The Federal Government of Nigeria has fulfilled a 31-year-old promise by officially allocating houses to members of the victorious 1994 Super Eagles team, who clinched the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, title in Tunisia.
The symbolic handover, which took place in Abuja on Wednesday, was p by officials of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The event marks the fulfillment of a long-standing pledge made to the team following their historic win under the leadership of then-Head Coach Clemens Westerhof.
The victory remains one of the nation’s greatest football achievements and earned the team a promise of national housing, which until now had remained unredeemed.
Pemi Temitope, Director and Head of the Department of Public Building and Housing Development, confirmed the handover of allocation letters during a brief ceremony.
He noted that the housing units were distributed across different states, in accordance with the players’ preferences and states of origin.
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“While some of the beneficiaries received homes in their respective states, others opted for units in the Federal Capital Territory,” he stated. “The Nigerian government is committed to honoring the sacrifices and service of these football legends who brought glory to our nation.”
Efan Ekoku, one of the strikers in the 1994 squad, was symbolically presented his allocation letter in Abuja. Although he could not attend in person, his niece, Lisa Nwagbogun, represented him at the ceremony.
“I am deeply grateful to the Federal Government and the Ministry of Housing for fulfilling this long-standing pledge,” Ekoku said in a statement. “This gesture not only honors our service but also restores faith in public promises.”
The allocation fulfills a directive first approved in 2022 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who moved to actualize the housing pledge made by the administration of the late General Sani Abacha in 1994
. The delay had drawn public criticism over the years, with many questioning the government’s commitment to honoring its pledges to national icons.
NAN
