President of the Confederation
of African Football (CAF), Alhaji
(Dr) Issa Hayatou has affirmed
that failure to qualify for the
30th Africa Cup of Nations has
not diminished the importance of Nigeria to the entire structure
of African football.

In a chat with President of
Nigeria Football Federation,
Amaju Melvin Pinnick after the
Draw Ceremony for th e championship in Malabo,
Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday,
Hayatou admitted that the
entire African football family will
miss the Super Eagles at next
year’s finals.


“The whole of Africa will miss
Nigeria in Equatorial Guinea. But
the absence will not in any way
diminish your stature as a very
big and influential nation in the
African game.

“It would have been good to
have the defending champions
here. Nigeria brings so much
value to the Africa Cup of
Nations.”
However, we know that you will
come back much stronger, as
you did in winning the Cup in
South Africa last year after
missing out of the 2012
championship.”

Africa’s football supremo also
celebrated the vitality and
enterprise that the youthful
Amaju Pinnick will bring to
Nigeria’s football administration,
while formally welcoming him to the African football family.

“I am happy to see someone like
you take charge of Nigeria
football. I have always known
you right from Nigeria ’99 World
Youth Championship to the
African Women Championship finals in Delta State in 2002 and
2006. I know your dynamism and
capacity and I believe you will
deliver for Nigeria football.

There
is so much promise for the
future.” Pinnick was the youngest head
of National Association at the
Draw Ceremony held in Malabo
last Wednesday.

However, we know that you
will
come back much stronger,

dreydee:
I see him saying it with a smile