Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, has taunted the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), saying like the pigeons he touched in 2021, the Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to fly after he held a video conference with the team on Sunday shortly before the match with Tunisia.
The ex-lawmaker said this in a cryptic tweet on Monday, noting that Buhari’s only miracle is his rice pyramid.
“He toucheth the pigeon, it refused to fly. He talketh to the Eagle, it refused to fly. Oh yea brethren, thy King in Egypt hath no miracles but pyramids,” he tweeted.
In January 2021 during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony, the doves, otherwise known as white pigeons, released by the President had refused to fly despite multiple attempts by the President thereby sparking a debate on social media.
This elicited reactions from Nigerians, some of whom described the incident as a “bad sign” but presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, had said the doves refused to fly because they had been kept captive for a while before the day.
The Eagles had won all their three matches at the group stage in the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon but lost to Tunisia on Sunday in the Round of 16.
Shortly before the game with Tunisia, Buhari held a video conference with Coach Austin Eguavoen from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, urging the team to “keep doing the country proud” but the Eagles were kicked out of the tournament hours later.
Activist Omoyele Sowore, amongst others, had since said the President transferred ‘bad luck’ to the Super Eagles through his video call to the team.
Also, an ex-goalkeeper, Peterside Idah, said on Monday that the constant calls and promises of cash rewards from top government functionaries and prominent Nigerians distracted the Super Eagles which contributed to their ultimate defeat and exit from the Africa Cup of Nations.
