Amaju Pinnick’s Misplaced and Empty Promises . . . CHAN Disaster: I’m Ashamed On Behalf Of Imama Amakapabo News

Navigation: Home / News / Columnists / Amaju Pinnick’s Misplaced and Empty Promises . . . CHAN Disaster: I’m Ashamed On Behalf Of Imama Amakapabo

Amaju Pinnick’s Misplaced and Empty Promises . . . CHAN Disaster: I’m Ashamed On Behalf Of Imama Amakapabo

By Daily Sports on October 21, 2019

It is no longer news that Togo edged out Nigeria in the 2020 CHAN Championship. It is simply and truthfully the way we currently are in all facets; more like a paper tiger to say the very least. Truth is that our President, Muhammadu Buhari is bad news. What he is replicating in 2019 was his agenda when he first came to power through a coup d’état in 1983, before he was chased out by the military president, Ibrahim Babangida. Buhari, a sadist and pretender is at it again with hypocrites’ politicians clapping for him.

If you are the objective type, you will not look too far to agree that the fall out of Buhari/ APC misrule has negatively impacted all segments of life, thereby putting so much pressure on the welfare of citizens. You can imagine how Nigeria is being disgraced up and down by even lesser countries. The Togo outrage in Agege Stadium is most fresh in our minds. I listened to Imama Amakapabo, the chief coach of the CHAN Eagles, with dismay and open soul amazement. I could not help but pity his all-around ignorance. I was ashamed but not surprised because what do you expect to get from a failed coach in the club sides? It is on record that he handled Rangers International FC of Enugu and El-Kanemi FC of Maiduguri and before you could say, Messi, he found himself in the national team as one of the assistant coaches to Rohr. Wonders, as they say, shall never cease.

You can come to terms that it is only in this directionless country that the unthinkable still holds sway in the 21st century. Maybe, this time, it could be referred to as the 10thwonder of the World. But truth is, the worst harvests that Nigeria football has witnessed so far is engineered by Amaju Pinnick and his gang and you will see some of us sports journalists, especially Sports Editors, from the print clapping and justifying such actions.

He has been courting shame, mostly for Nigerian football, since he found himself as the head of the executive of the NFF. He has sadly turned football into full-blown Nigerian politics, where dignity and honesty are alien and it is only when you don’t conform to the ideals of whoever is on the other side that you are questioned and asked why?

It is a pity that this is the way we are; a country without a well-defined system. This is why those in power always have their way without stiff opposition and the only few voices of dissent we hear are from the opposition party. Nigeria as a nation deserves pity. If you like, you can say that the giant of Africa has become like ‘a tale told by an idiot’ to borrow a line from one of the Shakespearean tragedies.

Most of you that listened to the story of former Nigerian captain and chief coach of the Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu’s health issues, that was nearly badly managed and the boastful political talk by Amaju Pinnick, would dismiss this country and its so-called leaders in all spheres as hopeless criminals.

When the Christian Chukwu’s health issues broke, the whole country, nay the football world was thrown into near mourning mood or if you like, was in grave silence. Let me be honest with you that yours in sports was taken aback and my heart somersaulted and dropped when first I saw the state of health of the man late ace commentator, Earnest Okonkwo nicknamed chairman because of his cool, calm and calculated exploits in the heart of the then Green Eagles defence line.

To put it mildly, Chukwu was a delight to behold and above all, he commanded the respect of his teammates when the much-respected boys peopled the national team. It was like a family. Chukwu was a household name in the entire country.

He has a natural aura that catches many like wildfire. He paid his dues both in his traditional FC Rangers International, the national team and as a coach, both of the U-17 and the Super Eagles. He won the Cup Winners Cup with Rangers in that historic final between it and the IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan in Kaduna State. He won Nigeria’s first-ever Nations Cup in 1980 with his teammates and the U-17 side. This is not talking about the silver and bronze for the country and such a man was nearly left to die unsung but all thanks to very unassuming oil mogul, Femi Otedola.

