Thirty years after Nigeria’s Dream Team won Olympic gold in Atlanta, Kaduna State has become the first to redeem the promise made to its sons on that historic squad.

Governor Uba Sani on Tuesday presented plots of land to former Super Eagles players Daniel Amokachi, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro. He also directed that streets in Kaduna be named after other members of the 1996 team who had not been previously honoured.

The presentation was done during an inspection of the ongoing reconstruction of Ahmadu Bello Stadium by the governor and football veterans.

Amokachi said the gesture restored the players’ confidence in government after decades of unfulfilled pledges.

“When we won the Olympics gold medal in 1996, the Federal Government and state governments made several promises to us, but 30 years down the line, most of those promises were never fulfilled,” he said.

“Governor Uba Sani has fulfilled his own promise. We lack the words to thank him for this kind gesture and for his commitment to rewarding veteran footballers and coaches while they are still alive.”

Lawal described the stadium reconstruction as key to returning Kaduna to its status as a football hub. “Now, the Super Eagles will not have to go to Uyo to train. This one is right here at my doorstep. It’s a wonderful project and, by the grace of God, we shall come and unveil it by November,” he said.

Babayaro said Sani had revived Kaduna’s football family. “Governor Uba Sani has assembled the entire football family of Kaduna State and football is thriving again like we used to know it,” he said.

Governor Sani said Kaduna remains Nigeria’s leading producer of football talents and that investing in sports infrastructure would restore the state’s glory and generate economic value.

He said the old 16,000-capacity stadium built in 1964 was demolished after he secured approval from President Bola Tinubu. The new 33,000-capacity Ahmadu Bello Stadium will have a hybrid pitch and will be the only FIFA-standard stadium in Nigeria when completed.

“Kaduna is the leading footballing state in Nigeria. We have produced more stars that have gone out of the country and made their marks globally,” Sani said.