In what may be best described as one of the most talked about failed business transaction of the 21st Century, the Proprietor of Gabros International Football Club, Nnewi, Chief Gabriel Chukwuma has finally opened up exhaustively on what he claimed to be a ‘back stabbing’ by his younger brother and bosom friend, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah over botched sports relating deals.
In a controversial deal that smacks of betrayal and deceit, Chukwuma in a strongly worded petition to football governing bodies; FIFA, CAF, NFF and LMC warned on the dire consequences of still recognizing FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium even after the failure of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah to largely fulfill his bargain of the deal.
According to Chukwuma, a one-time first Vice President of the Nigeria Footbal Federation (NFF), when he was convinced to part with the club and stadium, it was agreed by both parties that Ubah would pay the sum of N400m for both properties.
He added, “And for the 56 adjoining plots of land, he was to pay N168m totaling the sum of N568m. In all, Ubah was interested only in clearing the external and internal debts of the club for his easy acquisition. These debts included arrears of players’ salaries, the coaching crew and backroom staff and settlement of some land owners still owed as at then. It amounted to N130m. But Ubah brought only N100m, that is what Ubah has paid till date but he insinuates it is deposit...”
The petition also read in parts, “This is the second time the management of Gabros International Football Club and Gabros Football Stadium are writing to both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Company (LMC) asking patriotically for their intervention. We agreed completely to the change of name from Gabros International F.C. and Gabros Football Stadium to F.C Ifeanyi Ubah and Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium. Infact, we gave the authorization. It was predicated on trust and gentleman’s agreement, but shockingly, we got deeply stabbed at the back. We have since realized that the authorization was in error, terrible error. For the second time, we are notifying the football authorities that the authorization has since been withdrawn.”
Chukwuma who has not hidden his intentions to take back his pet club and have severally been quoted as already preparing his team ahead of the next football season also made the copy of the letter available to the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC) and Mr. Angus Kinnear, Managing Director, West Ham United F.C, England. It would be recalled that West Ham officials visited the country recently to cement their partnership with Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah. The letter to West Ham which is in possession of Vintage stated that the football stadium they visited in Nnewi and large chunk of the entire land and the football club still belong to Chief Gabriel Chukwuma. The letter which warned that anything done on that massive hectares of land or with FC Ifeanyi Ubah without the consent of Chief Gabriel Chukwuma will be null and void, clarified further that the land in question was forcefully acquired and already a subject of litigation.
Chukwuma also informed West Ham officials that they are not against any form of partnership with Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, but only wanted them to toe the path of due process in doing so.
The Gabros boss who disclosed how important dignitaries have been brought to inspect the purported Ifeanyi Ubah Games village revealed how futile efforts were made to coerce the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano into the gigantic project, but interestingly, the Governor could not be swayed as his wisdom prevailed.
Among other prayers, Chukwuma asked both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and League Management Corporation (LMC) in the good spirit of the game not to register the club FC Ifeanyi Ubah in the coming season until he acquires the club rightfully and morally, “if it happens, we will be forced to sue both bodies”, the petition concluded.
The seemingly unending feud between two prominent sons of Nnewi may yet take another dangerous twist in the coming weeks with the degenerating unfolding scenario; it may only require the quick intervention of football buffs to stop the imbroglio from getting messier.
Read full text below:
ROBBERY IN THE FOOTBALL HOUSE: ANOTHER CALL,
PERHAPS THE LAST CALL FOR YOUR SINCERE INTERVENTION:
A PREAMBLE
Two Football seasons ago, precisely, 2014/2015, Gabros International Football Club, Nnewi Anambra State, hitherto relegated to the lower league had in a combination of massive financial investment and hard work returned to the elite Premier League. As Fans of the Club worldwide celebrated the promotion, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah crept in, approached the Proprietor and Sole Financier of the Club for over 20 solid years. Chief Gabriel Chukwuma, a onetime lst Vice President of the Nigeria Football Association (FA) now Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) requesting that the Club be sold to him. Ubah's tongue was sweet, so sweet to ignore, his proposal, compellingly irresistible. Little did the entire Management of the Club know they were in for a swindle.
