Samson Siasia Claims He Rejected €50,000 Bribe from Mikel to Join Olympic Squad
- Siasia said Mikel skipped the qualifiers but later wanted to join the final squad for the Beijing Games. The revelation has reignited their long-standing feud.
Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia has claimed he rejected a €50,000 bribe from John Obi Mikel’s agent ahead of the 2008 Olympics.
Speaking on Elegbete TV Sports, Siasia said Mikel skipped the qualifiers but later wanted to join the final squad for the Beijing Games. The revelation has reignited their long-standing feud.
“Mikel’s agent called me and offered €50,000 so Mikel could join the team for the Olympics,” Siasia claimed.
“I told him, ‘He didn’t play the qualifiers, so I can’t remove one of the boys that helped us qualify just to take Mikel.’ That’s why he didn’t go.”
Despite Mikel’s absence, Siasia led Nigeria’s U23 team to the final, where they narrowly lost 1–0 to Argentina’s Messi-led side, securing a silver medal and national pride.
In other news….. The buzz surrounding Nigerian music icon Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, continues to escalate after his recent appearance on a podcast hosted by media personality Nedu Wazobia (real name Chinedu Ani Emmanuel).
In a widely circulated video, 2Baba publicly apologized to his partner, Natasha Osawaru a lawmaker from Edo State and his children. His apology followed intense criticism over a controversial statement he made during the podcast, where he addressed male sexuality and the challenges of monogamy.
On Wednesday, July 2, 2Baba posted a heartfelt video expressing deep regret for his comments, admitting they were insensitive and caused emotional harm.
However, the singer’s apology has shifted public attention toward Nedu Wazobia. Many Nigerians on social media are now accusing the media host of being the catalyst behind the backlash 2Baba is facing.
It’s worth noting that Nedu recently joined a South African podcast after stepping down from The Honest Bunch, a move prompted by backlash over an interview he conducted with comedian Deeone.
His exit was further clouded by allegations from controversial online figure VeryDarkMan, who accused Nedu of exploiting the platform to solicit sexual favors from female guests.
GistLover has gathered a range of reactions from Nigerians, many of whom believe Nedu’s role in the viral interview contributed to the controversy surrounding 2Baba’s remarks and subsequent apology.
