Super Eagles Outing at AFCON and the Recurrence of Withheld Payments -By Tochukwu Jimo Obi

The just concluded African Cup of Nations (AFCON) has come and gone, leaving Nigerians with mixed feelings of pride and frustration. Pride, because the Super Eagles once again proved their resilience on the continental stage; frustration, because familiar administrative failures resurfaced at a time when the nation should have been focused solely on football.

On the pitch, the Super Eagles’ performance was commendable. Finishing third overall at AFCON is no small achievement, especially considering the intense competition and pressure that comes with representing a football-obsessed nation like Nigeria. The players showed grit, discipline, and tactical awareness throughout the tournament.

For the first time in a very long while, Nigerians genuinely enjoyed watching the national team play. There was a sense of identity, purpose, and cohesion in their style of football that had been missing for years. Fans could finally relate to a team that fought for every ball and played with visible pride in the green and white jersey.

Much of this progress can be credited to Coach Eric Chelle and his assistants, who clearly did a solid job. The team displayed coordination across all departments, defence, midfield, attack, and technical bench. Preparation, game management, and player selection reflected professionalism and careful planning.

However, this positive narrative was nearly derailed by the ugly and recurring incident of delayed payment of players’ entitlements. Reports that unpaid allowances almost stopped the team from continuing the tournament once again raise serious questions about trust and credibility between sports administrators and the athletes they manage.

Over the years, delayed or withheld payments have consistently tarnished Nigeria’s image, and this problem goes far beyond football. Sportsmen and women representing the country in other disciplines regularly face similar challenges, often competing under financial uncertainty despite putting their bodies and careers on the line.

This situation naturally raises critical questions. Are these funds not properly budgeted for? Why are there unnecessary delays in approvals and the release of monies meant for competitions that are planned years in advance? And even when funds are eventually released to sports associations, why do officials still delay payments to the athletes?

Disturbingly, many sportsmen and women, alongside their coaches and officials, are still being owed till date. In addition, funds periodically released to federations such as FIFA disbursements to member associations have remained largely unaccounted for over the years at the level of the Nigeria Football Federation, further deepening concerns about transparency and accountability.

Football and sports in general have a unique power to unite Nigeria across ethnic, religious, and social lines. This alone should make the welfare of athletes a national priority. Their entitlements must be placed on first-line charge as a basic motivation for better performance and national pride. Enough of the embarrassments; Nigeria’s athletes deserve better, and the time for excuses has long passed.