Niger’s Najeeb Yakubu Accuses Kurt Okraku of Bias Over U23 Snub

Niger defender Najeeb Yakubu has made a bold claim, alleging that Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku deliberately excluded him from the Black Meteors’ squad for the U23 friendlies against Japan in 2021 due to a personal grudge.

The Ghanaian-born player now features for the Niger national team and was part of the Niger team that beat Ghana 2-1 in the AFCON qualifiers at the Accra sports stadium.

In an interview with Joy Sports, Yakubu revealed that Kurt Okraku took him out of the U23 Ghana team and suggested that the issue stemmed from his decision not to join Okraku’s club, Dreams FC, during his formative years.

“I think it’s the GFA President, Kurt [Okraku], who took out my name from the U23 squad that travelled to Japan in 2021 for the friendlies. I think he has a personal problem with me,” Yakubu stated.

He further elaborated on the origins of the alleged tension, saying, “When I was in the U17, he [Kurt Okraku] wanted me to join his team, Dreams FC. Unfortunately, I couldn’t join his team, and he took it personally.”