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Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has disclosed that he deliberately refused to sue the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) despite being owed $26,000 in unpaid salaries from his stint as national team coach between 2015 and 2016.
Sunday Oliseh made the revelation while speaking on the Home Turf podcast, explaining that his decision was born out of love for his country rather than fear or weakness.
“Till today, I am the only Nigerian coach who ever resigned. And till today, they are still owing me two months’ salary, which is $26,000,” the 51-year-old said.
The former Super Eagles captain noted that several people have urged him to take legal action against the federation, confident that FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber would rule in his favour. But he said he could not bring himself to take that step because of how it might be perceived.
“A lot of people have asked me to take the NFF to court. If I take the case to FIFA, I will win. But when the news breaks, the headlines won’t say ‘Oliseh takes NFF to court’, they will say ‘Oliseh takes Nigeria to court.’ And that’s not something I want to be associated with,” he said.
Oliseh added that his decision was driven by patriotism. “I will not take my fatherland to a Western court. I love my country, and no matter what, I don’t want to be seen as someone fighting against Nigeria,” he added.
His time as Super Eagles coach came to an abrupt end in 2016 after months of tension with the NFF over unpaid wages and alleged interference in team affairs. He resigned from the role, becoming the first Nigerian coach to voluntarily leave the position.
Despite the bitter ending, Oliseh remains one of the most outspoken voices in Nigerian football, frequently addressing issues surrounding player welfare, management inefficiency, and the treatment of local coaches.
His comments have once again drawn attention to the long-standing problem of unpaid salaries and poor administrative practices within the NFF. Several coaches and players have previously complained of delayed or missing payments, with some taking their cases to FIFA for arbitration.
Oliseh, who earned 63 caps for Nigeria and scored three goals, is remembered for his commanding presence in midfield during the Super Eagles’ golden era. He was part of the team that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and featured at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, famously scoring a thunderous winner against Spain in France.
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