Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa, Ambassador Tope Ajayi, and the Senior Special Assistant to Mr. President on Grassroots Sports Development, Sir Adeyinka Adeboye, led a team of top officials of the Mission, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and members of the Nigerian community in South Africa to welcome the Super Eagles to Bloemfontein on Sunday evening.
The chartered ValueJet aircraft that conveyed the Nigeria delegation touched down at the Bloemfontein Airport at 6.25pm South Africa time, after a three-and-half hour flight from Luanda, Angola. The aircraft had flown two-and-half hours from Uyo to Luanda to refuel.
There were also top officials of the National Sports Commission, including Alhaji Salihu Abubakar, Barr. Musa Amadu, Dr (Mrs) Kehinde Ajayi, Mr. Ebidowei Owiefie and Mr. Seyi Johnson.
Members of the Nigeria community in South Africa, propelled by their president, Mr. Smart Nwobi, turned out in impressive numbers in Nigerian traditional attire, dancing, singing and drumming.
The delegation was led by President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and included the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Hon. Kabiru Amadu, some NFF Executive Committee members, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, former Nigeria captains Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba, a couple of NFF Management and Staff, a couple of stakeholders and a few media representatives.
There were 22 players and the technical and administrative staff, with forward Victor Osimhen, who copped an injury in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat of Rwanda in Uyo, the only absentee from the ensemble that was invited.
The Super Eagles will have the official training at the Toyota Stadium by 6pm on Monday (5pm Nigeria time) before the must-win encounter with South Africa for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday.
