The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) has charged the Super Eagles to return to Nigeria with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

Buhari made this known during a video conference held with the players on Sunday morning ahead of their Round of 16 clash against the Cartage Eagles of Tunisia.

Augustine Eguavoen’s men who finished Group D with a perfect record will file out against the tricky Tunisians later today at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Cameroon.

Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement on Sunday revealed that “Buhari gave a pep talk to the Super Eagles via video conference from the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“Mentioning two of the players, Kelechi Iheanacho and Moses Simon, by name, President Buhari urged the Super Eagles to continue making Nigerians happy, not only by winning the second round match, but to eventually lift the trophy.”

Buhari said, “You’ve been doing Nigeria proud. You’ve been winning. Please keep on winning. The Federal Government is supporting you, and I say thank you to all the technical crew and the players.. Please keep doing the country proud.”

Responding, Coach Eguavoen said; “We are so excited that His Excellency, President Buhari, has come to speak with us this morning. On behalf of the players and the technical crew, I want to say thank you very much sir.

“The group stage has passed, and your speaking to us is a morale booster. Thank you for your support, Mr President, we also thank the Hon. Minister, and the NFF President. We are so privileged, and want to promise that you should just relax, we’ll come out victorious. We won’t let the nation down.”

Ahmed Musa, on behalf of the players, added, “We will make Nigeria proud, now that we have the blessings of the father of the nation.”

Meanwhile, Amaju Pinnick, President of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), and Nigerian Ambassador to Cameroon, Gen Abayomi Olonisakin (retd) were also in the video conference.