10th January, 2013
Six players from the Nigeria Premier League, (NPL), made the final 23-man squad released by Super Eagles Chief Coach Stephen Keshi to the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
Three of the players selected from the NPL; goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, strikers Ejike Uzoenyi and Sunday Mba are from Rangers International of Enugu.
Defender Azubuike Egwuekwe of Warri Wolves, skipper of Sunshine Stars of Akure, Godfrey Oboabona and Reuben Gabriel, a defender from Kano Pillars also made the squad named after an international friendly match against Cape Verde on Wednesday.
Eagles skipper, Joseph Yobo who led Nigeria against Cape Verde in the friendly match, which ended in a barren draw in Faro, Portugal, will be featuring in his sixth Nations Cup in South Africa, as the Nigeria coach included him in the squad.
Keshi however dropped Portland Timbers of USA striker, Bright Chinedu Dike and three other players from the NPL; goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi and Benjamin Francis, both from Heartland of Owerri and Solomon Kwambe of Sunshine Stars.
Adana Demirspor midfielder, Raheem Lawal was also dropped from the list, while Keshi kept faith with strikers Ik Uche, Ahmed Musa and other regular players who featured for Nigeria during the AFCON qualifying series.
Chelsea of England midfielder, John Mikel Obi and his teammate in the EPL, Victor Moses, who played in the drab friendly against Cape Verde also made the squad.
The Eagles would depart their Faro camp this weekend for South Africa to feature in the Nations Cup, which kicks off on 19 January.
Nigeria’s full squad:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheba, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)
Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (FC Braga, Portugal); Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce, Turkey); Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, Netherlands); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria)
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea FC, England); Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain); Ogenyi ‘Synagogue Boy’ Onazi, (SS Lazio, Italy); Obiora Nwankwo (Calcio Padova, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars, Nigeria)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Ikechukwu Uche (Villarreal FC, Spain); Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria).
—Tunde Oyedele