The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected claims of a planned protest regarding the appointment of Eric Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
In a statement released by the Senate President, Comrade Akinteye Afeez, NANS clarified that the individuals behind the protest threats were impostors with no affiliation to the student body.
The statement refuted a report by one Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, who falsely claimed to be the Clerk of NANS Senate and had allegedly threatened a nationwide protest over the appointment.
NANS strongly denounced the claims, stating that the position was fraudulent and did not represent the views of Nigerian students. The leadership also urged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to disregard the threat.
In addition, NANS expressed disappointment in media outlets that published the claims without verifying the source. The body emphasized the importance of responsible journalism and the need to fact-check stories before reporting.
“The attention of the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has been drawn to a frivolous and mischievous report credited to one Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, who claims to be the Clerk of the NANS Senate, wherein he purportedly threatened a nationwide protest over the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.
“It is imperative to categorically state that this position is baseless, fraudulent, and does not represent the stance of the leadership of NANS nor does it reflect the sentiments of Nigerian students nationwide.
“For the record, the said person holds no position in the organization as claimed, and so, the NFF should disregard the threat of protest.
“Thus, we unequivocally dissociate ourselves from the disingenuous utterances of these self-appointed individuals, attempting to exploit the respected name of NANS for selfish reasons, We call on security agencies to immediately invite and investigate these impostors for impersonation and an attempt to incite public unrest. Their recklessness constitutes a direct affront to the credibility and integrity of NANS as an institution.
“To the media, we express our disappointment in the unprofessionalism exhibited by platforms that lent their voices to these fallacious claims without verifying the authenticity of their sources. It is the duty of reputable media outlets to uphold journalistic standards and desist from amplifying unsubstantiated narratives. The press must demonstrate more responsibility by verifying the identities and affiliations of individuals before granting them access to platforms capable of influencing public perception,” the statement read.
On the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle, NANS affirmed the NFF’s right to make such decisions and called for the federation to continue its efforts to develop Nigerian football talent.
However, NANS urged the NFF to expand its talent search to Nigerian campuses, where untapped football potential could be discovered and nurtured.
“On the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle, NANS acknowledges and respects the prerogative of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to make technical decisions that they believe will advance the fortunes of Nigerian football. We implore the NFF to remain resolute in its professional decisions and ignore the empty threats of protest by nonentities masquerading as NANS representatives.
“However, we strongly urge the NFF to extend their scouting activities to Nigerian campuses, where a plethora of untapped football talents reside. By creating a pipeline that identifies, develops, and promotes homegrown players, the Federation will be making a strategic investment in the future of Nigerian football.
“Ultimately, let it be known that no organ of NANS, at any level, has endorsed or proposed any protest against the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the Super Eagles coach. Any claims to the contrary are the concoctions of desperate impostors whose agenda remains suspect and antithetical to the progress of Nigerian students,” the student association concluded.