Africa’s elite soccer festival, the Nations Cup, is here again with 24 teams, all good enough to come out with at least a place in the last four. For Nigeria’s Super Eagles, here is an opportunity to prove that they remain among the continent’s best. The Eagles are condemned to return from Cote d’Ivoire with a medal, beginning with their first game against Equatorial Guinea on January 14. Compatriots are worried that the present team can only create heart breaks, not scoring chances especially after dismal performances in their last five outings. Nigeria is in a sorry state. The economy is paralysed, the people are traumatised.

Ordinarily, when things go down low, everyone relies on football to forget all national maladies. This is time for the team to bring the people back to life. Victor Osimhen is the newly crowned African Footballer of the Year. On paper, the Eagles appear to be just Osimhen and his 10 back up men. That should be a challenge to the others. While attention is on the Napoli striker, his teammates can do the damage. It is a positive development that the Eagles are going into the competition with the African Footballer of the Year. The first time it happened in 1994, with Rashidi Yekini, gold was achieved for the second time in our history in Tunisia. It was not so bad the second time in 2000. Nwankwo Kanu missed a grand finale penalty in Lagos but still bagged a silver medal. At the Cameroon 2021 African Nations Cup, the Eagles arrived as favourites.

They failed to live up to expectations and crashed out in the second round. That dismal performance frightened goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, out of availability. However, failure in Cameroon should bring out the best in the present team. As defending champions at Libya 1982, the Eagles dropped out in the first round. At Ghana 2008, they did not go beyond the second round. Those dismal outings propelled them in the subsequent editions. Nigeria got a first silver medal at Cote d’Ivoire 1984, after the Libyan disgrace and picked a bronze at Angola 2010, two years after flopping in Ghana. Experience is the best of school masters. The Super Eagles must feel at home in Cote d’Ivoire. Yekini made his Nations Cup debut there in 1984 and came out with a silver medal. Stephen Keshi led the team for the first time. He later progressed from silver to bronze and capped it with gold in 1994. Muda Lawal became the first to play five times consecutively in the African Nations Cup, from 1976 to 1984. He did not leave Abidjan empty.

The same Keshi became a coach and won with the Eagles in 2013, becoming the only Nigerian to win as player and again as coach. Incidentally that has been the last time the Eagles have climbed the victory podium as champions of Africa. When Keshi led the team to South Africa in 2013, his sack letter was prepared and return flight to Lagos confirmed. He became lucky with Cote d’Ivoire, sending the Elephants packing in the quarter finals. This is what the 2024 team should do, prove critics wrong. The Theme Song for Cote d’Ivoire 2024 has the Nigerian touch. Yemi Alade made it happen as she joined Egyptian rapper, Mohammed Ramadan, and the very popular Ivorien group, Magic System, to sing, gyrate and celebrate as the continent’s best football teams congregate in the West African nation.

There is a huge population of Oyo people, especially from the Ogbomosho and Shaki areas in Cote d’Ivoire. They are going to be joined by more, especially those from Ejigbo and Ila Oragun in Ghana and Burkina, to boost support. Ivorien veteran, Sam Abouo Dominique, hails from Ogoja, Cross River State. When the players march into the field against Equatorial Guinea this Sunday, at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, there will be Igbo supporters on both sides. Marvin Anieboh will play against Nigeria because Igbo is one of the official languages of Equatorial Guinea. Charles Ondo is not Nigerian – he is Anieboh’s team mate. President Bola Tinubu did noble by providing all the money needed to excel in this competition. For the first time in a long while, players have no reason to complain about match bonuses and other welfare packages.

The import is that to whom much is given, much is expected. This appears to be Osimhen’s tournament. He won bronze in Egypt five years ago but missed Cameroon 2021 due to injury. No African has scored more than five goals in a Nations Cup championship game. Laurent Pokou of Cote d’Ivoire scored five in the 6-1 demolition of Ethiopia in 1970. The Nigerian is challenged to do better. Unfortunately many Nigerians do not believe in this team handled by Jose Peseiro. However, despite this, they will still get behind their team because they would love to have something to put smiles on their faces. The Eagles must bring glory back. It is doable.

Update news