Delta Eagerly Awaits Super Eagles/Black Stars Match

STILL basking in the euphoria of successfully hosting the 3rd CAF Africa Women Championship, the Delta State commercial nerve city, Warri has sent words that it was prepared to host the Super Eagles versus Black Stars of Ghana International friendly whenever the Nigeria Football Association, NFA decides on venue and date for the return leg game.

"Tell the world that we in Warri are ready to host the Super Eagles any day, any time. We have demonstrated with the Africa Women Championship that Warri and the entire Delta State is a peaceful place. But more than that the fact was also established that it is a sports friendly environment as well," a top official of the state sports ministry called Sports Vanguard to dispel stories making the rounds that the NFA might have reneged on earlier proposal to have the match played in Warri.

"Have you seen in any stadium across Nigeria where a very senior traditional ruler comes out to watch football match and in this case, female football. That was what Warri presented when the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase 11 watched the opening game of the AWC on December 7th. The singular act requires commendation and good enough reason on why we should be given a shot at international games," my source said.

Although the Warri City Stadium was only near 50 per cent completion fans turned up in droves to watch all matches of the AWC which lasted from December 7 - 20, 2002 . "This is a new Delta State; the real Delta we have presented to the world. Let every one now see that Delta is not about violence. There is true peace and harmony in this place," an elated sports commissioner Solomon Ogba, told me during the competition.

The State Governor James Ibori who also saw the successful hosting of the championship as a political score point told reporters at the Government House Annex in the oil city that his administration will leave no stone unturned towards ensuring that international games are hosted. "We have been able to defeat our detractors that we have the capacity to host big events. We would ensure that all the proposed stadia across the state are completed and as for the Warri stadium, work would resume as soon as this championship ends. When it is completed, the stadium would be capable of hosting big international matches."

In the wake of the successful hosting of the 3rd Africa Women Championship, NFA Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, praised the organisation of the tourney as well as the facilities provided by the Delta State Government even at a short notice. He promised that in future, the FA would try to take Super Eagles matches to other parts of the country other than Lagos and Warri was mentioned as a possible venue for the Ghana versus Nigeria return leg encounter.

The Super Eagles defeated the Stars 1-0 at the Accra Stadium last December and the return leg is billed for Nigeria at a later date.