The number citizens of the federal republic of Nigeria, president Bold Ahmed Tinubu has awarded Super Eagles players and their officials national honours following the team’s impressive performance showing at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The president honor each members of the team with a national honor, a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), a flat, and a plot of land in the Federal Capital Territory for finishing second at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations concluded in Cote d’Ivoire.
The Super Eagles lost 2-1 to the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in the final of the AFCON 2023 on Sunday.
The Super Eagles won five, drew one, and lost one of seven matches, scoring five and conceding three goals to emerge runners-up at the 34th edition of the continental football showpiece.
President Tinubu, who received the team at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, said he is proud of them and applauded their resilience and for lifting the spirit of the country.
He admitted it is not easy to get over a loss and that the Super Eagles demonstrated sportsmanship and a can-do spirit.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
President Tinubu described defender and vice captain William Ekong, named Player of the Tournament, as a ‘warrior’ and named Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen as ‘Trojan horse’. He praised the Federal Ministry of Sports and the Nigeria Football Federation for their efforts in preparing the team for glory.
Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh described President Tinubu as the biggest sports-supporting President that Nigeria has ever had, and lauded the Nigeria Football Federation for ensuring that for the first time in a long time, Nigeria has returned from a major sporting competition without any crisis or complaints of any kind by the athletes.
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