‘I haven’t recovered from the food I ate in Ndidi’s house’

The president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick waxed lyrical about the atmosphere and spirit of the Super Eagles, ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Liberia in Tangier, Morocco on Saturday.

Pinnick, who visited the team at their training camp in the North African nation, underscored the significance of everyone in the team and even spoke about how much he enjoyed the company of Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekharo Etebo, and Kelechi Iheanacho, whom he likened to famous Nigerian comedian I go Dye, when he visited the players in the UK in OctoberAMP.

“Everybody here is so, so important,” Pinnick said. “Where’s Ndidi … I haven’t recovered from the food I ate in his house. Then, I haven’t stopped laughing – I didn’t know Iheanacho and I go Dye are the same thing. I also visited Etebo, I was with him. So, that’s the kind of relationship we continue to imbibe,” the president said, on the sense of togetherness in the team.

“I also want to welcome [Odion] IghaloAMP to the fold,” the president continued. “That thing we know Nigeria for – unity, oneness, and importantly, ensuring that we win this game, and we win very, very well.”

Pinnick, who is also a member of the Organising Committee for FIFA competitions, said he “strongly and prayerfully believe that [the players] will deliver against Liberia and Cape Verde.”

Nigeria – Group C leaders – will face Liberia Saturday evening before hosting Cape Verde on Tuesday in Lagos in a bid to qualify for the final stage of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, which will hold next year.