AFCON
Welcome 2023; But Zik’s 1964 New Year message still apt for Nigeria 59 years on
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
On January 1, 1964, Nigeria’s first president, Nnamdi Azikiwe in a New Year message analysed the state of sports in the country and urged the then young nation to brace up and protect its reputation.
In probably the only instance, a Nigerian leader used sports as theme of New Year message, Dr. Azikiwe urged citizens to develop the zeal to win always. He further offered some stop-gap measures for improvement of sports in Nigeria.
Even in 2020, the views expressed by Dr. Azikiwe, is still relevant.
Below is the full text of the message delivered on January 1, 1964.
Whilst we are on this topic of building a favourable image for Nigeria with African states, I would like to make few remarks on how our performance is helping to dwarf the stature of Nigeria among other nations.
In particular, I feel that our image has been distorted by the regular doses of defeats handed to some our teams by sides representing friendly nations.
The passing year has not been too bad especially in sports like athletics, boxing and lawn tennis. But in others like cricket, football, hockey and table tennis, we have been very much below form and did not come up to expectation.
Our standards in athletics are still under the international level. In football, we are still inferior to our African neighbours, relatively, not to speak of European sides.
Consequently, Nigeria has been unable to hold high its head among the sporting nations of the world in spite of our being the largest populated nation in Africa and the 13th among the 120 or more independent states of the earth.
Three factors are responsible for our short-coming. The first is our attitude to sports. The second is our general unwillingness to assimilate scientific techniques in training.
Lastly, we have not actively created the atmosphere on a national basis, where we can discover it to the glory of Nigeria.
Let it be clear to all concerned that gentility in sports is a by-product of the Victorian era with its aristocratic traditions. By the beginning of the 20th Century, the idea of not playing necessarily to win, but having the “honour” to participate formed the basis of British ethics of sportsmanship which, in our innocence, we have inherited.
Whilst this idea is still desirable from the point of view of pure amateurism in sports, the entry of the United States of America at the revived Olympic Games in Athens and the participation by the old nations, supported by the new nations who were born after the end of World War 1, has revolutionized international competition in sports.
Even the United Kingdom is now changing its former complacent attitude. Today, the emphasis is on winning and not merely participating, although the spirit of amateurism and scrupulous respect for the code regulating any particular sports still pervades the atmosphere of world sporting communities.
In other words, if the United States of America could engage the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in a football match, the players of both sides are made to realise that like true amateurs, they must respect the international football code, but in addition, they must play to win in order to safeguard the prestige and honour of their respective countries.
Nigerian sportsmen and women, who engage either in competitive or combative sports, must now understand that whilst an amateur sports man or woman is a person who cultivates sports as a pastime and contests for pleasure and not for monetary gain, the spirit of modern international sports has now transformed the athlete into a devotee of sports who loves his country more.
In the spheres of athletics, boxing, cricket, football, hockey, lawn-tennis, swimming and table tennis, we should now address ourselves seriously to teaching basic techniques to our athletes and encouraging them to be in peak physical condition the year round. This calls for state “intervention” in order to ensure efficiency of a high order.
The Federal and Regional Governments have already “intervened” on a moderate scale. The stars foretell that much more will be done in the future in view of the existence of advisory sports bodies to those Governments. This is definitely an admission that there is need to stem the tide of distortion to our national image.
As a stop-gap measure, our armed forces, including the Army, Navy and the Police (both Federal and Local), supported by our universities, teacher-training colleges and secondary schools, can be used in the immediate future for a crash programme in order to deploy our manpower resources and thereby select only the physically fit and technically prepared to be worthy wearers of our national colours for extramural competitions.
However, I hold the view that, in the long run, our future salvation will lie with the masses of our people who are able-bodied, both employed and unemployed. It is from their ranks that we should discover hidden talents.
The popularisation of sports throughout our motherland will be our saving grace from the present staccato of defeats and humiliations suffered by us at international sporting competitions.
I do not intend to be pessimistic but I hope that the New Year will give us a new lease of life and a fresh approach to the problems raised by our participation in international sports of a dual nature.
It is now incumbent on us to protect our reputation which is being badly mauled owing to many factors which we can overcome by short-range and long-range careful planning.
Who knows whether it would not be better to suspend bilateral sporting contests with our neighbours, in the meantime, and concentrate on training our athletes and seasoning them by intramural contests and international competitions of a multilateral nature?
A truce or moratorium of this nature should be of psychological value and should enable our sons and daughters to acquire proficiency in sports, imbibe skill in their specialties, and cultivate higher love for their country.
The African Football Confederation (CAF) and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) have sealed a historic strategic partnership that grants Morocco’s national airline the status of “Official Global Partner” for upcoming major African football competitions.
The agreement was signed Saturday morning in Casablanca, in the presence of Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaâ.
This partnership encompasses several prestigious tournaments, including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (AFCON) 2025 (December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026) and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON) 2024 (July 5-26, 2025).
The agreement also covers CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF Champions League 2024/2025 Finals, CAF Confederation Cup 2024/2025 Finals, and the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe voiced enthusiasm about the collaboration.
“We are excited about the partnership between CAF and Royal Air Maroc, a world-class airline that will provide comfort and fly NationalTeams participating in the CAF competitions,” he said.
“We are confident that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be the most successful AFCON in the history of this competition.”
