Telecommunication outfit, Globacom, expended the sum of ?150,000 in a bid to bring Chelsea?s Didier Drogba and Michael Essien to Abuja for the Glo-CAF Awards held at the International Conference Centre on Thursday.
The money was spent on the private jet sent to the United Kingdom to bring the two players to Nigeria for the awards.
It was learnt exclusively that Drogba in particular played hide and seek until 4pm on Thursday before the organisers called off the deal with the airline.
For each hour spent at the airport, Globacom, it was learnt, paid the bill and unfortunately, the players did not turn up.
?They initially said they wanted to train in the morning and later said they needed the approval of club Chairman, Roman Abramovic. It was sad but the money spent was just one of those things. We are not bothered because our target was to bring the three of them and we thank God Samuel Eto?o came,? one of the company?s officials said.
Globacom officials held a meeting with Drogba during the just concluded African Nations Cup and the player agreed in principle to honour the evnt if a private jet was provided.
The Nigerian telecom outfit fufiled its part of the bargain only for the Ivorian star to disappoint.
It will be recalled that another private jet was sent to Spain to bring Eto?o to Abuja for the awards.
Eto?o arrived Abuja at about 5pm and again left five hours later back to his base.
The Camerounian made history as the first player to win the African Footballer of the Year Award three times back-to-back
