Encomium
The disagreement which has the Super Eagles’ camp fight over money given to the FA by the world’s supreme football ruling body, FIFA is yet to subside just as Nigeria kicked off its World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday, June 16, 2014.
Before the team departed for the World Cup, the players demanded they know the sharing formula of the largesse accorded to all participating teams at the mundial which is $8 million. The players threatened not to jump into the Brazil bound plane from US because of this, but frayed nerves were calmed after hours of registration. Now, the players have tabled fresh demands which must be met or they would boycott their opening match against Iran.
The news is that they want a share of another money given to the FA by FIFA which is $750,000 from World Cup sponsorship and the N1.4 billion the Presidency gave the team for their campaign at the tournament.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari claimed that the money received so far was $1 million and has been used for the organization of pre-World Cup friendlies for the team.
The intervention of the Minister of Sports, Dr. Tammy Danagogo was said to have doused tension in the camp. He was said to have presided over a meeting with the two parties and charged all concerned to negotiate so that they could avoid a seeming disaster at the World Cup. He also advised the football power house to consider the responsibility owed the players as welfare, maintaining that the poor treatment of the players might cause an upset that could lead to a poor performance in the tournament.
The Nigeria football authority will receive $8 million guaranteed from FIFA for participating in the 2014 World Cup. They will also get $750,000 as part of the profit from sponsorship of the World Cup and they have already gotten a N1.4 billion boost from the Presidency.
OUTRAGE OVER N185.4 MILLION BUDGET FOR FG WORLD CUP DELEGATION
Condemnation has continued to trail the N185.4 million budget for the Federal Government delegates to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Senate President, David Mark led a 13-man Federal Government delegation to the World Cup in Brazil and those on the list included Senator Adamu Gombe, Honourable Geofrey Gaiya, Gov. Liyel Imoke, Governor Ibrahim Shema, Minister of Youths, Boni Haruna, FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, Culture and Tourism Minister, Edem Duke, Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri and Commissioner of Police, Kole Sodipe.
Nigerians who took to the social media condemned and labelled this as clear waste of public funds. “They should stay back home and find solution to the security challenges in the county,” Chike Ogbogu wrote, “We need Kanu Nwankwo, Finidi George, Okocha and other ex-Nigerian players at the World Cup to boost the confidence of the players and not politicians,” posted by Chidiebere Ogbonna.
“This is a sign our leaders don’t have anything doing in office. The Sports Minister should have been enough to embark on the trip,” one Michael Alegwu wrote.
“When will the government send a high powered delegation to Sambisa Forest?,” Ogbonna Ejike rhetorically asked.
WORLD CUP BABY FOR EJIDE
Just as Nigeria’s second choice goalkeeper, Austin Ejide settles well in the team’s camp in Brazil, his wife, Chito was announced to have given birth to a baby girl in Chicago, IIIinois, USA. The bundle of joy arrived on Friday, June 6, 2014, and she was named Chimamanda by the excited father.
Ejike tied the knot with Chito in August 2013, at Festac Town, Lagos. Weeks back, Osaze Odemwingie welcomed his second baby.
