Tag: AFCON

• Osimhen  still enjoys fans’ support 

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has not lived up to the expectations of many Nigerians at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The 29-year-old forward came into the tournament as the African Player of the Year and the 8th  best player in Europe and a lot is expected from him. The African king has managed to score a goal in three matches he played so far in the tournament. Also, he won a Man-of-the-Match award in the first game against Equatorial Guinea.

It is understood that this means nothing to many Nigerians who want him to do more for the team as he did for his club.

But despite criticism over his unimpressive performance in the tournament, Osimhen is still enjoying warm reception from fans in Abidjan. It’s all about Osimhen whenever the Super Eagles are playing against any opponent. Whenever he touches ball, the stadium erupted in loud noise of his name:“Osimhen!Osimhen!!Osimhen!!!”

Osimhen had told journalists in Abidjan that he was  not under pressure to perform at the tournament.

 “I’m not under pressure to perform at AFCON as Africa best player. I don’t really care about this title anymore. I have won it and it’s in the past now,” Osimhen said.

He added: “For me, I think the most important thing is to do well with the team at the AFCON. I don’t really care about individual performance at AFCON. I can be on the bench and other players get the job done. For me the most important thing is to win our matches and win the AFCON. And I am ready to help the team.”

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Power outage in Abidjan

Ordinarily, any Nigerian in Abidjan for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations shouldn’t be bothered about power outage because they are used to it back home in Nigeria.

But their new experience of enjoying uninterrupted power supply in Abidjan in few days they have stayed at President  Alassane Quattara’s  country have made them to adapt to a new life and forget their experience back home.

The power supply is stable  but the unusual happened on Monday as we experienced power outage for the first time. At first, we thought it was for a few minutes but it went off for about six hours.

The situation was made difficult because of hot weather condition in Abidjan. Abidjan weather is 31°C and it was unbearable because there is no alternative to power supply in Abidjan. No generator to power your house when there is power outage. Everybody depends on central power supply from government.

“The heat was too much. The heat here is different from the one we experienced at home. The situation is different from Nigeria. In Nigeria, you can make use of generator when there is power outage but there is no generator or inverter here,” an affected Nigerian journalist, Sulaiman Adebayo said. “It was a total blackout for six hours and the only alternative available was hand fan.”

Four journalists involve in bus accident 

Four Nigerian journalists were involved in a bus accident on Wednesday morning in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The accident  reportedly occurred around 2:30am on their way from Yamouskoro to Abidjan after covering the game between Angola and Burkina Faso.

Photo journalist, Adeniyi Muyiwa, who was in the bus said he was asleep when the accident happened.

Muyiwa said: “It would have been “RIP Mayor” this morning. After the Angola and Burkina Faso game, on our way back to Abidjan from Yamoussoukro, we had this accident, and I got my left hand twisted. I was asleep when everything happened, at about.2:30am.

 “But, I’m back stronger after taken two drips at the hospital.Na to buy drugs wey dem prescribed remain now. Make body fit for the next task ahead.”

In the midst of Guinea-Bissau’s challenging Africa Cup of Nations campaign, head coach Baciro Cande found a moment to express his unwavering confidence in the abilities of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles.

Cande, who played a pivotal role in orchestrating Guinea-Bissau’s victory against Nigeria in the qualifiers, offered his insights during a post-game media interaction.

With a reflective tone, Cande acknowledged the formidable nature of the Nigerian squad.

 “Nigeria has a good team, boasting a plethora of quality players, including the likes of Victor Osimhen, who is widely recognized as Africa’s best player,” he remarked.

Having faced the Super Eagles in previous encounters and possessing a keen understanding of their strengths and capabilities, Cande spoke with conviction about Nigeria’s potential success in the ongoing AFCON tournament.

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 “It is a team I know very well,” Cande affirmed, emphasizing the depth of his familiarity with the Super Eagles. “I believe they will go far in this competition. I believe they can win it. They are now among the favourites,” he added, encapsulating his optimistic outlook on Nigeria’s journey in the tournament.

As Nigeria advances to the Round of 16, the journey towards AFCON glory intensifies. The Super Eagles will face the second-place team from Group C in the knockout stage at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Saturday.

The stakes are higher, and with the backing of their coach and the talent within the squad, Nigeria remains a formidable contender in the quest for a fourth AFCON title.

The footballing world eagerly awaits the unfolding drama as the Super Eagles continue their pursuit of continental excellence.

As the Super Eagles continue their quest for continental glory, Baciro Cande’s words serve as a testament to the reputation and strength of the Nigerian team.

Where is the Super Eagles’ money?

