The captain of the 1985 Golden Eaglets team, Nduka Ugbade, which beat West Germany 2-0 in the final in Beijing, China has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari has finally paid his team members the N2 million each promised them at the presidential reception held in January at Aso Rock.
Ugbade said: “I have finally received my money. I am extremely delighted that our president has fulfilled his promise.”
Buhari had promised the players a house, stock in the central bank and a scholarship and other incentives after their success but soon after he was ousted by another military regime and the country’s government never fulfilled his pledges.
Following Buhari’s election as president in January, he announced a N2 million reward for each of the players and 1.5m for the officials.
“He’s truly a man of his word and on behalf of myself and the team, I say a big ‘thank you’ to our president,” added Ugbade.
“I would also like to thank the sports ministry, Alhassan Yakmut of the sports commission, the Nigerian Football Federation, both local and international media, and everyone involved in this great story.”
Another member of the winning squad, Jonathan Akpoborie, who went on to represent the country at senior level, stated that: “I have spoken to some of my colleagues and they are happy that the president has delivered on his promise. This gesture – and not the amount involved – will give change the perception of unfulfilled promises in our country.”
However, the rewards came too late for Kingsley Aikhionbare, who died in London in 1996. At the presentation to the players, a minute’s silence was held in his honour.
The Under-16 World Championship was contested three times before it was changed to the Under-17 world Championship in 1991.
Nigeria won the FIFA under-17 World Cup in 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.
