How the NFF & NSC Contrived to take the Oxygen Mask of a recuperating Super Eagles – Chinedum Ohanusi
Not long ago, I mean in the days of Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi and even Alhaji Aminu Maigari; the unthinkable mishap that happened in Rabat Morocco, where the entire players and officials of the Super Eagles, contrived to sit out training sessions, before two crucial games, in protest of unpaid match bonuses etc, would have been deemed impossible, and sacrilegious!
Having been given a second chance to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and with the Presidency showing more desire and commitment in helping the Eagles qualify; who would have thought that the players, officials, the NFF and the NSC would chose to wash the dirty leanings of the nation’s football, in full public glare.
As a young reporter, I knew of the era when the NFF hierarchy and the players representatives, used to deliberate and agree on bonuses, for wins, draws; and in tournaments, what is payable as the team progresses. Those were the old good days, we took for granted and eventually wished away.
Even before arriving in Rabat, an unambiguous agreement ought to have been in place, and publicised by the nation’s sporting media; so all the players would have had to do upon arriving Rabat, is check into their hotel rooms, and be handed their training programmes.
But the avarice, and insatiable greed of the administrators, meant the management of the NFF were seemingly up in arms against the leadership of the NSC, which they somewhat believe have usurped their God-given roles.
We heard that with the cash for the playoffs, released straight to the NSC, the commission directed the NFF to prioritize the outstanding bonuses of the players, and also ensure that the bonuses for the semifinal and final of the playoffs were neatly sorted out, without frost.
Unfortunately, the NFF almost certainly deviated from the manual they were given, and there was a subsumed protestation, by some persons in the NFF who felt the NSC was breathing down, too hard, on their necks.
My source, who was in Rabat, told me the NFF might have even instigated the players to demand as much at 30k dollars as winning bonus for the playoffs; as an alibi for sitting out training sessions, knowing it would ellicit an outcry, and maybe a backlash against the NSC leadership.
Eventually, the NSC had to double down to Morocco, on a rescue mission; brokered a truce, and by themselves paid the players their outstanding remunerations, and agreed on what they will get for winning the games against Gabon, and eventually for winning the playoff final.
Yes, they returned to training, got going by trouncing Gabon 4-1, and effectively crashed out of qualification for the Mundial, when they eventually lost in sudden death penalties to DR. Congo.
Let me leave it here!
NOTE: The views expressed in this article are entirely that of the writer and does not represent the editorial views of Sahel Sports News .
