Did Mikel lie about the flight tickets to Rio?

[Lolly]

Correction. Yemi Idowu paid for a smaller plane which Mikel and some others rejected because it was too small. Then Delta got involved and gave them a bigger plane for free.

So the trip Atlanta was arranged and “sponsored” by a guy named Bunmi Jinadu. He hoped to make money from a friendly match against an Atlanta football club and some sponsors but the match was cancelled. The NFF and NOC did not support the trip but Siasia forced it through. Hence why they didn’t want to bail him out. Yemi Osinabjo even got involved but the NOC wee playing him.

Eventually, Delta who happened to be one of the got to know about their woes and another Nigerian guy brokered a deal with Delta to carry the team to Brazil.

I already told Cellular to speak to another CE member who also knows what happened. But Cellular just wants to continue the false narrative that Mikel paid for “the plane” that took them to Brazil. That was just Mikel boasting on the show.

Thanks for the clarification. So, the $250K was wasted, or was the plane still used by part of the entourage?

The NOC is responsible for the Nigerian contingent. It is irresponsible to allow them to fly to Atlanta and then abandon them there. Who was insuring the players against accident, injury, or even worse? No, I'm sorry, the NOC is 100% responsible for the team being in Atlanta. If anything had happened to that team, they would have been the ones held responsible. If they didn't want the players to go there, they could have easily overruled the coach, who is just an employee. Once they approved the trip, they took full responsibility for it.

I don't want to say what I think happened to that $250k on a public forum. In fact, Yemi even gave Siasia additional money for other expenses.

But read the article below about the trip that was published before the wahala of money started.

https://africanfootball.com/news/633537 ... ponsorship

REVEALED! Siasia's Olympic team in US on private sponsorship

by Samm Audu
Thursday Jul 14, 2016. 14:09

AfricanFootball.com can exclusively reveal today that Nigeria’s Olympic team led by coach Samson Siasia are currently in Atlanta, USA, on a 10-day private sponsorship and it is not known what would become of the team after the sponsorship has lapsed.

This revelation comes on the heels of a stunning declaration by the Nigerian sports minister Solomon Dalung that he is not aware how Dream Team VI have found themselves in the US and who is behind this arrangement.

“The team’s training camp in the USA is currently being bankrolled by a private individual. It is not the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) or the sports ministry who are paying for this up to this point,” a top official informed only AfricanFootball.com

“This sponsorship will run out as soon as this weekend with the only question now being what would become of the team thereafter.”

“This could well be a gamble that may backfire if not well managed,” another official told AfricanFootball.com

Siasia’s team are scheduled to play two warm-up games in US, against a local side and then against another Rio Olympics-bound team Honduras, before they jet out from Miami on July 29 to Brazil for the summer games.

[Orion]

Correction. Yemi Idowu paid for a smaller plane which Mikel and some others rejected because it was too small. Then Delta got involved and gave them a bigger plane for free.

So the trip Atlanta was arranged and “sponsored” by a guy named Bunmi Jinadu. He hoped to make money from a friendly match against an Atlanta football club and some sponsors but the match was cancelled. The NFF and NOC did not support the trip but Siasia forced it through. Hence why they didn’t want to bail him out. Yemi Osinabjo even got involved but the NOC wee playing him.

Eventually, Delta who happened to be one of the got to know about their woes and another Nigerian guy brokered a deal with Delta to carry the team to Brazil.

I already told Cellular to speak to another CE member who also knows what happened. But Cellular just wants to continue the false narrative that Mikel paid for “the plane” that took them to Brazil. That was just Mikel boasting on the show.

Thanks for the clarification. So, the $250K was wasted, or was the plane still used by part of the entourage?

The NOC is responsible for the Nigerian contingent. It is irresponsible to allow them to fly to Atlanta and then abandon them there. Who was insuring the players against accident, injury, or even worse? No, I'm sorry, the NOC is 100% responsible for the team being in Atlanta. If anything had happened to that team, they would have been the ones held responsible. If they didn't want the players to go there, they could have easily overruled the coach, who is just an employee. Once they approved the trip, they took full responsibility for it.

I don't want to say what I think happened to that $250k on a public forum. In fact, Yemi even gave Siasia additional money for other expenses.

But read the article below about the trip that was published before the wahala of money started.

https://africanfootball.com/news/633537 ... ponsorship

REVEALED! Siasia's Olympic team in US on private sponsorship

by Samm Audu
Thursday Jul 14, 2016. 14:09

AfricanFootball.com can exclusively reveal today that Nigeria’s Olympic team led by coach Samson Siasia are currently in Atlanta, USA, on a 10-day private sponsorship and it is not known what would become of the team after the sponsorship has lapsed.

This revelation comes on the heels of a stunning declaration by the Nigerian sports minister Solomon Dalung that he is not aware how Dream Team VI have found themselves in the US and who is behind this arrangement.

“The team’s training camp in the USA is currently being bankrolled by a private individual. It is not the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) or the sports ministry who are paying for this up to this point,” a top official informed only AfricanFootball.com

“This sponsorship will run out as soon as this weekend with the only question now being what would become of the team thereafter.”

“This could well be a gamble that may backfire if not well managed,” another official told AfricanFootball.com

Siasia’s team are scheduled to play two warm-up games in US, against a local side and then against another Rio Olympics-bound team Honduras, before they jet out from Miami on July 29 to Brazil for the summer games.

I simply don't believe that the Nigerian sports minister and NOC were unaware that the Nigerian football contingent representing the country at the Olympics was in Atlanta, preparing for the competition. Even if it's true that they didn't know, then it was a MASSIVE dereliction of duty!

At the end of the day, the buck stops with them. If that team didn't show up at the Olympics and Nigeria is embarrassed plus sanctioned by the IOC, they would be the ones to blame. So, no, I absolutely do not believe that report. In a functioning country, the man would have been fired instantly for those comments.

