The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has cancelled the Flying Eagles training tour to Ghana ahead of next month's Africa Youth Championship (AYC) in Congo, NFA Spokesman Robinson Okosun said here on Friday.

Okosun told reporters in the Nigerian capital Abuja that the Eagles, who were currently training in Benin Republic, "will return home on January 4 after the team play a friendly match against the Dragon FC of Benin on January 3."

He said the tour was cut short to enable the Flying Eagles to participate in a commemorative match on January 5, in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital.

"The match will be in honor of the late Sports Minister Emeka Omeruah who died on December 4, in London," he said.

Okosun said the NFA had no choice than to cancel the trip as a mark of honor to the late sports administrator. "The team will now play a selected Lagos side at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos as a mark of respect to Omeruah," he said.

The Flying Eagles were originally scheduled to travel from Benin Republic to Accra, Ghana, on January 4, as part of the build up for the African meet to play two friendlies against the Accra Hearts of Oaks and Obuasi Gold Field FC of Ghana. The Flying Eagles are the defending champions in the Africa Youth Championship.