A former Super Eagles player, Edema Fuludu, on Thursday charged players to always stand up for their rights whenever such rights were infringed upon by employers.Fuludu, who is currently the treasurer of the National Association of Nigerian Professional Footballers (NANPF), gave the charge in an interview in Lagos.
He spoke against the backdrop of the inability of some Nigeria Professional Football League clubs to pay the salaries of players.
Fuludu described the development as inappropriate, saying that players should always stand up for their rights.
In a statement, the NANPF told players to report cases of non-payment of salaries or any form of victimisation to the appropriate authorities.
Fuludu, who was a member of the Super Eagles squad that won the Tunisia 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, told the League Management Company (LMC) to address the issue frontally.
“Since the clubs are not paying their players as and when due, then the LMC must find a way to deny them what is due to them as sponsorship money.
“Players must be bold enough and not be jittery concerning their rights. They should not feel intimidated.
“Whenever a player is perceived to be victimised, then the union will take it up.
The former attacking midfielder, who plied his trade with Julius Berger FC of Lagos, now defunct, added that defaulting clubs must be made to sign an undertaking with the regulatory body.
“Defaulting clubs should be denied what they are statutorily entitled to from the LMC since they owe their players.
“I know that some clubs currently owe their players salary arrears.
“Clubs that owe their players should sign an undertaking to clear the arrears as soon as possible,’’ the former Super Eagles midfielder added.
