Leadership (Abuja)
Salihu Othman Isah
16 November 2009
Kano — Football fans stormed the streets of Kano at the blast of the final whistle signifying Super Eagles qualification for the World Cup in South Africa 2010 at the expense of the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Nairobi on Saturday afternoon.
The fans, irrespective of their position, after the final whistle, when they hit the streets and several drinking spots discussing and celebrating the nation's qualification for the global fiesta holding next year on African soil for the first time.Some of them had wondered how painful it would have been for Nigerian green-white-green flag not to be flown in South Africa, making it a second time in a row the country would have been absent from the World CupOther fans took to the streets chanting and singing on motorcycles and cars blaring their horns at fevers pitch. But the discussions assumed different dimension, dwelling mainly on performance of the national team and the superlative effort of the Mozambican side which humiliated the Tunisian Carthage Eagles 1-0 in Lumbumbashi to guarantee Super Eagles passage to the World Cup against all odd.
The discussion also centered on whether coach Shuaibu Amodu should be retained or not. While some insisted that he should go because he lacks technical expertise to tinker the team at the global soccer fiesta next year, other argued that an expatriate couldn't have performed better and so he should be retained.One of the fans, who simply gave his name as Tahir Ahmed said that the Super Eagles has surely made us proud, because we had lost hope of qualifying for the tournament, but to our surprise, the national team finally raised our hope.He said, the only thing he wants the Super Eagles to do is to put more commitment in serving their fatherland because, according to him, "Ghana and Cameroun exhibited a high sense of patriotism in all they do, but our boys always show lackadaisical attitude in carrying out a crucial national assignment".A committed Eagles follower, Musa Mamman revealed that the nation's qualification is a miracle because the entire nation had to hold its breathe until the last minute before we were assured of qualification.
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