By: Sonaike Peter
Since its inception, the SEALS Cup contest has relied on the promise of rewards to spark enthusiasm among sporting members of participating faculties. The tournament is characterized by a tradition which has seen the Students’ Union in charge, since it acquired organizing rights from Samuel Adediran.
In 2023 for instance, as reported by IndyPress in an article titled “SEALS Cup: All You Should Know About This Tournament“, “the first team would be awarded a grand prize of a hundred thousand plus medals; the second fifty thousand and medals; while the third would go home with twenty five thousand naira and medals.”
Recall that the 2024 SEALS Cup, which was held between July 26 to August 24, 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.
The 2024 SEALS Cup competition’s triumphant conclusion on Saturday, August 24, has given way to frustration, as winners await their rewards 120 days later.
Ayobami Ojebiyi, Chairman of the tournament, remained tight-lipped about the non-disbursement of funds when approached by IndyPress.
The chairman of the competition wanted IndyPress’ correspondent to provide him with the source of his knowledge about the non-payment of the rewards, before he is liable to give the needed answers.
But in exclusive interviews with IndyPress, the winning and runner-up teams disclosed that they have not been awarded their prizes.
What the Teams Have to Say
According to Chidinma Onyiuke, MBBS’ Sports Minister, the tournament organizers attributed the delay in prize payment to difficulties in securing sponsorship. “They said they have not yet been paid by their sponsors. We were promised last week (earlier in December that) they we would get it soon but we haven’t seen anything for now,” Chidinma told IndyPress.
Chidinma Onyiuke cautioned that failure to receive the funds by the end of the year will prompt additional action from her.
“For now, I think personally I’ll just give them till the end of the year. If the year ends and the new year starts and they have not paid, then, it is going to be a big problem. We can take it up then. But for now, I will just give them the benefit of doubt, maybe for the rest of the year,” Chidinma noted.
Two weeks following the initial interview, Chidinma told IndyPress that it was raised on a WhatsApp group created for the winners of the tournament that the funds for the cup had been allegedly mismanaged.
“Not yet. Someone raised it on the group today that the funds have been mismanaged, so, but I don’t think how true that is. We have a group for the Seals Cup medalists, which is for all the sports secretaries of the teams that got medals; that are supposed to get money,” she said.
On Tuesday, November 12, Akinola Israel, the Sports Director of Arts and Social Sciences Education, acknowledged the delay in receiving the prize for the female category, but revealed that the tournament committee promised to make the payment soon.
“I don’t think that’s necessary right now because the committee for the seals cup has reached out to every winner across departments,” Akinola said.
The coach of Art and Social Sciences Education, Uchenna Kingsley, provided insight into the issue. He revealed that the committee claimed there were insufficient funds in the Union’s account to effect the payment.
“They said there was no fund in the union acct or so? I did not just understand what they were even saying,” Kingsley said.
“All I know is that we asked and the money was not disbursed to us. They were giving us excuses. First one they said they don’t have up to 50k, that they will reduce it to 30k. We were like, no problem. Since it is 30k, we don’t mind. On the day of the competition, final, we heard they don’t have 30k, they will give us 20k. Which they told my girl (player), which my girl came to tell me. I said as long as they said other gifts are attached to it”.
Reaching out again to another member of the affected parties, on Saturday, December 21, 2024, IPE’s coach, told IndyPress that his team, the male category runners-up, were still awaiting the promised monetary prize.
“The winners are in communication with and everything is going on smoothly,”- Students’ Union Sports Secretary, Adesina Daniel
Adesina Daniel, the Students’ Union Sports Secretary, shared his thoughts with IndyPress on the recent tournament.
The Sports Secretary acknowledging the event’s success, addressed concerns over delayed prize disbursements. He revealed that winners are in talks with relevant authorities and expressed confidence that the issue is being resolved.
Daniel, who did answer questions in clear terms, hinted that the delay was due to inflation challenges.
Although he couldn’t provide a specific disbursement timeline, the Sports Secretary reassured that communication channels remain open, and that there is no tension between concerned parties of the held SEALS CUP event.
“Everything has gone well,” UI’SU Sports Secretary
“The winners have been in communication with the appropriate source, yes, and communication and everything is going on smoothly. But if there were to be any complaint, I would have gotten to know about it directly. But everything is going on smoothly because those parties are understandable about everything going on,” the Sports Secretary said.
“Progression is being made and everything is being.. but let say due to the fact of, not they fact, let say, how everything thing goes, the trouble and all participants are being informed about everything”.
Effort to get the comment of the Chairman of the Seals Cup tournament proved abortive as he insisted that he would not attend to any question, unless the press revealed the character who raised an alarm.
