Nigerian Union Canvasses Support For S’Eagles In S/Africa

Ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Nigerian Union (NU) in Gauteng Province has resolved to appear in the Super Eagles colours every Saturday.

Gauteng Province is the venue for the Super Eagles 2010 World Cup matches.

The Chairman of the chapter, Mr Ike Anyene, told our source in Johannesburg that the decision was aimed at demonstrating support for the national team.

Anyene said the decision, which was taken at a meeting of the union a week ago, had been well received, adding that the union would make jerseys available.

He said that the idea was to galvanise support for the Super Eagles ahead of the soccer tournament and to make the World Cup spirit blow across the land.

The union’s plan was patterned after the “Football Friday” in which South Africans don the colours of their national team, Bafana Bafana, every Friday.

Anyene said the union was also exploring the possibility of securing a location close to the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg for Nigerians to converge for the mobilisation of support.

The chairman also said that plans were under way to ensure that the rights of Nigerians were not infringed on.

“We should work towards the formation of a legal committee made up of Nigerian lawyers in South Africa, who will stand and take up the cause of those unfairly treated,” he said.

He said funds would be mobilised to sustain the committee once it was constituted.

He said the union was working with the Nigerian Consulate to protect citizens in the country and prevent them from being molested .

The NU Chairman said the idea of having a ‘consular card” issued to Nigerians in the country was also being considered to reduce the possibility of losing the new passports.

He said the fact that the new e-passports could only be re-issued in Nigeria made it imperative to find ways to safeguard it.

Meanwhile, Nigerian flags are being sold in Johannesburg for supporters to display on their cars, alongside South African flags and those of some other participating countries in the 2010 World Cup.