Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has insisted that neither he nor his board owed the late Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi, any outstanding entitlements during his tenure.
Pinnick made the clarification while speaking in a conversation with former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh, on Oliseh’s YouTube channel, where issues surrounding Keshi’s time in charge of the national team were discussed.
According to the former NFF boss, all of Keshi’s financial entitlements were fully settled, contrary to persistent claims that the federation was indebted to the late coach.
“We didn’t owe Keshi a dime. We paid every one of his entitlements,” Pinnick said.
He further stressed that he enjoyed a cordial and respectful relationship with Keshi, describing their bond as both professional and personal.
“I had a good relationship with him, and when he passed on, I was the first person to get there,” Pinnick added.
Stephen Keshi, fondly known as the “Big Boss,” guided Nigeria to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title and qualified the Super Eagles for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 54.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
