Brown Ideye, Enyimba FC in Heated Dispute Over Unpaid Bonuses and Alleged Poor Performance

Former Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye, has locked horns with Enyimba Football Club, sparking a public fallout over allegations of unpaid bonuses and underwhelming performances during his time with the club.

The controversy ignited after Ideye took to social media to call out the Aba-based Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) giants, accusing them of failing to settle agreed financial obligations. In his post, the veteran forward, who returned to Nigeria after several years abroad, claimed that Enyimba had not fulfilled promises made to him — citing unpaid bonuses and a general lack of player welfare.

The post quickly went viral, igniting conversations across the Nigerian football space and beyond. Supporters and pundits have since been divided, with some backing the 2013 AFCON winner’s right to demand transparency, while others question the timing and intent of his public outcry.

In a swift and fiery response, Enyimba FC defended its handling of Ideye’s time at the club. According to insiders, club officials were deeply disappointed by the social media outburst, viewing it as a betrayal of trust. The club reportedly emphasized the financial sacrifices made to accommodate Ideye, including a ₦1 million monthly salary, lodging him in ₦65,000 per night five-star hotels, and flying him to every away match by air—a rare privilege in the NPFL.

“You were treated like royalty, not like an ordinary NPFL player,” a source from within the club said. “Yet your output was below expectations. You only managed to score five goals.”

Enyimba believes Ideye’s allegations are unfair and potentially damaging to their reputation, especially after what they describe as a generous and professional engagement. While the club has yet to release an official press statement, the internal sentiment suggests they feel their efforts to accommodate Ideye have been overlooked.

For Ideye, however, the core issue remains unmet obligations and the broader question of how clubs handle contracts and player welfare in the NPFL. The striker maintains that his concerns are not just personal but reflective of systemic problems facing domestic footballers.

The public spat has reignited conversations around transparency, financial discipline, and accountability within Nigerian football. Stakeholders now call for clearer contractual structures and better communication between clubs and players to prevent such messy disputes.

As both parties remain silent for now, fans are left watching as tensions simmer. Whether this standoff ends in reconciliation or further escalation remains to be seen — but one thing is clear: it’s another reminder of how fragile the relationship between players and clubs can be in Nigerian football.