“Our Reward Must Be Paid”: Former Plateau United Star, Jerome Dung, Reminds Ex-Governor Lalong of Unfulfilled 2017 Promises!
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“Our Reward Must Be Paid”: Former Plateau United Star, Jerome Dung, Reminds Ex-Governor Lalong of Unfulfilled 2017 Promises!
Reported by Marian opeyemi Fasesan | Sele Media Africa Reporter
Jos, Plateau State – Football is often called the game of passion, sacrifice, and glory. But for Plateau United’s 2017 title-winning squad, their story is also one of broken promises and lingering disappointment.
Nine years after their historic Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) triumph, one of the team’s key midfielders, Jerome Dung, has taken to social media to remind former Plateau State governor, Barr. Simon Bako Lalong, of unredeemed pledges allegedly made to the players and coaching crew.
In heartfelt posts shared on his Facebook page on Sunday, September 21, 2025, Dung poured out the frustration and pain of a generation of footballers who gave their all for Plateau but have been left unrewarded.
“It’s Sunday and I’m taking this matter to God in church today. Your Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sen. Simon Bako Lalong, my teammates and I are sending a reminder to your good office to kindly fulfil your pledge by rewarding our efforts. It’s over nine years already and we are yet to receive the ₦1.5 million and a plot of land for each player,” Dung wrote.
For many, the 2017 NPFL victory was more than just a sporting achievement. It was the fulfillment of a dream for Plateau, a state that had long craved national recognition in football. The players became instant heroes—paraded across Jos, celebrated as symbols of unity, and showered with promises of life-changing rewards.
Yet today, many of those heroes live in silence, some retired, others clubless, struggling to care for their families.
Dung captured their plight poignantly:
“We are all sure that this money is nothing to you, sir, and we just assumed that it skipped your mind. Please be reminded! Thanks, as we await your call to the Plateau United 2017 set.
A Team That Gave Its All
In his posts, Dung listed the full roster of players and coaches who, according to him, were promised the reward. From star goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye to attackers like Sunday Ngbede, Peter Eneji Jnr, and Phillip Azango, to the late Coach Audu Pele, the squad represented the sweat and spirit of Plateau.
Dung stressed that nearly half of the 45-man squad were not even indigenes of the state, yet they gave everything to secure glory for Plateau.
“Today, almost half of my teammates are either retired or currently without a football club to continue their job, and they have kids and families to take care of. I don’t care where the reward will come from; all we want is what we worked for and deserve,” he added.
Jerome Dung’s Journey
Dung, who wore Plateau United’s colours from 2014 to 2020, was part of the midfield backbone that drove the team’s title success. He later moved abroad and now plies his trade in Switzerland.
But even from Europe, his heart beats for home, and he refuses to forget the pain of his teammates. His voice is not just his own—it echoes the frustrations of dozens of young men whose sweat built Plateau’s sporting history.
Silence From Lalong’s Camp
As of press time, former Governor Lalong—who governed Plateau from 2015 to 2023 and is currently serving at the national level—has not issued any public response to the claims.
For now, the footballers wait, carrying memories of their finest hour on the pitch and hoping that justice will still be served.
Their demand is simple: “Pay us what was promised. Honour our sacrifice.”
Sele Media Africa will continue to follow this developing story.
More details soon…
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