An entertainer and realtor, Mr Austin Charles, popularly known as Austino Milado, has said that he was threatened by an official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in 2002 for composing an evergreen song to celebrate the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The popular song, “Super Eagles Carry Go” also known as “Walele” has been ruling the airwaves since 2002 when it was released for public consumption as it details some of the achievements of Nigerian footballers.
However, in an interview published on the social media pages of popular motivational speaker, entrepreneur and documentary filmmaker, Lucky Udu and compiled by Glonat Newsonline, on Wednesday, which had garnered over 1.3m views and over 6,000 comments on Facebook alone, Milado said he has not been appreciated or compensated by the NFF for his patrotism.
He said he had sent a copy of the music to the NFF in 2002, alongside a letter and followed up with phone calls and physical visits to the Glass House for acceptance, but that an official at the NFF, whom he identified as the Marketing Manager, now deceased, threatened him with lawsuit.
Milado said that the official said he did not get permission from them before using names of retired Super Eagles players to sing and would be sued for that if he persists in seeking for recognition from or adoption of the song by the NFF.
Ironically, since 2002, the song has been used by Nigerians as morale booster whenever the national team is playing, with the Super Eagles repeatedly making and posting videos of their dancing to the song at the ongoing 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
He said: “I am supporting the Super Eagles because that’s my number one club. Anytime I close my eyes, I just want to sing for them, make people happy and also motivate the Super Eagles. However, I cannot start chasing after them. It’s not me that will ask them to invite me when they are having an event. What is driving me is patriotism, the ‘One Nigeria’ thing. It gives me joy to see the players vibing to the song. It lifts their spirits more and boost their morale. The song is motivational, which is why I did it in the first place.
“I did the song when players like Jay Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo were beginning to fade because of age and people started referring to them as tired legs. The complaints were irritating as people were talking anyhow.
“It will give me joy if the Super Eagles can carry me along whenever they are going to tournaments. I do all I do because of love for my country and the Super Eagles. That’s why I go to the studio and do songs for them. It is not as if anyone is sponsoring me. Though people are requesting for new songs for the Super Eagles, it is not easy because it is all about money to record in the studio and do videos.”
He added: “I can’t reach out to the players, but it’s the NFF that is supposed to reach out to me. But let it not be as if I did not make effort. When I first made this song, I sent it to the Glass House. I called the then Marketing Manager of blessed memory now, but he even threatened me and was asking why I used the Super Eagles to sing without permission. That was in 2002, the year I released the song. I had approached the Glass House through the Marketing Manager for then to use the song as their official Super Eagles song, but the man was mad at me.
“He was saying how dare I use the brand of the Super Eagles without permission from them. I won’t say it is the NFF generally. I am not sure he did that on their behalf. He was the person in particular that took the decision, but he didn’t deter me. I continued to disturb him, so he got so angry and said he was going to sue me before the then Sports Writers Secretary, Joe Abu, now intervened. So, I moved on and stopped calling him.
“I felt I should actually be applauded for composing the song. I saw that everyone accepted the music, so I moved on. With my little exposure, I know that I can’t be sued because I am a patriotic Nigerian that composed a song for the national team. The painful thing is that if I didn’t go there, they would say I didn’t contact them. But I did. I actually sent the music, sent a letter and even called. What made me not to bother going there again or to where the Eagles are playing is that I have not been invited. I can’t go to where I am not invited. My own is that they should continue to perform well.
“I am into real estate now, but I still want to do a bit of entertainment, including music and movies because that is where I belong. You know, I did the Super Eagles Carry Go song with all my strength. I spent a lot of money on it. It was even difficult getting the materials used in the song. So, when I didn’t get what I was supposed to get to re-establish myself, I just moved on, hoping one day I will get money to do more songs. Though I got promises, but they didn’t materialize. If those promises materialized, I would have gotten more money.
“Entertainment costs money. That’s why I am doing other things to get money. I am looking forward to one day just receiving a phone call from the NFF or the government for reward for my patriotism. It hasn’t happened, so I am still looking forward to that.”
