In a bombshell revelation that’s sending shockwaves through the football world, former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has claimed he had to go to extreme lengths,far beyond the pitch,to secure millions in unpaid bonuses for Nigeria’s national team during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Speaking on his own podcast, Mikel painted a picture of chaos and broken promises, accusing the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of stringing players along with empty assurances about their money. According to Mikel, the team was left hanging for months, with officials repeatedly promising that the cash would magically appear once the squad arrived in camp. Spoiler alert: it didn’t.

“We were owed money. We kept asking. They kept saying, ‘Don’t worry, it’s coming,’” Mikel said, echoing the frustration of his teammates. The tension in camp was reportedly sky-high, with players fearing they’d never see a dime if they didn’t act fast.

But here’s where the story takes a wild turn. With the NFF still dodging responsibility, Mikel claims he bypassed the entire football hierarchy and went straight to the top,calling Abba Kyari, then Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari. That’s right, the captain of the national team had to call the president’s right-hand man just to get what was promised.

And the result? Pure drama. Within 24 hours, a private jet allegedly landed at the team’s hotel, delivering millions of dollars in cold, hard cash. “The money was delivered to the hotel, hand to hand. Millions of dollars,” Mikel boasted, as if this is just how things work in Nigerian football.

Mikel says he personally handed the cash to the team secretary, making it clear that not a single naira should go to anyone but the players. “Make sure this money does not go to the president or anyone else. This money belongs to the players,” he reportedly instructed.

While some are hailing Mikel as a hero, the real story here is the shocking dysfunction at the heart of Nigerian football. How is it possible that a national team captain has to call in presidential favors and accept cash deliveries by private jet just to get paid? What does this say about the NFF and the state of sports governance in Nigeria?

Mikel’s tale is being spun as a story of leadership and sacrifice, but it’s also a glaring indictment of the system. If this is what it takes to get paid on the world’s biggest stage, what hope is there for the future of Nigerian football?