By George Mgbeleke <\/p>\n
Former Nigeria Coach, Bonfrere Jo has petitioned the senate over the alleged refusal of Lagos State Government to release a property given him by the state government in appreciation for winning the 1996 Olympics gold in football tournament for the country. <\/p>\n
The Dutch technician had won a gold medal for Nigeria during the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, United States defeating global football power houses, including Mexico, Brazil and Argentina in a very astonishing fashion, making Nigeria the first country to lift the trophy in Africa. <\/p>\n
However, 29 years after winning the laurel, Coach Bonfrere Jo, according to documented evidence is yet to receive a property given the team and coaching staff by the then Lagos State Governor, Col. Olagunsoye Oyinlola, prompting him to seek senate’s intervention with a view to getting the legislative arm pressure Lagos State Government to give him his property.<\/p>\n
In a letter by his lawyer, T. O Adejoh and Company which was submitted on thursday to the Senate through the Chairman of the Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition and copied the Senate Committee Chairman on Sports, Bonfrere “prayed the senate to Summon the Lagos State Government to a public senate hearing to provide a detailed explanation for its refusal to allocate a plot of land to our client.
\nHide quoted text<\/p>\n
“Investigate the circumstances surrounding the denial of Our Client’s allocation and ensure that justice is served. <\/p>\n
“Take necessary steps, including pressuring Lagos State Government to release, or reallocate another befitting plot commensurate with the achievement of the team to ensure that Our Client, after 29 years gets justice”.<\/p>\n
Speaking shortly after submitting the petition, his Media Aide, Eze Okechukwu said the petition became necessary, following the persistent and blatant refusal of Lagos State Government to release the property despite having given all members of the team theirs.<\/p>\n
” What Bonfrere Jo achieved for Nigeria during his days as our coach remains unequalled till date. Which Nigeria Coach has defeated those big names since that Atlanta episode? Which Nigeria Coach has ever won the Olympics gold medal in football since Bonfrere did it in 1996″? <\/p>\n
” Col. Oyinlola, then Governor of Lagos State, in the euphoria of the celebration gave out a parcel of land each to all the players and coaching staff in Lekki. The documents of the land are domiciled with the Lagos State land Registry. All the players have received theirs. Confirm from Jay Jay Okocha, Daniel Amokachie, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Tijjani Babangida, Emmanuel Amuneke.
\nSo,why is Bonfrere’s own not given him? Who’s tampered with it? Why? Those are the questions the State Government will answer when they appear before the senate.<\/p>\n
“If there’s anyone to be shortchanged, for goodness sake and image of Nigeria,it shouldn’t be Bonfrere”, he said.<\/p>\n
Expressing confidence in the Senate leadership, Mr Eze noted that the Senate President, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio is a sports loving senior citizen who understands the importance of winning a global laurel, especially doing it in a remarkable fashion against the world’s best legs. <\/p>\n
” The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio built the Stadium in Uyo which the National team uses now. So,he loves sports, especially football as much as every average Nigerian. Therefore, he will do everything humanly possible to get the right thing done to Bonfrere Jo. It will add a great feather to his position,as Nigeria’s number 3 citizen”, he said. <\/p>\n
Asked if Bonfrere had made any efforts to meet with the current Governor of Lagos State, with a view to resolving the matter before coming to the Senate, he said yes, stressing that each time he tried he was technically blocked from seeing the Governor. <\/p>\n
” Do you know what 29 years is? It’s now 29 years since Governor Oyinlola gave out the land. So, for 29 years he’s been making in roads but no results. Infact, Bonfrere Jo had visited Nigeria and sought for the help of late Senator Ifeanyi Uba to take him directly to the current Governor of Lagos State. Senator Uba could have done it,but for his untimely death. <\/p>\n
” Governor Sanwolu is a sports loving man,who could be shocked at hearing the story. I believe he will not only pacify Coach Bonfrere,but investigate the issue to know what really happened to the property”, he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By George Mgbeleke Former Nigeria Coach, Bonfrere Jo has petitioned the senate over the alleged refusal of Lagos State Government to release a property given him by the state government in appreciation for winning the 1996 Olympics gold in football tournament for the country. The Dutch technician had won a gold medal for Nigeria during […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8487,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3317,5270,5269,84,3423],"class_list":["post-8485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-blocked","tag-efitting","tag-reallocate","tag-release","tag-technically"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8485"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8486,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8485\/revisions\/8486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}