Peter Obi echoes Trump’s ‘Nigeria disgraced country’ comment over Super Eagles, NFF row

A Nigerian politician, Peter Obi, has amplified the US President Donald Trump’s derogation of Nigeria as a “disgraced country”. Trump had called Nigeria so in his widely publicized threat to unleash a military strike on the country over his belief that a Christian genocide was taking place.

On Wednesday, Obi, in a social media post, cited the present row between members of the Nigerian senior national football team, the Super Eagles and the Nigerian Football Federation over alleged unpaid match bonus as a justification of Trump’s derogative remarks about the country. Obi stated that such controversies “is what is found in a “now disgraced country”.

He said that the players “who consistently give their best in representing our dear nation” are being owed their allowances – a claim the NFF disputed as untrue.

Obi also wrote, “We always seem to find money to waste on needless lavish spending and political patronage, yet we cannot pay those who patriotically raise our flag, bring us pride, and serve with dedication. That is what is found in a “now disgraced country”.

The politician, who contested but lost the 2023 presidency, said “the wrong message” is sent “to our youth when those who serve their country are not treated with dignity.”

“Those who represent Nigeria deserves to be paid promptly and treated with respect,” the former Labour Party presidential candidate said.