\n<\/p>\n
Nigeria had dubbed their campaign as ‘Mission X’, and President Bola Tinubu sent his congratulations to the squad in a video call after the match.<\/p>\n
He hailed the side’s “spectacular” performance as one that exemplifies the “determination that defines the Nigerian spirit”.<\/p>\n
“You have lifted our spirits. You are a pride to your generation,” Tinubu told the team.<\/p>\n
“You have achieved the mission the nation dreamed of and prayed for. Nigeria celebrates you.”<\/p>\n
Okoronkwo, who ended the tournament with two goals and six assists, said Nigeria’s approach had been “all or nothing” after the break.<\/p>\n
“We knew we had to come up [with a] different strategy. We knew we needed to fight,” the forward said.<\/p>\n
“We talked over it in the locker room [and said] we have to change the way we are playing. It just shows resilience in us.”<\/p>\n
Former Super Falcon Desire Oparanozie, herself a four-time Wafcon winner, said her compatriots showed “the mentality of a champion”.<\/p>\n
“I did not expect them to come back in that manner,” she told BBC Sport Africa.<\/p>\n
“I think the motivation for them would have been: ‘This cannot be the first time we’ll lose in a final’.<\/p>\n
“Nigeria have been in the final 10 times and they’ve won all 10 times. That mental toughness and fight is something else.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n