Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Jim Nwobodo, has disputed claims by former Super Eagles coach Johannes “Bonfrère” Jo that he was denied promised rewards after leading Nigeria’s Dream Team to Olympic football gold at the Atlanta 1996 Games.
The two men have offered conflicting accounts nearly three decades after Nigeria’s historic triumph, with Bonfrère insisting he was never properly recognised for the achievement and alleging that his Olympic gold medal was stolen while in the custody of a team official.
Nwobodo, who served as Minister of Youth and Sports under the late General Sani Abacha’s military administration, maintained that the government fulfilled its promises to the victorious team, including the allocation of plots of land to players and officials.
The Dream Team made history on August 3, 1996, by defeating Argentina 3-2 in the men’s football final to become the first African nation to win Olympic football gold. A day earlier, Chioma Ajunwa had claimed Nigeria’s first individual Olympic gold medal in the women’s long jump.
Speaking to The PUNCH to mark the 30th anniversary of the Atlanta triumph, the 80-year-old Dutch coach expressed disappointment that the Nigerian government had yet to properly recognise his contribution to one of the country’s greatest sporting achievements. He also disclosed that the gold medal awarded to him after the victory later went missing, claiming it disappeared while in the custody of a team official.
Responding to the claims, Nwobodo insisted that the Abacha administration honoured its commitments to the team.
“After beating Argentina in that historic final, Abacha fulfilled the promise. If there was any delay, it must have been from the civil service,” he said.
“Abacha directed that they should be given land wherever they wanted, and they were all allocated plots, including Bonfrère Jo. That was the golden era of our football and it was called the Dream Team.”
Nwobodo also said Bonfrère never raised any concerns with him while he was in office.
“Not when I was there. Nobody would have done that if I knew. I couldn’t have allowed it. It was a golden period of our football, and how can I allow somebody who made it possible to be cheated? Something must be wrong,” he said.
“He did not complain. If he had, I would have resolved it immediately. If Bonfrère Jo had informed me that he was denied what was promised to him, I would have acted without delay.
“I also knew nothing about his missing medal. How could someone take his medal and I would keep quiet? I would never have allowed that. If I had known, I would have intervened immediately. He never told me.”
Bonfrère, however, maintained that he made several attempts to seek attention over the issues but received no response.
