28 years after, Federal Government approves allocation of 22 houses to 1994 Eagles

Twenty-Eight years after Nigeria defeated Zambia to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, the Federal Government is set to redeem its pledge of giving every member of the team a housing unit each.

Nigeria defeated Zambia 2-1 in 1994 through goals by Emmanuel Amuneke to win its first Africa Cup of Nations trophy outside the country. It was the country’s second triumph in the competition, which it won for the first time at home in 1980.

That after the victory, then Head of State, General Sani Abacha, promised to reward each member of the team with a housing unit for bringing honour to the country.

However, redemption had been hard in coming, with only a few members of the team getting their houses in Abuja. Some members of the squad died without getting their houses, but closure for everybody involved is at sight.

On Monday, in Lafia, Nasarawa State, President Muhammadu Buhari, approved allocation of houses to 22 members of the team in their various states.

Speaking in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during the commissioning of completed homes under the administration’s National Housing Programme initiative, Buhari said the approval is in fulfillment of the pledge made to the players by the Federal Government, 28 years ago.