Barau FC’s historic promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League has come with an unusual but headline-grabbing reward as the club’s players were each gifted motorcycles along with a cash prize from their owner, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, Footynaija.com reports.
The Kano-based side, known as the Maliya Boys, earned their first-ever NPFL ticket last month after defeating Doma United 2-0 in the NNL Super 8 play-offs. To mark the achievement, Senator Jibrin, who is also Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, presented 35 brand-new motorcycles and a total cash gift of ₦17.5 million to the squad during a colourful ceremony in Kano.
The event also featured the unveiling of the club’s new Technical Adviser, Ladan Bosso, a former Nigeria U-20 coach. The gifts were announced in front of cheering fans and invited dignitaries, with the motorcycles displayed in neat rows in the club’s colours.
As revealed in a report by Punch, the cash will be shared among the players while the motorcycles are meant to aid their transportation in and around the city.
The gesture caught the attention of football followers across Nigeria, sparking a mixture of praise and humour online. Some fans applauded the senator’s generosity while others could not resist making jokes about the unusual nature of the gift.
In one popular reaction on X, a user commented, “No enter public okada come training o! Carry your own private okada come jhur.”
Beyond the fan banter, the presentation also signalled the club’s readiness for life in the NPFL. Bosso used the occasion to outline his vision for the season, promising that the newly promoted side will not be pushovers in their debut campaign.