Eagles skipper, Joseph Yobo presents an Eagles jersey to Executive Mayor of Mbombela, Catherine Dlamini during her visit on Saturday
River State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has said the Super Eagles will still go far at the ongoing Nations Cup, despite drawing its first two games, with a group game to go.
He made the remarks when he donated the sum of $100,000 to the team in Nelspruit on Friday afternoon. Governor Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, further revealed that he has the words of President Goodluck Jonathan that the team will not lack anything to excel at the tournament.
“Let me also say that Alhaji Aliko Dangote has asked me to tell the team that he will donate huge amount to the team, when it reaches the quarter final and he will be here personally to support the team and cheer you to victory,” he said.
Amaechi was in the company of the Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador S.S Yusuf, Consul General Okey Emuchay (MFR), NFF President Alhaji Aminu Maigari and a sizeable number of his executive committee members.
Maigari praised the support the NFF and the Super Eagles have received from Governor Amaechi over the years, while skipper Joseph Yobo, assured that despite initial hiccups the team will excel at the tournament.
And on Saturday, it was the turn of the Executive Mayor of Mbombela, Hon (Mrs) Catherine Dlamini, to ginger up the Super Eagles, when she paid a courtesy call on the team during lunch time.
Accompanied by a Councillor, Moris Mozibane, she was received on behalf of the team by NFF Vice President, Chief Mike Umeh, executive committee members, Chris Green, Chief Emeka Inyama and Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu.
She said she came to boost the spirit of the team ahead of their last group game against Ethiopia, adding that she expects the team to return to Nelspruit for the quarter finals.
She thereafter presented the team with gift bags and she was in turn presented symbolically with a Super Eagles jersey by team skipper, Joseph Yobo. He assured the Mayor that the team was sure to return to Nelspruit for the quarters and thanked her for her support and the beauty of the city.
Chief Umeh spoke in similar vein, assuring that the team will not let Nigerians and the Mayor down in its quest for honours at AFCON 2013.
Corporate giants, Guinness Nigeria Plc has also said it will from now on give $5000, for every goal scored by the Super Eagles at the Nations Cup. NFF President Aminu Maiagri said the deal was brokered by Pamodzi Ltd and urged the players to go for the kill and get dollar rain from Guinness in the remainder of the tournament.