Yakubu Aiyegbeni breaks silence on 2004 AFCON controversy

Yakubu Aiyegbeni, a former Super Eagles striker, has broken his silence on the controversial incident that led to his, Victor Agali's, and Celestine Babayaro's expulsion from Nigeria's squad during the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

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We didn’t break the camp

Aiyegbeni asserts that the players were wrongly accused of breaking camp rules and were not afforded an opportunity to defend themselves before being ordered to leave the tournament. He recounted returning to his room after spending time downstairs, only for officials to later question their whereabouts. In an interview, Yakubu stated, "We didn’t break the camp," insisting the decision to send them home was pre-determined.

He recalled the shock of seeing a television report announcing his and Agali's expulsion for alleged camp rule violations almost immediately after officials informed them of the decision. Yakubu expressed disappointment that none of his teammates supported the affected players or challenged the decision. The incident has remained a subject of discussion in Nigerian football, with contemporary reports also citing alleged indiscipline as the reason for their departure.

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I didn’t have people who pushed me to where I am today. I pushed myself to play at that level.

Looking back at his career, Yakubu believes he could have achieved more, potentially playing for Real Madrid, had he received more guidance and encouragement. "I didn’t have people who pushed me to where I am today. I pushed myself to play at that level," he said, lamenting the lack of a mentor to help him reach his full potential.

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I wish I had someone behind me who could say, ‘You can do more’ and push yourself to another level. I should have played for Real Madrid.