A member of the Atlanta 1996 Olympics gold medal winning squad ‘Dream Team’ Kingsley Obiekwu has revealed he uses his only car for commercial transport to sustain his family.
Obiekwu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Awka.
The 47-year-old played for Rangers International FC, Enugu Udoji United and Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands during his playing career.
Obiekwu, who currently coaches INGAS FC in Enugu, noted that things had not been rosy since he returned to Nigeria in 2008 and had to combine the coaching job with the commercial transport business to make ends meet.
He stated that his former employees owed him over N6 million cumulatively.
“Yes, I am a commercial transporter; there is nothing to hide about it. Man has to do what is legal to pay his family bills.
“I have four children at Enugu State University of Technology and my last child is in primary five.
“I have coached Rangers International FC, Ifeanyi Ubah FC, Delta Force FC, Asaba, Giant Brila and also Union Sportif, Krake, Republic of Benin. All of them owe me,” Obiekwu said.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which some employers owe their workers backlog of salaries in the country.
“I am disappointed with the setup in Nigeria. How can employers be owing you and nobody is saying or doing anything about it? It’s frustrating. Even my home state, Delta, has refused to pay me.
“I can’t steal; I can’t do fraud; I can’t do money rituals. So, I have to do what is legal and possible, for me to take care of my family.
“If I can get this N6 million, I won’t be in this mess.
“I also go to Lagos to bring in new cars for people and they pay me. You know in Nigeria, when you retire, there’s no pension, no gratuity.”
Obiekwu said that he was unable to secure an NPFL coaching job with the pro- licence certificate he obtained in UK “because they demanded CAF grade A or grade B certificate.”
He also expressed regret that some of the promises made to them after their victorious return from the Atlanta 1996 Olympics had yet to be fulfilled.
This, the veteran footballer said, included the plots of land promised by Delta and Niger governments.
It would be recalled that Obiekwu made eight appearance for the Super Eagles from 1996 to 1999.
He never made any appearance for Nigeria at the Atlanta Olympics.
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