By Francis Ajuonuma
The crisis may have set in, in the camp of the Super Falcons following the sudden strip of the team’s captain band from Assisat Oshoala and given to Belarus-based Ebi Onome of FC Minsk.
According to a source in the Nigeria Football Federation, Oshoala was stripped of the captain’s band because of her poor run of form with Super Falcons in recent times, which has been attributed to her inability to cope with the pressure associated with the captaincy band.
However, the Barcelona of Spain forward has not taken kindly to the decision as she believes that it was influenced by a fellow player.
In a cryptic post on her Twitter account shortly after the news emerged that she has been stripped off as skipper, Oshoala using a Yorùbá proverb, with subtleties indicating her reaction to the situation, wrote; “Iyá a tókú má ku, a mònà òrun ma lo,” and added a laugh emoji to it.
The literal meaning in English is “Somebody who is old enough to die but refuses to die. Somebody who knows the way to heaven but refuses to go”
In a second tweet, this time in English, she wrote: May I not be 40 and still desperately crave validation
Also in another tweet, she wrote: When somebody openly said she FASTED AND PRAYED against the CAPTAIN BAND, how we wan do na?
Former JAMB boss diverted N15m for Radio License – ICPC witness tells Court
The Super Falcons captaincy has been a matter of contention for the past three years.
In 2019, at the FIFA Women’s World Cup where Oshoala was vice-captain to Desire Oparanozie, the NFF owed the players some of their dues, leading to a protest by the players, led by the skipper at the time.
In September of that year, Chris Danjuma replaced Oparanozie, reportedly after an order from above, and appointed Oshoala. The former FC Robo forwards spent 30 months in the role but it also culminated in her worst period with the Super Falcons.
Presently, the Super Falcons are in Vancouver for a doubleheader friendly against defending Olympic champions, Canada. Ebi is expected to lead the team on the 8th and 11th of April respectively.
