Day 33 (Monday, 19 January, 2026)
Thank you, Mr.ChefNigeria; Thank you, my readers
From Tourist To Reporter: When Opportunity Knocked
I DID NOT PLAN to do a regular reportorial coverage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. My plan was to go on a vacation and attend the tournament only as a tourist.
As a sports journalist, I am qualified for a media accreditation, so I applied for one as soon as CAF opened its portal to receive applications from journalists around the world. Up until that moment, my intention was to use the accreditation badge to facilitate access to the stadiums and just enjoy myself (Don’t let CAF in on this! Lol).
Two weeks before the tournament, I had bought my return flight ticket and booked my accommodation in Morocco. I was set to go. Then, I received a telephone call from Mr.ChefNigeria!
What did they say about opportunity meeting preparation, or preparation meeting opportunity? Anyway, which ever of the expression is correct, that exactly was the case with me.
Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 32: Chaos, Courage And Coronation As Senegal Claim African Glory In Rabat
Mr.ChefNigeria was on the verge of signing a contract with the Nigeria Football Federation as the Official Food Seasoning Partner of Nigeria’s national football teams, including the Super Eagles. They wanted a traditional media partner for the coverage of the Eagles at the AFCON 2025 in Morocco. Could I submit a proposal from Complete Sports newspaper? That was how my tourist agenda suddenly became a reporter’s agenda.
A Journey Through AFCON History And Personal Milestones
My first AFCON coverage was at Senegal 1992 where the Super Eagles finished with a bronze medal just like they did this time around again in Morocco. My next AFCON was in the year 2000 when Nigeria co-hosted with Ghana and we lost in the final to Cameroun at the National Stadium in Lagos, just as Morocco lost to Senegal on their home turf this time around. (Losing a cup final on home soil is a terrible, sinking feeling, I tell you. Ask Sunday Oliseh who was Super Eagles captain at AFCON 2000).
Between the AFCON 2000 and the penultimate 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire, I always delegated staff reporters and staff photographers to cover the tournament for Complete Football magazine and Complete Sports newspapers, while I sat back to run the company as Group Managing Director. But in my current position now as Executive Consultant, I have more free time in my schedule which made me decide to go to Morocco on holiday. Then Mr.ChefNigeria came calling.
Rekindling The Reportorial Fire Through Partnership
I will like to thank Sweet Nutrition Limited, makers of Mr.Chef Food Seasoning, for reigniting my reportorial spark. With Complete Sports reporter James Agberebi and photographer Ganiyu Yusuf covering the action on the field of play primarily, I was free to roam like a “roving reporter” and report the AFCON exclusively from my own perspective through a Daily Diary.
The Daily Diary, Reader Engagement And Editorial Support
During the past 33 days, I have shared my insights, experiences and encounters in Morocco with readers on a daily basis. While I cannot rate the impact that my analysis of the tournament and travelogue has had, the feedback that I received suggests to me that the majority of readers have not found my writing boring. In fact, any day that I was late in submitting my script either because a match ended late or fatigue set in for me, the frantic calls by Completesports.com editor Nnamdi Ezekute from Lagos that readers were waiting for my diary would force me back to my i-Pad.
Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 31: Nwabali’s Heroics, Eagles’ Bronze Glory And Casablanca Tales
Aside from CompeteSports.com, the diary was published also on a daily basis by NaijaSuperFans.com. Nnamdi was editing me in Complete Sports while Ayomide Matthew, assistant editor of NaijaSuperFans, was editing me in the latter. I was also sharing the diary directly with my friends and acquaintances on social media, particularly Whatsapp, and they too were keeping me on my feet because, as some told me, the people that they also shared with were on their neck anytime the diary came late. I hope to collect these data to do a verifiable measurement of how far the diary went particularly on social media.
Expanding The Diary Beyond Text: Videos And Social Media Growth
In addition to the daily diary which is text, I also produced several videos and short videos for Mr.ChefNigeria for sharing on Complete Sports and Mr.ChefNigeria social media handles to boost viewership and engagement numbers. Before the AFCON, I didn’t have a personal YouTube Channel while my Instagram and TikTok handles were virtually dormant. All three handles are up and running now, in addition to Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Whatsapp that were already active.
Creative Collaboration And Digital Branding
The credit for launching me fully on to the social media super highway goes to a certain young computer scientist cum graphic artist, Mubarak Yusuf, and I begin my second round of appreciation with him, second only to Mr.ChefNigeria. After I had accepted to be “Mr.Chef envoy in Morocco” as I tagged myself, it was Mubarak who came up with the powerful logo that became popular with my readers, “Mumini Alao’s AFCON DIARY Powered by Mr.Chef Seasoning.” He also edited all the videos that we published on YouTube and other platforms to underline his versatility. Mubarak has assured me that he is willing to continue the content-creation journey with me, post-AFCON. I am excited.
Encouragement From Readers And The Discipline To Write Daily
My third appreciation goes to readers of my diary who kept encouraging me to write every day. To be very honest, there were days when I felt like not writing at all, but when I remembered that the readers would be waiting, I usually re-motivated myself.
What Next After AFCON 2025? A Call For Reader Support
With AFCON 2025 over now, I have also received some messages asking what comes next? For some time, I had planned to relaunch online ‘Soccertalk’, my weekly column in Complete Sports newspaper. This might be just the right time to do so, but that is if I get the necessary support from my readers.
Unlike the print edition of Complete Sports newspaper that we have rested, new media and social media platforms are all about subscribers, likes, followings and engagement. Therefore, I humbly request everyone reading me now who has enjoyed my AFCON diary during the past 33 days to subscribe to my new YouTube Channel, and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter).
Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 30: Ndidi’s Voice, Hassan’s Storm And A Bronze Battle Ahead
Furthermore, I request that you send to me a comment on your preferred platform, about your impression of my AFCON diary for evaluation by Mr.ChefNigeria. This is what will determine whether my ‘Soccertalk’ will return as a weekly column, or I will remain a periodical commentator like I have been in AFCON 2025. All my social media handles are at the bottom of this article for you to do the needful. Please do so now.
Signing Off: Gratitude, Congratulations And Farewell From Morocco
I close this diary by congratulating Morocco on a successful hosting of AFCON 2025, despite the hiccups in the final. Also I congratulate Senegal for emerging again as African Champions. It has been a great privilege sharing my tournament travelogue with everyone who got to read it either occasionally or regularly. I hope you derived great satisfaction from reading, as much as I did in writing.
Please connect with me on my social media handles below NOW. My Air Maroc flight from Casablanca to Lagos is waiting…..
Join Me On Social Media…..
Aside from my Daily Dairy, I have been uploading some videos on social media since the start of the AFCON 2025. Please subscribe and watch on the following channels and/or handles……
• YouTube: @mrchefnigeria6045; @OfficialMuminiAlao
• Instagram: @mrchefnigeria; @muminialao2002
• TikTok: Mrchefnigeria; @official.mumini.alao
• Facebook: @Mr.chef Nigeria; @Mumini Alao
• X (Formerly Twitter): @MrchefNigeria; @Mumini_Alao.
• Snapchat: Mrchefnigeria
By Mumini Alao, in Rabat
Photos by Ganiyu Yusuf
