Red carpet treatment at US Embassy for Eagles

Daniel Amokachi
Super Eagles Asst. Coach

Red carpet treatment at US Embassy for Eagles

Nigeria's Super Eagles were given red carpet treatment and issued visas at the US Consulate in Abuja.

A total of 12 players and officials, led by assistant coach Daniel Amokachi, appeared at the Consulate for their visa interviews, after initial challenges.

VIP treatment
Once the usual security protocols were complete, the squad was immediately given VIP treatment, according to media officer Ben Alaiya.

"The team were initially made to follow due protocols of the embassy but all that changed once the 12 players and officials got into the Embassy building, as officials of Embassy led by the Ambassador had reportedly passed instructions for the team to be promptly attended to," Alaiya said.

The squad were interviewed as required, but were all issued their visas without exception, with the good wishes of the Ambassador and staff.

Officials also wished the team well in the game against Venezuela and later at the South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

'Education USA'
After the visa formalities were complete, the team were ushered into the US Embassy library, where an official of the 'Education USA' programme that seeks to empower all with good education revealed that footballers of Nigerian extraction should educate themselves in preparation for life after football.

"There are even opportunities for scholarship if such players and the general Nigerian public tap into the opportunities that are available," the official said.

Brochures of the various programmes available at the Embassy were thereafter freely distributed to players and officials of the team, before they departed the venue for their Bolton White Apartment camp.

"I'm totally shocked and positively excited at the treatment meted to us and I will convey this to our head coach Stephen Keshi," Amokachi declared.

NP/Sammie