Bafana Bafana. He added that for Shakes Masaba, who has just joined the club as head coach, this would be an especially gruelling experience.

Whilst there is no question that Nigeria have a tough road ahead of them, Olakunle Fayiga, a sports journalist, believes that with Keshi at the helm, they will have little difficulty in retaining their title. Discussing the coach’s many achievements during the past three years – from helping them to win CHAN in 2013, to leading them to their best World Cup performance in almost two decades in 2014 – Fayiga praised the dedication and discipline which Keshi has instilled into the team during his time as coach.

The journalist noted that, due to the respect which Keshi commands, there are now no longer any issues with players failing to honour call-ups, or showing up late to training camps. Fayiga finished by describing the Nigerian as being superior, in terms of his coaching skills, even to Clemens Westerhof, a man widely considered to be the greatest coach the Eagles has ever had. This is a bold statement, but it is one which many fans, including Tunde Folawiyo, might agree with.

As an Eagles supporter, Folawiyo likes to use social media to keep up to date with events in the world of football. To read about his thoughts on this subject, follow Tunde Folawiyo on Twitter.

Nigeria’s quest to defend their crown will begin in September with the qualifier for the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. With Super Eagles fans such as Tunde Folawiyo on the edge of their seats, the fixtures have now been revealed:

6th September 2014              Nigeria v Rwanda

10th September 2014           South Africa v Nigeria

11th October 2014                Sudan v Nigeria

15th October 2014                Nigeria v Sudan

15th November 2014            Rwanda v Nigeria

19th November 2014            Nigeria v South Africa

Rwanda

The Super Eagles’ first fixture will be against the Amavubi of Rwanda at a venue yet to be named. Under new coach Stephen Constantine, Rwanda have made impressive progress, eliminating Libya 3-0 on aggregate in the first qualifying round. Basking in confidence after their 2-0 win against Congo, they will surely be looking to add Nigeria to their list of wins.

South Africa

South Africa is rated as the weakest contender of the three, but with Serero’s flashes of brilliance and a few other good players amongst their ranks, Nigeria should be confident but never complacent.

Sudan

Sudan, under coach Mohammed Abdallah Mazdah, will be giving their all to qualify after bitterly missing out to Ethiopia in 2013.

The Africa Cup of Nations will be held from 17th January to 8th February 2015, with Morocco hosting the tournament for a second time. After a persuasive 1-0 victory against Burkina Faso in South Africa in 2013, the Super Eagles will be giving their all to hold onto the title.

Emmanuel Emenike was a major contributor to the Super Eagles’ 2013 Africa Cup of Nations success, scoring a free kick from an astounding 30 yards and three other goals in the tournament, earning him a place in the team of African Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament and the Pepsi Tournament Top Scorer accolade.  Mba gave another impressive performance in the final, breaking the team out of deadlock against Burkina Faso just before the whistle. Once they had broken into the lead, the Nigerian team were unstoppable, running rings around their opponents, earning them a place at the Confederation Cup in Brazil.

The burning question of Super Eagles supporters like Tunde Folawiyo is whether the team can hold onto the top spot this year in Morocco and lift the Africa Cup again. To discover more about this Super Eagles enthusiast and award winning African businessman, visit the Tunde Folawiyo profile page.

Nigeria, as the most populated country on a continent obsessed with football, has ever-high hopes for its national team. The “Super Eagles” saw a 2013 victory in the Africa Cup of Nations over Burkina Faso. Nigeria has appeared in the Africa Cup of Nations six times prior, and won twice previously, in 1980, and 1994. The 2013 victory spurred a strong team spirit approaching this summer’s World Cup, and coach Stephen Keshi, one of only two people to have one the Africa Cup of Nations as a player and then as a coach, headed into the contest confident in his team.

The Super Eagles first made the World Cup in 1994, and have returned every Cup since, except for 2006. Their 2014 showing began with a draw to Iran, and the next match, against Bosnia, saw Peter Odemwingie score a goal that secured the team’s first win in a FIFA World Cup since 1998. Odemwingie, who grew up in Russia and Nigeria, debuted with the Nigerian National Football team in 2002, after a promising start with Nigeria Premier League’s Bendel Insurance. The Nigerian National Team went on to lose to Argentina after holding strong until Marcos Rojo scoring a third for Argentina in the second half. Nigeria did qualify for the last 16, but was ultimately knocked out by France.

