Daniel Amokachi raised a few eyebrows with his 27-man selection

The history of Nigeria —as with several nations across the world—is littered with incidents of blood-letting, anyone who has read Anthills of the Savannah can tell you that!

That was the first expression that came to my mind when I cast a maiden glace over the 27-man squad assembled by Daniel Amokachi for friendlies against Bolivia and South Africa later in the month.

Amokachi has picked a squad which is an intriguing blend of stalwarts, new faces and returnees.

As is often the case with ‘threshold squads’ like this one—i.e. those selections that represent a turning point or a watershed moment in a nation’s history—the omissions are as interesting (if not more so) than the inclusions.

I begin with the stalwarts, Vincent Enyeama has been named and will likely make his 100th appearance for the national side during the friendlies, according to my colleague Lolade Adewuyi .

Intriguingly though, beyond him, only six of the World Cup squad have been retained.

Only nine months after the most successful World Cup by a Nigerian side since 1998, 17 of that squad will be absent for the Super Eagles’ bright new dawn.

Enyeama, Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey Oboabona, Ogenyi Onazi—a spine that will always keep the embers of optimism alight—along with Azubuike Egwuekwe are retained from Brazil.

Michael Babatune, an unlikely hero last summer, also makes the squad, having been left on the bench by Stephen Keshi during the ill-fated Afcon qualifier against South Africa. He hasn’t played for the national side since his encouraging displays against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Argentina.

Babatunde |  Completes the World Cup Six

Beyond them, the trio of Sone Aluko, Hope Akpan and Aaron Samuel have also been retained from the qualifiers as Nigeria look to launch a new cycle.

Four other players make Amokachi’s selection having been jettisoned by Keshi for various reasons over the last 18 months.

Coincidentally, both Ideye Brown and John Ogu last featured for the Super Eagles as second-half substitutes in the friendly against Italy at Craven Cottage.

At that point, both were regulars in the side—Ideye, as an African champion in 2013, in particular—but they weren’t seen for the whole of 2014 and played no part in either the World Cup build-up or the Afcon qualifiers.

Brown’s goals in the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion—following a sluggish start—mean that he has become almost impossible to overlook, but Ogu’s return was unexpected. The Israel-based midfielder bleeds Super Eagles and will doubtless give his all for the national side. That quality alone is of some value following the listless, uninspired qualifying displays last year.

Anthony Ujah, like Ideye, has become hard to overlook having hit a purple patch with Koln in the Bundesliga.

The striker may have been kicked to the curb by Keshi after his four appearances (and only two starts) in the summer of ‘13, but Amokachi cannot ignore nine goals in 20 starts in one of the world’s major leagues.

This represents a second chance that, admittedly, some of us never thought would come.

Ujah | A second chance that many thought would never come

Another German-based player, Leon Balogun, also returns to the side having suffered injury ahead of the World Cup.

Balogun’s return coincides with the omission of Efe Ambrose, who won the Scottish League Cup last weekend.

The defender has featured in every Nigeria squad since the first World Cup qualifier against Kenya after the 2013 Afcon and his omission is a big call by Amokachi.

While the stopper hasn’t always convinced as a right-back, surely he has enough quality, experience and versatility to be an asset to the squad.

Both left-backs, Juwon Oshaniwa and Elderson Echiejile, have been overlooked, surprisingly, particularly considering the latter’s ongoing Champions League participation.  This leaves Chima Akas as the squad’s only recognised left-back…opportunity knocks!

Elderson’s fellow regulars Austin Ejide and Chigozie Agbim have also been dropped, as the caretaker coach has turned to Theophilus Afelokhai and Chidiebere Eze. While it remains to be seen—obviously—whether this is a long-term swap, it is at least positive to see Nigeria increasing their pool of ‘alternatives to Enyeama’ from two to four!

John Obi Mikel misses out through injury, while Victor Moses—officially named as a stand-by—may also need to miss out if he is unable to recover from the injury suffered for Stoke City at the weekend. I suspect his status as the squad’s extra man is temporary until his fitness is concerned.

Emmanuel Emenike, the faded bulwark of Keshi’s obduracy, is the most notable absentee.

Emenike | "the faded bulwark of Keshi’s obduracy"

The striker’s Fenerbahce side still remain in the Turkish title race, and he is getting regular game time in the Super Lig, but the forward’s failings in front of goal aren’t simply extended to his international form.

Emenike has scored only four times in Turkey this season (in 22 appearances) and he hasn’t found the net in his last 15 internationals.

The time and the occasion are right to try something new, and fortunately Ideye and Ujah represent in-form alternatives

Ikechukwu Uche, still playing regularly in La Liga, has not been named and his international return may well be limited to those two starts against South Africa and the Republic of Congo.

More positively, eight of the players who featured in Nigeria’s B international defeat to the Ivory Coast ahead of the 2015 Afcon have been retained.

Of this group, only Egwuekwe is a full international. The new faces, including Mfon Udoh, Kingsley Sokari and Joseph Nathaniel, represent the side’s new blood—they are players who are untarnished by the failings of 2014 and for whom international football represents the pinnacles of their career to date.

The same could be said for Watford’s Odion Ighalo, one of six players receiving their first senior international acknowledgement.

A long-time favourite of the fans seeing a fantasy alternative in attack, the inclusion of in-form Ighalo (17 goals in 17 starts for Watford in the Championship) is further indicator that Amokachi has picked his squad based on merit and form. This approach should serve the Super Eagles well, both as a short-term measure for these friendlies and as a long-term method for renovation and renewal.

The blood-letting certainly doesn’t bode well for some of the squad’s established stars, for some of the veterans of 2013, but it is, however, a chance for new blood and, hopefully, for a new start.