TheCable

Nduka Ugbade, captain of the victorious Golden Eaglets of 1985, is still basking in the euphoria of the redemption of a promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari after 30 years of waiting.

Nigeria had set a world record as the first black country to win a FIFA tournament when the Baby Eagles, as they were then called, defeated (West) Germany 2-0 in the final in Beijing, China, with goals from Babatunde Joseph and Victor Igbinoba.

Buhari, who was then military head of state, renamed the team “Golden Eaglets” and promised to reward them — but only a few players got scholarship awards and streets named after them in their states of origin.

On January 21, 2016, Buhari — now a democratically elected president — fulfilled the financial part of the promise by giving cash rewards of N2 million to each player and members of the coaching crew.

Ugbade, who was also an assistant coach when Nigeria won the same championship in 2013, tells TheCable in this interview that he does not agree with those who said the N2 million reward is too small.

‘MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN’

It is a very, very wonderful thing. And something has been proven, beyond every reasonable doubt that miracle still happens.  Hope you understand? The issue here is that it can never be forgotten by any of us. The greatest gift that the president gave to us is for us to come together again to see each other. For some of us for 29 years, 27 to 29 years, we’ve not been able to see each other. That is the second gift.

‘He gave us N200m each in his heart’

Though, some people talk about the gift being very little, that it cannot represent the 30 years, but for me it is not so because it was due to the military then that the gift came from. But for the president when he was announcing it, he made a mistake which reflects his heart. His heart gave us N200 million each. That was the true reflection of the heart of the President concerning us.

Let me just say in reality, what I actually received, what we received, was N200 million and not N2 million. Each of us. Because the president could remember that after 30 years, that we can still be honoured, automatically this is a wonderful thing. So, the injustice has been settled.

LOST HOPES

We had hope but at a stage the hope vanished because I was once invited to the senate to talk on the issue after the abysmal performance of the Super Eagles at the 2010 World Cup. The issue came up and I raised the matter of the injustice. But the issue here is that when the president came on board and when we won the World Cup, the military head of state then now president said he actually instructed the federal government to do everything that he had promised, the visit to all the states that would have generated houses and all but nothing came out of that. Some streets that were supposes to have been named after us, nothing. Some have and some never did. And so many other things.

THE FRUSTRATION

Yes, it was very frustrating. At the end of the day nothing happened and 30  years is a long time. And some of us have kids that are up to 26 years old of age. Because we started out early. Some 20 years, some 17, some 18. Which shows that some at 19 already became fathers. So, we never thought that this day would come. But when it was suggested and brought up, people followed it up.

AKHIOBARE CAME ALIVE

Like I said, what happened with President Buhari is actually a miracle. Kingsley Akhiobare came alive inside that hall that we were hosted when the president talked about the departed among that the spirit lives on and that we should observe one minute silence. It was unbelievable! The whole hall was silent. And I am sure if truly the spirits of the death do see, I am sure Kingsley will rejoice. Kingsley actually came alive in that hall. So happy from my heart.

FUTURE IS BRIGHT

A lot of gratitude should come to the president. Being the head of state as at that time… becoming the president again that gave us the gift. It is unbelievable. It is not the money. It is not the N2 million. It is an opportunity to meet up with the president again and to know that miracles still happen. And that the future will always be bright for any youth that will not forget and lose hope. That something will always happen.

STATES WILL EMULATE BUHARI

Yes, I very much believe that it will happen someday. We will be called upon by state governments, houses will be given, money will be given, streets named after us as well. Surely states will do their own too. We will dress for it. We will do it. Individuals will do theirs as well. We will dress for it even if it’s going to take another 30 years.