On Sunday, February 11, 2024, millions of Nigerians watched with bated breath as the Super Eagles faced the Ivory Coast in the final of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). The match was a nail-biting thriller that ended in a heartbreaking 2-1 after 120 minutes of play.
The AFCON loss was a huge disappointment for Nigeria, who had hoped to win their fourth continental title and end their 12-year drought. The Super Eagles had performed well throughout the tournament, beating Angola, and South Africa on their way to the final. However, they could not overcome the resilient and determined Ivory Coast, who claimed their third AFCON trophy.
The AFCON loss also sparked various reactions from Nigerian celebrities on social media. Some of them expressed their sadness, anger, or frustration, while others showed their support, appreciation, or encouragement. Some of them even made jokes, memes, or songs about the situation. Here are 7 Naija celebs who reacted to Nigeria’s AFCON loss in their unique ways.
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Burna Boy
Burna Boy is a Grammy-winning Afro-fusion artist, who is one of the most successful and influential musicians in Africa and beyond. He is also a proud Nigerian, who often shows love and support for his country and its culture.
The Grammy award winner was trolled by fans from Ivory Coast who said they would drag him to their country. He reacted by crying for help funnily and saying he was being taken to where he didn’t know.
Portable
Habeeb Omolalomi Oyegbile popularly known as Portable, is a popular controversial comedian and singer, who is known for his hilarious skits and catchy tunes. He is also a die-hard fan of the Super Eagles and did not hide his emotions after the AFCON loss.
He posted a video of himself ranting about the Super Eagles’ performance and suggested that they should retire and let street boys from Agege and Sango Ota take over the team. He also slammed Nigerians who prayed for a miracle and said that prayer cannot solve football problems.
Portable’s video went viral and received mixed reactions from fans. Some of them agreed with him and shared his anger, while others disagreed with him and told him to calm down. Some of them also laughed at him and made fun of his expressions and accent.
Teni
Teni is a talented singer and songwriter, who has won several awards and accolades for her amazing voice and catchy songs. She is also a cheerful and optimistic person, who always sees the bright side of things. She took to her Instagram page to share a video of herself expressing her hurt and disappointment. Crying, she said:
“Ivory Coast, you think you can you can embarrass me?…somebody, please, I need oxygen… Ivory Coast, Ivory Coast! My chest, my intestines, my money wasted!” she cried.
Paul Okoye
Paul Okoye, AKA RudeBoy is one of the legendary duo of the PSquare twin brothers, Peter and Paul Okoye, who are known for their hit songs and dance moves. They are also avid football fans, who often support and cheer for the Super Eagles.
Paul took to his Twitter page to address Nigerians. His message came minutes after the super eagles of Nigeria lost to the elephant of Ivory Coast. he listed a couple of the prevailing problems in Nigeria to refresh people’s minds and bring them back to reality.
Paul’s post was liked and shared by fans. Some agreed with him and expressed their concerns, while others trolled him.
Yul Edochie
Yul Edochie is a famous Nollywood actor and politician, who is known for his roles in movies and his aspirations for office. He is also a vocal and controversial person and has been in the news for some of his actions and videos. He took to his Instagram account after the final match to encourage the Nigerian Super Eagles. His caption read:
“It is well. Thank you Super Eagles @ng_supereagles. Getting to the finals is as good as winning. We are proud of you all. Great performance in the tournament.”
Yul Edochie’s post attracted some reactions from his fans. Some supported him and echoed his sentiments, while others opposed him and challenged his statements. Some of them also accused him of being a fake pastor as he had predicted that the Nigerian team would win the finals.
Jimmy Odukoya
Jimmy Odukoya is a pastor and Hollywood actor, who is the son of the late renowned preacher, Rev David Odukoya. He is also a motivational and inspirational speaker, who often uses his platform to spread the gospel and uplift people.
He was not deterred by the AFCON loss and posted an Instagram video of himself encouraging the team. He said he was proud of the team and thanked them for their efforts. He said:
“My fellow Nigerians, this was not the video I planned; this was not what we wanted but it’s okay. last last we are Nigerians. We are still Nigerians they cannot outshine us. Listen, today, the Elephants had it but we the Eagles are coming back. Super Eagles listen, we are proud of you. you did an amazing job in the midst of hardship and all the things going on, you gave us a reason to hope, to laugh, and to unite as a nation.”
Encouraging Nigerians, he continued, “We are super proud of you, we are praying for you and can’t wait to have you back. we may have lost the battle, but we have not lost the war, we are Nigerians and we are coming back so heads up proud…last last, we dey!”
Blaqbonez
BlaqBonez is a Nigerian rapper and songwriter known for his witty and humorous lyrics and beefs with other artists. He is also a football fan, who often supports and cheers for the Super Eagles. However, he was not impressed by the Super Eagles’ performance in the AFCON tournament, and he did not hesitate to express his opinion on social media.
BlaqBonez said that he was never moved by Nigeria’s wins throughout the AFCON, because he felt that they were lucky and fluky. He said that he knew that Nigeria would lose in the final because they were not good enough to beat Ivory Coast. He tweeted:
“Now that we’ve lost let’s say the truth, we have been shit this whole tournament. Anybody that knows football knows, all those fluke ass wins never moved me.”
BlaqBonez’s reaction to Nigeria’s AFCON loss was controversial and provocative among fans. Some of them agreed with him and shared his views, while others disagreed with him and criticized him. Some of them also challenged him and dared him to make a diss song or a rap battle with the Ghanaian rappers.
Conclusion
The AFCON loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Nigeria, but it also brought out the best and the worst of the Naija celebs. They showed their diversity and creativity in their reactions, and they also revealed their personalities and perspectives. They made us laugh, cry, think, and feel. They entertained us, informed us, and engaged us.
What do you think of the AFCON loss and the celebrity reactions? Which one was your favorite or least favorite? How did you react to the AFCON loss? Let us know in the comments section below.