NFF Reacts As Super Eagles Recite Wrong National Anthem During World Cup Qualifier Against Benin
- In a surprising turn of events, the Super Eagles sang the old anthem during their match in Benin Republic, Abidjan
- The national team expressed rage over the development and blamed the Beninoise Football Federation for the mix-up
- Legit.ng reports that the players sang the “Arise O Compatriots,” anthem instead of the newly reinstated “Nigeria We Hail Thee” at the start of the match
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Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed anger at the Beninoise Football Federation's mix-up in playing the old Nigerian national anthem before Monday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Abidjan.
Source: Twitter
Recall that the Super Eagles of Nigeria shunned the ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ national anthem during a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic on Monday, June 10.
The Nigeria men's national football team recited the ‘Arise O Compatriot’ anthem at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan.
‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ was reintroduced after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the national anthem Bill 2024 into law on May 29, 2024.
NFF reacts as Super Eagles sing old anthem
In a swift reaction to the development, NFF’s head of international competitions, Dayo Enebi Achor, said the NFF handed a recording of the new national anthem of Nigeria to the Benin FA authorities at the match coordination meeting in Abidjan on Sunday evening.
Accredited FIFA & CAF photojournalist Adepoju Tobi Samuel disclosed this in a post shared on his X page on Monday, June 10.
“We gave them the recording of our new national anthem, only for them to play the wrong one at the beginning of the match. We protested strongly, and insisted that the Super Eagles would not start the second half until the new national anthem of Nigeria was played,” Achor said.
The Benin FA authorities eventually played the new national anthem of Nigeria before the commencement of the second half of the match.
2026 World Cup: What Super Eagles need to qualify
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a former Super Eagles international, Bright Omokaro, has explained what the Super Eagles must do to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Omokaro said the Super Eagles players need more togetherness and rigorous training to qualify for the World Cup.
He added that the Super Eagles need to play as a team and have collective responsibility to get the expected goals.
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
