– The player is yet to get his entitlement from the club – Club chairman said he is in their plans The issue of players being owed sign-on-fees and other entitlements has been a serious headache for years now in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) as many clubs have been found culprits. Many pundits are of the opinion that it is because most of the clubs campaigning in the Nigeria’s top flight football are being sponsored by the government, and the current financial dare straits in many States in Nigeria has made the government not to look into football. In Europe, most clubs are being owed by corporate bodies and other financial institutions in which making profits is their top most priorities. For example in the English Premier League, none of the clubs is being owed by the government, and this gives some business mogul to do business with their money in which profits is guaranteed. But in Nigeria where many States are still unable to pay their workers, it makes it difficult for them to pump in cash into the States owned football clubs.
Lack of sponsorship and over dependant on the government is the major problem rocking the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), and the players who are the major actors are finding it difficult to survive. Five round of games have been played this season in the NPFL, and the League Management Company (LMC) that controls the league are yet to get any major sponsors as Glo who has been sponsoring the League years back has now refused to extend their partnership this year. Enyimba defender, Idris Aloma last month disclosed to Naij.com Sports that the management of El-kanemi Warriors are owing him the sum of two-million naira which is for meant for his services rendered to the club last two seasons. The sad story is that Aloma’s mother was in severe condition in the hospital, and all his efforts to press for his money for him to take care of his mum were futile. El-Kanemi chairman, Malla Zannah did acknowledged the fact that Aloma is being owed, but he stressed that government is yet to release the money (a situation that would never happen in Europe).
Also last month, it would be recalled that Naij.com Sports published a story in which ABS FC which is being owned by the Nigeria’s Senate president, Bukola Saraki are owing the players 18 months salaries, and one would wonder how the affected players would cope. Nigerian international, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu has now cried out bitterly claiming that the management of Nigeria Professional Football League side (NPFL), Warri Wolves are owing him 8.8 million naira. Ibenegbu who is popularly called “mosquito” said to Naij.com Sports that the money is for the two years he had played for Warri Wolves who were runners up last season. He explained that all efforts to press his entitlements have been futile, and he has therefore taken the club to world football governing body (FIFA). “As I’m talking with you, my lawyer has reported Warri Wolves to FIFA as they have refused to pay me my money which is the sum of 8.8 million naira. GET for FREE: Get the latest sports news on Naij Sports “Can you imagine that when LMC gave Warri Wolves about 22.5million naira for the second position we took last season, the new chairman of the club Etu Moses paid d players about 6match bonuses they re owing without paying we that have that left the club. “We the affected players have had meetings with the chairman Delta State sports commission, Tony Okowa and the man said that out of 100% accumulated wages the club is owing us, that he will pay only 25% to the players that are currently with the club and they should forfeit the remaining. “For the two years that I played for Warri Wolves, it was hell for me and some other players, and all I want is for them to pay me my money because I have wife, kids, parents and families looking up to me,” Ibenegbu who has joined Enyimba exclusively divulged to Naij.com Sports. Speaking to the chairman of Warri Wolves, Moses Etu on the claims by Ikechukwu Ibenegbu that the club are owing him, Etu acknowledged that Wolves are owing the player. “The problem we are having is that the government has not yet release the money and as I’m talking with you now, we just paid our current players their bonuses for three games in which they are all happy with,” Etu said.
