The prolonged legal battle between former Super Eagles’ captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha and his former mentor-cum-business partner, Friday Nwankwo-Kujah is bound to enter another thorny phase this Friday at the Abuja headquarters of Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Megasportsarena.com gathered that this is sequel to a declaration by Nwankwo-Kujah that he is not giving up on his claim that Okocha allegedly shortchanged him for almost 13 years when they jointly-owned a bureau de change in Lagos and he is returning to the EFCC’s office this Friday.
Kujah, fondly called ‘Soccer Ambassador’ because of his close relationships with many players of the 1994 set of Eagles’ players, alleged in an earlier petition to the EFCC that he had not gained anything financial entitlements and emoluments since the company was opened in 2007 at Saka Tinubu Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
He alleged further in his petition that was first reopened at the EFCC office in 2016 that he bought four cars for the company with his own money, but was subsequently denied his dues that included housing and transport allowance and N200,000 monthly rake home, aside dividends on profits.
This comes just over a month after Kujah raised alarm that Okocha was dodging a chat with operatives of the EFCC over a petition written against him, as the ex-football star allegedly ignored several invitations extended to him by the agency.
Kujah declared that ‘Jay Jay’ had snubbed all overtures by the graft agency for talks over the said petition against him, as the petitioner alleged that the Nigerian soccer icon and his wife, Nkechi, have illegally taken over the bureau de change they jointly-owned with varying number of shares.
The Nigerian media has also in recent days been replete with reports about an alleged forgery case hanging over Okocha, in which he and his wife were accused of pushing aside Kujah and other shareholders from the said business venture.
This also marks a climax in several issues that first erupted nine years ago between Okocha and Kujah, when the football legend, who of recent went on to become chairman of Delta State Football Association, was accused of failing to pay dividends to share holders.
At that point in time, a hospitality lounge based in Victoria Island, Lagos – Club 10 – had also been included among the line of business ventures Okocha had been accused of cornering for himself and ostensibly pushed aside those with whom he jointly founded the structures that have now become matters of litigation.
A number of Nigerian sports personalities and police officers waded into the matter back then, but they all failed in several attempts to broker peace between Okocha and Kujah, who played a very key role during the ex-player’s wedding that held at Saint Lumumba Catholic Church, in Lawanson area of Lagos, which was where the now estranged mentor used to worship.
The close affinity between Okocha and Kujah led to the mentor also getting close relations with other Super Eagles’ players, especially Nwankwo Kanu (Papilo) and Daniel ‘The Bull’ Amokachi, while he went on to become a successful players’ representative.
As a players’ agent, Kujah was able to seal deals for a number of national team stars, among who were Apam Onyekachi, Kalu Uche, Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Obinna Nsofor and Elderson Uwa Echiejile.
It had also been speculated at a point that Okocha even got to meet his wife, Nkechi, through Kujah’s links, such that it was with aghast reactions, sagged necks, shaking heads and mouth agape that many followers of Nigerian football received news of the falling out between both personalities ten years ago, only for the matter to drag on and now take a new dimension.
Dramatically, Nwankwo-Kujah further averred, Okocha ostensibly continued playing hide-and-seek over the matter, as the former soccer star, who played for Rangers International of Enugu, Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany, Paris-Saint Germaine of France, Fernebahce of Turkey as well as Bolton Wanderers and Hull City of England during his illustrious career, never showed his face when summoned to answer questions at the graft body.
The petitioner, though, is relieved that his case has taken an upward swing in recent weeks, following the emergence of an acting chairman at the EFCC, with an accelerated hearing now granted his issue and ‘Jay Jay’ having eventually been forced to turn up and answer some terse questions over the matter, in which his wife, Nkechi, is also fingered.
Kujah submitted: “I am happy with how the matter has been revivewd and hastened up by the new acting chairman of the FC. What the former chairman could not do in four years he has been able to do under three months.
“I am happy with what he has done and I call him highly commendable for other people to emulate and follow. He called both parties to the matter for a meeting and Jay Jay turned up. It was the first time we sat face-to-face on this matter, and the EFC listened to both sides of the story.
“That was a step forward for me, because I believe I am getting closer to getting my due rewards and entitlements. The new chairman has confirmed that there is still hope for the common man. He is proving that no one is above the law, and my hope is renewed once again.
“They are still operating the bureau de change illegally from a hidden office somewhere in Lagos, which means my claims are very genuine. Jay Jay said he is still putting his documents together for him to answer the questions put to him by the EFCC, but he still wants to drag this issue.
“He says he is bringing in his own auditors and lawyers, but they don’t have the type of documents and proof that I have about this business. My sources keep updating me and I am aware of what they are still doing with this company, even as he keeps saying the company is no longer in operation.
“This is an investment into which I gave a lot in terms of money and effort. I deserve to get something out of it, but they keep telling me that there is nothing there for me, only because the company bears his name. We invested in the business together and all I want is to be paid my entitlements.”
