At last NFF admits 15 failed MRI test

By Semiu Osho

The Nigeria Football Federation has finally admitted the age controversies concerning the national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, by confirming the expulsion of 15 players from the team.

According to a statement released by the public relations officer, Demola Olajire, yesterday, only 21 players are left in the team, following the result of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan carried out on the team, ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be hosted on home soil between October 24 and November 15.

The players dropped from the squad are: Kabiru Borgo, Abiodun Akande, Ariyo Olubukola, Habeeb Bello, Deji Joel, Yakubu Azeez, Ogungbe Ganiyu, Orji Alu, Justice Chinedu, Chinedu Udegha, Amadi Moses, Solomon Enudi,Dubem Awaziem, Esse Joseph Junior, and Olaitan Gambari.

Those left are Yekini Kazeem, Paul Danjuma, Bala Mohammed Saidu, Femi Orunnimi, Aliyu Mohammed, Emeka Opara, Bala Saidu, Rahaman Azeez, Fortune Chukwudi, Kenneth Omeruo, Eze Ikechukwu, Dafe Egbedi, Jude White, Terry Envoh, Ogugua Gibson, Emmanuel Sani Shehu, Sadiq Saliu, Abduljelil Ajagun, Omoh Ajabu, Onazie Ogeyi, and Anthony Iyalekhue.

Fresh screening

The age scandal, which has generated heated reactions from Nigerian soccer fans means the Eaglets coach, John Obuh, will have to start fresh screening as the NFF has turned to the Pepsi Football Academy and products of the last Shell Cup competition to salvage Nigeria’s pride as the host and defending champions of the global cadet tournament.

Nine players have been invited from the Pepsi academy, which produced the likes of Mikel Obi and Osaze Odemwingie, while 11 others have been called up from an array of youngsters that took part in this year’s Shell Cup secondary schools football competition which ended in February.

The future of the current Eaglets coach, Obuh, is not however clear after expressing his disgust over the NFF’s decision to carry out the MRI scan on his team at this stage of his preparation.

New twist

But a fresh twist has unfolded in the wake of the age-cheat scandal as a member of the technical committee of the nation’s football authorities, Godwin Dudu-Orumen, has tendered his resignation.

The technical committee’s roles include vetting and approving the national teams’ squad but Dudu-Orumen has denied his resignation had any link with the age controversies swallowing up the Eaglets’ camp.

He said: “ It’s true that I have resigned as a member of the technical committee but it has nothing to do with the age problems in the Eaglets. It is just for personal reason. I feel it’s time to focus my attention on some personal matters and I think I did my best working with the committee.

"I honestly feel it is good that the team is being screened now rather than waiting till we are embarrassed at the competition proper. I think it is good the issue is being resolved now even though we could say that the tournament is around the corner, after all the competition is meant to develop future talents,” Dudu-Orumen added.

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Reader Comments (15)

Posted by Ime Udo-Obong on Aug 26 2009

The MRI test is the BEST thing to happen to Nigerian sports...It will protect the SPORT from IN COMING corruption..There are VERY TALENTED youth who are being denied opportunity to play for their beloved country because it is an OPEN secret that almost all our players USUALLY have "career"ages..and no one of our LEADERS in the SPORTING industry has ever COME out openly to condemn this act of NATIONAL sabotage..Only fans and personal friends who had known the "players" before the falsification.How long did we think we could continue..with such breakthroughs in the scientific world today....Anyway it is good that we solved our problems in-house BEFORE it got to the INTERNATIONAL stage...where the DISGRACE may have been too much... Corruption MUST stop for the sake of our UNBORN generations AND it must start with SPORTS which is a PRIDE to the nation especially the YOUTH.

Posted by CORRUPT NFF on Aug 26 2009

TO HAVE WAITED THIS LONG AFTER THIS DISCOVERY OVER A MONTH AGO, SANI LULU, TAIWO OGUNJOBI SHOULD BE KICKED OUT FOR GROSS INEPTITUDE. THEY WERE BUYING TIME TO SEE WHETHER THEY COULD SMUGGLE THEIR CANDIDATES IN AS USUAL. FIRE BORN ALL BAD PEOPLE.

Posted by jay kay Chima on Aug 26 2009

While this melee of MRI scan scandal holds sway in the sports ministry, it is important that as a people, we all should begin to admonish ourselves individually. This madness will lead us and our future nowhere.Not to worry, whether we like it or not; Nigeria will have no option than to adopt positive changes else we become outcast in this world one day.

Posted by okinba launko on Aug 26 2009

one good thing though, all parts of the country are represented in the list of shame. Truly federal character is fully reflected

Posted by Bolaji on Aug 26 2009

this sounds good. Well Nigeria needs to move ahead and stop been stagnant or retrogressing. Im impressed. But must wWe wait for external and international bodies to come and teach us what to do after 49 years of independence.

Posted by Nunayon tata Wannami on Aug 26 2009

Turning to players from the Shell competition may not be the solution. Many of the schools use mercenary footballers. Very serious systemic national problems underlie this ignoble practice of falsification of age. Chief among these is poverty. We might need the MRI scan in other spheres of life. I know for a fact that many professors, law makers and priests are far older than they claim to be.

Posted by dooma on Aug 26 2009

am glad to hear this, we need to give our young ones a chance, we need to catch them young. i know it is going to be tough for the nigerian players at this minute, but a good start is better than regrets later.

Posted by danie k on Aug 26 2009

put individuals, families,schools, the press, military,government,culture, sports & economy in a sieve. Shake it and you know what will come out ? Peace, truth, sincerity and progress. The left over shaft will be.........cOrRuPTiOn. Thats what we need now in Our nation

Posted by Cooldude on Aug 26 2009

Fraud should not be taken lightly. Get the police involved. if you have falcified age claims, you should be arrested and the police do their work.

Posted by Nunayon tata Wannami on Aug 26 2009

Mr Cooldude, many of the police officers use false ages. I could not join the police because I refused to change my age. The police force needs this MRI test.

Posted by dam dam on Aug 26 2009

how about we round up these young boys (men) who paraded themselves as under 17 give flog them in public hehehe

Posted by Doo on Aug 26 2009

We can only be corrupt for so long .Technology advances will check alot of corruption in the system.I think with this outcome i see hope in progressilvely moving towards a more organised system with less cheats.Its sad that we lie our way thru everything .

Posted by edet on Aug 26 2009

Good development confirming what Hilary said about corruption in Nigeria. The MRI is the best thing that has happened in recent times. After sanitising the sporting arena by removing all the dead woods who claim to be younger than their ages, the process should be extended to the Civil service for purging so that the umemployed should now have space. Thereafter, the public sector including the strategic oil and gas should adopt the process to determine the true age of workers. Let us kick out age cheats and than God MRI has arrived. Hope 9jas will allow it wor normally.

Posted by Olumeyan Michael on Aug 27 2009

That Goes to show the level of rot in our system. we are used to fire brigade prepation approach to all Tournament and the must win attitude even without adequate preparation therefore we result to cheating in different forms. The NFF should know that the under 17 tourney is not about winning it is about raising talents, it is about the future of football in our country and if we are not careful we are killing and continue with this attitude, i think it will have adverse negetive effect on the growth of football in our country. let us learn from countries like Mali and Ivory.

Posted by Ibrahim Dikko, Scotland. on Aug 27 2009

Another Scandal. We are great scandalist.