Friday, November 8, 2024 marks the eleventh anniversary of the Nigerian Golden Eagles' triumph at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The team, led by coach Manu Garba, defeated Mexico 3-0 in the final, securing Nigeria's fourth title in the cadet category. However, despite this impressive achievement, a promise made to the team by the then Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, remains unfulfilled. During a reception at the Government House in Calabar, Mr. Imoke had promised houses to 21 players and ten team officials.
Former Golden Eaglets captain Musa Muhammed has repeatedly appealed to the current governor, Bassey Edet Otu, to fulfill this promise. “They should help us to plead with the Governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, to help us fulfill the promise made by the previous administration in 2013. We hope and pray that the current Governor can help us and fulfill the promise made by the administration of former Governor Liyel Imoke,” Muhammed said.
I still have hope
Muhammed expressed optimism about the governor's willingness to heed his request this time. “We are hopeful that the current governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, will help achieve this. The state government promised houses to all the players and officials in Calabar but we have not heard from them so far. “We have done our best to communicate with the state government to make them aware of our plight.” The team's connection to Cross River State is significant, as they spent a year and a half preparing for the tournament in the state.
Muhammed emphasized this link and said: “We are also children of Cross River because we made all our preparations and camped there for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. If you ask me where I can live besides Kano, I will choose Cross River because it is quiet and full of lovely people.”
The team shares Muhammed's sentiment and would be delighted if the promised gifts for the house came true. “I really enjoyed my stay there because we were camping for almost a year and a half. We have about three of our players from there. “It was very exciting for us to win the World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and we would be happier if this promise was fulfilled,” he said.
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State
Governor Otu, who took office in May 2023, has focused on continuing the legacy of his predecessor while introducing reforms. In his one-year-in-office speech, he announced a significant increase in the state's internally generated revenue, citing a growth of 60.6% to N36.3 billion. Governor Otu's administration has prioritized projects in agriculture, infrastructure modernization, health and youth development. Optimists hope that the promise made to the Golden Eaglets will be fulfilled soon, emphasizing the need for accountability and commitment to Nigeria's sporting heroes.