Remo Stars’ Sports Institute, the new base camp for Nigeria’s national teams is currently bubbling as the Super Eagles B currently preparing for confrontation with Ghana’s Black Galaxies.

The serene camp equipped with high-class facilities including different types of modern turfs has played host to players of Super Falcons and Flying Eagles recently.

The second-tier Nigerian national team is the latest as the players intensify the quest for Nigeria’s  fourth appearance at the African Nations Championship which is entering its eighth edition in January.

 A total of 30 players were assembled last week at the impressive facility, as the Eagles prepare for a potentially-explosive home-and-away qualifying fixture against the Black Galaxies of Ghana.

 Only the Enyimba FC duo of goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena and defender Imo Obot were excused, as the two are seen as pivotal to the People’s Elephant’s ongoing campaign in the group phase of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Ozoemena was particularly brilliant in Enyimba FC’s encounter against Zamalek FC of Egypt in Uyo on Sunday, with a dozen big saves that enabled the Aba giants to earn a 2-2 draw.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2009, 2011, 2021 and 2023 finals of the competition exclusively reserved for players plying their trade in the domestic Leagues of their countries and possessing permanent contracts. However, appearances in 2014 (in South Africa) and 2018 (in Morocco) saw the Super Eagles mount the podium, with bronze medals in the former and silver medals in the latter. The 2016 campaign in Rwanda ended at the group stage.

Coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ikechukwu have been working over-time with the players as the countdown begins to the first leg, scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 22^nd December.

In two of the four previous times that the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the competition popularly called CHAN, Ghana was the bogey team. In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria took a 2-0 first half lead in Accra, only to eventually lose the match 2-3. The return at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar ended scoreless.

In the qualifiers for the last edition hosted by Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost by the same margin in Abuja, only to snatch the ticket after a penalty shootout.

Togo ensured Nigeria’s absence from the 2021 finals, with the Hawks gaining a 4-1 win in Togo. A 2-0 win in Lagos by Nigeria was not enough to overturn the advantage.

Apart from the intense rivalry with Ghana on the field of play, the Super Eagles B see this month’s qualifying fixture as an opportunity to regain their pride of place in the hearts of Nigerian ball fans, having missed two consecutive editions of the CHAN.

BY KUNLE SOLAJA

It is 20 days to the first leg match of Ghana versus Nigeria in the 2025 African Nations qualifying series. A list of 30 players have been issued by the Nigerian head coach. The most high-profile player in the Nigerian league, Ahmed Musa, is a glaring absentee.

Although the African Nations Championship is for nationals featuring in the domestic league, Musa is ineligible as earlier reported by Sports Village Square a month ago on 1 November.

There were speculations some days ago that his featuring for Kano Rovers had been regularised and that he could be called up for the CHAN matches.

A source at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has informed that Musa still have a short-term contract with the Kano club.

The regulations governing the qualification of players for the African Nations Championship therefore rule out the eligibility of Ahmed Musa from being part of the Nigerian team that will face Ghana on 22 and 28 December.

The African Nations Championship is for players who are citizens of the country and play in the domestic league.

Ordinarily, Ahmed Musa who had captained the Nigerian lead brand, Super Eagles, and now features in the domestic league with Kano Pillars should have been eligible.

He has signed for the club and is having his third stint after featuring for Kano Pillars between 2009/10 and 2021.

He signed for the club for the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season as a free agent after terminating his contract with Turkish club Sivasspor in February. 

He is with Kano Pillars along with another former Super Eagles player, Sheu Abdullahi on short-term contracts.

That is where there is an issue. Article 38 in Chapter 16 of the Regulations of the African Nations Championship spells out the qualification of players.

Article 38.2 reads: “Only players with permanent contract registered in a local club affiliated to their national association are eligible to participate in the African Nations Championship.”

Musa’s contract with Kano Pillars is short-term.

Despite claims that in certain quarters that Ahmed Musa of Kano Pillars has been cleared by CAF to feature for the home-based Nigeria national team preparing for qualification for the 8^th edition of the African Nations Championship, he was a clearing absentee in the list released on Monday by Nigeria’s manager, Augustine Eguavoen.

The Head Coach has invited a total of 30 players to camp as the Nigeria Football Federation activates its commitment to ensuring the qualification of the Super Eagles B for next year’s African Nations Championship finals.

The 8^th edition of the continental championship – reserved exclusively for footballers plying their trade with clubs in their country’s domestic Leagues and possessing standard contracts – is scheduled to run the length of February 2025 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Kano Pillars’ evergreen midfielder, Rabiu Ali, who has scored eight goals this season, is among the players called, alongside Remo Stars’ goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Rivers United defender Steven Mayo, and Abia Warriors’ exciting forward Sunday Megwo.

There are also Enyimba FC goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, Remo Stars’ wing-back Ismail Sadiq, Enugu Rangers’ midfield ace Kazeem Ogunleye and Nasarawa United forward Anas Yusuf.

Victor Collins, the Nasarawa United defender called up for last month’s 2025 AFCON qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda, and Plateau United’s Adamu Abubakar, are also called up.

All the invited players have been instructed to arrive at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Wednesday, 4^th December 2024, where the team will train ahead of the first leg of the qualification fixture against Ghana’s Black Stars B, billed for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 22^nd December. The second leg will take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, 28^th December.

Ghana stopped Nigeria from reaching the Africa Nations Championship finals in 2009 and 2023. In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition hosted by Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria took a 2-0 first-half lead in the opening leg in Accra, only to concede three goals in the second half. The return leg in Calabar ended 0-0. In the qualifiers for the last edition hosted by Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost 0-2 in Abuja, but prevailed after a penalty shootout at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.

30 PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES B CAMPING IN IKENNE-REMO

Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United)

Defenders: Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City); Imo Obot (Enyimba FC); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International); Steven Mayo (Rivers United)

Midfielders: Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors); Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Kazeem Ogunleye (Rangers International)

Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United); Osy Martins (Lobi Stars); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Samuel Ogunleye (3SC); Abiam Nelson (Kano Pillars); Meyiwa Oritseweyimi (Bendel Insurance); Ngbemena Ikechukwu (Heartland FC); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors); Umar Al-Amin Ibrahim (El-Kanemi Warriors); Adams Aminu Sani (Kano Pillars)