Obasanjo has congratulated Enyimba on their success

Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo has received players and officials from recently-crowned African champions Enyimba at his presidential villa in the capital Abuja.

Obasanjo congratuled Enyimba on becoming the first Nigerian club to win the African Champions League when he met with them on Tuesday.

The Aba-based club broke a 39-year jinx when defeating Egyptian side Ismaili 2-1 on aggregate in the recent two-legged final.

Obasanjo told the African champions that by being the first Nigerian side to win the continent's foremost club competition, Enyimba have given the whole country hope it can achieve many things that it has not achieved since independence in 1960.

"What has eluded us for almost 40 years, we have now got," the president told the players and officials at a civic reception for the team.

"To me, this is an indication that what has eluded us since we got independence in 1960, we will now also get.

"And we are already in the process."

All of Nigeria has rejoiced in Enyimba's victory, and sports minister Musa Mohammed has recommended that both the players and officials be awarded national honours.

Meanwhile, Uzor Orji Kalu, the governor of Abia state who has given Enyimba heavy financial backing, told reporters during the presidential reception that the club plans to engage 15 new players from neighbouring countries such as the Gambia, Ghana and Senegal ahead of the defence of their title.

Enyimba's initial test in the 2004 Champions League will come against either ASFAG of Guinea or Diaraf of Senegal in the first round in April.