Nigeria’s World Cup dream may have ended on a disappointing note, but the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, believes it’s a time for unity, not blame, Footynaija.com reports.
The journey to the showpiece had already been pushed to the edge before the intercontinental play off finally shut the door. Nigeria fought to keep the campaign alive, yet the decisive match delivered the final blow and confirmed that the nation would not be part of the tournament next year.
The result brought frustration across board because the team had invested heavily in the chase and had carried the hopes of millions. The failure to reach the World Cup has raised questions among supporters but it has also created a fresh sense of responsibility for those wearing the green and white.
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Speaking, in a report by Punch, Olopade urged Nigerians to avoid blame and to focus on recovery.
“This is not the time to start talking about who did what and who did not do what,” he said.
“We have lost the possibility of going to the World Cup. We need to go back, sit down, and recalibrate,” the NSC chief added, explaining that the reality of the situation had to be accepted.
In the same interview, he encouraged Nigerians to process the frustration in order to move forward.
“We need to allow ourselves a moment to feel sad, hold on to our pillows, but tomorrow we must wake up and remember that we are Nigerians. We must move on and push forward to create a feel good factor for our people during the Christmas period and the new year.”
Olopade also revealed that he had reached out to those inside the camp to commend their attitude throughout the qualification run.
“I have spoken to all the players and all the coaching staff. I have thanked them because these are heroes. At this time, we cannot turn our backs and fail to recognise that they are heroes,” he said.
With AFCON approaching, the director stressed the importance of unity.
“We all must recalibrate, come together, and prepare for future challenges. The next immediate battle is the Africa Cup of Nations,” he urged.
