Former Super Eagles star, Victor Ikpeba, has showered praises on the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Mr. George Aluo, for inviting him and fellow legend Nwankwo Kanu to the ongoing NNL Super 8 tournament, describing the gesture as a morale booster for the players.
Ikpeba, who had the honour of performing the official kick-off for the championship, expressed his gratitude for being part of the weeklong event, stating that their presence as ex-internationals serves as inspiration to the young talents vying for promotion to the top flight.
“I want to commend the Chairman of NNL for extending the invitation to myself and Nwankwo to be part of this tournament,” Ikpeba said.
“There’s no doubt that our presence will encourage the players to put in their best in the competition.”
Highlighting the importance of domestic football in shaping careers, Ikpeba—fondly referred to as the “Prince of Monaco”—emphasized that both he and Kanu are products of Nigeria’s local league system, and their success stories can fuel the aspirations of the players on display.
“It’s equally important that I congratulate the NNL for doing a good job. In our own capacity as ex-internationals, we’ll continue to support them to move the country’s football forward,” he added.
Giving his assessment of the matches so far, Ikpeba applauded the quality of play and the performance of the match officials. According to him, all games have been fiercely contested, showcasing the competitiveness of the league.
“The games have been very interesting and the referees are doing a great job,” he noted. “Although some decisions might not go down well with some coaches, I think it happens globally—even in Europe—where teams look for excuses when they are losing.”
Ikpeba also expressed delight at Warri Wolves’ dominant performance in their second group game and encouraged the team to maintain their momentum.
“I’m happy Warri Wolves won their second game by a wide margin. But I urge them to avoid complacency in their last group game on Thursday so they can secure promotion to the top flight,” he said.
The NNL Super 8 continues this week with teams battling for coveted promotion slots to the Nigeria Premier Football League, with added star power from football icons like Ikpeba and Kanu bringing renewed excitement and motivation to the tournament.
