AFCON 2023 Fallout: NFF President urges Nigerians to shun cyber bullying

By Wale Mustapha

President of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has called on soccer loving Nigerians to shun any act of intimidation on national team players as it encourages lack motivation and commitment.

Alhaji Gusau gave the charge on Tuesday against the backdrop of insults and cyber bullying directed at Alex Iwobi following his performance with Super Eagles at the just concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast.

The three times AFCON winners lost 2-1 in the final to Ivory Coast on Sunday with Iwobi tagged as major culprit for the team’s lackluster display.

The assaults on the Fulham’d midfielder forced him to deactivate his social media pages and also considering retirement from national team.

Reacting on the incident, the NFF Boss who used the medium to reflect on the team’s performance at the tournament stressed the need to rally the team not only in joyous moments but in defeat.

“Our journey in the African Cup of Nations may not have ended as we hoped but we must remember, each player on that field fought with every ounce of their being for our nation.

“They share our dreams and desire for victory, feeling the sting of defeat just as deeply, if not more so. Cyber-bullying achieves nothing but adding to their burden.

“Instead, let’s rally around our players with support and encouragement. They are human, deserving of our respect and empathy. In defeat, they need our solidarity more than ever.

“Our journey doesn’t end here. Together, let’s lift our players, celebrating their resilience and commitment to our nation. Our unity is our strength, and it’s what makes us champions, on and off the field.”