Thirty years after Nigeria’s historic Olympic football triumph in Atlanta, former Super Eagles star Daniel Amokachi says Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has restored the confidence of some of the country’s forgotten sporting heroes.
Amokachi praised Sani after the governor fulfilled a long standing promise to members of the 1996 Olympic gold-winning squad by allocating plots of land to Amokachi, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro.
The governor has also directed that streets be named after some members of the victorious squad as part of efforts to immortalise the players.
Amokachi spoke on Tuesday while inspecting the ongoing reconstruction of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna alongside other football veterans.
Reflecting on the promises made to the Dream Team following their historic triumph in Atlanta, the former Super Eagles forward said successive governments had failed to honour most of their commitments.
“When we won the Olympics gold medal in 1996, the Federal Government and state governments made several promises to us, but 30 years down the line, most of those promises were never fulfilled.
“But Governor Uba Sani has fulfilled his own promise. He has given myself, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro plots of land. He has also directed that streets should be named after some of those who have not been immortalised.
“We lack the words to thank him for this kind gesture and for his promise to ensure that veteran footballers and coaches are rewarded during their lifetimes.”
Amokachi said recognising sporting veterans while they were still alive was particularly important, describing the governor’s gesture as a significant departure from the treatment many former athletes have received after their careers.
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The reconstruction of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium represents another important step in restoring Kaduna’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s traditional football centres.
The former Super Eagles player and ex-General Manager of Kaduna United said the renovated facility would provide the state with an international-standard venue for major football activities, including national team engagements.
“Now, the Super Eagles will not have to go to Uyo to train. This one is right here at my doorstep. It’s a wonderful project and, by the grace of God, we shall come and unveil it by November,” he said.
Babayaro also praised Sani for reconnecting the state’s football community and helping to rekindle Kaduna’s passion for the sport.
“Governor Uba Sani has assembled the entire football family of Kaduna State and football is thriving again like we used to know it,” the former goalkeeper said.
Responding to the veterans, Sani acknowledged the contributions of former players, coaches and administrators to the development of sports in the state.
The governor described Kaduna as one of Nigeria’s leading football-producing states, pointing to the number of players from the state who have gone on to make an impact internationally.
“Kaduna is the leading footballing state in Nigeria. We have produced more stars that have gone out of the country and made their marks globally,” he said.
Sani said his administration was determined to restore Kaduna’s lost sporting glory, with football infrastructure at the centre of that ambition.
The governor recalled that the last CAF football tournament hosted at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium was in 2016, when the Super Eagles faced Egypt.
He said the poor condition of the facility eventually prompted him to approach President Bola Tinubu for permission to take over the stadium and reconstruct it.
“I made it very clear to him that I will demolish the stadium, which had 16,000 seating capacity and was built in 1964,” Sani said.
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According to the governor, the reconstructed Ahmadu Bello Stadium will have a capacity of 33,000 spectators, exceeding the 31,000 capacity of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
The facility is also expected to feature a hybrid pitch combining natural grass and synthetic turf.
Sani said the completed stadium would become the only facility in Nigeria with a FIFA standard pitch, while arguing that the country needs more venues capable of hosting CAF and FIFA competitions.
He said Kaduna’s investment in sporting infrastructure was not simply about football but also about the economic opportunities major sporting events can generate through hotels, transportation, hospitality and other sectors.
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Using the 2026 World Cup in the United States as an example, Sani said the tournament generated an estimated $20bn to $24bn in economic activity through accommodation, transportation and hospitality.
He also cited Morocco’s reported $1.4bn economic benefit from hosting the Africa Cup of Nations as evidence of the potential value of sports tourism.
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