By: Sonaike Peter

Two hundred and sixteen days have passed since the conclusion of the 2024 SEALS Cup tournament, yet some of the winners are still awaiting their prizes, IndyPress reports.

Recall that the 2024 SEALS Cup saw MBBS clinch the top spot in the male category, with IPE taking second place. In the female category, Arts and Social Sciences Education emerged victorious, while MBBS secured the runner-up position.

As of March 28, 2025, IndyPress reached out to Chidinma Onyiuke, Sports Secretary of MBBS, and Adedoyin Dorcas, a player from the Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education, who confirmed that their respective departments, which emerged as the overall winners of the tournament in both the male and female categories, have not been compensated for their victories.

Bringing Previous Conversations to Your Attention

On December 23, 2024, IndyPress reported on the failure of the tournament organizers to disburse the prize.

The SEALS Cup tournament, held between July 26 and August 24, was chaired by Abayomi Ojeniyi.

On December 21, IndyPress reached out to Ayobami Ojeniyi, Chairman of the tournament regarding the non-disbursement issue.

Ayobami insisted that he would not speak to the press unless the identity of the individual who raised the alarm about the non-disbursed SEALS Cup prize was revealed.

On the same day, the coach of the Industrial and Petroleum Engineering department, which emerged as the first runner-up in the tournament’s male category, told IndyPress that his department had been compensated, though he did not specify the amount.

Speaking to IndyPress, the Sports Secretary of MBBS, Chidinma Onyiuke, also confirmed that her department, which came in second in the female category, had received compensation. However, she mentioned that the department’s male team, which emerged as the overall winner of the tournament, was still without a prize.

Dorcas Adedoyin, a player from the Arts and Social Sciences Education department, which won the female category of the tournament, confirmed that her department was yet to receive its prize. She also stated that the Chairman of the tournament, Ayobami Ojeniyi, had remained silent on the matter.

“They said 30k for winners, which is quite ridiculous considering the fact that the male winners will be paid 100k,” Adedoyin said.

“Secondly, there has been no response whatsoever to the questions from our coach in their group. Ayobami has refused to respond since last year — no money, no response, no regard for us, and these people are walking freely on the road.”

“We put in our efforts, our money, our time, even our health. We played in the rain, even in the mud, as ladies. Now they’re saying 30k for winners. How? Okay, let them pay the 30k first, but we’ve not seen anything.”

Uncompensated: As the Academic Session Closes 

In an interview with IndyPress on Friday, March 28, 2024, Ayobami Ojeniyi shifted the responsibility for addressing the full payment of the SEALS Cup prize to the Students’ Union.

“The Students’ Union and the Sports Secretary are the best people to speak on that matter. The competition falls under the office of the Sports Secretary. It is the Sports Secretary who will address that issue,” Ayobami said.

In a separate interview with IndyPress on the same day, Friday, the Students’ Union Sports Secretary, Victor Kolawole stated that the SEALS Cup is not a Students’ Union competition.

“Officially, or actually, the SEALS Cup is not a Students’ Union competition. It is usually just facilitated by the Sports Secretary. I think the best person to reach out to is the Chairman of the last SEALS Cup, Ayobami Ojeniyi,” Kolawole said.

However, IndyPress learned that the SEALS Cup tournament has a longstanding tradition of being overseen by the Students’ Union since it acquired the organizing rights from one Samuel Adediran.

Despite former Students’ Union Sports Secretary Adesina Daniel’s assurances that the non-disbursement issue was being addressed, the overall winners of the SEALS Cup tournament remain unpaid as of press time.

With the 2024 SEALS Cup prizes still not fully disbursed, concerns are mounting over the organization of the next edition.

Further fueling these concerns is the fact that the 11th Assembly, Students’ Representative Council, ratified the SEALS Cup report despite the unfulfilled promises to the winners.