I was not surprised about the Epe Lagos State-born business magnet kindest gesture. I have met him thrice. First, was the year his father won the governorship election in Lagos State, in a dinner when he was introduced to some of us senior journalists that we're privileged to be there.

He was a very humble boy, who then held tight and grew likewise to become a philanthropist of the first order and never changed his sought after spot. Lest I forget, he remains humility personified. He saved the life of Chukwu. He prevented death for Chukwu now, as he quickly came to the rescue of the once upon a time talk of the town in football circles in the country. All thanks to him and incidentally he was one of those that followed the beautiful game when Chukwu was like a tin god and held in the highest esteem.

Femi is a true Nigerian and the sad aspect was the dark nonsense from the usual controversial and arrogant Amaju Pinnick who is currently standing trial for corruption with his cohorts. Amaju is a shameless and a colourless leader, judging by his utterances, which further gave him out as a liar. Amaju Pinnick has no shame and therefore a man without colour. We will continue to highlight and bring these empty talkative to the public domain for judgment for being mere boasters. This page salutes Femi Otedola for his big heart. He truly demonstrated his pan Nigerian generosity. Femi Otedola is my hero. Let us keep our fingered crossed. Before we draw the curtain, let us keep eye on the ball and pray we salvage enough.

Before I drop anchor, take a look at Amaju Pinnick’s emptiness and political lies even when life was at stake. One could never have believed that Amaju Pinnick is mean up to the level of sacrificing a human life but until now. If not that God sent Femi Otedola, Christian Chukwu would have become history by now if we relied on Amaju Pinnick’s empty and cheap political talk even when it concerns a calibre like Chukwu; a man carried the flag of the country to high heavens in his active days as an athlete. Read below, it was an exclusive from your authoritative online portal.

Let’s keep shooting hard till next week!!

Chukwu Exposes Pinnick, NFF Over Fake Promises •Lauds Ugwuanyi, Otedola, Ejindu

Former national team captain and coach, Christian Chukwu, has described the promises made to him by the Amaju Melvin Pinnick-led executive board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the eve of his departure to England for medical treatment as political.

He explained that as far as he is concerned, the promises were things said at the spur of the moment as he has not heard from the leadership of NFF since he returned to the country from the medical trip about two months ago.

While leading the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the representative of billionaire businessman cum philanthropist, Mr Femi Otedola, to Chukwu’s country home in Obe-Nkanu in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Pinnick had made mouthwatering promises to the soccer legend.

According to Pinnick, the death of two former national team legends, the late Stephen Keshi and Rasheed YEkini, had taught the Federation a big lesson and, as a result, would not like Chukwu to go the way of the two late players.

He, therefore, rolled out the Federation’s plan for Chukwu, whose footprint in Nigerian football is indelible. According to him, Chukwu would be placed on N500,000 salary a month; would be part of every Super Eagles match, both locally and internationally and would be paid allowances for that.

Pinnick explained that the reason the Federation rolled out the package was to encourage the current national team players by letting them know that they will not be forgotten after serving the country meritoriously like Chukwu. He equally explained that by being with the national team, Chukwu’s presence would serve as a morale booster to the current crop of national team players in each of their matches.

However, speaking recently with Oracle Today Sports in Enugu, Chukwu said nothing had been done by NFF to fulfil the promises, though he expressed gratitude to Pinnick for the role he played in recommending the hospital in England where he was treated. He disclosed that Amaju was the one who knew the hospital and the doctors that work at the hospital.

Speaking further, Chairman as Chukwu is popularly called, heaped praises on the Enugu State government led by Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, oil and gas billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, the patron of former Rangers players, Benson Ejindu, Pinnick and Nigerians for their outpouring of love and solidarity during his ill-health. His words: “Well, as you can see, do I look like someone who receives N500,000 a month? There is nothing like that, I can assure you.

“As far as I am concerned at the moment, I only see Amaju’s promises during the period before my departure to England for proper medical treatment as political. That is something said for the moment. As I speak with you, the NFF has never contacted me since I came back over the Amaju promises.

