The Nigeria High Commissioner to Cameroon, Ambassador Abayomi Olonisakin, has charged the Super Eagles to win the 2021 AFCON.
Olonisakin stated this in a video published on NFF TV, while officially welcoming the team to Cameroon for the tournament.
He assured the three-time AFCON winners that they will not lack support in the course of the competition, as he has mobilised the Nigerian community in Cameroon to be behind them.
“The head of the delegation, the chief coach, coaching crew and supporting staff and my amiable Super Eagles Players I’m really privileged to speak to you again.
“I want to on behalf of the High Commission in Cameroon and the Nigeria community in Cameroon welcome you to Cameroon and especially Garoua where you will be having your preliminary matches and probably subsequent matches.
“You recall that sometime last year I also was able to address you when we met in Douala when you came for a match against Central African Republic. I want to leverage on that good work that you did in that particular match that gave us the three points that were at stake.
“So we charge you more so as to go into the preliminary matches and other matches. By my reckoning there are seven matches, five to be played in Garoua, one in Douala and then the last one in Yaounde. That is to say having played the seven matches, we will be going back home to Nigeria with the cup.
“I want to say that the Nigerian community in Cameroon is fully in support. We have gone round and we were in Garoua about two weeks ago to speak with them. We have been in Douala we have been all over and last year when I went round I told them that one of the issues we will be confronting is the Africa Cup of Nations and I ask them that we must all mobilise to support our team for a very successful outing.
“Let me also congratulate you for even getting to this stage because in some past Africa Cup of Nations we were not able to get to this stage so congratulations for getting to this stage but it is much better to go home with the cup.
Olonisakin added:” So we are praying and wishing that the preliminary matches that you will start on the 11th of January, that you will be able to go through it, then the round of 16, last eight, semi-final and final which will be played in Yaounde. That is our prayers and support for all of you.”
And speaking on behalf of his teammates, Eagles captain Ahmed Musa thanked the High Commissioner for his support while assuring that they will not disappoint.
“We want to say thank you very much for what you did for us when we were in Cameroon last year and also what you did when we arrived (for the 2021 AFCON) and by the grace of God we will make Nigeria and our family proud.
“We are not here in Cameroon to look at the beautiful city, we want to write our names in history so that when our kids grow then they can say ‘our fathers did this’.
“I want to assure you sir that with the support we are getting from everyone in Nigeria we are going to make them happy.” (CompleteSports)
