It took 25 years for the house gifts pledge to some members of the 1994 Super Eagles to be fulfilled. Now it is the turn of their junior colleagues, the Golden Eaglets in the waiting game. Last weekend was the seventh anniversary of their historic winning of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Dubai.
In the euphoria of the victory, the Cross River State Government under Liyel Imoke made a pledge of house gifts to the 21 players and 10 officials during a banquet at the Government House in Calabar on 15 November 2013.
Seven years on, the state has not fulfilled the pledge. Imoke’s tenure has lapsed. The burden now falls on Governor Ben Ayade as ‘government is a continuum’.
When the pledge was made, it was announced that the houses would be located in the state’s new housing estate in Akpabuyo Local Government Area.
“Frankly, it’s unbelievable that we are yet to be given these houses almost 10 years after we won the FIFA U-17 World Cup and celebrated by everybody,” explained a crestfallen coach Garba.
He added: “In fact, we were most impressed when Senator Imoke said in the presence of the then Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; former NFF President Alhaji Aminu Maigari and members of his cabinet, that he preferred house gifts as a lasting legacy than monetary rewards; but it’s unfortunate that after all these years, we are still waiting for the houses to be delivered to the players and officials.”
Garba’s assistant and former African Footballer of the Year, Emmanuel Amuneke, said it was incumbent on Governor Ayade to fulfill the promises since they were made on behalf of the people and government of Cross River State, adding posterity will be kind to him if he redeems pledges expressively given to the Golden Eaglets.
“There is no way you want to write the story of the 2013 Golden Eaglets’ World Cup-winning squad without mentioning the people and government of Cross River State because they were part of the team’s success story,” noted Amuneke who is also yet to be given the house gift pledged to the Super Eagles squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994.
“We would like to use this opportunity to beg current Governor Ben Ayade to fulfill this promise of house gifts to the players and officials of the team when we are all still alive, the labour of our heroes past as a matter of fact, should not be in vain.”
