…Has political, economical, developmental implications
Nigeria’s missing out of the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations has been described as huge loss to the country’s football, with attendant political, economical and developmental implications, according to The Point investigations.
The Africa Cup of Nations football championship is one of the major events in the calendar of the Confederation of Africa Football and Nigeria’s participation in the history of the tourney, has been great boost and result-oriented to the organisers, since its inception in the continent.
Nigeria has won the championship thrice, in Lagos in 1980, in Tunis, Tunisia in 1994; and in South Africa in 2013. The West African nation had missed out 14 times in the competition, since its inception, including the ongoing tournament in Gabon this year.
Nigeria first appeared in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963, where she was drawn in a group with Sudan, and the then United Arab Republic. The national team did not advance to the next stage. Between 1963 and 1974, the Nigerian national team withdrew from two African Cup of Nations, due to political instability.
In 1976, the Nigerian team came back to the Cup of Nations with third-place finishes in the 1976 and 1978 editions respectively. The sub-region giant hosted the 1980 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, which she also won for the first time in Lagos.
Nigeria came out as runners up three times and had one group stage elimination, between 1982 and 1990. She also failed to qualify for the 1986 edition hosted by Egypt. Nigeria appeared again in the African Cup of Nations in 1992 and 1994, finishing third in the 1992 edition and emerging winners in the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, which was the second time she won the tournament.
In 1996 the team withdrew from the tournament due to the political tensions in the country at the time, this withdrawal earned the Super Eagles a ban from participating in the 1998 edition.
In 2000, they returned to the Cup of Nations and emerged runners up and finished third place in the 2002, 2004 and 2006 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations respectively.
In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria ended their campaign in the quarter finals after losing to Ghana. They qualified for the 2010 edition, hosted by Angola, but were eliminated by Egypt in the semi-finals. They failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after ending their last qualifying match on a 2–2 draw against Guinea with goals from Ikechukwu Uche and Victor Obinna.
Loses
Nigeria stand to lose not less than $10 million for her inability to feature in the competition. From the round of 16, each team qualifies to get $600,000, while quarter finalists go home with $750,000. Semi-finalists are to smile home with $1 million as runner-up get $1.5 million and winners go home with $2 million.
The Nigeria football authorities used to budget an estimate close to $4 billion for the event, subject to final approval of the sports ministry, with additional multimillion naira support from sponsors.
The Nigerian Football Federation may also get to renegotiate fresh agreement with its sponsors, especially kit suppliers, Nike, for the event. The NFF board has yet to reveal the amount involved in the current deal with Nike, but at least, a new design may come up for the team, just for the tournament and it may attract fresh negotiations.
The event may also give the officials more avenue to rake in more money for themselves, and apart from those already contacted by CAF, more Nigerians may get something to do at the tournament.
Brands shun Super Eagles’ sponsorship
The non-qualification of the Super Eagles for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, may be responsible for why major brands shy away from sponsoring Nigerian football.
Countless opportunities had slipped away from the country as a result of the lukewarm attitude of Nigerian football administrators to the marketing of the team.
When the Green Eagles won the African Cup of Nations in Lagos in 1980 by beating the then almighty Algerian national team, courtesy of two great goals from Segun Odegbami, every major brand wanted to be identified with the victorious national team.
Again, it was the same story, when the team emerged victorious in the 1994 edition of the tournament in Tunisia. Thereafter, the team suffered losses and series of defeats before winning trophy again in 2013.
The brand also diminished along the line in profile and at some point, the national team was christened ‘Super Chickens’. What a way to reduce a brand near to nothing! It is ironic that the Super Eagles, which should be a money spinning brand for the country, has become a pariah team that is often rejected by many brands today. A closer look at the Nigerian national team revealed that the acceptance level of the Super Eagles’ brand is at an all-time low.
Companies’ involvement:
Few years back, Globacom Telecommunications, used to be the Super Eagles’ official sponsor, until of recent when the telecommunication giant failed to renew the deal. The same applied to Guinness Nigeria and Peak Milk, though Nike still remains Nigeria’s kit suppliers for international engagements.
Media low coverage:
Without Nigeria participating at Africa’s biggest football event, Nigerian media always suffer a drastic setback in terms of revenue they would amass from sponsorship and advertisement. Both newspapers and the electronic media contributed to the growth of sports in Nigeria through their separate channels and they also reap the fruits of their involvement in the game.
A foreign television media, Supersport, operating under DSTV or better known as Multichoice, rake billions of naira from viewership subscriptions whenever the Nigerian Super Eagles is engaged in any international competition that would be televised live to world.
Nigeria stand to lose not less than $10 million for her inability to feature in the competition. From the round of 16, each team qualifies to get $600,000, while quarter finalists go home with $750,000
With that, prominent sponsors were always ready to put down their money to advertise and support the project. Some corporate organisations may sponsor supplements on the pages of newspapers, with paid adverts to back it up, just on Nigeria’s participation at the continental football fiesta.
Practicing journalists are not left out in the project, as selected few may get all-expenses paid deals to cover the competition from interested sponsors in Nigeria and abroad.
As Gabon 2017 Nations’Cup is being sponsored by oil giants, Total, the company’s Nigerian branch may be instructed to take charge of the sponsorship expenses of the Nigeria media to the event.
Now, only few Nigerians follow the event going on in Gabon, as they rather watch the English Premier League, the Bundesliga or the Spanish La Liga every weekend.
Political effect:
Not featuring at the Nations’ Cup also reduce the political strength of a country to get into the top level of football administration in the continent. Frequent attendance in major events across the continent enhance the chances of individuals from Nigeria eyeing a seat in CAF or at FIFA.
Going to the Nations’ Cup helps Nigerian referees to learn more about how to apply the rules of modern officiating and more local referees may be considered for examination on the recommendation of the NFF and those in charge of refereeing in the country.
Although, there are some Nigerian officials in Gabon at present, they were invited base on personal recognition by CAF.
Players’ regret:
Majority of Nigeria’s players are regretting that the Super Eagles are not featuring at the Gabon 2017 Nations’ Cup, however, their only solace is that the country still has the chance to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Some players who are at their peak now, would have emerged as revelations of the tournament, despite the fact that their clubs in Europe may not like to release them for the African mundial.
Players like Manchester City’s hitman, Kelechi Iheanacho, Arsenal’s forward, Alex Iwobi, Chelsea’s magic man, Victor Moses, Watford’s Odion Ighalo, Leicester striker, Ahmed Musa and Super Eagles’ Skipper Mikel Obi, may use the tournament to prove their doubters wrong by playing out their hearts.
The Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, who is in Gabon on a spying mission, may have capitalised on the event to look at more Nigerian players, suitable enough to make his final team for the World Cup qualifiers.
Reduction of Nigeria’s global ranking:
Not going to the Nations Cup, may affect Nigeria’s global ranking in the round leather game. Nigeria should, therefore, not cry foul, if it is ranked below her present position in FIFA and CAF rankings, after the Gabon 2017 competition.
According to former CAF and FIFA instructor, Chief Adegboyega Onigbinde, the tougher the matches a country plays and wins, the higher its progression in the global rankings. For Nigeria to move up in the rankings, it must play frequent tough matches to remain relevant in Africa, despite its inability to qualify for Gabon 2017 event.
