 |
| Gov. T. A. Orji |
Whoever has the ears of the governor of Abia state should let him know the great unjust his state is doing to humanity, our sports and God.
For our former national Athletics coach, Tobias Igwe (better known as Toblow) to have called me as one of the few athletes he trained in tears saying, "tell President Goodluck Jonathan to please come to my aid, I have a year to retire and following the newly introduced indigenisation policy i am asked to go."
"Where do they want me to start from?" And the tears flowed again with his voice qquivering badly. "God" I muttered in my breathe. Toblow is the Athletic coach of Abia State though he hails from Imo state. As at today he is owed six months salaries.
Governor Theodore Orji should reinstate him as the state coach as well as pay him his six months outstanding salaries or retire him, pay him his dues.
This man used the most productive part of his life to develop kids from Abia and in his old age some one wants to dump him.
Hear him: “For six months now I have not been paid. I’m dying, I have responsibilities to take of. I have to pay for my house rent, my children’s school fees and other needs that I have to meet. I wasn’t sacked but the state disengaged me.
After settling down, he added, "even former 2002 World Cup Champion, Uche Emedolu, and many of my colleagues were also affected. We were asked to go back to our state (Imo). I have only one year and half for my retirement. Where do I go from here and which state will absorb me and pay my retirement benefits?,” Igwe asked.
Rhetorically, he asked, "have I not paid my dues as a coach especially as a grassroots coach? I’ve been able to produce budding talents at the grassroots level in various states and zones of the country. I don’t deserve this ill-treatment given to me. It is sad that I have to be treated this way, after many years of service to my dear country."
Toblow was a three-time Olympic coach for Nigeria, three-times Commonwealth coach for Nigeria and two times All Africa Games coach. He has won medals at all levels. Having done all this, shouldn’t I be honoured by Abia state rather than being disengaged disgracefully this way?
