19th May, 2010
The Nigeria national football team, Super Eagles, will be sent off to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in grand style on Friday night at the Federal Capital, Abuja with President Goodluck Jonathan expected to deliver an address to the football Ambassadors.
A colourful ceremony is at hand with soft drinks behemoth, Coca –Cola, also the Official soft drink of the Super Eagles, teaming up with the Nigeria Football Federation in an event that is expected to last 90 minutes, the duration of a football match.
Nigeria’s political and corporate leaders as well as football administrators and fans will gather at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja to bid farewell to the team and to reassure the players and officials of the nation’s unwavering support, as it departs for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The Eagles, back in the FIFA World Cup after missing the finals in Germany four years ago, head to London the following morning for a 10 –day pre –World Cup camp and are expected to play two games in Europe against Saudi Arabia and Colombia.
The high profile dinner event tagged ‘Super Eagles Celebration Night’, which is expected to be graced by His Excellency President Goodluck Jonathan, is aimed at inspiring and motivating the two –time African champions, one of the world’s most favourite national football teams, and will be attended by the full contingent of the teams’ 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.
NFF President Sani Lulu Abdullahi said the big night is an occasion for the nation’s leaders to appreciate the team and also gear the players and officials up for the 19th FIFA World Cup finals, which is for the first time ever being staged on African soil.
“As official sponsors of the Super Eagles, Coca-Cola is proud to host this event as a platform for the entire nation to appreciate these heroes and to pledge the confidence and support of over 140million compatriots, as the team gears up for the great battle aheadâ€, said Austin Ufomba, Coca-Cola Nigeria’s Marketing Director. “We at Coca-Cola are optimistic that the Super Eagles, imbued with the ‘Naija’ spirit, will be the team to beat in South Africaâ€, he added.
Highpoints of the night will include address by President Goodluck Jonathan, live performance of the Super Eagles’ 2010 World Cup song, video/audio documentary on the Eagles’ march to the World Cup finals and live performance of the Nigerian remix of the Waving’ Flag, Coca-Cola’s 2010 FIFA World Cup theme song originally done by Somali-born K’NAAN.
The remix rendered by the duo of Nigeria’s leading hip-hop stars, Banky W and MI, is dedicated to the Super Eagles and is a celebration of the ‘Naija Spirit’ – that unfazed sense of optimism, confidence and perseverance that drives the average Nigerian to thrive in spite of adversity.