[packerland]

Correction. Yemi Idowu paid for a smaller plane which Mikel and some others rejected because it was too small. Then Delta got involved and gave them a bigger plane for free.

So the trip Atlanta was arranged and “sponsored” by a guy named Bunmi Jinadu. He hoped to make money from a friendly match against an Atlanta football club and some sponsors but the match was cancelled. The NFF and NOC did not support the trip but Siasia forced it through. Hence why they didn’t want to bail him out. Yemi Osinabjo even got involved but the NOC wee playing him.

Eventually, Delta who happened to be one of the got to know about their woes and another Nigerian guy brokered a deal with Delta to carry the team to Brazil.

I already told Cellular to speak to another CE member who also knows what happened. But Cellular just wants to continue the false narrative that Mikel paid for “the plane” that took them to Brazil. That was just Mikel boasting on the show.

Thanks for the clarification. So, the $250K was wasted, or was the plane still used by part of the entourage?

The NOC is responsible for the Nigerian contingent. It is irresponsible to allow them to fly to Atlanta and then abandon them there. Who was insuring the players against accident, injury, or even worse? No, I'm sorry, the NOC is 100% responsible for the team being in Atlanta. If anything had happened to that team, they would have been the ones held responsible. If they didn't want the players to go there, they could have easily overruled the coach, who is just an employee. Once they approved the trip, they took full responsibility for it.

I don't want to say what I think happened to that $250k on a public forum. In fact, Yemi even gave Siasia additional money for other expenses.

But read the article below about the trip that was published before the wahala of money started.

https://africanfootball.com/news/633537 ... ponsorship

REVEALED! Siasia's Olympic team in US on private sponsorship

by Samm Audu
Thursday Jul 14, 2016. 14:09

AfricanFootball.com can exclusively reveal today that Nigeria’s Olympic team led by coach Samson Siasia are currently in Atlanta, USA, on a 10-day private sponsorship and it is not known what would become of the team after the sponsorship has lapsed.

This revelation comes on the heels of a stunning declaration by the Nigerian sports minister Solomon Dalung that he is not aware how Dream Team VI have found themselves in the US and who is behind this arrangement.

“The team’s training camp in the USA is currently being bankrolled by a private individual. It is not the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) or the sports ministry who are paying for this up to this point,” a top official informed only AfricanFootball.com

“This sponsorship will run out as soon as this weekend with the only question now being what would become of the team thereafter.”

“This could well be a gamble that may backfire if not well managed,” another official told AfricanFootball.com

Siasia’s team are scheduled to play two warm-up games in US, against a local side and then against another Rio Olympics-bound team Honduras, before they jet out from Miami on July 29 to Brazil for the summer games.

I simply don't believe that the Nigerian sports minister and NOC were unaware that the Nigerian football contingent representing the country at the Olympics was in Atlanta, preparing for the competition. Even if it's true that they didn't know, then it was a MASSIVE dereliction of duty!

At the end of the day, the buck stops with them. If that team didn't show up at the Olympics and Nigeria is embarrassed plus sanctioned by the IOC, they would be the ones to blame. So, no, I absolutely do not believe that report. In a functioning country, the man would have been fired instantly for those comments.

Nigeria is not a functioning country. Not one person was fired, resigned or was even used as the fall guy when one of our best athlete wasn’t registered for the Olympics. Go figure!

[Lolly]

Correction. Yemi Idowu paid for a smaller plane which Mikel and some others rejected because it was too small. Then Delta got involved and gave them a bigger plane for free.

So the trip Atlanta was arranged and “sponsored” by a guy named Bunmi Jinadu. He hoped to make money from a friendly match against an Atlanta football club and some sponsors but the match was cancelled. The NFF and NOC did not support the trip but Siasia forced it through. Hence why they didn’t want to bail him out. Yemi Osinabjo even got involved but the NOC wee playing him.

Eventually, Delta who happened to be one of the got to know about their woes and another Nigerian guy brokered a deal with Delta to carry the team to Brazil.

I already told Cellular to speak to another CE member who also knows what happened. But Cellular just wants to continue the false narrative that Mikel paid for “the plane” that took them to Brazil. That was just Mikel boasting on the show.

Thanks for the clarification. So, the $250K was wasted, or was the plane still used by part of the entourage?

The NOC is responsible for the Nigerian contingent. It is irresponsible to allow them to fly to Atlanta and then abandon them there. Who was insuring the players against accident, injury, or even worse? No, I'm sorry, the NOC is 100% responsible for the team being in Atlanta. If anything had happened to that team, they would have been the ones held responsible. If they didn't want the players to go there, they could have easily overruled the coach, who is just an employee. Once they approved the trip, they took full responsibility for it.

I don't want to say what I think happened to that $250k on a public forum. In fact, Yemi even gave Siasia additional money for other expenses.

But read the article below about the trip that was published before the wahala of money started.

https://africanfootball.com/news/633537 ... ponsorship

REVEALED! Siasia's Olympic team in US on private sponsorship

by Samm Audu
Thursday Jul 14, 2016. 14:09

AfricanFootball.com can exclusively reveal today that Nigeria’s Olympic team led by coach Samson Siasia are currently in Atlanta, USA, on a 10-day private sponsorship and it is not known what would become of the team after the sponsorship has lapsed.

This revelation comes on the heels of a stunning declaration by the Nigerian sports minister Solomon Dalung that he is not aware how Dream Team VI have found themselves in the US and who is behind this arrangement.

“The team’s training camp in the USA is currently being bankrolled by a private individual. It is not the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) or the sports ministry who are paying for this up to this point,” a top official informed only AfricanFootball.com

“This sponsorship will run out as soon as this weekend with the only question now being what would become of the team thereafter.”

“This could well be a gamble that may backfire if not well managed,” another official told AfricanFootball.com

Siasia’s team are scheduled to play two warm-up games in US, against a local side and then against another Rio Olympics-bound team Honduras, before they jet out from Miami on July 29 to Brazil for the summer games.