While Chukwuma had very good intentions, suspecting no sinister motive, Ubah himself had other intentions too far from decency and good spiritedness. For Chukwuma, it was like handing over a Club he had laboured to sustain in the last 20 years to a younger brother, unarguably, with the financial capacity to continue effectively from where he would stop. For Chukwuma, it was continuity at its best. Ubah is not only a prominent son of Nnewi like Chukwuma, the two had a symbiotic relationship that could be likened to that of Abraham and God. But the loyalty and faith of Abraham was missing in Ubah as matters began to unfold. Everything was done to make the handover easy and smooth for Ubah including authorization for the change of name even when Ubah's side of the bargain remained largely unfulfilled. That Chukwuma could be stabbed deeply at the back did not merit consideration but it came to pass.
THE TRANSACTION AND THE BACK STABBING:
In the transaction proper, Ubah requested and agreed to buy off the Gabros International Football that had just returned to the Premier League. He also requested and agreed to buy off the famous Gabros Football Stadium plus 56 other plots of land belonging to Chukwuma. In a good spirit and enormous sense of brotherliness, Chukwuma obliged Ubah.
Subsequently, agreement was made. In the agreement, Ubah was to pay the sum of four hundred million naira (N400,000,000.00) for both Club and Stadium. And for the 56 adjoining plots of land, he was to pay one hundred and sixty eight million naira (Nl68,000,000.00) totaling the sum of five hundred and sixty eight million naira. In all, Ubah was interested only in clearing the external and internal debts of the Club for his easy acquisition. These debts included arrears of players' salaries, the Coaching crew and backroom room staff and settlement of some land owners still owed as at then. It amounted to the sum of one hundred and thirty million naira (N130,000,000.00). But Ubah brought only one hundred million Naira (Nl00,000,000.00). That is what Ubah has paid till date but he insinuates it is deposit. But Chukwuma never lost patient as Ubah's deliberately orchestrated waiting game continued and even hide and seek.
But just as Chukwuma waited patiently, gently exploring amicable options to prosecute the terms of the agreement religiously, he was greeted with a newspaper headline, precisely Vanguard Newspaper of Monday, December 21, 2015 page 61. It read thus: "COURT RESTRAINS GABROS FROM INTERFERING WITH FC IFEAYI UBAH". The Court at Abuja, the Nation's capital, very far from Nnewi according to the paper was presided over by one Justice Valentine Achi. He restrained Chief Chukwuma, his agents, servants, privies by whatever name called and howsoever described from interfering, impeding, obstructing or otherwise disturb the Plaintiffs (Dr. Ubah and FC Ifeanyi Ubah) in their exclusive use of the Club's Football Stadium pending the hearing and determination of the substantive Suit".
What is the exclusive use of another man's stadium by another man? What purpose is the law serving at this point?
Earlier, Ubah's excuse for failing to meet with the terms of the purchase agreement was that the land including the stadium was in dispute between neighbouring Ozubulu community and Chief Chukwuma. But today that falsehood has been rested with the judgement of His Lordship Hon. Justice Peace N.T. Otti of the Anambra State High Court, Ogidi dated 14th day of March, 2015 which categorically stated that the lands belong to Chief Gabriel Chukwuma. Find attached, a copy of the judgement for clarification. But even at this, Ubah is still forging ahead in the illegality even with extra-ordinary courage.
At this juncture, it became loud and clear both to the blind and deaf that Ubah is angling to buy a Premier League Club and its landed properties with Court order. Where is our collective conscience? At this juncture, greed and covetousness has practically taken the centre stage. Impunity and lawlessness looms large. Where is our decency and good spiritedness? Where is the integrity of the game?
While the Court restrains the authentic owner of Club and Stadium with 56 adjoining plots of land, Ubah is favoured to continue to work on the land by the same court, this is law in our land.
In all my years of investment in Football culminating to my rising as the first Vice President of the Nations Football House, I know it that it is an aberration, in fact, outright violation of the rules of the beautiful game to take its matters to conventional courts. But Ubah did. In a clear shameful attempt to rob and strip me of my hard earned properties using the instrumentalities of the law. But what instrumentalities? Thanks to President Muhammed Buhari on his war against corruption even touching the hitherto untouchables. Soon, very soon, the world will hear from us on how legitimate properties of a man worth billions of naira got coveted by another man with court order. A ruling that was merely read on the pages of Vanguard Newspaper, Chukwuma was neither served notice of summons nor represented at the ruling. But the "Wiseman" says it is in order. Posterity has the final say.
