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“Make una come answer una Papa name O!” (Answer Your Father’s Name!)
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A semi-final that’s more war than friendly football
By Paul Lucky Okoku, Former Super Eagles International and 1983 Flying Eagles Vice Captain.
Nigeria has reached the African playoffs semi-final on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Super Eagles will face Gabon on Thursday, November 13, 2025, in a centralized tournament hosted in Morocco. The other side of the bracket is equally explosive: Cameroon vs. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — two nations that don’t know how to play gentle football.
Reality Check
This is not business as usual. This is not ‘We are Nigeria; we will just win.’ Those days are gone. African football has no small countries anymore. If we take Gabon for granted, we risk humiliation — and humiliation on African soil leaves scars. Yes, Nigeria qualified. Yes, the world expects us to win. But expectation does not score goals. Hard work does.
How We Qualified Means Nothing Now
A beautiful 66-second video circulating online shows highlights of Nigeria reaching this stage — pride, optimism, celebration. Truth: Qualification is history. Nobody cares how you got here if you are not ready to fight for the final. This is not the era where star names or past glory can carry a team. Gabon has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Teams like that are dangerous. Nigeria must play like a country that understands the weight of its name. We have fallen, risen, collapsed, rebuilt, and disappointed. Now is the time to restore our fear factor.
Gabon Will Not Lie Down
Some fans might say, “Ah, Gabon ke? We will win comfortably.” I disagree. Gabon plays disciplined football. They defend like soldiers, wait for mistakes, and strike when arrogance appears. One careless clearance, one lazy back-pass, or one moment of showboating can send Nigeria home crying. Key: If Nigeria wants this ticket, we must dominate — not with noise, but with football.
Morocco: Neutral Ground or Psychological Trap?
Playing in Morocco is neutral… in theory. But Morocco has become Africa’s neutral battlefield, and many teams have found confidence on that soil. There will be no home advantage for Nigeria. We must earn everything.
The Other Semi-Final: Cameroon vs. DRC Whoever wins that clash will bring war to the final on November 16: Cameroon: history, muscle, ego, pride, loud fans, intimidation. DRC: unpredictable, fast, fearless, hungry for a new chapter. None of them comes to admire Nigeria. They come to destroy whoever stands in their way. This is African football, not a welcome parade. Nigeria Must Show Hunger This is not the time for lazy defending, celebrity players, or excuses about coaches. This is the time for: Aggression, Precision, Discipline, The mentality of warriors.
World Cup qualification is war
Football is a sport, yes — but we cannot afford to play like gentlemen. Because At the End of the Day, We are Nigeria, A nation with expectations heavier than mountains. Players must wear the Super Eagles jersey with fire in their blood, not Instagram in their minds.
Win first. Dance later. Beat Gabon, and Nigeria earns the right to fight again on November 16. Win that final, and Africa’s one ticket to the 2026 Intercontinental Playoff Tournament becomes ours. Nigeria has talent. Nigeria has history. But in football, history does not play — humility and hard work do.
Answer Your Father’s Name
2018 was the last time Nigeria appeared at the World Cup — and that is simply not good enough. A football nation of our size, history, and pride cannot sit on the sidelines while others raise their flags in front of the world. It reminds me of my former Flying Eagles coach, Chris Udemueze — the first national team coach to qualify a Nigerian football team to the World Cup in Mexico, 1983. “Make Una Come Answer Una Papa Name O!” — Answer Your Father’s Name! That was a command, not a suggestion. When Coach Udemueze shouted that sentence, he was not talking about individual surnames. He was talking about a much bigger name: Nigeria. Once we stepped onto the pitch, every one of us carried the same last name: NIGERIA.
Your sweat was Nigeria’s sweat. Your mistake was Nigeria’s embarrassment. Your victory was Nigeria’s pride. Answering your father’s name was psychological mastery — stripping away ego and fear, turning 11 players into one identity. Not Okoku, not Odiye, not Odegbami, not Okocha, not Kanu. But Nigeria. To outsiders, it may sound like a simple warning. But to us, it was a command from the soul. He was saying: In a country of over 200 million people, YOU were chosen. Not because you begged. Not because you are lucky. But because you are good enough — and you must prove it. When you wear the Nigerian jersey, you are carrying the blood, hope, and pride of a nation. There is no hiding. There is no fear. You fight. You run. You sweat. You bleed if necessary. Because millions would give anything to be in that position, and you owe it to them to honour the name on your back and the flag on your chest.
When the Wind Blows
Whenever we failed to follow instructions, lost concentration, lost a game, or allowed a team to outwork us, he would say: “Breeze don blow, we don see fowl backside.” Of course, he used a more colorful word, but the meaning was clear: When the wind blows, the truth is exposed. Football reveals effort, discipline, character, and heart. “The wind has blown, and the truth is exposed.” Every weakness, every lapse in discipline, every moment without heart becomes visible. There is no hiding.
The Message Reborn
As Nigeria prepares for this World Cup playoff, that old message becomes new again: Answer your father’s name. Answer your country’s name. Play with heart, with hunger, with fire. No excuses. No entitlement. Earn it. Only those who give everything deserve to carry the Nigerian flag to the World Cup. If we lose focus against Gabon, they will become the wind — and the world will see our backside. I sincerely hope that will not be the case. God forbid.
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