By Saheed Afolabi
Former Nigerian international, Friday Ekpo, has called for early preparations for the national team ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
After a six-year absence from the continental tournament, the Super Eagles secured their spot for the 2024 CHAN by defeating Ghana in a two-legged qualifying series.
Ekpo, optimistic about the team’s prospects, believes the victory over Ghana ensures a bright future for the Home-Based Eagles in the upcoming tournament.
“I am very optimistic that the Home-Based Eagles will excel at the tournament going by their victory over the Black Galaxies of Ghana in the qualifying series,” Ekpo was quoted by Complete Sports.
However, Ekpo urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to prioritize early preparations to avoid complacency and ensure a successful campaign.
“I will encourage the NFF to commence early preparation for the team so that they can prepare adequately and put all the tactics in place,” he added.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
