Fresh
trouble for Mikel Obi
By BABS OYETORO
Saturday,
May 20, 2006
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• Mikel
Obi
Pix: Sun News Publishing |
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Pepsi Academy director, Kashimawo Laloko, has opened a can
of worms on the transfer saga of Mikel Obi, as he has declared
that the young prodigy won’t get out of the controversy,
except he does the right thing.
“Quote me! I repeat that Mikel won’t get out of
the transfer mess he has found himself, except he does the
right thing and returns to his root.
All those people that are laying claim on him are fraudulent.
And I pity that young boy because they will ruin him,”
he began.
Connection with Mikel Obi
Laloko has vowed to get to the roots of the transfer saga
of Mikel Obi whom he claimed was a product of Pepsi Academy.
The Pepsi Academy director has armed himself with all the
necessary documents, as he heads for FIFA’s court.
This is Mikel’s registration form with Pepsi Academy
in Jos. He registered with Pepsi Academy on 29/11/1995.
That time he was a student of Government Secondary Township
School, Jos.
He was just 10 years old when he registered with my academy
and he spent six years with us. His father’s name is
Michael Obi, while his real name is John Obi. You can see
everything in the form. Look at his picture too.
It was Pepsi Academy that gave Mikel to Plateau United of
Jos.
Normally, what FIFA laws say is that if any club shows interest
in such a player, such club must talk to the academy because
Mikel was our property.
You know what these crooks who did his transfer did. They
were three of them. At the appropriate time, I will mention
their names.
A prominent member of the NFA was the one that brokered the
dirty deal. It was the same person that gave Plateau United
$50,000 and also changed the name of the academy Mikel came
from in order to make the deal easier for them.
Not only that. This crook in the NFA also changed the player’s
name from John Obi to Mikel Obi.
Look at the form in my hand, you will see that his father’s
name is Mr. Michael Obi. This fellow dropped John and replaced
it with Michael. You can see the fraud.
I quite agree with you that Mikel’s low level of education
is part of his problem but the young boy too is greedy. His
father too is greedy; also the so-called manager – John
Shittu.
I just hope that these people will allow the voice of wisdom
to prevail and they do the right thing. If not, we shall take
our case to FIFA.
Enyimba, Rangers
Laloko also gave hard knocks to Enyimba Football Club of Aba
as well as Rangers of Enugu.
“Most of the big clubs in this country are owing Pepsi
Academy heavily.
Enyimba of Aba are still having some of our players, while
Rangers of Enugu are still owing us over N400,000 over yet-to-be
cleared players,” he declared.
JC Raider as well as Lobi Stars are all indebted to Pepsi
Academy.
It is only 3SC that have paid for the player they got from
Pepsi Academy. For those who have refused to pay, I believe
nemesis will catch up with them some day.
By the grace of God, since the last 10 years, nobody has produced
the number of players we have produced in this country. The
records are there for everybody to see.
We have players in the U-17, U-20 and Super Eagles. We have
contributed in no smaller measure to football development
in this country. We have over 1,700 students and 12 centres
scattered within the country.
Today, we are the single largest academy in the world.
Despite all these moderate achievements, we are still aiming
for the sky.
NFA crisis
This Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima-led NFA is the worst I have worked
with. I have worked with three different NFAs under different
administrations but comparatively, this is the worst.
Aside from Alhaja Ayo Omidiran and Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, the rest
members of the board are empty.
This calibre of people cannot manage our football. They should
go.
They are heavily prejudiced. They forget that people have
come to work in the NFA. They don’t know anything about
football. They cover up everything. They will never say the
truth. They are sentimental people.
They should go. The Sports Ministry have not done anything
wrong.
For God’s sake, why should Galadima make such a reckless
statement that qualifying for the World Cup is not our birthright?
Is the World Cup Brazil’s birthright? But the so-called
minnows in African football are going to the World Cup but
painfully Nigeria will not be there. This is sad.
The best thing Galadima should do is to accept that he is
a failure; and secondly he should meet with the stakeholders.
FIFA’s threat
If FIFA suspend Nigeria, perhaps we will learn our lesson.
But I hope we will not allow it to get to that level.
It is the normal thing for FIFA to relate with the FA. They
have been very patient with Nigeria just because they didn’t
want to wield the big stick. I believe that between now and
June 4, the matter will be resolved.
Super Eagles
The future of the team is very bright with the introduction
of the crop of young players.
With sound administrative system Nigeria will take its pride
of place in African football and the world too.
I don’t have any fear in me that Nigeria will not qualify
for the Nations Cup. I know that immediately after the World
Cup, preparation for the Nations Cup qualifier will begin
in earnest.
I have some privileged information that the Super Eagles will
start playing some friendlies any moment from now. Just watch
out.
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