The minister of sports development, Sen. John Owan Enoh, has urged the Super Eagles to win not only their first match but all their matches in Cote d’Ivoire.
The minister stated this at a meeting with sports federation presidents at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Thursday in Abuja.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are expected to start their campaign on Jan. 14 against Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.
They will also play against the host country, Cote D’Ivoire, on Jan. 18 and Guinea Bissau on Jan. 22.
According to Mr Enoh, winning all matches at AFCON was critical for the team.
”That win will send a clear signal as to our intentions as to the reason why we are in Côte d’Ivoire and to the fact that we are there to win.
”The ministry believes that we have a good team and good chances to win games,” he said.
He said that the team’s preparation for AFCON was solid.
He said that with the slogan: ‘Let’s do it’ and the motivation provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he was confident that the team would make Nigerians happy and proud.
”I believe that there is no better time for the team to put up an excellent performance than now,” he said.
He urged presidents of National Sports Federations to partner with the ministry to ensure a vast improvement in the general performance during the upcoming African Olympic/Paralympic Games.
The 13th African Games is slated for Accra, Ghana, from March 8 to March 24.
Mr Enoh outlined the focus of each federation’s roadmap, medals projection, challenges and the way forward towards podium performances at the games.
“I’ve said that I wasn’t a minister of football development, I am a minister of sports development.
“I was in Lagos to bid the Super Eagles farewell to AFCON 2023, and today I am here with other sports and other federations in preparations for the All African Games and the Olympics.
“So, as much as possible, the ministry is giving much time and attention to all the sports that we are competing in,” he said.
(NAN)
