Amodu Shuaibu

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

A draft copy of a letter written by the late Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amodu Shuaibu, has revealed that Edo State government owed the late tactician millions of naira in unpaid salaries and allowances.

According to the draft letter obtained by P.M. NEWS, Amodu who was until September last year the Consultant/Technical Adviser on Edo State Football Development Programme, and his team of seven assistants and four supporting staff were owed N25 million. ‎

Amodu had in the draft of a letter to the Edo state governor in October 2015, said the amount being owed him included N6 million for outstanding sing-on-fees for 2013/2014 for consultant/technical adviser, N3 million for house rent for two years (2012-2014) at N1.5m per year.

The balance of N16 million representing payment for coaches and other supporting staff for the period of August 2014 – July 2015.

The letter reads in part: “Sir, I have made several efforts through telephone calls and text messages to you to enable me sort out any issues that may have been misconstrued, but to no avail. I also tried to reach you through your close subordinates, but got no response.

“The only option was to relinquish my appointment and walk away as I have always done in offices where I experienced similar treatment in the past. But this will amount to disrespect to your office and disregard to your care for me and my family when we most needed it.”

In the draft letter which was not signed, Amodu had reminded Governor Oshiomhole how he told him of similar appointment being offered him by the government of Ondo state, the same time he was approached by Oshiomhole, but chose his home state instead.

The late coach also expressed his frustration that his monthly salaries were stopped with effect from June 2015 for no justifiable reasons.

“This brought hardship to me and my family. Thanks for the understanding and practice of my landlord; I would have been thrown out of my rented apartment for failure to pay my house rent in the last two years.

“I have come to the sad conclusion of taking the part of honour by respectfully resigning my appointment as consultant/technical adviser of Football development Programme in Edo.

“Although technically, my appointment seen to have been terminated by the Accountant General by the stoppage of my monthly salaries since June 2015, this my official resignation takes a retrospective effect from September 30th, 2015,” Shaibu stated in the draft letter.

It would be recalled that some members of family of the late Coach had blamed the State government for his untimely death, lamented that he died of frustration.

The author, Jethro Ibileke, can be reached at [email protected]