I simply don't believe that the Nigerian sports minister and NOC were unaware that the Nigerian football contingent representing the country at the Olympics was in Atlanta, preparing for the competition. Even if it's true that they didn't know, then it was a MASSIVE dereliction of duty!

At the end of the day, the buck stops with them. If that team didn't show up at the Olympics and Nigeria is embarrassed plus sanctioned by the IOC, they would be the ones to blame. So, no, I absolutely do not believe that report. In a functioning country, the man would have been fired instantly for those comments.

You don't want to believe?

I said in my previous post that the Minister and NOC were not in support of the trip hence their response in a typical Nigerian language, that they didn't know about it. They said it was bankrolled by a private individual (which is true) and that neither the NFF or the Ministry was paying for it. That was the koko of Siasia's problem. The sponsors couldn't fulfil their side of the bargain.

[Cellular]

There were too many stories on CE at the time for us to not be able to figure this out by just using our own research.

It’s pretty obvious to me that Mikel isn’t telling the truth. Or maybe he was duped to pay for a flight that was free

Mikel was telling the truth.
He has no reason to lie.
The people who conspired and connived to relieve some unsuspecting Naijarians of their money are known.

Chief, you can check with Mr Dolly if you want to hear the full gist. Mikel is not telling the truth.

Oga Lolly, do you know how many times that flight was paid for by different parties?

By being vague, you're adding to the confusion.

What I'm getting from what has been posted is that when the news broke that they were stranded, Delta Airlines offered to fly them for free to Brazil. It appears that before that flight was arranged, Yemi Idowu provided $250,000, which was then used to charter the plane. Where did Mikel come into this?

If you have a fuller account that differs from what those involved have stated, please share it. The insinuations without explanations don't help.

Correction. Yemi Idowu paid for a smaller plane which Mikel and some others rejected because it was too small. Then Delta got involved and gave them a bigger plane for free.

So the trip Atlanta was arranged and “sponsored” by a guy named Bunmi Jinadu. He hoped to make money from a friendly match against an Atlanta football club and some sponsors but the match was cancelled. The NFF and NOC did not support the trip but Siasia forced it through. Hence why they didn’t want to bail him out. Yemi Osinabjo even got involved but the NOC wee playing him.

Eventually, Delta who happened to be one of the got to know about their woes and another Nigerian guy brokered a deal with Delta to carry the team to Brazil.

I already told Cellular to speak to another CE member who also knows what happened. But Cellular just wants to continue the false narrative that Mikel paid for “the plane” that took them to Brazil. That was just Mikel boasting on the show.

Oga Lolly, I don't need to ask Oga MD about natin.
I too knew what went down when it was happening.
They 'obtained' from Mikel and others.

Again, I ask you, how many times was that flight paid for?


BTW, Delta did NOT donate the flight. PERIOD!

[iworo]

Nah wa o! Una still dey on this topic???

[Lolly]

There were too many stories on CE at the time for us to not be able to figure this out by just using our own research.

It’s pretty obvious to me that Mikel isn’t telling the truth. Or maybe he was duped to pay for a flight that was free

Mikel was telling the truth.
He has no reason to lie.
The people who conspired and connived to relieve some unsuspecting Naijarians of their money are known.

Chief, you can check with Mr Dolly if you want to hear the full gist. Mikel is not telling the truth.

Oga Lolly, do you know how many times that flight was paid for by different parties?

By being vague, you're adding to the confusion.

What I'm getting from what has been posted is that when the news broke that they were stranded, Delta Airlines offered to fly them for free to Brazil. It appears that before that flight was arranged, Yemi Idowu provided $250,000, which was then used to charter the plane. Where did Mikel come into this?

If you have a fuller account that differs from what those involved have stated, please share it. The insinuations without explanations don't help.

Correction. Yemi Idowu paid for a smaller plane which Mikel and some others rejected because it was too small. Then Delta got involved and gave them a bigger plane for free.

So the trip Atlanta was arranged and “sponsored” by a guy named Bunmi Jinadu. He hoped to make money from a friendly match against an Atlanta football club and some sponsors but the match was cancelled. The NFF and NOC did not support the trip but Siasia forced it through. Hence why they didn’t want to bail him out. Yemi Osinabjo even got involved but the NOC wee playing him.

Eventually, Delta who happened to be one of the got to know about their woes and another Nigerian guy brokered a deal with Delta to carry the team to Brazil.

I already told Cellular to speak to another CE member who also knows what happened. But Cellular just wants to continue the false narrative that Mikel paid for “the plane” that took them to Brazil. That was just Mikel boasting on the show.

Oga Lolly, I don't need to ask Oga MD about natin.
I too knew what went down when it was happening.
They 'obtained' from Mikel and others.

Again, I ask you, how many times was that flight paid for?


BTW, Delta did NOT donate the flight. PERIOD!

Maybe you can start by telling us which flight was paid for?

And who paid for the Delta flight?

[metalalloy]

By being vague, you're adding to the confusion.

What I'm getting from what has been posted is that when the news broke that they were stranded, Delta Airlines offered to fly them for free to Brazil. It appears that before that flight was arranged, Yemi Idowu provided $250,000, which was then used to charter the plane. Where did Mikel come into this?

If you have a fuller account that differs from what those involved have stated, please share it. The insinuations without explanations don't help.

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

THE GENESIS

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) was well aware that the National U-23 was an Olympic Team and the Olympics takes place every four years. They were also aware that a tradition exists where Team Nigeria departs for major international sports competitions together.

It is also a norm that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Sports hand over officially all the contingent from all sports federations that qualified for the Olympics, including NFF to the Nigerian Olympic Committee.

Around early July, about a month to the beginning of the Olympic Games, the NFF under Amaju Pinnick informed the sports minister that they will be taking the U-23 Team to Atlanta in the US for Pre-Olympic camping and from there they will proceed to Rio in Brazil.

The Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung made it clear that there was no money for the Atlanta trip, and advised them to camp in Nigeria before flying to the Olympic Games in Rio. The NFF however stated that they had full sponsorship for the Atlanta camping, and thus they didn't need any money from the federal government.

THE ILL-FATED ATLANTA TRIP

As at the time the NFF dispatched the under-23 Team to Atlanta, USA, the sports minister was not informed.

Few weeks after their stay in Atlanta there were reports that the Nigerian U-23 was about to be thrown out of their Camp in Atlanta.

Meanwhile the media officer of the team who was left behind in Nigeria insisted that the U-23 got an invitation by the city of Atlanta to play in a competition.

Is it not curious to wonder how a team that had full sponsorship to travel to Atlanta, and also allegedly have been invited by the city of Atlanta will get thrown out of the hotel due to unpaid bills?

Few days into the Atlanta stay, the news about the ejection of the under-23 team from their Atlanta hotel spread like wild fire.

Suddenly the supposed sponsors were nowhere to be found and the U-23 team coach, Samson Siasia started the outcry about their ejection. However this failed to extract money from the federal government as they wished, but somehow the team managed to survive several weeks in the hotel in Atlanta.

THE MESSY TICKETING SAGA

The consultant to the Ministry of Sports, Angie Taylor was responsible for arranging tickets for Team Nigeria members residing outside the country especially those in the US. She arranged tickets for the D'TIGERS, our National Male Basketball Team who were incidentally in Atlanta also and left for Rio four days before the Olympics opening ceremony.

She also arranged for several other athletes outside US.

However NFF's U-23 team rejected the ticketing agent provided by the sports ministry stating that they had their own ticketing agent.

The NFF thus insisted that the Sports Ministry gave them the funds to pay their agent for the tickets.

The Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung requested for the name of their ticketing agent and his account details so that the money will be paid to him. The NFF however refused to give him the agents account details, stating that they wanted the funds instead.

In a bid to avoid a stalemate following the NFF's insistence to buy their tickets through their ticketing agents the sports ministry approved the release of $174,000 Dollars (About N80 million) through the Nigerian Olympic Committee who remitted the sum to the account of the NFF agent.

After the payment was made, in a surprise move, the agent again asked for more money claiming that he would not allow the team to leave for Rio if the team's hotel bills were not paid.

The Sports Minister then asked the NFF to talk to their agent and allow the team leave for Rio, since the Olympics was starting in two days. He also stated that whatever the bill was he would settle it in the interest of the country. However the agent, Jairo Pashion, a close associate of Coach Samson Siasia insisted that he will not allow the team to leave for the Olympics.

Coach Samson Siasia was then called upon to talk to the agent, but Siasia said 'it is not my business'.

YEMI IDOWU TO THE RESCUE

At this point a Nigerian philanthropist, Yemi Idowu who was following the saga which was already on local and foreign media sought to save Nigeria from international embarrassment by making new arrangement to charter another plane for the Under-23 Olympic football team.

Yemi Idowu is the son of the Late Nathaniel Idowu, the extraordinary sports administrator and philanthropist who started professional football league in Nigeria.



Yemi Idowu

Yemi after contacting the Sports Ministry, decided to spend $300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an Embraer EMB135ER aircraft to fly the 18-man Dream Team and officials from Atlanta to Brazil, but Coach Samson Siasia rejected the plane without stating any reason initially.

After rejecting the plane, the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung put several phone calls through to Siasia, but the coach of the U-23 team refused to speak to the Minister.

The Minister then called team captain, Mikel Obi and asked about Siasia's whereabouts, but Mikel said the coach was not around. The minister then told Mikel to let Siasia know that he called and will like to speak to him. He also told Mikel that if there is any problem he should let him know about it.

It was at this point that stories were twisted that the Minister said Mikel should be in charge of the team and not Siasia.

After all efforts by the Minister to speak to Siasia failed, Siasia then called the Nigerian Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and said to him that the team was stranded in Atlanta due to nonpayment of hotel bills and flight to Brazil.

The Vice president immediately called Dalung but could not reach him, then called Information minister, Lai Mohammed and instructed him to reach Dalung on the matter.

Meanwhile the Vice President also instructed the Accountant General of the Federation and directed him to arrange $474,000 immediately for the Team.

Lai Mohammed later conveyed the Vice President's message to Dalung, and the Sports minister explained how Siasia avoided his calls and refused to speak to him.

Lai Mohammed then called Siasia and told him that his Minister was trying to speak to him. Dalung then called Mikel again and asked him to take his phone to Siasia so he could speak to him.

According to eyewitness reports, Dalung was placed on hold for several minutes before Siasia spoke to him. Dalong then asked Siasia why he refused to use the Chartered plane Yemi Idowu paid for, Siasia said 'the plane was too small and it had no space and the boys were complaining'. Dalung then said to him "You are the coach, I have goggled the plane and I think it is good enough why can’t they use it?"

Investigations however revealed that the real reason why Siasia rejected Yemi Idowu's chartered plane was that the number of the contingent were more than the capacity of the aircraft. The Aircraft had a capacity to cater for 25 people but the total numbers of 32 people were waiting in Atlanta.

The Minster then stated that the NOC informed him that the official contingent for the football team plus officials to RIO was 25 that was why Yemi Idowu chartered a 25-seater aircraft.

Unknown to all the extra seven people were Siasia's family members.

The minister then called the Vice President and explained everything to him and the VP was very shocked and disappointed. The VP was also informed by Dalung that there was a plane ready for the team's official contingent that was paid for therefore it is not true that they were stranded.

The Vice President then instructed the Accountant General not to release more money and asked the sports ministry to handle the situation. When all this was going on NFF president, Amaju Pinnick remained quiet and he was not even talking to Solomon Dalung.

The Sports Minster then called Mikel Obi again and the captain said that the agent has provided them an accommodation and booked a flight for them to travel to RIO.

