APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has conferred the country’s National Honours Award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) to the members of the Super Eagles, who finished second in the just concluded 2023 Africa AbCup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.
President Tinubu, who received the players, coaches and officials of the national team led by the Sports Minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday announced the reward of flats a plot land in Abuja.
He commended the players, the coach, the crew and the entire management team for their hard work, assiduity, and sacrifice to come this far in the tournament.
The statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said that President Tinubu acknowledged the hurdles they consistently surpassed with steadily improving their performance as they pulled through to the finals.
According to the statement, President Tinubu urged Nigerians to be of good cheer, emphasizing that “we won a great victory in the hearts of Africa and the world with our grit, rigour and determination in the field of play”.
“Let this passing event not dispirit us, but bring us together to work harder. We are a great nation bound as one by the green-white-green banner of resilience, joy, hope, duty and untiring love.
“To those cherished Nigerian youths expressing their gifts in communities, drawing lines in the sand as they play football in their humble rectangles of play, you can be our heroes tomorrow, do not relent in your pursuit. My administration is here to make dreams come true,” Tinubu said.
GIK/APA