President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the batch of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, who won the maiden edition of the U-17 World Cup in 1985 that his administration will fulfil promises made to them 30 years ago.
The promises were made during a reception held in honour of the victorious team at Dodan Barracks, Lagos, when Buhari was a military head of state.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, Buhari said it had been brought to his attention that a directive which he gave to the state governments at the time had not been complied with.
“It is a pity that those promises were never fulfilled”, he said.
“It is unfortunate that our players, who did us proud on the world stage went unrewarded for their efforts, despite a presidential directive to the state administrators that they be honoured in their home states”.
The statement noted that, of the various promises made to the players at the time, only the Federal Government fulfilled its own part by sponsoring the players on a trip to watch the 1986 World Cup, which took place in Mexico.
The houses, scholarships and naming of streets after each player were supposed to have been taken care of by the states.
The statement noted that shortly after the commitment was given, the Military administration under General Muhammadu Buhari was replaced and that despite repeated representations made to succeeding governments by the players and their officials, the promises made were left unfulfilled.
The president, who promised to do all within his powers to “remedy the situation”, apologized for “whatever embarrassment and disillusionment in your country these raised and then dashed hopes may have caused you”.
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