quote:At this point, there were subdued sighs which was not equally helped by the unavailability of Babayaro who was number 127 on the list.
His mentor, Hon M.D Sabo Babayaro stepped up to receive the award on his behalf. Chidozie is the least known of the lot, so only few took note of his not being represented when the Member of Order of Federal Republic recipient was called.
One question for Mr. Cele Babayaro. When are you going to start using your Igbo name? Incase you don't know it, you are nolonger in Kaduna State and you are a very rich man that do not need a northern mentor. Like the say, eji igwu akpucha igwe.
Premiership Stops Eagles Players From Award Ceremony BY CLEMENT NWANKPE JNR., (ABUJA) "NO be una say make we give dem award. Now where dem dey. Tell me, where dem day?!"
These were the words of one of the co-ordinators of the National Merit Award ceremony at the International Conference Centre, Abuja as he bemoaned the absence of Austin Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Celestine Babayaro and John Chidozie at the occasion.
The official was more irked by the fact that out of the lot, only Babayaro sent a representative to receive the award on his behalf.
Not even explanations that Okocha had arrived Abuja on Thursday only to be told that the occasion earlier slated for that day had been shifted to Friday (yesterday) could quell the official's anger.
"You people (sports journalists) were screaming the last time that these boys were left out of the honours' list. But you can now see that they don't really know the value of these things," he fumed.
Yet it was the absence of these players that really took the shine off the ceremony, so thought a section of the crowd.
The hall was thrown into a frenzy, when Okocha's name was announced as all looked around, but Okocha was no where to be found just as nobody came forward to receive the award on his behalf.
Kanu was the 122nd awardee and was equally billed to receive the OFR award, but like Okocha, he was neither around nor represented.
At this point, there were subdued sighs which was not equally helped by the unavailability of Babayaro who was number 127 on the list.
His mentor, Hon M.D Sabo Babayaro stepped up to receive the award on his behalf. Chidozie is the least known of the lot, so only few took note of his not being represented when the Member of Order of Federal Republic recipient was called.
Meanwhile, Okocha had left for his England base on Thursday night, after visiting the NFA Glass House and the new FA Chairman, Alhaji Galadima.
According to NFA's Scribe, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, the Super Eagles captain couldn't wait till Friday (yesterday) to receive his award due to club's engagement.
In a related development, Hon Sabo Babayaro described Celestine as "a very disciplined boy who has the interest of the country at heart."
His words, "Cele could not tell me why he didn't come physically, but you can see it is better to send somebody than not sending at all."
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