By Monsurah Olatunji
A 15-year-old boy from Uyo has revealed that he sold a pair of boots gifted to him by Nigeria international Victor Boniface to a Rwandan player for $100.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Brila, the boy recounted the moment the Bayer Leverkusen forward handed him his Nike Mercurial Vapor Elite boots after Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat to Rwanda in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last November.
Boniface played 89 minutes in what was his 11th cap for the Super Eagles, wearing the boots during the match.
After the game, a Rwandan player who witnessed the exchange approached the boy and offered to buy the boots from him.
“I sold the boots to one of the Rwandan players for $100,” the boy said in the clip.
While some criticized the decision, calling it “poor” and questioning why he sold the boots for such a low price, others defended the teenager.
In his defense, the boy explained that he used the money wisely, purchasing a bicycle, school bags, and a uniform.
Living in Akwa Ibom, the young fan is among many eager to see the Super Eagles in action as they prepare for their crucial World Cup qualifying match against Zimbabwe in Uyo on Tuesday.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
