Eagles get royal blessings

The paramount ruler of Qua people in Calabar Municipality, Ndidem (Dr) Ika Ika Qua 11, has assured the national team, that traditional institutions in Calabar, Cross River State and indeed Nigeria are  supporting  the team for victory in their World Cup qualifier against Namibia.

Speaking when a delegation of the Super Eagles led by NFF Director of Technical, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, paid him a courtesy call, Ndidem Qua, said the only thing he  was  praying for is for clement weather to prevail on match day, assuring with the support of traditional rulers  they will  not play draw or lose in any of its qualifiers in Calabar.

“It’s wise that you people have come to seek my royal blessings, because no matter how bad a landlord is, when you are in his house you must pay him homage. We wish the team and its officials well and we are certain that after we have appeased the land victory will surely be ours”.

The 72-year monarch  emphasized the need for discipline in the team,  promising to give the team a trick he used in his playing days as a footballer, when no one scored against him from the penalty spot.

The team which had Eagles Coordinator, Emmanuel Attah, Team Psychologist Dr Robinson Okosun, Media Officer, Ben Alaiya and former Eagles goalkeeper, Etta Egbe, told the ruler  the were in his palace to pay obeisance to him, since apart from being a revered royal father, the environ of the UJ Esuene Stadium and the Metropolitan Hotel where the team will play fall within his domain.

Ikpeme assured that since the team still had another qualifier against Rwanda on June 17th in the same  city, the NFF led by Aminu Maigari, will still pay the traditional ruler a thank you visit.