Despite this setback, the nation’s football fans have not turned their backs. The team, in fact, was recently described by BusinessWeek as a contender for the world’s “most crazed soccer nation.” A new poll showed that over eighty percent of Nigerians report being fans of the sport, a level of interest that dominates second-runner Indonesia (about seventy-seven percent). Nigeria scored top numbers among the thirty-three nations pooled in the percent of population who report that they play football–a whopping sixty-five percent of Nigerians regularly participate in the sport. The head of research on the survey postulates that Nigeria’s football obsession comes from the lack of competition–no other sport in Nigeria holds nearly the cultural sway.

In a country composed of hundreds of varied ethnic groups, love of the game brings citizens together despite their differences. Almost twenty-five percent of Nigerian adults tuned in to watch the World Cup. The team’s fan’s include Nigerian businessman Tunde Folawiyo, head of the Yinka Folawiyo group, who grew up cheering for Segun Odegbemi. Tunde Folawiyo joins the team’s many fans in Africa and around the world in looking forward to their continued success.

Eagles supporters such as Tunde Folawiyo will probably be relieved to learn that the NFF (Nigerian Football Federation) is now close to establishing the terms of a new contract with Stephen Keshi, which will result in the coach returning to his former role as the Super Eagles coach. Keshi was appointed to this position in late 2011; since then, he has helped the team to achieve some outstanding results at both CHAN and AFCON.

However, after guiding the Eagles to the final 16 at the 2014 World Cup, his contract with the NFF was allowed to expire, and it seemed as though he would be forced to bid farewell to the team which he had been coaching for close to three years. Both the Sports Ministry and the NFF were initially reluctant to renew his contract, perhaps due in part to Keshi’s insistence on better terms. However, recent reports indicate that the coach and the NFF have been able to compromise and reach an agreement which suits both parties.

Despite the fact that the salary offered is less than what the coach had originally asked for, he is believed to be willing to accept it, and stay with the team for at least another three years. In a press conference, Keshi explained that overall, he was pleased with the improvements to his contract, adding that he is now ‘ready to serve’, and is looking forward to finishing what he started.

With this matter now settled, Eagles’ fans like Tunde Folawiyo are no doubt eager to see the team begin their preparations for AFCON. Tijani Babangida, a former winger for Nigeria, has advised Keshi and the players to concentrate all of their efforts on readying themselves for this tournament. With less than a month to go until they meet Rwanda for the qualifying match, the pressure is on.

Babangida has said that whilst the Super Eagles are unarguably a strong team, and have the ability to defeat their opponents in upcoming games, they will not do so unless they train intensively over the next few weeks. He noted that the first match of any major tournament is always important, and cautioned the Eagles against taking their game against Rwanda too lightly.

Whilst Folawiyo takes an interest in the world of football, he also has many other passions; for instance, he is fascinated by the lives of important, inspirational figures. To find out more about his thoughts on this subject, read the influential icons blog of Tunde Folawiyo.

Amid news of the Super Eagles’ massive schedule of qualifying for the AFCON, the Nigeria Football Federation has reached out to assure the organization’s fans that the team will be ready for battle on the field. With a World Cup venture on the horizon, hopes are high as the Super Eagles strive to bring victory to their millions of fans, including Tunde Folawiyo and others throughout the country of Nigeria and well beyond.

Aminu Maigari, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, announced that the team are prepared to defend their Africa Cup of Nations title upon qualification for the tournament when the Morocco 2015 qualifying matches begin in September.

Grouped with South Africa, Sudan and the victor of two preliminary matches among Libya/Rwanda and Namibia/Congo Brazzaville, the Super Eagles have much at stake upon returning from the World Cup in June. Beginning the first week of September, the qualifying process will take place over six matches between September and November. Unusual for a major competition, the decision came as a result of the CAF’s move of the tournament to odd years with the African Nationals Championship taking place during even years.

The CAF Board announced on 29 January during the 2011 CAF Super Cup that Morocco will host the 2015 African Cup of Nations tournament. The tournament will celebrate its 30^th anniversary in 2015. It will be held from 17 January to 8 February 2015 in Morocco, who previously hosted the tournament for the first time in 1988.

