Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will depart Abuja tonight at 8pm Nigerian time for Cameroon ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON with Al-Shabab of Saudi Arabia striker, Odion Ighalo leading the three players yet to arrive camp.
Odion Ighalo, Jamilu Collins of SC Padeborn 07, Germany and Tyrone Ebuehi of Venezia FC, Italy are the three players yet to report to camp ahead of the 33rd AFCON which starts on Sunday in Cameroon.
The Super Eagles will depart the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja as they intensify preparations ahead of their Group D opener against Egypt on Tuesday
Twenty-five players and other officials will make the flight to Cameroon via Air Peace.
With Victor Osimhen, Paul Onuachu and Emmanuel Dennis all ruled out of the championship, Ighalo, 2019 AFCON Golden Boot winner remains one of the strikes coach Augustine Eguavoen would rely on in the tournament.
Report emerged Tuesday that Ighalo would not make the team, but coach Eguavoen during a press briefing stated that if after 5pm on Tuesday, Ighalo did not arrive to camp, he would consider other options.
The next option would be to extend late invitation to Feyenoord striker, Cyriel Kolawole Dessers.
Nigeria will begin her campaign to win a record 4th AFCON in Group D on Tuesday against Egypt, they will take on Sudan on 15th before they battle Guinea Bissau in the last group match on 19th January, 2022
The 25 players that will fly to Garoua this night are:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Henry Onyekuru (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain)
Expected to join the team are:
Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Tyrone Ebuehi (Venezia FC, Italy); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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