By George Aluo
Members of the all-conquering Super Eagles class of ‘94 have resolved to write President Muhammadu Buhari to seek his intervention and the fulfillment of Federal Government’s promise to reward them with houses after they won the Nations Cup in Tunisia 25 years ago.
The ex-internationals, who met at the Eko Hotel and Suites after they were honoured by the nation’s soccer governing body, NFF, resolved to write President Buhari through the NFF, rather than waiting for the NFF to initiate the move.
“We met after the awards nite and one of the decisions we took was to write President Buhari through the NFF. We felt we should act ourselves rather than wait for the NFF to act on our behalf,” one of ex internationals disclosed exclusively to The Nigerian Xpress Sports.
Austin Eguavoen, captain of the ‘94 team, had at the awards nite urged the NFF to take their case to the Presidency, while Sunday Oliseh pleaded for the naming of a street anywhere in the country after the squad.
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“When we won the Nations Cup in Tunisia, the Federal Government promised to reward members of the team with a house each. As we speak, 25 years after, some of us are yet to get the house. The NFF should help us draw government attention to this,” Eguavoen stated.
The NFF had at the awards nite hinted at its plan to set up a Foundation that would take care of the nation’s ex-internationals.
NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, said the NFF Foundation would address the issue of neglect, which the ex-internationals suffer after serving the country.
The NFF award was attended by a good number of the ‘94 Eagles. Physically present at Eko Hotel and Suites that Monday night were goalkeepers Peter Rufai and Alloy Agu; defenders Austin Eguavoen, Uche Okechukwu, Benedict Iroha, Nduka Ugbade and Taribo West; midfielders Mutiu Adepoju, Austin ‘JJ’ Okocha, Sunday Oliseh and Edema Fuludu and forwards Finidi George, Samson Siasia and Daniel Amokachi. Omoyemi Yekini, daughter of the ‘goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini, stood in for her late father as well as the four others, who had passed on: team captain Stephen Keshi, goalkeeper Wilfred Agbonavbare, defender Uche Okafor and midfielder Thompson Oliha.
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Emmanuel Amuneke, Michael Emenalo, Emeka Ezeugo, Efan Ekoku, Isaac Semitoje and Chidi Nwanu could not make it down to Nigeria for the ceremony.
While a couple of the players present did not make the final cut for the World Cup in America, six members of the group went ahead to join the Dream Team and returned to America to conquer – by winning Africa’s men’s football gold at the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta two years later.
