‘Chukwu not senile when he called for unpaid dues last year’
How Otedola, against all odds, took care of late coach’s medical bills
Late former Super Eagles Coach, Christian Chukwu, knew what he was doing when he urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to settle the arrears of his salary and other match incentives dating to 2006, his associates have said.
The late Chukwu in a viral BBC interview last year begged the NFF to pay his outstanding salary and match bonuses totaling $128,000, which accrued from 2002 to 2006 when he was coach of the Super Eagles.
The debt by the NFF was highlighted by many media outlets following the demise of the former national team captain on Saturday. But the NFF swiftly reacted to the story, claiming that there is no record of any debt to Chukwu or any other coach for that matter.
However, some of Chukwu’s associates, yesterday, said it was regrettable that the federation waited until the 1980 Eagles’ captain’s death to refute the allegation against it.
Pleading anonymity, one of the associates told The Guardian that Chukwu was of sound mind when he called on the NFF to pay his dues last year.
He said: “Chairman was suspended by the NFF (then known as NFA) under Ibrahim Galadima following the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw with the Palanca Negras in Kano. The result gave the Angolans the upper hand in the race to qualify for the Germany 2006 World Cup.
“Following the uproar that followed the NFF’s handling of the qualifying series, the federation suspended Chukwu and handed the team over to his assistant, Austin Eguavoen. Angola eventually qualified for the World Cup instead of Nigeria.
“The NFF did not rescind Chukwu’s suspension until the contract elapsed in 2006. Since then, Chukwu has been pleading with successive NFF leadership to settle his dues.
“It is unfortunate that somebody, who was not involved in the whole affair, is now saying that Chukwu is not being owed any dime. They want the late coach to bring proof of the debt.
“Unlike many other coaches, Chukwu had a valid contract with the NFF, which was not respected by the federation. He even refused to seek another employment following his suspension because that would have automatically breached the contract with NFF.”
The associate also refuted claims by some individuals that they facilitated the late Chukwu’s treatment for prostate cancer in London, which was funded by billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.
He said that Otedola came into the picture when Simon Kolawole of The Cable begged him to help fund Chukwu’s treatment in 2019. Kolawole brought a sports reporter, Afolabi Gambari, to help him reach the management of Enugu Rangers, where Chukwu was the technical director.
“Otedola, a businessman, did not know much about Chukwu, but he took up the challenge and paid Otedola $50,000 for the treatment at Wellington Hospital in London. That was the same hospital that treated Otedola’s father when he had the same ailment earlier.
“Even then, Otedola was almost frustrated into giving up the cause by some members of the Enugu State government, who claimed that nothing was wrong with Chukwu. They lied that he was on a N2 million monthly salary and therefore did not need any help.
“They did not want a Yoruba man to take the credit for Chukwu’s treatment, but they celebrated the man when he returned from London,” he said.
- Culled from guardian.ng
