Players of the Super Eagles who were runners-up at the African Cup of Nations tournament in Cote d’Ivoire have been rewarded with the national award Member of the Order of the Niger, MON flats and plots of land in the Federal Capital Territory.
This was made known after President Bola Tinubu played host to the team and their coaches Tuesday at Presidential Villa in Abuja. They were accompanied by the Sports Minister John Enoh and officials of the Nigeria Football Federation.
The Super Eagles lost 2-1 in the final of the AFCON to the surprise team of the tournament, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire. Captain William Troost-Ekong had put the Super Eagles ahead, but they couldn’t survice the onslaught of the Ivorians back by their vocifourus home crowd.
“Let this passing event not dispirit us but bring us together to work harder. We are a great nation bound as one by the green-white-green banner of resilience, joy, hope, duty, and untiring love,” said a statement signed by Tinubu’s media and publicity adviser, Ajuri Ngelale.
“To those cherished Nigerian youths expressing their gifts in communities, drawing lines in the sand as they play football in their humble rectangles of play, you can be our heroes tomorrow, do not relent in your pursuit. My administration is here to make dreams come true,” the president said.
