Nigeria’s triumph at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations remains the Super Eagles’ biggest achievement till date, but after a decade of that inspirational team’s run to the title in South Africa, Onazi Ogenyi reveals that there was chaos internally among the players.
A slim 1-0 win in the final against Burkina Faso – whom the had played and drawn in the group stage – capped Nigeria’s unexpected journey in South Africa.
John Obi Mikel and Joseph Yobo celebrate holding the AFCON trophy. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Onazi recalls that the locker room was a chaotic scene after Nigeria’s set of group matches against Burkina Faso and holders, Zambia.
Senior team players almost came to blows, those named include Mikel Obi, Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama, who got into heated arguments while the 16 newbies in the squad watched.
“We drew the first match, then the second match again,” Onazi recalled. “Nigerians even started calling us ‘draw soup.'”
John Obi Mikel organises the defensive wall. (Photo by Ben Radford/Corbis via Getty Images)
“After the second match, we had a big fight. Mikel, Yobo, or Enyeama—everyone was shouting, pointing fingers,” Onazi said. “Keshi just sat there, watching us.”
“Keshi asked, ‘Are you all done shouting now?’ Then he said, ‘If I were you, I’d be thinking about how to change things. Nigerians already expect us to play three matches and come home.
“The next option is simple—either we win the last match or we go home. Use the energy you’re wasting on each other to win so we can go to the next round.’”
“Everyone started thinking about what Keshi said, and in the next game, we won, and that’s how we kept winning, one after the other.”
But the drama was far from being over, because the same senior players will clash again over their roles in the team.
A young Mikel Obi whose profile was rising in World football against veteran captain, Joseph Yobo, meanwhile Nigeria had a quarter-final date against tournament favorites, Côté d’Ivoire – it was the end of the road for Keshi’s young team.
“Even the NFF thought this was where we’d stop,” Onazi said. “They were already asking us where we wanted to go after the match—back to Nigeria or our clubs.”
“Before the match, there was another fight—this time between Mikel and Yobo in the restaurant.
“They were shouting and everybody was just trying to hold Mikel and Yobo. The coaches just left us.
“At that time Yobo wasn’t playing, he wasn’t happy about the situation and Mikel was always special.”
According to Onazi, everything was sorted after Yobo addressed the Nigerian team and urged his teammates to all put aside their grievances.
“Yobo told us to forget about the fight. He said it wasn’t about him; he just wanted us to succeed in the tournament.
“He apologized to Mikel and promised to support the team from the bench,reminding us that even though it looked impossible, it was achievable.”
Ivory Coast players tackle Mikel Obi during their AFCON quarter-final match in South Africa. (Photo | BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Nigeria would go on to eliminate Côté d’ivoire, and claim the scalps of Mali and Burkina Faso to clinch the coveted trophy.
