President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, bestowed the prestigious Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) national award upon each member of the Nigerian Super Eagles team and staff.
This recognition comes in light of their commendable performance, securing the silver medal in the recently concluded 2023 Africa Nations Cup.
At a reception held at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, Tinubu praised the team for their sportsmanship, resilience, and unity throughout the tournament.
“It is not easy to absorb a loss, particularly when the expectations are high, but you have demonstrated sportsmanship, resilience and team spirit throughout the tournament,” Tinubu said.
He adorned each team member with MON lapel pins and further announced generous donations of flats and plots of land to each recipient.
The ceremony, held just 48 hours after the Super Eagles’ valiant effort in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations finals against host nation Côte d’Ivoire, emphasized the team’s significant role in fostering national unity through their exemplary display on the field.
President Tinubu commended the team for their remarkable journey, acknowledging the lessons they imparted on resilience, togetherness, and diversity.
He assured continued investment in sports and youth development, vowing to attract private sector investment into the Nigerian Professional Football League.
Beyond Boders further reports that the Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, applauded the President’s commitment to sports development, highlighting the absence of crises or complaints during the competition, which allowed the team to maintain focus and achieve quality results.
Vice-Captain, William Troost-Ekong, expressed gratitude for the support and vowed to strive for greater success, aiming to clinch the gold medal in future competitions.
Addressing concerns over social media bullying of midfielder Alex Iwobi following the team’s loss, team captain Ahmed Musa urged fans to refrain from targeting individual players, emphasizing the collective effort and pride in representing Nigeria.
Moreover, Coach Jose Peseiro expressed gratitude for the President’s hospitality, describing it as a first in his 60 years of life.
“First of all I like to say thank you to the President. I am 60 years old, this is the first time some president has invited me to his house.
“It is an honour and a pride to me and I thank the President of the Republic of Nigeria for the invitation to me,” he said.
Despite the disappointment of falling short in the finals, Peseiro commended the team’s spirit and performance throughout the tournament, reflecting on the positive impact they had made.
