Mikel, Musa excused from national duty to honour Yobo

The Nigeria Football Federation has decided to allow Super Eagles’ captain, John Mikel Obi, and his assistant, Ahmed Musa, to be part of the Joseph Yobo Testimonial Game planned for the Akwa Ibom State capital, Uyo, on May 27.
The Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, confirmed the development on Thursday.
This is because Nigeria will be takin got Mali in Rouen in an international friendly on the same day.
Sanusi said: “The NFF leadership has decided that Mikel (Obi) and (Ahmed) Musa should be excused from the two friendly matches in Europe so that they can honour Joseph Yobo, who is having his testimonial game on the same Friday, 27th May that we are playing Mali in Rouen, France.
“The two players have been communicated accordingly.”
The Super Eagles will also take on Luxembourg in Luxembourg on the first day of June.
Yobo’s testimonial, to which he has invited several players from outside the country as well as Super Eagles’ players of his generation, has now been moved from Port Harcourt to the magnificent Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo.
Joseph Yobo represented Nigeria at both U-20 and senior levels, captaining the Super Eagles at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups and featuring in six Africa Cup of Nations finals.
He won a century of caps for the senior team, with his last match being the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 defeat by France in Brasilia in 2014.
Meanwhile, Coach Salisu Yusuf has extended an invitation to Morocco-based midfielder, Babatunde Michael, who played for Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, to join the squad for the two friendly matches against Mali and Luxembourg.