Nigerian Football Legend Yakubu Aiyegbeni Praises Super Eagles' Patience Over Unpaid Bonuses (Video)
Former Super Eagles star Yakubu Aiyegbeni has highlighted ongoing financial struggles within the national team, revealing that players are still awaiting payments from as far back as 2019, including outstanding AFCON and World Cup qualifying bonuses.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Ex-international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has commended the current Super Eagles squad for maintaining professionalism despite systemic delays in receiving their rightful earnings.

The 42-year-old football legend expressed concern over the persistent non-payment issues, disclosing that some players haven’t received their full entitlements since the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

Yakubu stated: “It’s remarkable how these lads keep performing. Imagine going four years without full payment – that takes real dedication to the national jersey.”

Drawing parallels to his playing days, the former Everton striker recalled how senior players like Okocha and Kanu would often lead protests against unpaid bonuses, sometimes refusing to train until financial obligations were met.

The comments follow recent tensions in Morocco, where players briefly halted training ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier against Gabon due to outstanding payments, before resolving the matter through negotiations.