Former captain of Delta State-owned football club, Warri Wolves, Ekene Olisema, has appealed to Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the state government to intervene in an alleged contractual dispute between him and the state-owned club, claiming that his two-year contract was terminated before its expiration and that he is owed ₦7.25 million in outstanding salaries and other contractual entitlements.
Olisema, a professional footballer who previously captained Warri Wolves during its Nigeria National League (NNL) campaign, said his contract with the club was terminated following a directive from the Delta State Sports Commission, headed by Onoriode Oborevwori, the governor’s younger brother.
The player alleged that his contract, which he said was signed in August 2025 and was expected to run until August 2027, stipulated a monthly salary of ₦500,000.
He further alleged that, for seven months preceding the termination of his contract, the club paid him ₦350,000 monthly instead of the agreed ₦500,000, leaving an alleged monthly shortfall of ₦150,000.
Olisema said there was no prior negotiation or agreement between him and the club authorising the reduction in his monthly remuneration.
The former captain said he initially refrained from making the matter public because he preferred an internal and peaceful resolution of the dispute.
He said the situation changed after several efforts to resolve the matter allegedly failed.
According to Olisema, his players’ agent and FIFA-licensed players’ agent, Aminu Yusuf, formally wrote to Warri Wolves on July 18, 2026, requesting clarification over the discontinuation of his contractual engagement and demanding the settlement of his outstanding obligations.
The player said the club and the Delta State Sports Commission had yet to respond to the correspondence.
A report by The Trumpet, citing the agent’s letter, said Yusuf alleged that Olisema was paid ₦350,000 monthly from January to May 2026 instead of the contracted ₦500,000, representing a salary shortfall of ₦750,000 for the five-month period. The report said the agent’s calculation also included contractual claims extending from June 2026 to June 2027, resulting in the total claim of ₦7.25 million.
Olisema said he had a longstanding relationship with Warri Wolves, having previously served as captain of the club during its NNL period before leaving for other clubs and subsequently returning ahead of the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
Public records confirm that Olisema was listed as a Warri Wolves defender during the 2025/2026 NPFL campaign.
He said his return to the club was particularly significant because of his previous leadership role and relationship with the team.
“For proper background, I have been involved with Warri Wolves FC for some time and previously served as captain of the club. I was part of the team during its Nigeria National League period and was publicly identified as captain of Warri Wolves during the 2022/2023 NNL season.
“I later moved on to other clubs before returning to Warri Wolves ahead of the 2025/2026 NPFL season. My return was also reported publicly at the time, with the club confirming the signing of players including myself as the team prepared for its return to top-flight football.
“I had previously captained the club and was therefore returning to a team with which I already had a history and relationship. Following my return, I signed a two-year contract with Warri Wolves. However, before the expiration of that agreement, my contract was terminated,” Olisema said.
He maintained that he was seeking neither confrontation nor an attempt to damage the image of Warri Wolves, but wanted what he described as justice, transparency and fulfilment of contractual obligations.
The former captain also claimed that he was not the only player affected, alleging that about 13 other players had experienced similar circumstances.
He said some of the affected players had become tired of repeatedly seeking assistance over their alleged contractual issues.
“And I am not alone in this ordeal. What makes the situation more concerning for me is that I am not the only player affected. There are about 13 other players affected by similar circumstances. Some of them have become tired of speaking out and repeatedly seeking help, but their silence should not mean that the issues do not exist,” he said.
Olisema said he decided to seek public attention after displaying what he described as contractual documents, correspondences and other relevant materials supporting his claims.
He appealed specifically to Governor Oborevwori to investigate the matter because Warri Wolves is owned by the Delta State Government.
“I am particularly appealing for the matter to receive the attention of the Delta State governor because the club is a state-owned football institution, and I believe the appropriate authorities should be aware of what former players are experiencing,” he said.
He added that his concern was that unresolved contractual disputes involving players could create a negative perception of the administration even where government officials might not have been aware of the details.
“My appeal is therefore for the government to look into the matter, establish the facts and, where obligations are found to be outstanding, ensure that the appropriate steps are taken. I am prepared to provide my two-year contract, the termination communication, the correspondence from my agent/advocate and any other relevant documents to enable independently verify my claims,” Olisema said.
However, the Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Onoriode Oborevwori, rejected the former captain’s claims, insisting that the player was not owed any money and that his contractual engagement with Warri Wolves had ended.
Oborevwori also disputed Olisema’s assessment of his performance as a footballer, saying the club no longer required his services.
“He was no longer needed. He is not a good player, a lazy player. I can send you some of his videos during matches and you will see how poorly he has always performed,” Oborevwori claimed.
The chairman’s position contrasts with Olisema’s account that his two-year agreement was terminated before its stated August 2027 expiration and that outstanding financial obligations remained unresolved.
The dispute comes against the background of Warri Wolves’ return to the NPFL for the 2025/2026 season after securing promotion from the NNL. The club’s revival had been publicly associated with the Delta State Government and the Delta State Sports Commission under Onoriode Oborevwori.
In October 2025, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori also presented new buses to Warri Wolves and Delta Queens as part of measures he said were aimed at supporting the state’s football teams and improving athletes’ welfare. The Sports Commission chairman subsequently said the commission would continue to prioritise the welfare of athletes and teams.
The competing accounts between Olisema and the Sports Commission chairman have therefore left the alleged ₦7.25 million claim, the circumstances surrounding the termination of the player’s contract and the status of the alleged salary shortfalls as matters requiring verification from the relevant contractual documents and records.