The Nigeria Football Federation,NFF, has decried statements in a section of the social media that the football-ruling body was indebted to former Nigeria captain and coach, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, who died on Saturday.
Reacting to one statement on social media that claimed NFF was owing the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team captain the sum of $128,000, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said: “There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu.
“During the first term of the Board headed by Mr. Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.
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“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately.
“I am aware that ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF.”
Sanusi challenged anyone with genuine and verifiable documents of NFF indebtedness to any coach, who has worked with any of the National Teams over the past two decades, to come forward and tender those documents.
“As a credible organization that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately.”
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NFF has over time created a solid reputation of nonpayment of debts. They are so comfortable with owing coaches and players.
Now, should it surprise us that they are owing the dead?
As the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. For him to come out like this to vehemently deny the accusation means there is likely some truth to it. The surprise would be if they were not owing. That would be a big surprise indeed!
“…“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately….”
Political talk from a political thief.
What he has refused to tell us is the outcomes of the findings of the committee and the actions taken thereafter.
Rather than challenging anyone with genuine and verifiable documents of NFF indebtedness to any coach, to come forward and tender those documents…..Sanusi should produce proof of the offset of money owed all coaches in the last 2 decades.
Late coaches Musa Abdullahi (ex u17, u20 and u23) and Adamu Ejo (beach eagles) both died with NFF owing them. Co-incidentally, they both died after suffering stroke, with no help from the NFF.
Late Shuaibu Amodu and Keshi also died whilst being owed.
Samson Siasia is still being owed to date. Ladan Bosso is being owed. Manu Garba is being owed. As a matter of fact, almost all our local coaches never got their full pay……..except Oliseh who threatened to drag NFF to FIFA before he was paid off, and of course, Eguavoen who is an active part of the crime against our football in the NFF.
A lot of our local coaches never have proper contracts, so the NFF leverages on that to owe them at will. That is why they often turn the national teams into a marketplace, where all manner of transactions go on.
Even reports have it that current SE coach Eric Chelle hasn’t been paid a dime since when he was hired. Rohr’s matter had to get to FIFA before NFF was forced to shit out his emoluments.
As the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. Tell Sanusi to go to swear at Arusi Abakaliki’s shrine that no coach in the last 2 decades is being owed by the NFF and watch him change his stance in and instant.
No wonder our football isn’t moving forward. Imagine how many people we are still owing in their graves.
Yet you will NEVER hear of any past NFF president, executive or board member being owed a cent, be it whilst in office, or when they are long gone. Bunch of wicked, selfish people.
NFF are useless to the core. They will never live up to their responsibility.