ATTN: SUPER EAGLES.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria exploded
into the finals of the nations Cup by
thrashing the Eagles of of Mali in an
emphatic 4-1 win, getting to the
finals for the 1st time in thirteen
years.
Nobody gave them much chance,
but each match brought drama and
even more drama as the Super
Eagles mesmerized their opponents
with that characteristic style of play
reminiscent of the 94 squad.
Now talking about that 94 squad , it
would interest you to know that the
last time Nigeria won the cup in 94,
they never got a chance to defend it
for political reasons.
In 1996, when they should have
defended it, the Maximum ruler
then, Gen Sani Abacha had a faceoff
with the newly independent South
Africa who were the hosts of the
tournament, (well, Abacha had a
faceoff with the whole world ), so
he decreed Nigeria would not go to
South Africa to defend her title,
CAF, led by Camerounian hatchet
man, Isa Hayatou, quickly slammed
Nigeria with a four year ban for
failing to defend her title.
That year however, Nigeria famously
went on to win the Olympic gold in
Atlanta, rubbishing CAF and
Hayatou, but the damage had been
done, if we had gone to South
Africa to defend in 96, we would
certainly have retained the Cup, and
retained it again in 98, there was no
country close to the class of our
players in Africa then.
South Africa went on to win their
first ever Nations Cup as hosts while
the Champions, Nigeria, watched at
home angry,frustrated and bitter.
When Nigeria finally served out her
ban and returned to AFCON in 2000,
eager to reclaim her lost crown ,
Cameroon was firmly :entrenched
but still Nigeria met them in the
finals and were brazenly robbed by
CAF in the penalty shootout, when
the referee ruled that Ikpeba's
penalty which had clearly crossed
the line, was not a goal. By now
most of the players were on their
last legs, time had taken it's toll.
Cameroon carried the Cup in Lagos,
disillusioned the team and its fans
slipped into lethargy and many
Nigerians switched interest to the
English premiership. (I be Man U,
Me na Chelsea, Me Arsenal. For
Iseluku where u dey?)
Now, nineteen years after winning
the cup, seventeen after failing to
defend in South Africa , thirteen
after it's last appearance at the
finals, three after failing to even
qualify, the Super Eagles of Nigeria
are finally in the finals of the
African Nations Cup in......South
Africa......., and they have come
with the style, verve, flair and
colour peculiar to Nigerian soccer.
Significant? I leave that to your
discretion.
So come on boys, bring back that
Cup!
O.J.A