The Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) will be one of the big spenders for next year’s world cup in Russia as plans have been mapped out to spend whooping dollars- worth billions of naira- to sponsor 100 Nigerians to Russia to cheer the Super Eagles.
The plan, which has been described as a special arrangement, following the division among the Nigerian Football Supporters Club, has reached advance stage.
Even if the leadership crisis in the Nigeria football supporters club is resolved before the July 2018 world cup, The Glass House as further gathered, would not drop its already worked out special arrangement to ensure a massive support for the football national team in Russia.
Super Eagles’ Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye reportedly explained that the football federation was mindful of the situation with the Supporters Club, which is a private body, and hence have to ensure that the crisis would not in anyway affect Eagles in the world.
Ibitoye said, “the details of the fans engagement programme will be unveiled by the NFF in the next few days…. the NFF and its sponsors want to take 100 fans to Russia.”
The Nigerian Football Supporters Club has splited into two factions with Rev. Ikpea and Vincent Okumagba laying claims to the leadership of the body.
The Ikpea faction is backed by a majority of the members, including Rafiu Ladipo, who is the president general of the body, while Okumagba is supported by the younger elements, who want change in leadership from Ladipo’s over 20 years of controlling the body.
The club could not travel with the Super Eagles to Ndola where Zambia hosted Nigeria in the opening game of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers, while the Ikpea-led group arrived in Cameroun by road on match day when the Indomitable Lions hosted the Super Eagles in Yaoundé.
However, it was gathered that ‘elders’ of the body have been meeting to find a lasting solution to the Supporters Club’s leadership crisis.
Meanwhile, Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Emmanuel Babayaro has urged the National team handlers to reconsider giving a recall to former Captain, Vincent Enyeama.
Speaking ahead of the World Cup draws coming up on the 1st of December spoke, Babayaro said,
“World Cup requires a lot of experience if we will have any chance of scaling, and Enyeama’s experience will be vital at this point,” Babayaro said.
The former goalkeeper was widely known as the older brother of former Chelsea and Newcastle full-back, Celestine.
He noted that irrespective of how Enyeama is been viewed, he can still pass on knowledge to the team. Stressing that
conditions should be attached to his return, to avoid any form of rancor within the team.
Emmanuel was a keen central midfielder as a child, but his younger brother Celestine would force him to play in goal,
hitting him until he gave in. It was in this position that he was noticed.
Babayaro was also part of Nigeria’s gold medal-winning team at the 1996 Olympics, a side in which Celestine also appeared.
