As the five time U17 World cup champions, Golden eaglets of Nigeria prepare to battle other African countries for the U17 AFCON title and a place at the global cadet championship later in the year.

The attention of the entire country will be on the young, promising and bright prospects assembled by Coach Fatai Amoo.

Kogi born Benjamin Mustapha who was part of the Fatai Amoo led team that executed the WAFU B tournament in Lome, Togo has made the final list to Morocco.

The young promising prospect from Igalaland, eastern senatorial zone of Kogi state, a product of the popular Kamar Football Academy, Idah will be on the plane with other future Nigerian stars to the North African nation aiming to rewrite Nigeria’s name in the history books of football.

The U17 AFCON slated for Morocco will take centre stage between 13th to 31st March and the five time world champions will kick start their campaign against Tanzania.

Ahead of the make or mar clash with the Black Starlets of Ghana on Saturday, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick has charged Nigeria’s U17 Boys, Golden Eaglets to show robust winning mentality against their opponents.

Pinnick charged the players to believe in themselves and go for victory when he visited the team’s camp at the Hotel Novella Star in Lome, Togo, while admonishing the players to remain focused in the task of representing Nigeria very well at the tournament.

“Nigerians don’t want to know about tactics, just go, play and win the game. The mentality of Nigerians is winning, they don’t care how you win, just win. Winning gives Nigerians a lot of joy,” Pinnick said.

“So, I just want to crave your indulgence to represent Nigeria well. I’m happy that I can see all the players in this U 17 team, I can see that we have the youngest team in this tournament, which of course, I’m very proud of.

“It is a developmental football af this level. It does not mean that we do not want to win. Nigerians wants you to win so that you will be celebrated. We want you to be celebrated, it is very important that we must win. Just work hard and ensure we beat Ghana. The attitude we always display is that we can do it. That is the spirit under my leadership in the Nigeria Football Federation and that is what we expect from you.

“Your coach will tell you the technical and tactical way to achieve winning, but what I will tell you is that you are Nigerians and for you be a Nigerian, you must be positively rugged to achieve your dream,” he said.

The final squad has three goalkeepers, six defenders, nine midfielders and six attackers.

Amoo will rely on qualities possessed by some of his players, notably among them is goalkeeper Saheed Jimoh, Victor Udoh and a product of Kamar Football Academy in Idah, Mustapha Benjamin.

The tournament kicks off on January 5 in Lome, Togo.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are drawn against Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in Group B.

The finalists of the qualifying with advance to the U17 AFCON in Morocco in July.

The full squad:

Goalkeepers: Saheed Jimoh, Destiny Emuwahen, Abdulbasit Abbas

Defenders: Abdullahi Bewene, Victor Udoh, Emmanuel Chukwu, Joseph Kuteyi, Vince Osuji, Emmanuel John, Oludapo Akintola

Midfielders: Oluwatomiwa Kolawole, Chukwuemeka Egbu, Samuel Akere, Haruna Hassan, Rabiu Ahmed, Gideon Atoyebi, Benjamin Mustapha, Basheet Hamzat, Samson Ogunmola

Forwards: Joseph Arumala, Christian Nwachukwu, Peter Asuquo, Michael Emmanuel, Stanley Iheanacho, Ahmed Abdullahi

STANDBY: Philip Titiloye, Muhammed Usman, Waris Hundeyin, Joel david, Boluwatife Babarinde

Since the aim of having national youth teams comprising of U13, U15, U17 and U20 is to harness players that can gradually be integrated to main national team, the Super Eagles, the set of players currently at the camp of the country’s U17, the Golden Eaglets will surely make the target achievable.

One of the players that is making waves with exceptional performance and will surely make it big in football is Mustapha Benjamin.

Benjamin who operates from central midfield and can equally play anywhere in the defense has been turning heads with his man of the match displays since he teamed up with the Coach Fatai Amoo led Golden Eaglets.

Benjamin is a product of Kamar Football Academy in Idah, Kogi State.

He has been moulded to lead and achieve greatness anytime he’s given the chance to play football.

Benjamin captained the Idah team that won Kogi State U-13 championship in 2016 and also led the Kogi Team at the Channels Kids Cup in 2016 that won silver medal.

He was part of the Nigeria national U-15 that went to Morocco in 2017 and currently making the coaches proud at the Eaglets camp.

Benjamin’s match reading and control, according to reports from the camp has been wonderful. He was also reported to formed an integral part of Amoo’s team as he was able to deliver to satisfaction whenever he’s asked to operate from.

It is expected that if a player like Benjamin and his likes can be monitored and nurtured, he would grow to become one of the best midfielders Nigeria has ever produced.