In a passionate critique reflecting the fury of millions of Nigerian supporters, media personality and renowned Super Eagles diehard fan Natacha “Tacha” Akide has launched a scathing attack on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following the team’s controversial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) exit.
Known for her unwavering and vocal support for the national team, Tacha channelled the collective disappointment of the fanbase into a detailed condemnation of the NFF’s pre-match inaction.
Her critique focused on the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) appointment of an officiating team from rival nations, Ghana and South Africa, for the semi-final against Morocco.
A Fan’s Fury: From Support to Scrutiny
As one of the team’s most prominent celebrity supporters, Tacha’s criticism carries the weight of invested loyalty. She argued that a serious federation would have proactively challenged CAF’s selection. “The moment those referees were announced, the NFF should have petitioned CAF!” she asserted, claiming even a symbolic protest would have put referees “on CHECK.”
Instead, she lamented the NFF’s “silence,” which she believes led directly to a poorly controlled match. “This wasn’t ‘home advantage.’ This was shambolic officiating,” Tacha stated, describing a game where the referee “disrupted the rhythm of the match nonstop” with confusing fouls.
The Diehard’s Demand for Accountability
Moving beyond mere criticism, Tacha issued a direct demand for accountability, urging the NFF to petition CAF for a review and question the referee’s suitability for top-level games. “Performances like that damage the credibility of African football,” she concluded, elevating her concern from national disappointment to a defence of continental sporting integrity.
Her intervention underscores how profound disappointment has turned one of the team’s loudest cheerleaders into one of its most rigorous critics, demanding the same level of passion and proactivity from the federation that fans consistently show for the Super Eagles.
