Mitchell Obi tells Super Eagles to stay focused

2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Mitchell Obi tells Super Eagles to stay focused

By Maxwell Kumoye

A renowned broadcaster, Dr. Mitchell Obi, has urged members of the Super Eagles of Nigeria not to be downhearted or to stay crestfallen after their unimpressive 1-1 draw with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Match Day 3 of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, South South of Nigeria.

Dr. Obi, the Vice Chairman of Mastersports International made this passionate appeal at the weekend on his official Facebook page.

He said the Eagles should go for a win in their Match Day 4 encounter against Benin Republic.

“Get up Eagles and go to Abidjan to show your discontent with chicken feed. No time to stay crestfallen,” the former President of AIPS Africa admonished the three time African champions.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are currently stranded in the fifth spot in Group C of the 2026 Africa World Cup qualifying series with just three points from the same number of games.

The men from 'The Kingdom of the Sky' are leading the Group with five points ahead of the Amavubi of Rwanda, Benin Republic and South Africa who have four points each. The Warriors of Zimbabwe are leading the six team group from the rear with two points.

Lesotho and Nigeria are yet to feel the pain of defeat since the journey to Canada, Mexico and United States in 2026 began on the continent last year.

Dr. Mitchell Obi, like many football fans and stakeholders is surprised that the Crocodiles of Lesotho ranked in the monthly FIFA ranking are dictating the pace in Group C ahead of heavyweights like Nigeria and South Africa.

“Who could have imagined Lesotho topping our group after three games. African football will always defy logic.”

Nigeria's outing on Monday will define the quest to reach the World Cup finals in 2026 after they were stopped in Abuja by the Black Stars of Ghana from going to the 2022 event in Qatar.

“Effort remains everything. The second half was a quintessential show of renewed hope. Will it be expanded and extended on Monday,” the Imo State born former editor of Guardian Express noted.

Dr. Obi who covered the last World Cup and the African Nations Cup finals strongly believes that the trip to Abidjan will not be easy for the bird of prey against the Squirrels of Benin Republic managed by a former Super Eagles' coach, Gernot Rohr.

“These boys have a fight on their hands against a Rohr team springing with hope,” The ace broadcaster added.

This is Nigeria's score card after 3 World Cup qualifiers:

While the Super Eagles' performance on the pitch is not inspiring or heart warming enough for Nigerian passionate football followers, they're not equally happy that they can't see these matches on television too.

Dr. Obi, the presenter of Sports Salsa of Kennis FM, says in his poetic writing that this development leaves a sour taste and a feeling of emptiness in the fans across the country.

“Football fully in the air and yet we were all struggling to find where to watch our national team. We can't expect excellence from our teams and yet the little things that give Nigerians the joy to crave for more excellence are glaringly forgotten, shunned and shamefully neglected. What is football in the air without it on the tube,” he concluded.

It's noteworthy to mention that since the Super Eagles made their first appearance at the senior World Cup finals some 30 years ago in America where they reached the knockout stage of the competition, they have only missed two editions, Germany 2006 and Qatar 2022.