Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and the Nigeria Football Federation have changed the narratives ahead of Saturday’s Africa U23 Cup of Nations cracker between Nigeria and Tanzania, by swelling the coffers of the Olympic Eagles with the sums of $55,000 and N10million.
Makinde, who hosted the Nigeria U23 boys to a dinner at Government House, Agodi, handed over the sum of N10million to the players and officials pledging a further sum of $25,000 should the team earn the minimum win against Tanzania that will shoot them into the final round of the qualifiers against the winner of the fixture between Uganda and Guinea.
Just before him, Chairman of the NFF Task Force on Youth Competitions, Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi had presented the team, through Head Coach Salisu Yusuf, the sum of $10,000, being half of the amount he promised them for a win ahead of the first leg against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. The 1-1 draw netted the sum of $10,000.
Balele also pledged the sum of $20,000 for the team should they defeat Tanzania in Ibadan on Saturday, prompting Governor Makinde to also make a pledge of $25,000.
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“I am coming to the stadium with the cash; so, it is not a go-and-come-back promise. I will give you the money once you achieve victory,” Makinde said as players and officials, and members of the Oyo State Executive Council, Board Members and Management of the NFF, and NFF congressmen cheered.
Also at the occasion were the Deputy Governor of Oyo State; Speaker of the House of Assembly; Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa, Otunba Sunday Dele-Ajayi and Alhaji Babagana Kalli (NFF Board Members); Oyo State Sports Commissioner Seun Fakorede; Otunba Tade Azeez (President of NRA); NFF Congressmen; Kabiyesi James Odeniran (Chairman, Oyo State Football Association) and; Management Staff of the NFF.
It would be recalled that earlier on Friday, Super Eagles’ captain Ahmed Musa had promised the Olympic Eagles the sum of N500,000 for every goal in Saturday’s cliffhanger at the Lekan Salami Stadium.
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