By Augustine Kalu on December 29, 2016

Christian Chukwu, former national team Captain and Coach, has warned the Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to stop subjecting the country to international ridicule and embarrassment.

He said it was very sad that the NFF made the country a laughing stock in the comity of nations following their inability to pay all conquering Super Falcons their bonuses and allowances at the recently concluded Africa Women Cup of Nations which the Nigerian women won at the expense of the host nation, Cameroon.

The former Rangers Captain and Coach gave the warning in an exclusive telephone interview with The Oracle Sports during the week. According to him, the damage done to the image of the country by the protest of the Super Falcons players cannot be quantified in material terms and that it was not as if the Super Falcons players were asking for something extra ordinary. He explained that the players were asking for their legitimate entitlements and not even reward for making the county proud which everybody expects the country to do for them.

“It is sad that the players of the Super Falcons have to be subjected to this type of experience of none payment of their entitlements. We are talking of bonuses and allowances that accrued to them, which the Nigeria Football Federation ought to have budgeted for,” Chukwu stated.

“Following the inability of the NFF to pay the players their entitlements, they had to take extra measures in order to get their money and in doing so, the country was ridiculed and embarrassed both within and outside our shores.

"The damage done to the image of the country by the Super Falcons sit in protest cannot be quantified materially. We were made a laughing stock in the comity of nations.

“It has never happened in the history of this country that a national team had to openly protest the way the Super Falcons protested. This is not the first time that the Federation or Association as the case may be has not been able to pay players and coaches their allowances. I believe that the way the matter was handled by the Amaju Pinnick led NFF was responsible for the action of the players. For goodness sake, the Super Falcons deserve to be treated better,” Chukwu said.

Speaking further, the former Harambee Stars of Kenya coach told the Amaju Pinnick led board of the NFF that they will do well to avoid this national embarrassment by entering competitions that they will be able to fund. Chukwu explained that it is not compulsory that the country should enter for every competition and in case government asked them why they did not enter for such competition; they will explain that they have financial constraints "and if government wants the country to take part in such competition they will make money available and by so doing this type of embarrassment will be avoided.

“I have said before now that it is not compulsory that we should enter for every competition. FIFA does not make their competitions though it is good to take part in as many as you wish to take part in.

“I believe that we can prioritize the competitions we enter for in order to avoid this type of situation in the future. If we select the competitions that we enter for, it will go a long way in ensuring that we have adequate funds to carter for them.

“And in any case if we do not enter for certain competitions and the government asked the federation why they did not enter for such competition, they will then explain to the government that it is due to lack of funds and if the government wants the country to participate in such competition, they will then make money available to the Federation.

“It is unfortunate that the Federation allowed themselves to be humiliated and ridiculed in this manner and in the process rubbished the country,” Chukwu explained.

It is recalled that the national and international embarrassment the country suffered was brought to an end via the intervention of the President Mohammadu Buhari, who ordered that the gallant Falcons should be paid and that none of the protesting players should suffer any form of punishment in the hands of the officials as they were asking for their legitimate rights.

The warning by Mr. President came as a result of the alleged threat by the NFF that all the players and officials will be banned for life for subjecting the country to international ridicule. It was after the warning by President Buhari that no player or official of the team should suffer any form of punitive measures that the NFF shamelessly came out to deny making the threat.

It was also reported that coach of the team, a former player of the team was owed 14 month salary areas until President Buhari ordered for the immediate payment of the team’s allowances and bonuses.

It is most unfortunate that while the NFF were claiming that their inability to pay the players and the technical crew their entitlement was because of lack of fund, it was alleged that the NFF’s President, Amaju Pinnick and the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung chartered a flight for N40 million to go and watch the Super Falcon’s final game against Cameroon. And as if that was not enough, just as the controversy was dying down due to President Buhari’s intervention, the NFF went for their Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Lagos and the venue was a Five Star Hotel.

Then one wonders whether the NFF are actually telling the nation the truth about their financial constraints just as it was widely reported that Amaju Pinnick had already applied to contest for the membership of CAF Executive Committee board which it was alleged will take him nothing less than $400,000.

•Photo shows Christian Chukwu

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 29, 2016

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