Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has opened up on why he chose not to take legal action against the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) despite being owed $26,000 in unpaid salaries from his time as national team coach.
Speaking on a recent podcast interview, Oliseh revealed that although he had every right to sue and was advised by many to do so, he decided against it out of patriotism and respect for Nigeria.
“Till today, they still owe me two months’ salary, which is about $26,000,” he said.
“A lot of people told me to go to FIFA or take the NFF to court because I would definitely win. But I refused because I didn’t want the headlines to read, ‘Oliseh takes Nigeria to court.’
“ I love my country, and I don’t want to be seen as someone fighting against it.”
Oliseh, who managed the Super Eagles between July 2015 and February 2016, resigned after just seven months in charge, citing breaches of contract, unpaid wages, and lack of support from the federation.
He admitted that he initially filed a case against the NFF after his resignation but later withdrew it following appeals from respected figures who urged him to consider the country’s image.
“I withdrew the case because of my love for Nigeria,” he explained.
“I didn’t want to be the reason our football administration was dragged through the mud internationally.”
During his tenure, Oliseh led the Super Eagles through the early stages of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the 2018 World Cup qualifying series before stepping down.
The NFF, at the time, denied owing him full salaries, claiming that most payments had been made and that only minor entitlements were pending.
Also read: Rashford Blames Man United’s “Inconsistent Environment” for Hindering His Career