The story of Delta Airline coming to the rescue of a 'stranded' Under-23 team is very false, and it is important for Nigerians to know this.

Noteworthy, Delta Airlines was a co-sponsor of the tournament which the U-23 attended in Atlanta as part of the 20th Anniversary of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, so flying the team out of the camp was not so much a favour as widely publicized.

If there is anyone who truly deserves commendation, it's that great man Yemi Idowu who like his late father has left his footprints on the sands of time.

https://freshangleng.com/news/3051-expo ... %20plan%3F

[metalalloy]

Correction. Yemi Idowu paid for a smaller plane which Mikel and some others rejected because it was too small. Then Delta got involved and gave them a bigger plane for free.

So the trip Atlanta was arranged and “sponsored” by a guy named Bunmi Jinadu. He hoped to make money from a friendly match against an Atlanta football club and some sponsors but the match was cancelled. The NFF and NOC did not support the trip but Siasia forced it through. Hence why they didn’t want to bail him out. Yemi Osinabjo even got involved but the NOC wee playing him.

Eventually, Delta who happened to be one of the got to know about their woes and another Nigerian guy brokered a deal with Delta to carry the team to Brazil.

I already told Cellular to speak to another CE member who also knows what happened. But Cellular just wants to continue the false narrative that Mikel paid for “the plane” that took them to Brazil. That was just Mikel boasting on the show.

The game was rescheduled (not cancelled) on account of rain. Nigeria won 1-0 when it was played.

ATLANTA – The Charleston Battery took a break from league play take on Nigeria’s Olympic National Team and dropped a 1-0 decision on Sunday morning at Silverbacks Park. The match originally was to be held Saturday night, but heavy rain flooded the field and it was postponed until the following day.

https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_ar ... how/670426

[Bigpokey24]

Lolly must protect his bread and butter which was buhari's administration

[deanotito]

By being vague, you're adding to the confusion.

What I'm getting from what has been posted is that when the news broke that they were stranded, Delta Airlines offered to fly them for free to Brazil. It appears that before that flight was arranged, Yemi Idowu provided $250,000, which was then used to charter the plane. Where did Mikel come into this?

If you have a fuller account that differs from what those involved have stated, please share it. The insinuations without explanations don't help.

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

THE GENESIS

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) was well aware that the National U-23 was an Olympic Team and the Olympics takes place every four years. They were also aware that a tradition exists where Team Nigeria departs for major international sports competitions together.

It is also a norm that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Sports hand over officially all the contingent from all sports federations that qualified for the Olympics, including NFF to the Nigerian Olympic Committee.

Around early July, about a month to the beginning of the Olympic Games, the NFF under Amaju Pinnick informed the sports minister that they will be taking the U-23 Team to Atlanta in the US for Pre-Olympic camping and from there they will proceed to Rio in Brazil.

The Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung made it clear that there was no money for the Atlanta trip, and advised them to camp in Nigeria before flying to the Olympic Games in Rio. The NFF however stated that they had full sponsorship for the Atlanta camping, and thus they didn't need any money from the federal government.

THE ILL-FATED ATLANTA TRIP

As at the time the NFF dispatched the under-23 Team to Atlanta, USA, the sports minister was not informed.

Few weeks after their stay in Atlanta there were reports that the Nigerian U-23 was about to be thrown out of their Camp in Atlanta.

Meanwhile the media officer of the team who was left behind in Nigeria insisted that the U-23 got an invitation by the city of Atlanta to play in a competition.

Is it not curious to wonder how a team that had full sponsorship to travel to Atlanta, and also allegedly have been invited by the city of Atlanta will get thrown out of the hotel due to unpaid bills?

Few days into the Atlanta stay, the news about the ejection of the under-23 team from their Atlanta hotel spread like wild fire.

Suddenly the supposed sponsors were nowhere to be found and the U-23 team coach, Samson Siasia started the outcry about their ejection. However this failed to extract money from the federal government as they wished, but somehow the team managed to survive several weeks in the hotel in Atlanta.

THE MESSY TICKETING SAGA

The consultant to the Ministry of Sports, Angie Taylor was responsible for arranging tickets for Team Nigeria members residing outside the country especially those in the US. She arranged tickets for the D'TIGERS, our National Male Basketball Team who were incidentally in Atlanta also and left for Rio four days before the Olympics opening ceremony.

She also arranged for several other athletes outside US.

However NFF's U-23 team rejected the ticketing agent provided by the sports ministry stating that they had their own ticketing agent.

The NFF thus insisted that the Sports Ministry gave them the funds to pay their agent for the tickets.

The Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung requested for the name of their ticketing agent and his account details so that the money will be paid to him. The NFF however refused to give him the agents account details, stating that they wanted the funds instead.

In a bid to avoid a stalemate following the NFF's insistence to buy their tickets through their ticketing agents the sports ministry approved the release of $174,000 Dollars (About N80 million) through the Nigerian Olympic Committee who remitted the sum to the account of the NFF agent.

After the payment was made, in a surprise move, the agent again asked for more money claiming that he would not allow the team to leave for Rio if the team's hotel bills were not paid.

The Sports Minister then asked the NFF to talk to their agent and allow the team leave for Rio, since the Olympics was starting in two days. He also stated that whatever the bill was he would settle it in the interest of the country. However the agent, Jairo Pashion, a close associate of Coach Samson Siasia insisted that he will not allow the team to leave for the Olympics.

Coach Samson Siasia was then called upon to talk to the agent, but Siasia said 'it is not my business'.

YEMI IDOWU TO THE RESCUE

At this point a Nigerian philanthropist, Yemi Idowu who was following the saga which was already on local and foreign media sought to save Nigeria from international embarrassment by making new arrangement to charter another plane for the Under-23 Olympic football team.

Yemi Idowu is the son of the Late Nathaniel Idowu, the extraordinary sports administrator and philanthropist who started professional football league in Nigeria.



