..charges NFF On respect for the 12th Player
By Akeem Busari
The National Chairman of Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Ambassador (Rev). Samuel Ikpea has attributed the loss by the Super Eagles to DR. Congo at the recently played 2026 World Cup playoffs in Rabat, Morocco, to the absence of the inspiring and energetic members of the football supporters club.
Speaking from Spain where he is currently on a football business tour, the widely travelled businessman and unapologetic football enthusiast remarked that Nigerians and the players always looked forward to hear the lovely songs, dances and sounds of the trumpets, made popular by the foremost football fans group, the Nigeria Football Supporters Club.
“Take it or leave it, the Nigeria Football Supporters Club in the last 70th years have been part of the various Nigeria national teams. Whenever there is match, every Nigerian wants to hear the drums and sounds of the trumpet.
“But unfortunately, today, those with the powers of running football have ignored the strength of the 12th player, which are the supporters. Other countries that copied from Nigeria, are using the same strength against us. Look at the massive supports from the Congo from the start to end of the match.
“This unfortunate rot and misplaced priorities in Nigeria football, started in Russia, when Nigeria were ousted out at the early stage. Then we missed qualifying for 2022 World Cup in Qater and now, the same thing has happened to the plans for the 2026 World Cup.
“It’s a shame that Nigeria had to go and mobilise students to come to the stadium to watch the Super Eagles. They are not supporters and can never know what to do specifically during the penalties.
“Let me tell you. If the real supporters were in that stadium, the Super Eagles will not lose the penalty shoot-out. The alleged voodoo wouldn’t work against our players because is a crucial match, we would have gone fasting and prayers before and during matches, would have averted it.
“Do you think that the chant collectively ‘over the bar’, when penalties by the supporters is ordinary? No no. It’s a spiritually inspired chant and it’s been very effective over the years,” the obviously disappointed NFSC boss stated.
He went ahead to admonish on the powers and importance of unity, particularly, in Nigeria football community.
“Have you ever seen success in a disunited place?,” he asked rhetorically. “Even when God wanted to create man, God use the sentence, ‘let’ us’. During the tower of babel, God said again ‘let us’ That shows the strength of unity,” he added conclusively.
