Experienced youth coach Manu Garba has made a plea to Senator John Owan Enoh, the minister of sports development, and Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State to make sure the state government of Cross Rivers redeems the house pledge given by former governor Senator Liyel Imoke to the players and officials of the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning team.
The team lead by Coach Manu Garba celebrated its tenth anniversary on Wednesday, November 8, by winning her fourth title and strengthening the nation’s hold on the cadet trophy.
When he entertained the squad at the Government House in Calabar ten years ago for their national pride at the event held by the United Arab Emirates, the then-government of Cross River State offered the Golden Eaglets team (a 21-man squad and ten officials) residences.
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“We would like to invest in real estate with you,” Senator Imoke said in front of the camera, alongside Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the then-minister of youth and sports development, and the chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which was headed by Aminu Maigari, the president at the time.
“At the end of those estates, each of you will have a small piece of property that is your own and that would have been fully developed; that you can rent out or occupy,” he said. “We have a new housing estate already under development.”
However, Garba stated that it is startling that the promise made by Senator Imoke in 2013 on behalf of the Cross River State government and people has not yet come to pass.