Whilst the CAF received hosting bids for the Africa Cup of Nations from two other nations, DR Congo and South Africa, Morocco is said to be favored to host the competition for its infrastructure and advanced stadiums. In order to form a decision, CAF visited each bidding country to examine stadiums, interest in the sport and infrastructure – all important factors in an adequate tournament host. First inspected was DR Congo, though the inspection was cut short before the country ultimately withdrew bids for the 2015 and 2017 tournaments.

With both the pressures and excitement of these imperative matches looming, devoted fans of the Super Eagles may be comforted by Maigari’s words as emotions run high. Citizens of Nigeria and the team’s fans throughout the world, including Tunde Folawiyo, may anticipate the World Cup as it may serve as a precursor of what’s to come when the team embark’s on the CAF qualifying process in September.

The United Nations has selected the Super Eagles to serve as its goodwill ambassadors during the 2014’s FIFA World Cup, set to take place between June 12 – July 13 in Brazil. The continent of Africa has long been plagued with high incidences of AIDS throughout, with significant numbers of citizens succumbing to the disease each year. Through this partnership and the continued support of Tunde Folawiyo and billions of others throughout the globe, the devastating effects of AIDS may one day be but a distant memory.

Djibril Diallo, a Special Advisor for the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), released a statement at a news conference announcing a lunch of the organisations “Protect the Goal Initiative.” Seeking to utilize the power of sports and the building excitement surrounding the 2014 World Cup, the project is also committed to promoting an AIDS-free era for future generations.  hopes to achieve these goals through implementing a zero discrimination, zero infection and zero AIDS related death for others.

Diallo cited the Eagles’ pedigree in the sport and Nigeria’s political and economic influence on the continent as reason for the choice. He also spoke of the United Nations’ commitment to focusing on using the AIDS and HIV as a tool in targeting the Millennium Development Goals. Whilst the initiative was aimed at the World Cup’s 32 qualified teams, Diallo noted Nigeria as its primary focus. The campaign began on March 5 during a friendly game in South Africa with President Jacob Zuma lending his signature to the ball.

The campaign is expected to reach Mexico and Chile during the period between May 25 and June 5 before its departure for Brazil for a World Launch on June 9. Each stop will see the Head of State join forces with the national team to promote a heightened awareness of the UN’s goal.

According to Professor John Idoko, a group of 14 countries around the globe are today responsible for 60% of HIV cases, with 10 out of the 14 within Africa’s borders. As football attracts an enormous fellowship in Nigeria, the United Nations is determined to utilize the sport in raising awareness. Through this joint effort, the impact of AIDS may one day be reduced. Citizens of Nigeria including Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others may find the news of the Super Eagles ambassadorship as a positive step forward in the fight against HIV and AIDS throughout the continent.

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.

With a rich team history spanning over 70 years, Nigeria’s football team holds a vibrant, loyal fan base of millions, including Nigerian Tunde Folawiyo. Controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigerian national football team (NFF) – nicknamed the Super Eagles – has won many distinctions in their history as a franchise. The team currently ranks 37th in the FIFA World Cup Rankings – a greatly significant accomplishment for an African sports team. The Super Eagles won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, a title they’ve won 3 times in their history, demonstrating the team’s immense talent on the field.

The Nigerian national football team 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 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.

The Nigerian National Football team has been home to players of immense talent in the sport of football. Patrick Olusegun Odegbami, often shortened to Segun Odegbami was born August 27, 1952, in Abeokuta. Brought up in the northern city of Jos, Plateau State guided Nigeria to its first Africa Cup of Nations title at the 1980 tournament. Famed for his skill on the ball, speed and precision of his crosses from the right wing, Ogedbami earned the nickname “Mathematical”, partly because he attended The Polytechnic – Nigeria’s premier technical institution – and graduated with a degree in Engineering. His last game was the 1984 African Champions Cup final defeat to Zamalek of Egypt. Throughout his career, Segun Odegbami exuded tremendous skill on the field, assisting in the team in many honours. Years after his retirement, Segun Odegbami played a charity game with the much loved Zebrudaya and donated his entire winnings to The Little Saints’ Orphanage on the Strong Tower Mission, further exemplifying the character and integrity of some of the team’s most respected players. With their long-standing devotion and success throughout their history as a team, the Super Eagles have forever impacted the world of African sports. As they embark on a new year of play, the Super Eagles continue to inspire millions of fans throughout the world, including native Nigerian Tunde Folawiyo.