Golden Eaglets land in Conakry, maltreated

The Golden Eaglets arrived Conakry, Guinea on Friday ahead of Sunday’s Under-17 African Junior Championship second round-second leg qualifier against Guinea.
The team, which flew ASKY Airlines from Cotonou via Lome, Benin Republic, landed at the Conakry Aeroport International at 5:15pm local time (6:15pm Nigerian time) and was received by Nigerian Embassy officials led by Mallam S. A. Muhammed (Charge D’ Affairs) and M.D. Umar (Consular officer).
On ground also were Nigerian football fans who welcomed the Golden Eaglets with drumming and singing.
Meanwhile, the Guinea Football Federation practically abandoned the Nigerian contingent with no official at the airport to receive the Golden Eaglets, according to the spokesman of the team, Abiodun Morakinyo.
But for officials of the Nigerian Embassy on ground, the contingent would have been left unattended to following disclosure that the Guinean football association had misinformed them that the Eaglets’ scheduled Friday’s flight to Conakry had been cancelled.
The NFF, in the meantime, had fully prepared for any antics by FEGUIFOOT officials who ironically were well catered for when they came for their away game in Calabar, Cross River State, a fortnight ago, including paying for one week of accommodation and feeding when they could not meet up with their flight logistics.
The NFF had arranged with the Embassy to provide Nigerian delicacies much to the delight of the players.
“Be rest assured that you are going to eat Nigerian food and we have made all the arrangements because we don’t want you to lack anything,” Alhaji Muazu Suleiman, NFF board member and leader of delegation, said.
Suleiman, who is the Chairman of the NFF Referees’ Committee, described as appalling and unfortunate the unkind gesture of FEGUIFOOT.
“The attitude of the Guinean FA is unfortunate and we didn’t expect this from them with all what we did for them when they were in Nigeria,” he stated. “We always play the big brother to all teams with good welfare but it is unfortunate that they don’t reciprocate such gesture to us but we are not going to be distracted.”
The team is lodged at Riviera Taouyah Hotel at the instance of the Nigerian Embassy and the NFF.