There is a disquiet in the camp of Super Eagles of Nigeria in Abidjan as both the players and officials are yet to be paid a dime since they started their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign here in Cote d’Ivoire. Few days to the commencement of the 34^th  edition of the biennial African association football tournament organised by Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Sports development minister, Senator John Owan-Enoh, announced that President Bola Tinubu has approved the payment of N12 billion to clear outstanding payments of salaries for the Super Eagles and other sporting teams of the country. The money, according to the minister, entails clearing of the salary of the senior team national coaches running up to 15 months, the senior national team and other national teams; females, under 20 backlog of unpaid allowances, unpaid promises, and all of that piling up close to about N12 billion.

The announcement was greeted with full of praises for the president from the Nigerian football enthusiasts who believed that the gesture is timely and it will serve as a morale booster to the team during their AFCON campaign. But two weeks after the announcement, the findings in the team’s camp show that the team has not been paid. A team official confirmed that the players have been professional in their manners of approach to issues unlike what it used to be in the team’s camp in the past. and waiting until the issue go out of control will distract the team and also give the contrary a bad image in both the local and international scene.

Expensive pleasure

The fear of spending is the beginning of wisdom in Abidjan. The high cost of living in Abidjan has been making many Nigerians to be prudent in spending. You cut your coat according to your cloth. It is a known fact that Nigerians love enjoyment and like to show their presence wherever they go. Again, it’s not a bad thing to unwind after a hectic day job but unwinding without sense can be too costly. A Nigerian journalist wanted to relax and he approached an Ivorian babe. It is not funny how it ended between two of them. The babe gave him the price and his urge for fantasy evaporated immediately. The babe demanded for 50, 000 CFA (which is N100,000 equivalent) and the conversation ended there. It was at that moment that he started appreciating his wife’s beauty and said he would send the money to his wife instead of giving it to ordinary person.

Victory without celebration

The Nigeria’s Super Eagles produced one of the best performances in their second group A game against Cote d’Ivoire last Thursday. It was a well tactical game’s plan that worked well for the team. The coach Jose Peseiro-tutored side showed characters and determination against the Elephants. Before the game, the Ivorians were so confident of securing victory over the Super Eagles. They were all over the town making noise and yelling at Nigerians that they would beat us. Lo and behold! After 90th minute of a tense game at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ebimpe, Nigeria triumphed over the host nation. The defeat shocked them and they were humble. It is our turn to celebrate and make jest of our host but we dare not to do so. The reason being that we shared hotel with the Ivoirian uniform men and they were not happy with the outcome of the result. As we were coming back to the hotel from the stadium, someone called to advise us to end our celebration before we reached the hotel as some Ivorians in the hotel were not in good mood and our celebration can land us into trouble. So, we yielded to words  of advice and entered the hotel quietly and everybody went to their rooms. No celebration and no discussion about the game.

Super Eagles’ journey to a record fourth Africa Cup of Nations title chase in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire has been tacitly bolstered in an unprecedented presidential “carte blanche” issued by President Bola Tinubu, according to the chairman Karamba Football Club, Ada Land, Osun State, Chief Olusegun Alalade.

Alalade, a financial expert and legal practitioner, commended President Tinubu and the Minister of Sports Development, Johnn Enoh for their deliberate and conscious efforts to set a new path of rekindled glory and hope for Super Eagles with the timely approval of funds ahead of the AFCON.

Alalade said the timely release of funds to the team has proven a new dawn for Nigeria in sports development by President Tinubu’s administration. The President, last week announced the release of N12billion to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to enable it offset all outstanding debts owed the team as well as cover allowances including medical, travel and accommodation expenses for this year’s AFCON Championship.

“As a club owner and sports administrator who has been following our preparations and participation by the Super Eagles in the Africa Nations Cup, the timely release of funds for AFCON finals reassures sport lovers that President Tinubu has a genuine heart and passion for the youth and sports development. I could say with confidence and pride, this is the beginning of a new dream, vision and rekindled hope for our youths” Alalade said.

Read Also:AFCON: Okocha, Ambode charge Eagles to beat Cote d’Ivoire

Alalade summed up President Tinubu’s lofty gesture as a bold step and a testament of transformative leadership towards boosting sports development as a veritable strategic unifying factor.

The Karamba FC boss also urged President Tinubu to proactively engage football club owners and sport philanthropists with the aim of giving them a new lease of life through special financial and dedicated support at the grassroots level as they are currently in the throes of painful but necessary economic reforms.

 “I would like to urge the president through the Minister of Sports that the collective efforts and philanthropic gestures of club owners to groom and mobilise local players for national assignments should be given prime focus and priority in  budget allocation in line with President Tinubu’s welfarist disposition.

 “I wish to state that the enormous burden of grooming local players to feed the national team goes beyond the labour movement especially among the people in our various communities. Some of the reasons for seeking the support and intervention of the Federal Government include the cost of living effects or consequences of economic effects on the club owners in preparing players for national league competitions, training, facility management and technical equipment to groom young talents in realizing their potentials to represent Nigeria,” Alalade concluded.