NFF yet to fulfil N30,000 monthly stipend promised late Yekini’s mother

The family of late Rashidi Yekini on Tuesday said they were yet to receive the N30,000 monthly stipend promised by the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The NFF board led by Amaju Pinnick had pledged to support the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare’s pronouncement to place Yekini’s mother and that of late Samuel Okwaraji, with monthly stipends of N10,000 each.

The sister to late Rashidi Yekini, Simiat, on June 16 told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the minister had redeemed his promise and the family had received the stipend for May.

However, she said that the family had not heard from the NFF.

NAN recalls that the NFF had at exactly 3.48 p.m. on May 7, announced via its official Twitter handle that it would support the minister with an additional N30,000 monthly, but the body is yet to pay the family.

NFF announcing the decision to support the minister’s pronouncement
In the tweet, the NFF declared: “In furtherance to, and in appreciation of, the recent pronouncement of the HM Sports @SundayDareSD to put the mothers of late ex-internationals Sam Okwaraji and Rashidi Yekini on a monthly stipend,

“the NFF has decided to support this noble initiative with a further monthly stipend of N30k to each of the two matriarchs.

“In addition, the NFF will henceforth review the situation of surviving mothers of our ex-internationals that died in active service for the country and resolve what to do for them on monthly basis.”

When contacted, the NFF Director of Media and Communications, Ademola Olajire, asked NAN to speak with the federation’s General Secretary, Muhammed Sanusi.

However, the NFF scribe questioned the rationale behind the findings.

Mr Sanusi also sought to know who made the promise and who was quoted when the decision was announced.

He added that if “it is the Director of Communications, that is in charge of the Social Media, then you ask him.

“These are not questions that should come to the General Secretary directly, we have responsibilities and we allow people to do their responsibilities.

“So you have your colleague, the Director of Media and Communications, it is his responsibility”.

One beneficiary dies

Meanwhile, one of the proposed beneficiaries of the NFF promise, Jane Okwaraji, had died on May 23.

NAN reports that Patrick Okwaraji, brother to the former player, had written a letter informing the NFF and the Nigerian Football family of the death of the 83-year-old retired school teacher.

In the letter, the Okwaraji family disclosed that Jane Okwaraji, also a community leader and devout Christian, passed on to the great beyond after a brief illness.

“It is with total submission to God that the family of David Okwaraji (late) wishes to convey the notice of the peaceful transition of our mother, Mrs Jane Okwaraji, to you.

“Mrs Jane Okwaraji died at her home at Enugu after a brief illness,” the letter read in part.

NAN recalls that Dare had on May 7 announced that the ministry of youth and sports development would place the mothers of the two deceased Super Eagles players, Rashidi Yekini and Samuel Okwaraji, on a monthly stipend of N10,000.

A representative of the minister, Olaitan Shittu, announced this when he delivered the Minister’s Ramadan gifts to late Yekini’s mother, Alhaja Sikiratu, during the last Ramadan fast in Ijagbo, near Offa in Kwara.

The minister also donated N50,000 as part of the Ramadan gift to the aged mother during the ceremony.

(NAN)