Yemi Idowu

Yemi after contacting the Sports Ministry, decided to spend $300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an Embraer EMB135ER aircraft to fly the 18-man Dream Team and officials from Atlanta to Brazil, but Coach Samson Siasia rejected the plane without stating any reason initially.

After rejecting the plane, the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung put several phone calls through to Siasia, but the coach of the U-23 team refused to speak to the Minister.

The Minister then called team captain, Mikel Obi and asked about Siasia's whereabouts, but Mikel said the coach was not around. The minister then told Mikel to let Siasia know that he called and will like to speak to him. He also told Mikel that if there is any problem he should let him know about it.

It was at this point that stories were twisted that the Minister said Mikel should be in charge of the team and not Siasia.

After all efforts by the Minister to speak to Siasia failed, Siasia then called the Nigerian Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and said to him that the team was stranded in Atlanta due to nonpayment of hotel bills and flight to Brazil.

The Vice president immediately called Dalung but could not reach him, then called Information minister, Lai Mohammed and instructed him to reach Dalung on the matter.

Meanwhile the Vice President also instructed the Accountant General of the Federation and directed him to arrange $474,000 immediately for the Team.

Lai Mohammed later conveyed the Vice President's message to Dalung, and the Sports minister explained how Siasia avoided his calls and refused to speak to him.

Lai Mohammed then called Siasia and told him that his Minister was trying to speak to him. Dalung then called Mikel again and asked him to take his phone to Siasia so he could speak to him.

According to eyewitness reports, Dalung was placed on hold for several minutes before Siasia spoke to him. Dalong then asked Siasia why he refused to use the Chartered plane Yemi Idowu paid for, Siasia said 'the plane was too small and it had no space and the boys were complaining'. Dalung then said to him "You are the coach, I have goggled the plane and I think it is good enough why can’t they use it?"

Investigations however revealed that the real reason why Siasia rejected Yemi Idowu's chartered plane was that the number of the contingent were more than the capacity of the aircraft. The Aircraft had a capacity to cater for 25 people but the total numbers of 32 people were waiting in Atlanta.

The Minster then stated that the NOC informed him that the official contingent for the football team plus officials to RIO was 25 that was why Yemi Idowu chartered a 25-seater aircraft.

Unknown to all the extra seven people were Siasia's family members.

The minister then called the Vice President and explained everything to him and the VP was very shocked and disappointed. The VP was also informed by Dalung that there was a plane ready for the team's official contingent that was paid for therefore it is not true that they were stranded.

The Vice President then instructed the Accountant General not to release more money and asked the sports ministry to handle the situation. When all this was going on NFF president, Amaju Pinnick remained quiet and he was not even talking to Solomon Dalung.

The Sports Minster then called Mikel Obi again and the captain said that the agent has provided them an accommodation and booked a flight for them to travel to RIO.

The story of Delta Airline coming to the rescue of a 'stranded' Under-23 team is very false, and it is important for Nigerians to know this.

Noteworthy, Delta Airlines was a co-sponsor of the tournament which the U-23 attended in Atlanta as part of the 20th Anniversary of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, so flying the team out of the camp was not so much a favour as widely publicized.

If there is anyone who truly deserves commendation, it's that great man Yemi Idowu who like his late father has left his footprints on the sands of time.

https://freshangleng.com/news/3051-expo ... %20plan%3F

This story has more K-legs than is legally allowable.

[Orion]

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

......

Thanks for sharing. Wow, what a mess!

According to the article, the sports minister and the NOC were well aware that the team was in Atlanta preparing for the competition. However, the article fails to clarify some of the confusion. Apart from reading like a propaganda piece in defense of Dalung and the NOC, we still don't know who actually paid for the flight that eventually took them there, if the money sent to the agent was not enough. What happened to the plane that Yemi Idowu paid for? Did Mikel step in and cover the shortfall for the flight? Many questions remain unanswered.

In situations like this, you address the immediate problem to avert the crisis and then punish the people at fault later, after a thorough investigation. So, even if this article is true, and not just a propaganda piece to absolve certain parties, I still hold the NOC and Dalung responsible for dereliction of duty.

[Damunk]

I simply don't believe that the Nigerian sports minister and NOC were unaware that the Nigerian football contingent representing the country at the Olympics was in Atlanta, preparing for the competition. Even if it's true that they didn't know, then it was a MASSIVE dereliction of duty!

At the end of the day, the buck stops with them. If that team didn't show up at the Olympics and Nigeria is embarrassed plus sanctioned by the IOC, they would be the ones to blame. So, no, I absolutely do not believe that report. In a functioning country, the man would have been fired instantly for those comments.

Nigeria is not a functioning country. Not one person was fired, resigned or was even used as the fall guy when one of our best athlete wasn’t registered for the Olympics. Go figure!

Packerland, there’s even a worse incident from recent history.
I wish I could remember the details (maybe someone else might) but an NFF official unbelievably forgot to register one of the Nigerian national teams for a major tournament. I vaguely recall a missed email response or something like that.
We missed out on a tournament big time. It was truly shocking.

Still, no heads rolled.

[metalalloy]

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

......

Thanks for sharing. Wow, what a mess!

According to the article, the sports minister and the NOC were well aware that the team was in Atlanta preparing for the competition. However, the article fails to clarify some of the confusion. Apart from reading like a propaganda piece in defense of Dalung and the NOC, we still don't know who actually paid for the flight that eventually took them there, if the money sent to the agent was not enough. What happened to the plane that Yemi Idowu paid for? Did Mikel step in and cover the shortfall for the flight? Many questions remain unanswered.

In situations like this, you address the immediate problem to avert the crisis and then punish the people at fault later, after a thorough investigation. So, even if this article is true, and not just a propaganda piece to absolve certain parties, I still hold the NOC and Dalung responsible for dereliction of duty.

