AFCON 2024: AS SUPER EAGLES REACH FINALS, NIGERIANS TASK TINUBU TO DEPLOY THE SUPER EAGLES' CAN-DO SPIRIT TO SAVE NIGERIA 

Olufemi Orunsola

The trajectories of the Nigerian national team in the on-going African Cup of Nations(AFCON) has been quite fascinating but the mid week encounter of the Super Eagles against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa changed the gears of the competition to reflect what many football enthusiasts have described as an heightened, anxiety and tension-laden experience akin to the current harsh socio-economic realities facing Nigeria as a country.

True to their can-do spirit that has characterized their previous matches during the tournament, the Super Eagles started the quarter final match by raising expectations of Nigerians who have been known to momentarily forget all tribal, ethnic or religious differences during tournaments, the Super Eagles advanced to the final of the African Cup of Nations after beating South Africa on penalties on Wednesday night at the Stade de la Paix (Stadium of Peace) in Bouake, Ivory Coast

The Eagles took the lead and raised the hopes of Nigerians home and abroad after skipper William Troost Ekong converted the penalty won by striker Victor Osimhen.

South Africa star player Mokoena equalised in the 90th minute sending the game to extra time, the extra time ended in stalemate and the game advanced to penalties.

Nigeria’s goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved two penalties, while Kelechi Iheanacho scored the winning penalty to catapult the Eagles to the final.

The penalties ended 4-2. By that victory, Nigeria has now reached the finals of the competition.

No sooner than Nigeria won the match, a post suddenly popped up on social media, in the form of a rhetorical question by a yet to identified Nigerian netizen reading:
"If only President Tinubu could deploy this same can-do Nigerian spirit of the Super Eagles to tackle and fix the worsening economy of the country."

That existential rhetorical question seems to hold a unique appeal for Nigerian soccer enthusiasts as well non soccer fans too who are still basking in the euphoria of Nigeria's victory over South Africa, as the post is now trending in the social media land scape where the social maxim of refusal to resign to ill-fate seem to have opened the year with the popular "No Gree for Anybody 2024 trends that held sway earlier in the year.

Open Television observes that the trend sparks of the resilient spirit of Nigerians and is a subtle expression of confidence in the ability, capacity and capability of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make a difference in the trajectories of the country by making a positive influence on the narratives of forlorn hope of Nigerians in a new & prosperous country.

Open Television hereby salutes the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima who had flown all the way to Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire to boost the morale of the Super Eagles while appealing to the Vice President and  President Bola Tinubu to take advantage of the renewed hope, the AFCON football competition has awakened in Nigerians to move the country out of the woods!

One only hopes that true to the yearnings of Nigerians, the  Nigerian government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu scores the much-needed socio-economic goals that will ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

Up Nigeria!!!