The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has pledged the sum of $25,000 to the Olympic Eagles should the team earn the minimum win against Tanzania in a first round, second leg Saturday’s Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifier, Dejoymedia reports.
A win for Nigeria will shoot them into the final round of the qualifiers against the winner of the fixture between Uganda and Guinea.
Makinde, who hosted the Nigeria U-23 boys to a dinner at the Government House, Agodi, handed over the sum of N10m to the players and officials of the team swelling the money pot of the Olympic Eagles with the sums of $55,000 and N10million.
“I am coming to the stadium with the cash, so, it is not a go-and-come-back promise, Makinde told the players in his address. I will give you the money once you achieve victory.”
Just before him, Chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation Task Foce on Youth Competitions, Aminu Kurfi, had presented the team, through coach Salisu Yusuf, the sum of $10,000, being half of the amount he promised them for a win ahead of the first leg against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. The 1-1 draw netted the sum of $10,000.
Balele also pledged the sum of $20,000 for the team should they defeat Tanzania in Ibadan on Saturday (today), prompting Governor Makinde to also make a pledge of $25,000.
It would be recalled that earlier on Friday, Super Eagles’ captain, Ahmed Musa, promised the Olympic Eagles the sum of N500,000 for every goal in Saturday’s cliff-hanger at the Lekan Salami Stadium.