The thing was a complete mess and who knows what really happened. That being said, if the charter that Yemi Idowu presented was rejected, then I presume it didn't fly, so there shouldn't have been anything for any one to cover. Delta eventually flew them.

IIRC Mikel also paid $4000 for unpaid hotel bills in Sao Paolo.

[metalalloy]

I simply don't believe that the Nigerian sports minister and NOC were unaware that the Nigerian football contingent representing the country at the Olympics was in Atlanta, preparing for the competition. Even if it's true that they didn't know, then it was a MASSIVE dereliction of duty!

At the end of the day, the buck stops with them. If that team didn't show up at the Olympics and Nigeria is embarrassed plus sanctioned by the IOC, they would be the ones to blame. So, no, I absolutely do not believe that report. In a functioning country, the man would have been fired instantly for those comments.

Nigeria is not a functioning country. Not one person was fired, resigned or was even used as the fall guy when one of our best athlete wasn’t registered for the Olympics. Go figure!

Packerland, there’s even a worse incident from recent history.
I wish I could remember the details (maybe someone else might) but an NFF official unbelievably forgot to register one of the Nigerian national teams for a major tournament. I vaguely recall a missed email response or something like that.
We missed out on a tournament big time. It was truly shocking.

Still, no heads rolled.

Was it this one?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68759029

[Damunk]

I simply don't believe that the Nigerian sports minister and NOC were unaware that the Nigerian football contingent representing the country at the Olympics was in Atlanta, preparing for the competition. Even if it's true that they didn't know, then it was a MASSIVE dereliction of duty!

At the end of the day, the buck stops with them. If that team didn't show up at the Olympics and Nigeria is embarrassed plus sanctioned by the IOC, they would be the ones to blame. So, no, I absolutely do not believe that report. In a functioning country, the man would have been fired instantly for those comments.

Nigeria is not a functioning country. Not one person was fired, resigned or was even used as the fall guy when one of our best athlete wasn’t registered for the Olympics. Go figure!

Packerland, there’s even a worse incident from recent history.
I wish I could remember the details (maybe someone else might) but an NFF official unbelievably forgot to register one of the Nigerian national teams for a major tournament. I vaguely recall a missed email response or something like that.
We missed out on a tournament big time. It was truly shocking.

Still, no heads rolled.

Was it this one?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68759029

No, it was much more serious than this and it was a good few years ago….maybe as far back as ten years.
We screamed and cussed here on EN, but in the end, nuttin happun.
It was shameful. Or was it even our Olympic team?
I really can’t remember…but it was definitely a stupid official that ‘forgot’ to do something.
It was ridiculous.

[Orion]

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

......

Thanks for sharing. Wow, what a mess!

According to the article, the sports minister and the NOC were well aware that the team was in Atlanta preparing for the competition. However, the article fails to clarify some of the confusion. Apart from reading like a propaganda piece in defense of Dalung and the NOC, we still don't know who actually paid for the flight that eventually took them there, if the money sent to the agent was not enough. What happened to the plane that Yemi Idowu paid for? Did Mikel step in and cover the shortfall for the flight? Many questions remain unanswered.

In situations like this, you address the immediate problem to avert the crisis and then punish the people at fault later, after a thorough investigation. So, even if this article is true, and not just a propaganda piece to absolve certain parties, I still hold the NOC and Dalung responsible for dereliction of duty.

The thing was a complete mess and who knows what really happened. That being said, if the charter that Yemi Idowu presented was rejected, then I presume it didn't fly, so there shouldn't have been anything for any one to cover. Delta eventually flew them.

IIRC Mikel also paid $4000 for unpaid hotel bills in Sao Paolo.

I meant, we still don't know if Mikel covered any shortfall for the flight that actually took them to Brazil. According to the article, the money sent to the agent by the NOC was reportedly insufficient to cover the hotel fees and flight. So, someone must have come up with funds to cover the shortfall. Maybe this is where Mikel comes into the equation re funds for the flight.

[Lolly]

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

......

Thanks for sharing. Wow, what a mess!

According to the article, the sports minister and the NOC were well aware that the team was in Atlanta preparing for the competition. However, the article fails to clarify some of the confusion. Apart from reading like a propaganda piece in defense of Dalung and the NOC, we still don't know who actually paid for the flight that eventually took them there, if the money sent to the agent was not enough. What happened to the plane that Yemi Idowu paid for? Did Mikel step in and cover the shortfall for the flight? Many questions remain unanswered.

In situations like this, you address the immediate problem to avert the crisis and then punish the people at fault later, after a thorough investigation. So, even if this article is true, and not just a propaganda piece to absolve certain parties, I still hold the NOC and Dalung responsible for dereliction of duty.

Can we focus on the issue at hand, that Mikel’s claim that he paid for the plane that took the team to Brazil. Most of the articles around the trip and camp were brown envelope articles from both sides, Siasia on one side and the Government/NFF on the other side.

[Lolly]

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

......

Thanks for sharing. Wow, what a mess!

According to the article, the sports minister and the NOC were well aware that the team was in Atlanta preparing for the competition. However, the article fails to clarify some of the confusion. Apart from reading like a propaganda piece in defense of Dalung and the NOC, we still don't know who actually paid for the flight that eventually took them there, if the money sent to the agent was not enough. What happened to the plane that Yemi Idowu paid for? Did Mikel step in and cover the shortfall for the flight? Many questions remain unanswered.

In situations like this, you address the immediate problem to avert the crisis and then punish the people at fault later, after a thorough investigation. So, even if this article is true, and not just a propaganda piece to absolve certain parties, I still hold the NOC and Dalung responsible for dereliction of duty.

The thing was a complete mess and who knows what really happened. That being said, if the charter that Yemi Idowu presented was rejected, then I presume it didn't fly, so there shouldn't have been anything for any one to cover. Delta eventually flew them.

IIRC Mikel also paid $4000 for unpaid hotel bills in Sao Paolo.

