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Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, renowned as the “Pillar of Sports in Africa,” has strongly criticized the ill-treatment endured by Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Libya ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. The team, including the coach and technical staff, was stranded at a Libyan airport for over 11 hours without food, WiFi, or proper accommodations.
Kalu expressed outrage over the incident, attributing it to a deliberate strategy by the Libyan authorities to demoralize and frustrate the Super Eagles ahead of their second-leg qualifier. He called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to take swift disciplinary action against Libya, labeling their conduct as disgraceful.
“CAF must make that decision as quickly as possible to serve as a deterrent to any African country that behaves in such an irresponsible manner,” Kalu stated. “This dishonorable display of lack of class and character must stop henceforth. I condemn this horrible disregard for fellow humans.”
Kalu further noted that similar tactics were used against Enyimba Football Club of Aba during his time as the governor of Abia State, and he successfully fought against such unsportsmanlike behavior. He urged CAF to award the three points to Nigeria, stressing the need to prevent future occurrences of such mistreatment.
As a former governor, Kalu made history by leading Enyimba to consecutive CAF Champions League victories in 2003 and 2004, a feat that remains unmatched by any other state governor in Nigeria.
