Coach of the victorious Under-17 Nigerian team, Manu Garba has dedicated the country’s fourth U-17 World Cup trophy to President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife.
Speaking inside the team’s dressing room in Al Jazira, Abu Dhabi, Manu thanked the president and his wife for their efforts on the team, recalling that only President Jonathan hosted the boys after winning silver at the African U-17 Championship.
“This trophy is for President Goodluck Jonathan, who had a strong belief in us despite the fact that we came second at the African championship,” Garba said on Friday.
“We were really fired up when he hosted us after the African Championship and we are looking forward to meeting Mr. President again with the World Cup.”
He described Jonathan as a man of luck, considering that the Super Eagles won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) only in February 2013, ending a 19-year wait dating back to the 1994 edition in Tunisia. The coach also thanked his own wife, whom he hadn’t seen in nearly half-a-year.
“In fact, for the past four months, I was not able to see my wife because of the nature of this job and I’m so happy that all the efforts we put into this work was not in vain,” he said. “I want to use this opportunity to thank my wife for taking care of the home front.”
Manu also thanked Senator Liyel Imoke, governor of Cross River State and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Ibrahim Auwalu, among many others, for their support to the team in several ways.