I meant, we still don't know if Mikel covered any shortfall for the flight that actually took them to Brazil. According to the article, the money sent to the agent by the NOC was reportedly insufficient to cover the hotel fees and flight. So, someone must have come up with funds to cover the shortfall. Maybe this is where Mikel comes into the equation re funds for the flight.

I see how people are trying to work to the answer. The Delta plane was not paid for by anyone.

Maybe the press can get Mikel to tell them which plane he paid for and who he paid. He should have a receipt for $300,000 or his card statement.

[metalalloy]

I meant, we still don't know if Mikel covered any shortfall for the flight that actually took them to Brazil. According to the article, the money sent to the agent by the NOC was reportedly insufficient to cover the hotel fees and flight. So, someone must have come up with funds to cover the shortfall. Maybe this is where Mikel comes into the equation re funds for the flight.

That's highly unlikely since Delta agreed to temporarily cover the bill for that flight that actually got them to Rio. I can't imagine Mikel would agree to reimburse Delta after they had arrived in Atlanta.

The shortfall was related to the original charter, and the sports ministry allegedly sent $174,000 to the NFF's ticketing agent (Jairo Pachon I believe).


As usual, nothing is clear in Naija. From my uninformed view, it seems that the NFF released some funds for an initial charter, the agent claimed it wasn't enough for flights and unpaid hotel bills and refused to transport them. Yemi Idowu organized a charter for them that was rejected as too small, and finally Delta stepped up, offered to transport them with a promise to be paid later.

So the question remains what happened to that original $174K that the NFF sent to the agent if Delta was subsequently reimbursed for transporting them.



Have you had a chance to watch the original thread?
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=273380

[Orion]

Exposed: The untold story of Siasia, NFF, Yemi Idowu and U23 Dream Team
Solomon Dalung, Amaju Pinnick, Samson Siasia & the U23 Team


Nigeria’s under-23 Olympic football team made international headlines few days ago for the wrong reasons after stories emerged of how the team was ‘stranded’ in Atlanta and had to be ‘rescued’ by Delta Airlines. Little did many know that the real hero was Yemi Idowu, a Nigerian businessman, sports philanthropist and enthusiast, who spent $ 300,000 from his personal pockets to provide an aircraft to fly the Dream Team from Atlanta long before Delta Airlines provided an alternate flight plan?

......

Thanks for sharing. Wow, what a mess!

According to the article, the sports minister and the NOC were well aware that the team was in Atlanta preparing for the competition. However, the article fails to clarify some of the confusion. Apart from reading like a propaganda piece in defense of Dalung and the NOC, we still don't know who actually paid for the flight that eventually took them there, if the money sent to the agent was not enough. What happened to the plane that Yemi Idowu paid for? Did Mikel step in and cover the shortfall for the flight? Many questions remain unanswered.

In situations like this, you address the immediate problem to avert the crisis and then punish the people at fault later, after a thorough investigation. So, even if this article is true, and not just a propaganda piece to absolve certain parties, I still hold the NOC and Dalung responsible for dereliction of duty.

The thing was a complete mess and who knows what really happened. That being said, if the charter that Yemi Idowu presented was rejected, then I presume it didn't fly, so there shouldn't have been anything for any one to cover. Delta eventually flew them.

IIRC Mikel also paid $4000 for unpaid hotel bills in Sao Paolo.

I meant, we still don't know if Mikel covered any shortfall for the flight that actually took them to Brazil. According to the article, the money sent to the agent by the NOC was reportedly insufficient to cover the hotel fees and flight. So, someone must have come up with funds to cover the shortfall. Maybe this is where Mikel comes into the equation re funds for the flight.

I see how people are trying to work to the answer. The Delta plane was not paid for by anyone.

Maybe the press can get Mikel to tell them which plane he paid for and who he paid. He should have a receipt for $300,000 or his card statement.

Different sources gave different accounts of the mess. Some insist that there was no free Delta flight, while others claim that the flight was free. The only thing they have in common is that they all have missing pieces of the jigsaw.

Perhaps the people who shared the blame for the mess preferred it to be confusing so that no one would be held accountable.

[metalalloy]

I see how people are trying to work to the answer. The Delta plane was not paid for by anyone.

Maybe the press can get Mikel to tell them which plane he paid for and who he paid. He should have a receipt for $300,000 or his card statement.

Are you certain about this?

Thanks to a tab temporarily picked up by Delta Air Lines for the charter flight, the stranded team is expected to land in Brazil at 2 p.m. local time. This gives the team just enough time to clear customs and stretch before kickoff at 9 p.m.

https://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/03/spor ... index.html

[Orion]

I meant, we still don't know if Mikel covered any shortfall for the flight that actually took them to Brazil. According to the article, the money sent to the agent by the NOC was reportedly insufficient to cover the hotel fees and flight. So, someone must have come up with funds to cover the shortfall. Maybe this is where Mikel comes into the equation re funds for the flight.

That's highly unlikely since Delta agreed to temporarily cover the bill for that flight that actually got them to Rio. I can't imagine Mikel would agree to reimburse Delta after they had arrived in Atlanta.

The shortfall was related to the original charter, and the sports ministry allegedly sent $174,000 to the NFF's ticketing agent (Jairo Pachon I believe).


As usual, nothing is clear in Naija. From my uninformed view, it seems that the NFF released some funds for an initial charter, the agent claimed it wasn't enough for flights and unpaid hotel bills and refused to transport them. Yemi Idowu organized a charter for them that was rejected as too small, and finally Delta stepped up, offered to transport them with a promise to be paid later.

So the question remains what happened to that original $174K that the NFF sent to the agent if Delta was subsequently reimbursed for transporting them.



Have you had a chance to watch the original thread?
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=273380

I'll read the original thread. Thanks.

You seem to be glossing over the reimbursement. Are you assuming the Nigerian government reimbursed Delta? Do we have proof that they did, and if not, who did?