Exactly 30 years ago to this day – August 11, 1985 – Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets defeated the then West Germany 2-0 in the Chinese city of Beijing, to win the maiden edition of the FIFA U-16 World Championship, now known as the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the Nigerian military government of the day, under the then Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, announced rewards for the players and coaches.
But the heroes say the rewards, which include scholarship up to the university level, national merit award and purchase of AP shares in their names, have not been fulfilled. While another reward - street naming after the players and coaches in their home states has been effected by some states, some of them have not benefitted from it. Some others have even had their streets renamed since.
The players who spoke with Tribunesport ahead of the 30th anniversary of their feat expressed the hope that with the return of President Buhari, he will see to the fulfilment of these promises which he could not redeem before his government was overthrown in a palace coup 13 days after the rewards were announced.
Salisu Nakande, now a grass roots coach in Plateau State, speaking with Tribunesport, is very optimistic. “We hope with the coming back of President Buhari, something may come up,” Nakande, who guided the Airtel Rising Star from Jos to the title in 2012, said.
Yahaya Mohammed, who says “most of us are suffering”, also believes that the Buhari government will remedy the situation and accord them the necessary recognition and give them their due rewards as “we are getting older now.”
Former goalkeeper Dele Abubakar, now the welfare officer of Kwara United, is hopeful that the present government will do the needful for the team.
Jonathan Akpoborie, on his own pleads with the authorities: “We are pleading with the government, the senators, members of the House of Representatives, please they should approve something, because most of my former colleagues that played with me in that tournament are not well-to-do. So this is the right time, if they want to help us.”
Another member of the team, Joseph Babatunde, while speaking with Tribunesport from his base in Brooklyn, USA, decried the manner the 1985 Eaglets set has been treated and as such, advised that “Nigeria really has to reflect and do a soul-searching for the wrong that they have done to that team.”
Other members of the team who spoke with Tribunesport are Nduka Ugbade, Fatai Atere, Binebi Numa, Sani Adamu, Imama Amapakabo, Bauldwin Bazuaye and Hilary Adiki.
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