A CALL 0N NFF AND LMC
This is the second time the Management of Gabros International Football Club and Gabros Football Stadium are writing to both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Committee (LMC) asking patriotically for their intervention. We agreed completely to the change of name from Gabros International FC and Gabros Football Stadium to FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium. In fact, we gave the authorization. It was predicated on trust and gentleman's agreement, but shockingly, we got deeply stabbed at the back. We have since realized that the authorization was in error, terrible error. For the second time, we are notifying the Football authorities that the authorization has since been withdrawn.
In the light of the above, we request both the NFF and LMC to withdraw forthwith any further recognition of Gabros International FC and Gabros Stadium as FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium or Sports City, games village or whatever. He has lost the legitimacy and has brought the game to disrepute, we must stop pretending. Which of the Club Presidents in the world acquired their Clubs with Court Order?
Since conventional courts are fast gaining grounds as adjudicators in football matters in the country, we may be forced to sue both the NFF and LMC if they go further to call Gabros International FC and Gabros Stadium as FC Ifeanyi Ubah and lfeanyi Ubah Stadium, Sports City, games village or whatever. Illegality cannot sustain illegality. For the good of the game in the country, we must learn how to call a spade a spade. We waited this long because we wanted the 2015/2016 League to run its full course. Chukwuma is a publicly acclaimed man of peace. He loves football and has invested his massive wealth in raising football stars through Gabros International FC. To disrupt a Football League season that was in motion would have been unthinkable. Thankfully, the season has ended. We implore the Football House to stop Ubah from this dance of madness wrapped in greed and covetousness. If we are allowed to seek self help, the game may suffer incalculable setback in the country to the glory of the devil. Both NFF and LMC must intervene now.
THE MANY VISITS TO GABROS STADIUM:
Despite being a subject of litigation, but to further strengthen falsehood and make it look like truth, turning illegitimacy to legitimacy within a period of time, high profile visitors have been brought to Gabros Stadium, Nnewi Anambra State thrice only this year. First was the Anambra State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Willie Obiano. He was shown the massive hectares of land forcefully and dubiously acquired and nicknamed Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium, Sports City, Games Village or whatever. The intelligent Governor simply marveled. So far, he has since discovered the truth.
Dr. Obiano was followed by the former Military Head of State, Alhaji Abdulsalami Abubakar. Like Dr. Obiano, he also came and marveled. But whether he has realized the game of the absurd behind the acquisition is yet unknown.
But of them all, the most pitiable visitors were the authorities of West Ham United FC of England led by their Managing Director, Mr. Angus Kinnear. They came on the strength of a purported partnership with the illegally acquired Club nicknamed FC Ifeanyi Ubah and to inspect the equally illegally acquired lands also nicknamed Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium, Sports City, Games Village or whatever. We have the story of West Ham United. They do not thrive in illegality and therefore should not be dragged into illegality in Nigeria. Nobody or group goes into partnership in another man's property. Partnership of what? Of Crime or forceful acquisition? We are worried because of the suspected tendency that our land may have been sold off to West Ham or something worse. Soon, we shall write official letter to West Ham authorities with supporting documents. They should either steer clear for now or ask their partner to do the right thing.
OUR PRAYER:
We love Football and we love Nigeria Youths. We cannot have a hand in destroying the game in the country. We must continue to do the right thing at the right time. It is in this spirit that we make the following prayers:
1. The so-called FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Ifeanyi Uba Stadium, Sports City, Games Village or whatever should return to the status quo i.e. Chief Gabriel Chukwuma and Gabros International FC until the terms of the purchase agreement are religiously met.
2. Ubah should be compelled to stop laying claim of ownership to a Football Club and its massive landed property he is yet to legitimately acquire.
3. Both the NFF and LMC in the good spirit of the game must not register the Club as FC Ifeanyi Ubah in the coming season until he acquires the Club rightfully and morally. If it happens, we will be forced to sue both bodies.
May God help us
Yours in Football,
CHIEF GABRIEL CHUKWUMA
PRESIDENT
Source: Vintage Newspaper
Source: Vintage Newspaper