President Buhari has assured the Nduka Ugbade led Golden
Eaglets who won the inaugural FIFA Under-16 World Cup in 1985 that his administration
will fulfill the promises made 30 years ago during a reception held at Dodan
Barracks with the players, in celebration of their outstanding victory in
China.
According to the Senior Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity to the president, 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. 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," observed the president in the press statement.
He noted that of the various promises made to the players at
the time, only the Federal Government fulfilled its own commitment - 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 catered for 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.
"I apologise for whatever embarrassment and disillusionment these raised and then dashed hopes may have caused you.
"My government will do all within its power to remedy the situation," pledged President Buhari in the euphoria of the 2015 class of the Golden Eaglets repeating the feat of the Ugbade led Eaglets 30 years after Buhari returned to power in Chile last Sunday.
The 1985 Golden Eaglets squad was made up of the following
players;
1 Lucky AGBONSEVBAFE
2 Tenworimi DUERE
3 Nduka UGBADE
4 Fatai ATERE
5 Binabei NUMA
6 Kingsley AIKHIONBARE
7 Salisu NAKADE
8 Sani ADAMU
9 Jonathan AKPOBORIE
10 Victor IGBINOBA
11 Bella MOMOH
12 Imama AMAPAKABOR
13 Bauldwin BAZUAYE
14 Joseph BABATUNDE
15 Chukwuma NWOHA
16 Mohamed YAHAYA
17 Hilary ADIKI
18 Dele ABUBAKAR
Sebastian BRODERICK-IMASUEN was the head coach of the team.
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