The story on the lips of every Nigerian football fanatic was that Daniel Amokachi had so much money, he even owned a jet during his playing days.
He played soccer so well that he won many local and international laurels, so being rich has never been in question.
But Did “The Bull” really own a private jet back then?
Amokachi shared the true story for the very first time on Brila FM yesterday in a tell it all interview, he talked about the Jet ownership, about those great moments, and his relationship with colleagues and the current Super Eagles and their World Cup campaign.
Brila FM’s Anthony Bekederemo threw the question at the former Super Eagles assistant Coach and he was indeed ready to respond swiftly.
There have been a lot of stories and rumors that you own a jet, Do you really own a Private Jet?
“I was at Besiktas, The Jet story came when my club was to play a very crucial match in Istanbul and I was in Nigeria to see my mum who was sick at the time.
“The president of the club tried all he could to get me back so he had to send me a private jet which landed in Kaduna to come and pick me. “
“After several clearances in different countries, we landed in Istanbul played the match and won.
“The president of the club who was a very young man and my friend too asked me if I wanted to have one and I said why not.
“Then he promised to call his friends who ran airline business in America. He did and said to me ‘ you guys can discuss’.
“All I need do was have my name on the airline and at any point, I can call the aircraft to pick me to anywhere in the world.
“I got in contact with them and we got talking. At the end of the day, it was mine. It was all to the Glory of God,” Amokachi stated.
You mean he paid?
We did our own portion.
I know it must have been expensive…
Yes. That was why I gave it back to the company as soon as I stopped playing football because it was like suicide. I wasn’t feeling it that much when I was making money.
At least, I was sure my account would be credited on weekly basis but when it wasn’t coming as it used to, I had to give it back to them.
Just to fly over a country to get clearance is money, to take care of it is money, to leave it overnight is money.
“Believe me everything about me is the grace of God because if it wasn’t His grace I’ll stay without a dime. If I had left the plane, it would have been seized at the end of the day.
At what point did you give it back to them?
“I gave it back to them when I realized I couldn’t continue in the year 2000/01 through a clean negotiation and everybody was happy,” Amokachi concluded.
