THE Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday
Dare has charged the Nigeria Under 23 boys, Olympic Eagles to make the country
proud at the 3rd Africa U23 Cup of Nations billed for next month in Egypt.
Dare, who made the charge during his visit to the team’s
camp in Abuja, urged the players to put their loss to the Sparrow Hawks of Togo
last Saturday behind them and work towards representing the country well in Egypt.
"I watched you play on Saturday, you played out your
hearts but that is the way it is in sports. Life is like sports. Sometimes you
win and sometimes you lose but you are still a winner that is, if you take the
lessons from losing and use that to become a winner. But if you don't carry
forward the lessons you learnt from losing, then you can never become a
winner.
“So, I am here today because I know you are winners. I
want to encourage you as you go to Egypt. We have started preparations
for the Olympics and Nigerians want you at the Olympics,” he said.
While commending the head coach Imama Amapakabo and the
coaching crew for the hardwork they have put in to get the boys where they are,
he urged them not to relent as there is still a lot of work to be done.
He therefore tasked the players to give a good account of
themselves in Egypt and promised that the Ministry would do all within its
power to provide the necessary support they needed before the team leaves for
the North African country.
Responding on behalf of the team, coach Amapakabo
expressed the team's excitement at the Minister's visit and thanked him for
taking out time from his tight schedule to visit and motivate the team.
While thanking the Minister for his support for the team
within his short time in office, he promised the team would try their best to
represent the country well at the Under-23 AFCON tournament.
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