Over 250 members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club will miss watching live the match between Nigeria and France in Brasilia, Brazil on Monday as they had to leave Brazil for Nigeria on Sunday owing to paucity of funds.
According to some aggrieved members, the return ticket for most members of the NFSC was for June 29 and others for July 1, 2014, but the leadership did not notify them of this until Saturday when their flight was billed for 12:40am on Sunday.
Only 100 members of the club left Sao Paulo to Brasilia on Sunday, which is about 16 hours drive by road.
While lamenting the poor arrangement by leaders of the club, a member, who gave her name as Uju, said: “We have enough funds.
“Most of us paid N300,000.
“I paid N300,000 as money charged.
“I spent N80,000 as visa fee, but I was left in Nigeria.
“I had to spend another N350,000 on my way to get to Brazil.
“And millions of Naira were donated and given to us by President Goodluck Jonathan, our major sponsors – Globacom, Guinness and even Dangote.
“What happened to all the money we have?
“What happened to the funds raised before the World Cup?
“Although Brazil is expensive, but the club budgeted and had made all the necessary arrangements.
“They will explain to us when we get to Nigeria.”
Another member of the club, who gave his name simply as Obas, told The Eagle Online: “I paid N300,000, but since I got here (Brazil) I have been feeding myself.
“All the trips on the road to Curitiba, Cuiaba, Porto Alegre and back to Sao Paolo, I have been spending money from my own pocket.
“Where then are the monies donated to us?
“How can the leaders arrange that we are leaving after the group stage?
“Were they pessimistic about the Super Eagles performance?
“Did they anticipate that Nigeria will leave the competition after the group stage?
“How can they make flight arrangements and say we are returning on the 29th of June and 1st of July when Nigeria is still in the competition?”
Pained by the poor treatment and arrangement by leaders of the club, a member, who also gave her name simply as Titilayo, said: “Even though they had made such arrangements, now that the Super Eagles are in the Round of 16, the leaders are supposed to reschedule our flights by extending it.
“That is what we usually do in other competitions.
“They must explain to us what they did with all the monies we paid and the funds donated to us.
“I can tell you that there is foul play amongst the executive.
“When we get home, President General and the national chairman must explain to us what they did with our money.
“They are not feeding us.
“It is only cheap accommodation and transportation to the stadium that they have used the money for.
“So, what happened to the remaining money?”
A member from the Lagos State chapter of the club lamented the recent development owing to internal crisis in the club.
It is said that a faction is hoarding donated funds given to members by some multi-national organizations.
It should be noted that the NFSC resolved to cut costs because $1 exchanges for Two Brazilian currency, REAIS.
The President General of the club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, while lamenting the level at which the prices of things have sky-rocketed in Brazil, said: “Some members have to go for some of us to still stay to support the Super Eagles.
“Some members had their return flight schedule for 29th June, others 1st July.
“We would have extended their return, but we are spending more than we have and we may get stranded in Brazil.
“We have rescheduled the flight tickets of some members.”
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