Nigeria’s Envoy to Cameroon, Ambassador Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin on Monday stormed Garoua to drum massive support for the Super Eagles ahead of the 2022 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Cup cracker in Cameroon.
The former Chief of Defense Staff declared the mobilization drive as part of his diplomatic offensive aimed at garnering massive support among over 5 million resident Nigerians in Cameroon for the 28-man Super Eagles squad ahead of the forth-coming AFCON soccer fiesta scheduled to run from January 9 to February 6, 2022, in Cameroon having twice been postponed –once due to climatic conditions and once due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Olonisakin’s effort as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cameroon is one of the most cordial by enriching the relationship through so many channels in the neighbouring country. His latest move to visit the venue of Nigeria’s national team have gathered instant momentum in Garoua, the venue of Nigeria’s Group D matches located in Cameroon’s far northern region, the home base of CAF’s longest-serving president, Issa Hayatou.
Captain Ahmed Musa-led 28-man squad of the Super Eagles which are featuring in the twice-delayed biennial international men’s football championship of African organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was last October 10, 2021, full of praise and gratitude to Ambassador Olonisakin for mobilizing unprecedented support that enabled his team clinch a 2-0 victory over the Central African Republic in a second leg 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Douala.
Olonisakin’s latest trip to Garoua, with capital at Maroua where he met with the Governor Midjiyawa Bakary of Northern Region of Cameroon was ‘’well-timed and primarily-primed as an equivalent of a military show of force’’ to rein in every possible support for the Nigerian national team in the Group D widely nick-named the Group of Death featuring seven-times winners Egypt alongside Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea Bissau.
The province of Garoua, also known as Extreme North Region making up about 66, 090 km of the northern half of the Republic of Cameroon is Cameroon’s fourth most densely populated. As widely envisaged, if the Super Eagles tops the group, they will play an additional match there before moving southwards as the tournament progresses.
He expressed appreciation to the Governor of the Northern Region for his brotherly support to matters relating to the collective interests of the Nigerian community in the region bordering Nigeria’s Adamawa State on the south and the west. Garoua is Cameroon’s third largest port with a large fishing and cross border trade community that attracts a huge tourist attraction.
His visit also gave the envoy an opportunity to assess the status of accommodation facilities for the Nigerian contingent as well as for supporters clubs making arrangements to throng the city to cheer the Super Eagles to victory in their matches, pointing out that nothing was being left to chances.
“In competitions like this, there is no team that is a pushover. Surprises can be sprung up. So we take each match and each team as they come.
We are preparing for the Egyptian team as a strong side, the same will be the case for Sudan and Guinea Bissau.”
“I met with the Nigerian community on Sunday to sensitize them on the need to give the Super Eagles a rousing welcome and to support the team in all their matches.
“We hope to top the group and play the fourth match in Garoua and also move ahead to get into the semi-finals. That means we are playing about five matches in Garoua”, said Olonisakin.
Emphasizing the need to reach out to the Nigerian community in Garoua, Ambassador Olonishakin said it was to prepare it as a comfortable haven to plan and garner huge support for the national team.
It is important to add also that the involvement and gallant efforts of his wife, Her Excellency, Dr Omobolanle Olonisakin, has been outstanding particularly within the women’s wing of the entire Nigerian community
Envoy to Cameroon, Ambassador Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin on Monday stormed Garoua to drum massive support for the Super Eagles ahead of the 2022 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Cup cracker in Cameroon.
The former Chief of Defense Staff declared the mobilization drive as part of his diplomatic offensive aimed at garnering massive support among over 5 million resident Nigerians in Cameroon for the 28-man Super Eagles squad ahead of the forth-coming AFCON soccer fiesta scheduled to run from January 9 to February 6, 2022, in Cameroon having twice been postponed –once due to climactic conditions and once due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Olonisakin’s effort as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cameroon is one of the most cordial by enriching the relationship through so many channels in the neighbouring country. His latest move to visit the venue of Nigeria’s national team have gathered instant momentum in Garoua, venue of Nigeria’s Group D matches located in Cameroon’s far northern region, the home base of CAF’s longest-serving president, Issa Hayatou.
Captain Ahmed Musa-led 28-man squad of the Super Eagles which are featuring in the twice-delayed biennial international men’s football championship of African organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was last October 10, 2021, full of praise and gratitude to Ambassador Olonisakin for mobilizing unprecedented support that enabled his team clinch a 2-0 victory over the Central African Republic in a second leg 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Douala.
Olonisakin’s latest trip to Garoua, with capital at Maroua where he met with the Governor Midjiyawa Bakary of Northern Region of Cameroon, was ‘’well-timed and primarily primed as an equivalent of a military show of force’’ to rein in every possible support for the Nigerian national team in the Group D widely nick-named the Group of Death featuring seven-times winners Egypt alongside Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea Bissau.
The province of Garoua, also known as Extreme North Region making up about 66, 090 km of the northern half of the Republic of Cameroon is Cameroon’s fourth-most densely populated. As widely envisaged, if the Super Eagles tops the group, they will play an additional match there before moving southwards as the tournament progresses.
He expressed appreciation to the Governor of the Northern Region for his brotherly support to matters relating to the collective interests of the Nigerian community in the region bordering Nigeria’s Adamawa State on the south and the west. Garoua is Cameroon’s third largest port with a large fishing and cross border trade community that attracts a huge tourist attraction.
His visit also gave the envoy an opportunity to assess the status of accommodation facilities for the Nigerian contingent as well as for supporters clubs making arrangements to throng the city to cheer the Super Eagles to victory in their matches, pointing out that nothing was being left to chances.
“In competitions like this, there is no team that is a pushover. Surprises can be sprung up. So we take each match and each team as they come.
We are preparing for the Egyptian team as a strong side, the same will be the case for Sudan and Guinea Bissau.”
“I met with the Nigerian community on Sunday to sensitize them on the need to give the Super Eagles a rousing welcome and to support the team in all their matches.
“We hope to top the group and play the fourth match in Garoua and also move ahead to get into the semi-finals. That means we are playing about five matches in Garoua”, said Olonisakin.
Emphasizing the need to reach out to the Nigerian community in Garoua, Ambassador Olonishakin said it was to prepare it as a comfortable haven to plan and garner huge support for the national team.
It is important to add also that the involvement and gallant efforts of his wife, Her Excellency, Dr Omobolanle Olonisakin, has been outstanding particularly within the women’s wing of the entire Nigerian community
