As Nigeria rolls out its re-adopted national anthem, both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons face the task of learning and embracing it ahead of their crucial matches, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are scheduled to tackle Bafana Bafana of South Africa in June, marking the first time the national team will sing the new anthem.
Meanwhile, at the global Summer Olympics competition, the Super Falcons, who recently secured a ticket to participate in the event for the first time in 16 years, will also be tasked with singing the song.
The anthem, “Nigeria We Hail Thee,” which symbolizes a fresh wave of national pride and unity was on Wednesday, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed into law the bill to revert to Nigeria’s old national anthem, which was dropped by a military government in 1978.
Leading by Example
For players used to the old anthem, this change is more than just learning new words. It's about understanding the meaning of the new anthem and representing Nigeria with the same passion on the global stage.
Soccernet can confirm that some of the Nigerian players are already putting it into practice ahead of their crucial clashes with the Super Falcons star Rasheedat Ajibade leading the new era.
The Super Falcons captain is already setting an examplee as she recently shared a video on Instagram of herself practicing the new anthem, demonstrating her commitment to leading by example as the team gears up for the Olympic qualifiers.
Watch the video here:
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The Learning Process
Learning the new anthem will be an all-encompassing process, with the Super Eagles having less than a week to practice before they play Hugo Broos’ troops at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.
Soccernet.ng reached out to the media officer of the Super Eagles to inquire about the process laid out to ensure the new anthem is learned ahead of the next clash, but calls were not picked up and messages have yet to be replied to.
However, it is suggested that the Super Eagles will have to schedule specific times during their training camps to practice the anthem, which could prove challenging.
Additionally, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) can distribute lyric sheets and audio recordings to all players, ensuring they can practice individually during their downtime.
