The Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) has declared a seven-day fasting and prayer exercise ahead of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff between Nigeria and Ghana.
The fasting and prayer which is slated to commence on Thursday 17th to Wednesday 23rd of March, comes at the helms of several online publications which suggest that Black Magic (juju) may be used by the Black Stars of Ghana during the play-offs in Cape Coast and Abuja on the 25th and 29th of March, 2022.
On the fasting and prayer, the Chairman of Nigeria’s national supporters’ club, Samuel Ikpea, called on all Nigerians to take part in the fasting and prayer.
“We charge Nigerians to join members of the NFSC for a 7day fasting and prayer session, starting from Thursday 17th to Wednesday 23rd of March 2022 ahead of the match,” he said, as quoted by Blueprint.ng.
“We are all aware of how important the World Cup Qualifiers mean to both countries, and Africa Football as a whole, we, therefore, use this medium to call for calmness among Fans before and after the matches.
“As the ultimate face and father of Nigeria’s football supporter ship, the NFSC want the corporate world, sports philanthropists and other genuine stakeholders to rally around the Super Eagles through ensuring massive support.
“The Supporters Club needs adequate moral and financial support to enable thousands of our members to be at the Cape Coast Stadium on March, 25. There is a need for adequate travel arrangements from those who truly love Nigerian football. We have the pedigree to make Super Eagles feel at home before, during and after the match in Cape Coast.”
Recall that last month, allegations went rife in the camp of Ghana Black Stars over the use of ‘juju’ by players after a renowned Ghanaian lawyer, Moses Foh Amoaning alleged that players are turning down invitations to the national team because of the use of black magic.
The legal practitioner who has been covering the Black Stars for decades told Paul Adom-Otchere on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana that the issue of players resorting to juju has been a disturbing one, stating that it has been the case after every tournament over the years.
He said: “Coaching is only an aspect of the problem in Ghanaian football. We have the dynamics of the team itself and this juju is not something that you can push away as it also pushes a lot of good players away.”
Commenting on the issue, the Nigeria Football Supporters Club who have added 7 days of fasting and prayers as one of their requests from Nigerians has admonished that the consternation and publications emanating from the Ghanaian camp should not in any way discourage Nigerians or make them lose focus on the long-term brotherly relationship between Nigeria and Ghana.
“We are all aware how important the World Cup Qualifiers mean to both countries and African football as a whole. We, therefore, use this medium to call on all Christians and Muslims in the country, as well as religious leaders to rise to this call and ensure that at least one-hour prayer session is held for the three Fridays and Sundays ahead of the crucial qualifiers.
“We enjoin all Nigerian football fans to come out in large numbers with their green and white colours to support our dear Super Eagles, and also maintain calmness before and after the match,” the NFSC stated.
In addition, the NFSC further appealed to stakeholders, corporate organizations and individuals to support the body in mobilizing a large number of Nigerian football fans to Ghana for the first leg of the play-off in Cape Coast, as well as the second-leg in Abuja.
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