The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Babayaro

  • Reuben Gabriel Transfer Saga: Babayaro wants 10,000 Euros from Kano Pillars

    There may be more misery to come for Kano Pillars when the team returns to Nigeria from Congo, where they journeyed to play AC Leopard in the CAF Champions League.

    Despite taking what many thought was a healthy 4 – 1 lead to Congo, the Nigeria champions surprisingly crashed out of Africa’s premier club competition on Sunday evening, losing 3 – 0 to AC Leopard.

    Finally, former Nigeria Under 23 international Emmanuel Babayaro has chosen to break his silence to allnigeriasoccer.com on the money he is being owed by Kano Pillars.

    It would be recalled that Kano Pillars sold Gabriel Reuben to English agent Tony Harris for 100,000 euros without remitting a percentage of the transfer fee to Babayaro’s Pioneer Academy, who previously had the economic rights of the Nigeria international.

    ”I am surprised Kano Pillars are claiming Gabriel Reuben left the club as a free agent. I have everything documented and officials of the Nigeria Premier League are aware of this case because I complained to them. Before I reported Kano Pillars to the NPL, I had called the club several times but they were being evasive.

    ”Gabriel Reuben was sold to Tony Harris for 100,000 euros before the start of the African Cup of Nations. But I was not told about the transaction until Reuben himself informed me. Two years ago, Pioneer Academy sold Reuben to Kano Pillars for 3.5 million Naira, with a 10 % sell on clause inserted into the contract, so they owe the academy 10,000 euros.

    ”In the first place, why should a player be sold to an individual, is that legal?”Emmanuel Babayaro told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    In addition, the Olympic gold medalist wants Kilmarnock to pay training compensation fee to Pioneer Academy, the grassroots club that nurtured Reuben Gabriel.

    ”I have a lawyer that handles the aspect of training compensation fees we are entitled to. Obiora Nwankwo is one of our players but I don’t want to go into details of how he transferred to Inter Milan.

    ”We are communicating with Inter and they have promised to send us an amount in excess of 12,000 euros for assisting to train the player. In due course, we shall write Kilmarnock to remit our entitlement,” Emmanuel Babayaro concluded.

    At this point, it is unknown if Kilmarnock paid a transfer fee to Kano Pillars or the club’s proxy Tony Harris for the acquisition of Gabriel Reuben.

     

  • Babayaro, Pillars fight over Rueben’s N21m transfer fee

    The last has not been heard of Kano Pillars and Super Eagles star Reuben Gabriel’s transfer to Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock.

    Former Under 23 National Team custodian Emmanuel Babayaro has threatened to take Kano Pillars to court for reneging on an agreement he struck with the Nigeria champions two years ago when Reuben joined the club from domestic heavyweights Enyimba.

    It was Emmanuel Babayaro, the founder of Pioneers Academy in Kaduna, that discovered Reuben , then a raw diamond that needed polishing, from another grassroots team Lucky Star.

    The Olympic gold medalist, who had the player’s economic rights, loaned him to Kaduna United for the 2007 campaign. And when that agreement expired, Reuben was farmed out on loan again, this time to Enyimba.

    Two years ago, Emmanuel Babayaro sold the Super Eagles midfielder to Kano Pillars, with the understanding that he will get a certain percentage of the future transfer fee of the player.

    Despite the denial of the Pillars hierarchy, allnigeriasoccer.com CAN exclusively report that the Kano based side sold Reuben Gabriel to English agent Tony Harris for a fee of 100,000 euros (about N21m), which is a domestic transfer record.

    Kano Pillars have failed to pay Emmanuel Babayaro his percentage of the 1000,000 euros transfer fee. And he is very unhappy with their antics.

    For a start, Babayaro is set to engage a top FIFA licensed agency to sue Kano Pillars over his percentage of the transfer fee that was not remitted to him.

    Meanwhile, another Kilmarnock signing Papa Idris is still stuck in the country awaiting the release of his passport by the British embassy in Abuja.

    Agent Tony Harris, who brokered the deal, has sent Idris to one of his contacts in the embassy to facilitate the release of his international passport.