The agreement strengthens RAM’s footprint across Africa and globally, solidifying its role as a strategic gateway between Africa and the rest of the world. It also aligns with Morocco’s emergence as an international sports hub, with the country preparing to host AFCON 2025 and co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030.
RAM’s Chairman and CEO Hamid Addou stated: “This historic partnership with CAF aligns fully with our strategic vision as an airline deeply rooted in Africa and committed to its development.”
“Royal Air Maroc doesn’t just connect destinations; it builds bridges between cultures and passions. By supporting the continent’s biggest football competitions, we reaffirm our role as a facilitator of human and sporting exchanges,” he continued.
500,000 supporters expected
Beyond its partnership role, RAM will implement an exceptional operational system to meet increased demand during CAF competitions. The airline plans to welcome over 500,000 supporters for AFCON 2025.
“We believe we will surpass this figure by far,” revealed Addou. “We will be ready to accommodate these supporters across Royal Air Maroc’s entire network.”
The airline intends to double seat capacity from qualified countries already served by RAM, such as Dakar, Abidjan, Cairo, Tunis, Bamako, Lagos, and Douala.
RAM will also intensify flight frequencies from European cities with large African communities, including Paris, Brussels, Milan, London, Marseille, Lyon, Madrid, and Barcelona.
Additionally, the airline will establish a dedicated program for domestic air transport of national teams, shuttling them between their base camps and host cities.
This positioning establishes RAM as the primary connector between Africa and Europe through its Casablanca hub. FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaâ noted that the contract “reinforces Royal Air Maroc’s first-rate leadership role in Africa.”
“Royal Air Maroc is no stranger to football,” Lekjaâ added. “It has always supported generations of our athletes and footballers here in Morocco.”
“With this expertise and experience, they will contribute significantly to making AFCON 2025 Morocco exceptional, a historic turning point in African football, cultural coexistence and African cultural exchange,” he concluded.
Addou stressed RAM’s commitment to African unity: “We are all extremely proud to be African, and in every corner of this vast and magnificent continent, we share the same ambition—to actively contribute to Africa’s development and influence.”
The RAM CEO concluded by inviting everyone to upcoming CAF calendar events: “We’ll see you very soon for the great moments ahead in the CAF calendar, particularly the Women’s AFCON starting in July and, of course, the men’s AFCON, which kicks off on December 25.”
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The presidents of the regional councils concerned by the hosting of the matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco-2025) unanimously affirmed that the implementation of infrastructure projects in anticipation of this continental event “is progressing at a sustained pace”, declaring themselves “fully mobilized” to crown with success the major sporting events scheduled in the Kingdom.
They specified, in statements to the press in Rabat following a meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior devoted to the assessment of the progress of the construction and rehabilitation works of the stadiums, that major sports infrastructure projects are underway in the six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir.
The President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council, Abdellatif Maâzouz, announced that the projects planned for upcoming international sporting events, in particular the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, “are proceeding under good conditions.”
The projects related to the organisation of the AFCON will be ready by next July at the latest, he assured, specifying that there is a clear vision regarding the preparations underway for the AFCON and the 2030 World Cup, both in terms of equipment and organisational arrangements related to human resources and animation.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
AFCON
‘Land of Football’ is ‘Kingdom of Light’ as Moroccan Tourism Office and Football Federation Strike Accord
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Morocco’s football federation and tourism office have signed a groundbreaking agreement to establish the country as a major football and tourism destination leading to the milestone 2030 World Cup when the global football tournament clocks a century.
The Moroccan football body and the Tourism Office are building on the national team’s recent international success.
Though with just one success in the Africa Cup of Nations, Moroccan football soars higher than the rest in Africa and the Arab world at the World Cup.
Apart from being the only African and Arab country to have reached the World Cup semi-final stage, Morocco in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico became the first African team not to be defeated in a World Cup match when they forced Bulgaria to a 1-1 draw on 11 June.
Again, in Mexico, this time at the 1986 World Cup, Morocco became the first African team to top a group and cross the group stage.
They were just two minutes away from a major upset of West Germany in the round of 16 before Lothar Matthäus’ back-breaking goal.
The success of the football team and the tourism potential of Morocco have found a harmonious chord.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and the National Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT) will work together under the banner “Morocco, Land of Football,” placing the sport at the heart of the country’s tourism strategy.
“More than an institutional partnership, this convention is a shared vision: that of a Morocco that shines through football and makes it a lever for promotion, pride and tourist attractiveness,” ONMT said in a statement released after the signing.
The timing of this collaboration is strategic, coming ahead of two major sporting events: the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The initiative builds on widespread public enthusiasm following the Atlas Lions’ historic World Cup performance in 2022.
Under the agreement, both organizations will implement an integrated communication strategy combining visibility campaigns, influence marketing, and joint promotional activities.
The initiative will mobilize iconic figures from Moroccan football to bring this vision to life, to showcase the country’s world-class sporting facilities, rich cultural heritage, and diverse tourist attractions.
ONMT has launched a major offensive at making Morocco, the ultimate tourism and business destination as the clock ticks down to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations holding in December.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The league title will be icing on Soname’s birthday cake on Sunday
As major global sporting events beckon, Morocco’s monarch launches the Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed rail project
Nigeria Premier League attains a crescendo this weekend
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL7 days ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- OBITUARY4 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- U-17 AFCON7 days ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL6 days ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- feature4 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu