Nigeria To Immortalise Kelechi Iheanacho And Wilfred Ndidi’s FA Cup Celebrations

The Federal government has revealed plans to immortalise the celebrations of Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi after their FA Cup triumph last week.

The Super Eagles stars helped Leicester win the FA cup for the first time in the club’s 137-year history and now the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), wants to reward the players after they showed patriotism during their celebration after defeating Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday May 15.

After the final whistle, Iheanacho and Ndidi went for the Nigeria flag which was wrapped around their bodies as they joined their teammates in celebration.

Director of the NCAC, who doubles as the President of World Crafts Council, Otunba Segun Runsewe, says such celebration should be immortalized.

A statement on the National Council for Arts and Culture website said that an arts competition – either in painting, drawing or printmaking of the players – will be initiated for a one-month period which could have mouth-watering prizes like a trip to London.

“Beneath the pomp, glitz and glamour of the European FA final between Leicester City and Chelsea, a unique spectacular and outstanding show of patriotism was displayed,” it read.

“It came in the manner that Kelechi and Ndidi soaked themselves in their love for Nigeria by wrapping themselves in Nigerian Green-White-Green national colour to celebrate their victory over Chelsea football club.”

He stated that there is a need to document, institutionalize and legalise the legacy of Iheanacho and Ndidi

“The collaboration of the Society of Nigerian Artists, Abuja, the NCAC is instituting an art competition that celebrates the intersection of sports and culture referencing the Kelechi and Ndidi actions with the Nigerian flag in the Leicester City victory over Chelsea Football club,” Runsewe added.

According to Runsewe, the Arts competition, which will be in traditional 2D Art (painting, printmaking and drawing) will be done within a one-month duration and is open to residents of Abuja only for now.

Runsewe said that “there will be a reward system for the best three winning entries which will be presented to the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture and to his counterpart in the Sports Ministry may include a trip to London in the nearest future.”