A former player of Plateau United Football Club of Jos, Jerome Dung, who was part of the team that won the Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL, title in 2017, has cried out over the unfulfilled reward of N1.5 million and a plot of land promised the team by ex-Governor Simon Bako Lalong.
The all-conquering team had defied all odds in the 2016/2017 league season when it won the club’s first NPFL title and during a reception for the team, Lalong had promised to reward the 45 players who made the feat possible with the sum and plots of land in choice locations in Jos.
Lalong had also announced a reward for the technical crew, with the then technical adviser, Kennedy Boboye, promised, N2.5 million while the other crew members were to get N2 million each.
But eight years after the promise was made, neither the players, most of whom have left the club, and the coaching crew have left the team, who are no longer with the club, have received the rewards.
The development has prompted the former players to cry out to the present administration headed by Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
Dung, a midfielder who was an integral part of the title winning team, which was fondly called “Lalong Boys”, in a passionate appeal he posted on social media on Tuesday, lamented that many of his colleagues and their coaches have fallen on hard times with nothing to fall back on while one of their coaches, Coach Audu Pele, died because his family could not raise the funds needed for his treatment.
Dung played for Plateau United from 2014 to 2020 before moving abroad in 2022 and currently plays professional football in Switzerland.
“Eight years have passed since we defied all odds to win the league in the 2016/2017 for our beloved Plateau United FC, aka Lalong Boys,” the ex-player said in the appeal.
“Governor Simon Lalong who was very happy with our performance, promised to give us N1.5 million each and a plot of land to appreciate us. Our coaches were also promised money as well but eight years have passed since the promise and none of us have gotten the money nor the land.
”We’ve waited for this long, but the money isn’t forthcoming. 23 players out of the 45 players in the team were not Plateau indigenes, but they fought for us and with us in making this history for our dear state and this should be recorded as one of the greatest achievements in the Lalong’s administration and for Plateau State.
“Today, almost half of my team mates then are either retired or currently without a football club to continue their job and they have kids and families to take care of. One of our coaches, Audu Pele, died because his family could not raise money for his treatment.
“Like I have said a couple of times in my posts and videos on social media, I don’t care where the reward will come from; all we want is what we worked for and deserve.”
The aggrieved ex-player went on to put up a list of the players who won the NPFL trophy who are still waiting on the state government to redeem the promise made to them eight years ago.
—by Lekkyez Auta
