Enyimba Football Club has strongly rebuked former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye, describing his recent comments as “misleading and unprofessional”.
The club expressed disappointment in Ideye’s remarks, which they believe were aimed at distorting the truth and tarnishing the image of Nigeria’s most successful club.
In a Media Release signed by the Club’s Media Team, the Aba based team urged former Nigerian players to support and uplift domestic football rather than discrediting it, emphasizing that Ideye’s behavior was “unbecoming of a professional” and a betrayal of the principles of gratitude and integrity.
Enyimba FC assured its supporters and stakeholders that it remains committed to professionalism, reforms, and the overall growth of Nigerian football.
The Release read..
Enyimba Football Club is both disappointed and dismayed by the recent public outburst made by former player, Brown Ideye, whose comments not only distort the truth but also seek to unjustly tarnish the image of Nigeria’s most successful football club and by extension, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
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.
Brown Ideye’s return to Nigerian football was heralded as a symbolic homecoming. Despite the coach’s initial reservations, our management chose to extend an olive branch to a former Super Eagles striker, treating him with the dignity his pedigree deserved. During his stint, he was accorded VIP privileges, including:
A monthly salary of ₦1 million, making him one of the club’s highest earners,
Luxury hotel accommodation at ₦65,000 per night,
Air travel to away games—privileges not extended to many others,
Personal respect and access befitting his profile as a top-level ex-international.
These claims apart from being verifiable was awash in the media space and was widely analysed on “NAIJA-MADE” sports programme, SuperSports tv before and after his unveiling.
Unfortunately, rather than repay the club’s goodwill with leadership and professionalism, Ideye fell short—both on and off the pitch. Scoring only five goals across all competitions, his impact failed to match the expectations of his signing. Even more worrying was his divisive influence in the dressing room, which reportedly undermined team cohesion and progress.
Now, in a regrettable and self-serving attempt to rewrite the narrative, Mr. Ideye has leveled baseless allegations against the club and the league. His claims of poor player welfare are grossly misleading. Under the leadership of Chairman Kanu Nwankwo, Enyimba FC has instituted a transparent and consistent bonus structure, with players often receiving double bonuses for wins, as well as personal incentives from management—sometimes as much as ₦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. His silence while enjoying these benefits speaks volumes about the motivation behind his sudden crusade.
This is a time when former Nigerian players returning home should be encouraging others to contribute meaningfully, not discrediting the platform that gave them a second chance. Brown Ideye’s conduct is not only unbecoming of a professional but a betrayal to the principles of integrity and gratitude.
To our fans, stakeholders, and the NPFL family: we assure you that Enyimba FC remains committed to professionalism, reform, and the growth of Nigerian football. This incident, while regrettable, serves as a lesson. We will not be deterred by noise or revisionist agendas. The People’s Elephant will continue to march forward with dignity and pride.
Signed,
Club Media Department
Enyimba FC of Aba
