President Bola Tinubu commends the Super Eagles for putting up their best efforts towards qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, despite their loss in the playoffs on Sunday.
The President charges the Eagles to put behind them the loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo and prepare for the African Cup of Nations, which will be held from December 2025 to January 2026 in Morocco.
Nigeria’s dream of featuring in the World Cup was dashed as Congo DR eliminated the Super Eagles in a dramatic qualifier play-off on Sunday night in Morocco.
The Eagles lost in a penalty shootout after the game ended 1-1 in extra time. DR Congo triumphed 4-3 on penalties to advance to the Inter-Confederation play-off, keeping their own 2026 World Cup hopes alive.
President Tinubu says that, although it was painful that the Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup tournament for the second consecutive time, the team must be commended for striving hard to reach the Mundial, particularly after winning their first playoff match.
President Tinubu remarks: “Notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them.
“We must now plug all the loopholes. Our football administrators, players, and indeed all stakeholders must go back to the drawing board.
“Now is the time to focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations. Our Super Eagles must recover the lost glory.”
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
