Nigeria's arrival in Fes on Thursday evening, aboard a chartered flight from their final training camp in Cairo, signalled the reality of a stout challenge for a fourth continental title as the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals commence in the Kingdom of Morocco on Sunday.
Winners at home in 1980, and in Tunisia in 1994 and South Africa in 2013, the Super Eagles will launch their onslaught for another title against Tanzania's Taifa Stars on Tuesday in the historical city of Fes, with the added impetus of wanting to appease their teeming fans at home and in the diaspora over failure to qualify for next year's FIFA World Cup finals in the Far West.
The retirement of William Troost-Ekong, on the margin of the team's departure to Cairo for their final training camp, has opened the door for midfield enforcer Wilfred Ndidi to take the captain's armband, with veterans Simon Moses and Alex Iwobi, and prolific forward Victor Osimhen as possible assistants.
