…If they actually gave the house out, that means someone has been making good use of my property for over 20 years and I’m not aware of it. – George Finidi, Nigerian ex-international footballer, on FG’s house-gift claim.

As a child, whenever it was
my turn to lead a morning prayer at home, I always had this feeling that my effort would not be up to scratch. And it often turned out so. In short, I’m ashamed to admit that praying has never been my turf. Same goes for fasting. Not so for my siblings, though. To this day, only God knows how He’s been coping with my early morning gibbering while trying to reach Him.
But after reading about George Finidi’s current rift with the federal government over the latter’s claim to have earlier fulfilled a three-bedroom-flat gift promise to him, I for once felt strangely confident to attempt a silent prayer for Nigeria.
For those who may have forgotten, the Super Eagles squad led by Mr. Clemens Westerhof and of which Finidi was a member, came from behind to defeat their Zambian opponents 2-1 courtesy of a brace by FC Barcelona’s Emmanuel Amuneke. This was in the final match of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations competition at the Stade El Menzah in Tunis.
The Tunis victory was very well celebrated back home in Nigeria. Of course, our divisiveness in culture, religion and politics always gave way to oneness in sports celebrations. Such was the euphoria that the then military Head of State, late General Sani Abacha, promised each of the victorious players and their officials a three-bedroom house gift in any state of their choice.
It may also be suggested that the government’s housing gesture was to further encourage the young lads toward a good outing in the FIFA World Cup finals of same year in the United States. And again, the Super Eagles were superlative in prosecuting their encounters even though they never made it beyond the Round of 16. In fact, it was during their 2-0 finishing against Greece that Finidi attempted an imitation of a urinating dog while celebrating a goal.
Like a few of the big names in that national team and, even up to the 1998 line-up, including Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha and late Rashidi Yekini, Finidi will always be counted as having given his all for club and country.
A former Calabar Rovers, Iwuanyanwu Nationale and Sharks FC player, he was said to have signed for AFC Ajax of Amsterdam and played alongside Kanu to win the Dutch Eredivisie Cup in 1993 and the UEFA Champions League trophy for the 1994-95 season. He later played for Real Betis of Spain and Ipswich Town of England and, until retirement, was credited with 62 caps for his country, Nigeria.
It’s unfortunate that Abacha did not fulfill his promise to these lads before his untimely demise in 1998. But by 2002, President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration was ready with the first batch of houses for the players. According to a Sports Ministry document sighted by pressmen, Finidi’s name was listed among the first six players to be assigned houses in Lugbe District of Abuja. According to a source, the document stated that “contacts were made to all the recipients inviting them or their wards to come for their houses; coach Bewarang, Amokachi, Finidi, Okocha, Yekini and Ugbade came to receive theirs through their relatives.”
Just two weeks ago (after 19 years), the Presidency reportedly released the names of 13 beneficiaries of another batch of the house gifts. And Finidi, apparently not finding his name in the list, began to ask questions. For an answer, the Sports Ministry officials told him that a relative of his had since signed and collected the keys and all the necessary documents pertaining to a three-bedroom flat allotted to him in 2002.
But how can anybody show this level of wickedness to someone who had dutifully represented this country during his glory days as an international footballer and for part of which reason the house promise was made?
From the foregoing, it is already obvious that something was amiss. Those charged with the allotment of the houses may not have observed due diligence before handing out the necessary particulars to the players’ proxies, especially as it concerned written authorisations. Again, if it took the government eight years to build the first batch of those houses why the hurry to hand them over to proxies rather than wait and do a direct delivery? After all, these players were always coming home on holidays and also to train together when invited for camping ahead of national assignments.
And like Finidi was quoted as saying, “There should be proof that someone signed the document. You don’t give keys and documents without identification. If they (the Ministry) can’t provide these mentioned documents, that means someone wants to deprive me of what I deserve.”
Alternatively, Finidi was said to have asked to be included among beneficiaries of the next batch of houses. This, to me, would have been a viable solution if the government in power never promised zero tolerance to corruption. My suggestion would have been for the authorities to investigate this matter with a view to recovering the said property and forcing the culprit to pay 19 years’ rent into Finidi’s account in addition to a court arraignment for impersonation.
For our present and future generations of sportsmen, the lesson here is that, while plying their trade outside Nigeria, they should keep in touch with one another and also ask questions whenever they are back in the country. If Finidi had been in touch with Okocha, Kanu and Ugbade, he surely would have known when those fellows picked up their gifts, even if by proxy.
Else, from the way the 50-year old ex-Real Betis winger is sounding, it’s very likely that he never attached much essence to a three-bedroom flat back then when the dollars and euros were still pouring into his bank accounts, but has suddenly realised that such edifice can still serve some purpose in his present circumstances.

By: Ibelema Jumbo