For the umpteenth time former Golden Eaglets skipper, Musa Muhammed has pleaded with Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu to redeem the house pledge made by his predecessor to the players and officials of the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning team.
Today (8 November) makes it 11 years when the Coach Manu Garba-led side extended Nigeria’s grip on the cadet trophy with the fourth title win following 3-0 obliteration of Mexico in the final in Abu Dhabi.
The then Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke promised the Golden Eaglets squad of 21 players and 10 officials houses when he hosted the them at the Government House, Calabar.
Muhammed appealed: “They should help us plead with the Governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Edet Otu to help us fulfill the promise made by the previous administration since 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.
“We are hopeful that the present governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu is going to help do that. The state government promised all the players and officials houses in Calabar but up till now, we have not heard anything from them.
“We have tried everything possible to reach out to the state government for them to know our plights”.
Muhammed noted that the house gift pledge was not misplaced because the Golden Eaglets spent about one-and-a-half years altogether in Calabar preparing for the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The defender said that they would be more than delighted if the promised house gifts became a reality to the team and officials who toiled to lift the trophy against all the odds.
“We are children of Cross River too because we had all our preparations and camping for the FIFA U17 World Cup there. If I am asked where I can leave besides Kano, I will choose Cross River because it is very peaceful and filled with lovely people.
“I really enjoyed staying there because we stayed for almost a year-and-a-half there camping. 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 is fulfilled,” the footballer said.
