Governing Bodies
SEVEN YEARS AFTER, VICTORIOUS GOLDEN EAGLETS STILL AWAIT CROSS RIVER STATE HOUSE GIFTS
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 continum’.
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 fulfil 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 redeem 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 fulfil 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.”
By Kunle Solaja.
Egyptian publication Ahram has reported an astronomical increase in prize money in all tiers of Egyptian domestic competitions.
This decision by the Egyptian Football Association to unveil what it described as the biggest prize-money package in its history for the 2025/26 season has once again thrown the spotlight on the modest financial rewards in Nigerian domestic football competitions.
Under the new structure announced by the Egyptian federation, winners of the Egypt Cup will receive EGP 2 million (approximately $37,000), while runners-up will earn about $19,000. The champions of the Egyptian Premier League are also expected to pocket EGP 5 million, estimated at about $94,000.
The package extends beyond the elite division. Clubs promoted from Egypt’s Second Division (A) will each earn roughly $19,000, while those advancing from Second Division (B) will receive close to $9,500 each.
Women’s football and youth competitions were equally accommodated. Winners of the Women’s Football League will receive about $9,500, while the Women’s Egypt Cup champions and runners-up will earn nearly $7,500 and $3,700 respectively. Youth championships across several age categories also have dedicated prize allocations running into millions of Egyptian pounds.
The Egyptian initiative is being viewed in many football circles as a deliberate attempt to improve club stability, encourage grassroots development and make domestic competitions more competitive.
For Nigerian football stakeholders, the development offers another example of how stronger financial incentives can stimulate growth in local competitions.
In Nigeria, complaints over poor prize money have persisted for years, especially in the domestic league, women’s football and youth competitions. Several clubs continue to struggle financially, while players and officials often lament inadequate rewards despite demanding schedules and rising operational costs.
Observers argue that meaningful prize money can motivate clubs to invest more seriously in infrastructure, player welfare, youth development and women’s football.
The Egyptian model also demonstrates that football development is not restricted to top-flight competitions alone. By extending financial rewards to lower divisions and youth categories, the federation appears to be creating a broader economic support system for its football ecosystem.
Many Nigerian football followers believe the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigeria Premier Football League and corporate partners can draw valuable lessons from Egypt’s approach.
With Nigerian clubs facing increasing financial pressure and continental competitiveness declining in recent years, analysts insist that enhanced prize money could become one of the incentives needed to revive domestic football and restore greater excitement around.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria is set to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking the third time the country will stage the continent’s top football gathering.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, approved Nigeria’s proposal to host the event.
The approval followed a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
Sports Villages Square affirms that Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Congress at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980 and again in February 2009, when the late CAF President Issa Hayatou secured another four-year term in office.
In addition to this year’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, Nigeria also secured the hosting rights of the CAF Awards ceremony. The annual awards gala, which celebrates Africa’s top football performers, has been staged in Morocco over the past three years.
Nigeria had earlier hosted the CAF Awards when telecom firm, Globacom, was the headline sponsor. This year’s event will be the seventh to be held in Nigeria after those of 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally attracts key football stakeholders from across the continent, including presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and senior football administrators.
The CAF Awards ceremony is regarded as one of African football’s flagship events, honouring outstanding players, coaches, clubs and officials in a glamorous setting that showcases the continent’s football excellence.
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FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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