Eagles, Elephants Celebrate Kaduna Governor

Super Eagles players and officials as well as their Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire counterparts were all thanks to Kaduna State as they were treated to a surprise, sumptuous Gala Night, Saturday by Governor Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State.

The event which featured traditional dances from the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa, the amazing Takahankali Kagarko dance troupe and the Kaduna state dance group known as Bazobe, kept all present, especially the Ivorians on the edge of their seats.

Governor Yero, who was represented by his Sports Commissioner, said the event was meant to further cement the brotherly love existing between Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire and also inform all that the CHAN qualifier was beyond a mere football event.   

Among dignitaries at the event were the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, NFF Scribe, Barrister Musa Amadu, Diretor of Competitions, Dr Sanusi Mohammed, Director Technical Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme among others.

Speaking at the end of the event, Elephants coach, Saraka Kango Nobert, said he was shocked at the massive reception and promised to take the message home for a possible pay back in the return leg. 

He described Nigerian Coach, Stephen Keshi as an Ivorian having played in that country before and vowed that sooner than later his country will come for their adopted son to help them win the Nations Cup, to which all laughed off.

Keshi thanked that NFF leadership and Governor Yero for the huge hospitality accorded his team and their opponents and noted that he would be delighted anytime he is asked by the NFF to come and play games in the city.

All the players and officials of both teams were later presented with a gift by the governor for their excellent spirit of sportsmanship.