“Nobody has said a thing to me since I came back but like I said earlier, I do not hold it against Amaju or the board of the NFF.

“I appreciate the enormity of financial challenges facing the Federation. They owe all the national team coaches including Gernot Rohr. So, where will they get the money to be paying me N500,000 monthly? It is not possible and as I said earlier, it was what Amaju said in my house for the moment when they came to my house for the arrangements for my medical trip abroad.

“I want to state for the records that, it does not in any way take away or belittle the critical role Amaju played during that period and I am most grateful for all that he did. He was the one who recommended the London Hospital for my treatment. It was a world-class hospital I must tell you, and I thank him for everything.

“Meanwhile, I would like to use this medium to thank most sincerely, the Enugu State Government led by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for their urgent response immediately I fell sick. I remain grateful to ‘Gburugburu’ and his entire team. I can't thank them enough and I remain eternally grateful.

“More importantly, I would like to use this medium also to once again dispel the insinuation that I was abandoned by Enugu Rangers and by extension the Enugu State Government. There was no iota of truth in that insinuation as it never happened.”

Continuing, the former Harambee Stars of Kenya coach poured encomium on Otedola, describing him as a very patriotic and humble man with a golden heart. He disclosed that he never knew Otedola from Adam and revealed that when he got information that Otedola had stepped out to foot his medical bill abroad, he was surprised, saying: ‘Where is this one coming?’

“I must say that I will remain eternally grateful to that humble, patriotic young Nigerian with a golden heart, Mr Femi Otedola for providing the finances for my foreign medical treatment. I got proper medical treatment from the London Hospital.

“As far as I am concerned, words are not enough to express my gratitude to him for coming to assist me to get proper medical treatment after I had been discharged from a private hospital in Enugu.

“As a matter of fact, when I heard that one Femi Otedola has offered to foot my medical treatment abroad, I said to me, can it be true? This is because I have never met him all my life but lo and behold, it was true.

“Though I have thanked him before after returning from England for the medical treatment, I can’t be tired of thanking him and expressing my gratitude for what he has done for me,” Chukwu declared.

“What Otedola did for me has reinforced my belief in this country, knowing that as long as you serve the country selflessly, you will not be forgotten. The government may but patriotic Nigerians may not,” Chukwu enthused.

“Of course, when we played there was no money in the sport as it is today, however, we offered our services because of the passion and the love for the fatherland.

“Otedola, maybe a small boy when we served the country but he was the one who stepped out to assist me in my hour of need, I thank him.

“He is a very humble young man with a golden heart. It was when he paid me a visit to the UK that I realised how humble he is.

“When I was told he will be visiting me, I expected to see someone with flowing native attire but it was not to be. His dressing was simple, a pair of jeans trousers and a T-shirt. So simple and mind you, his driver in the UK is a white man.

“How I wish most of our leaders and wealthy men could emulate him. It was in the course of the visit that he told me that he has also offered to foot the medical bill of another ex-international, Peter Fregene, which is noble.

“I am of the opinion that gestures like the one Otedola has extended to some of us will go a long to assure the current crop of national team players that once they served this country with all their hearts, they will never be forgotten as I am a living example,” Chukwu said.

Speaking further, the former Heartland FC of Owerri coach commended the patron of ex-Enugu Rangers players, Mr Benson Ejindu, for the role he equally played during the period of ill-health saying his clarion call for his assistance was what brought the like of Femi Otedola who footed his foreign medical bills.

It must be recalled that it was Ejindu that made Chukwu’s ill health public and even solicited for financial assistance, saying that the former national team captain needed $50,000 to enable him to travel to the United States of America for proper medical treatment.

It was on that basis that the press went wild to declare that Chukwu had been abandoned by the Enugu State Government. During the period of trying to send Chukwu abroad that the Enugu State Government offered Chukwu’s son, an Engineer by profession, automatic employment in the Ministry of Works and Housing. The Enugu State Government has since fulfilled the promise.

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 21, 2019