Enyimba Football Club has issued a strong rebuttal to recent statements made by former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye, describing his remarks as both misleading and unprofessional.
In an official statement, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) giants expressed disappointment at Ideye’s comments, which the club says were aimed at distorting the truth and tarnishing the image of Nigeria’s most successful club, as well as the league itself.
“At a time when the NPFL is undergoing commendable transformation—gaining both regional and international respect—we find it deeply unfortunate that a former Nigerian international, who was welcomed back home with open arms, has chosen to malign the very system that embraced him,” Enyimba’s media department said.
The club revealed that Ideye’s return to Nigerian football was treated as a symbolic homecoming, with management going out of its way to ensure he was given privileges befitting his profile. These included a monthly salary of ₦1 million, luxury hotel accommodation at ₦65,000 per night, and air travel to away games. The statement added that such details were widely covered and analysed by sports programmes, including Naija-Made on SuperSport TV.
Despite these benefits, Enyimba said Ideye failed to make a significant impact, scoring only five goals in all competitions, while also allegedly creating division within the dressing room. The club criticised his recent allegations of poor player welfare as “baseless and grossly misleading,” citing the transparent bonus structure under chairman Kanu Nwankwo, which often includes double win bonuses and management incentives of up to ₦1 million.
“It is simply unacceptable that a player who benefited immensely from the goodwill and structure of this great club would seek to tear it down in the public eye, especially when he never raised these issues while collecting VIP wages and privileges,” the statement continued.
Enyimba urged former Nigerian players to support and uplift domestic football rather than discrediting it, noting that Ideye’s behaviour was “unbecoming of a professional” and a betrayal of the principles of gratitude and integrity.
The club assured its supporters and stakeholders that it remains committed to professionalism, reforms, and the overall growth of Nigerian football.
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