President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has reiterated that three-time African champions, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, are ready to show up with a championship-winning mentality when the 34th Africa Cup of Nations begins in Cote d’Ivoire on 13th January 2024.
Speaking while receiving the Ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire to Nigeria, His Excellency Kalilou Traore in audience at the NFF Secretariat, Gusau praised the Government of Cote d’Ivoire for the huge investment in stadia and related infrastructure to adequately host the continent 40 years after the country played host to the 1984 edition of the competition.
While commending Cote d’Ivoire for investing well to host the upcoming AFCON, Gusau reminded Ambassador Traore that Nigeria won the Silver Medal when his country hosted the tournament in 1984 and that the Super Eagles are looking to win the title this time around.
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“I have been receiving regular briefings on the preparations from the President of Cote d’Ivoire Football Federation, Yacine Idriss Diallo, who is a personal friend. I am aware that the Government of Cote d’Ivoire has really invested in stadia and general infrastructure to make the AFCON a success and a huge spectacle,” Gusau said.
“Our two teams (Super Eagles and Elephants) are in the same group at the finals, and it would be a very interesting game when we play on 18th January. We know the whole of Africa and even the world will be focused on Cote d’Ivoire before, during, and after the AFCON, and our team will be ready to do its best. When Cote d’Ivoire hosted the AFCON in 1984, our Eagles finished second. This time, we will work very hard to emerge as champions.”
Earlier, Ambassador Traore congratulated the NFF on the fact that Nigeria is one of the 24 participating nations at the upcoming AFCON 2023 and used the opportunity to invite the NFF leadership to the Ivorian National Day, to be celebrated at the Embassy of Cote d’Ivoire on Friday, 17th November 2023.
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“We want the NFF to be part of the event. The Ivorian National Day is usually celebrated in August, but it was postponed this year because of the death of our former President, Dr. Henri Konan Bedie. We also want to use the opportunity to launch a promotional programme ahead of the AFCON, which our country is hosting early next year,” Traore told Gusau.
AFCON 2023 Group A comprises hosts Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.
Also present at the occasion were NFF Executive Committee member, H.E. Ali Silas Agara; NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; Cisse Karim from the Office of First Counsellor at the Ivorian embassy and; NFF Chief Protocol Officer, Emmanuel Ayanbunmi.
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